Sunday, March 12, 2006
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Cross Training (XT)
- Adds variety to your training and decreases the chance of burnout.
- Can occasionally be substituted for "easy day" running (as an aerobic workout).
- Can serve as an injury prevention measure - Certain activities such as cycling can strengthen related muscle groups and soft connective tissue.
- Provides an additional means of burning fat
- Increases upper body strength - This is very important late in a marathon as neck and shoulder muscles often become fatigued. Upper body strength is an important asset in ascending hills.
- Cross-training is not intended to replace running - In other words, don't substitute three hour bike ride for a three hour long run. This is the concept of sports specificity (as a three hour bike ride won't provide the training effect needed to run a marathon).
- Refrain from lateral, stop and go, bounding, and high impact activities along with those with quick/sudden movements - It is crucial that you refrain from the following sports as doing so can traumatize the soft connective tissue that surrounds the knee and ankle regions: Tennis, racquetball, handball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, rugby, down-hill skiing, and aerobic dance. While this is not an exhaustive list, use common sense when deciding whether to add certain sports to your fitness regimen.
- Rest Days - At least one day per week should be scheduled as a complete leg rest day. Prior to your long run, this is particularly important, as it is crucial to be as rested as possible. While participating in your favorite cross-training activities can be helpful as a means of losing weight, don't overdo by skipping rest days, particularly for your legs. Over-training can lead to a variety of injuries.
- Stretching - Stretch thoroughly after working out in any manner. If you choose to stretch prior to running, be sure to warm-up your muscles by walking briskly or by lightly jogging.
Benefits of Specific Sports
The following are great cross-training options that when infused carefully into your workout routine will enhance your marathon training. Be sure to follow the precautions and considerations above. Whether you use a fitness center's exercise equipment/gear or your own, it is vital that you obtain instruction in its correct use for the specific sports you select for cross-training. To receive the maximum benefit while minimizing your chances of incurring injury, it is also very important that you perform these activities utilizing proper form, technique, and posture. A certified fitness instructor can provide guidance in these areas.
Cycling
Cycling exercises related muscle groups such as the quadriceps and shins, both of which don't develop as rapidly as the calf muscles and hamstrings. Cycling also strengthens the connective tissue of the knee, hip, and ankle regions, thus reducing the risk of injury. After a stressful run, cycling also loosens fatigued leg muscles. Key points to remember: Don't cycle on a scheduled rest day. Since it's much more difficult to run after cycling, run first before heading out on your bike. Spin easily as opposed to grinding the big gears. Be sure your seat height and pedals are properly positioned. Finally, always wear a helmet and leave the music headphones at home.
Nordic Track Ski-Simulator Machine
STRETCHING
- Helps prevents muscular aches, pains, and cramping
- Reduces the possibility of muscular soreness/fatigue over the next day(s)
- Decreases the possibility of causing a muscular injury
- Increases the muscles efficiency/effectiveness of movement (improving your overall speed, stamina, and form) by:
Enhancing the ability of muscles to contract/work more powerfully and economically
Lengthens stride
Improves your overall form - Great for relaxation
General Stretching Rules for Runners
Stretching Before the Run
One of the greatest misconceptions about exercise and running is that one must stretch before hitting the roads. In fact, the opposite is the case. If you really feel you must stretch, jog or walk for 5 or 10 minutes before stretching to warm those muscles up and to get blood flowing.
Static stretch basics:
- Stretch the muscle to the point of its greatest range of motion, but do not overextend. You should feel very minimal tightness/discomfort (but not pain).
- Hold and control the stretch for at least 30 seconds (and maximum 60 seconds).
- Stretch all the major leg muscle groups (e.g., calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, groin, hip flexors).
- Stretch uniformly (after stretching one leg, stretch the other).
- Don't overstretch an injured area as this may cause additional damage.
CAUTION: Never bounce when stretching (called ballistic stretching). This increases your chances of incurring injury!
Warm up first with 10 minutes of easy jogging.
Stretch thoroughly (see static stretch basics above).
Do 6 to 8 striders (Short bursts of speed building to race pace lasting approximately 80 meters).
Begin the speedwork session or the race.
Do a 10-minute cool-down jog.
Stretch thoroughly (see static stretch basics above).
Psychological Issues
- Find a coach with the reputation for being both enthusiastic and positive. These traits can help inspire and motivate you.
- Join a group or team whose members share your same goals. These individuals can provide you with the needed emotional support to succeed. Groups or a training partner can help make completing the long runs easier than doing these alone. It is essential to find training partners who run your approximate pace so that your workouts do not turn into races.
- When doing your long runs, break the course into sections mentally. That is, mentally run from one landmark to the next instead of thinking of completing the entire 20-mile training course. When you reach the first landmark, then mentally think of running to the next and so forth.
- Realize that the training will not always be easy. If running a marathon were simple, there would be no challenge as everyone would be able to do it. To enable you to cope with the physical and mental demands of completing the long training runs and the actual marathon when the going gets tough, there are several mental strategies you can utilize. These strategies and examples are listed in the next section.
Examples of Mental Strategies During Your Training
Self-Talk Thoughts
Think and say to yourself…
"If this was easy, then everybody could complete a marathon."
"Keep running . . . Maybe I'll feel better when I have some Gatorade."
"If I quit now, I'll be very disappointed in myself later this afternoon."
"I'm not really physically tired; I'm more fatigued mentally."
"Completing this important training run will give me confidence and enable me to finish the marathon comfortably."
"In just one more hour this run will be finished and I'll be in at home...showering, relaxing, eating, etc."
Imagery
Imagine…
Imagine that you are a world-class runner and are in the lead of the Boston or Olympic Marathon.
Imagine that your running form is smooth and graceful.
Imagine that your a running effortlessly and very relaxed.
Visualization/Mental Rehearsal Strategies
Visualize…
Picture yourself running every mile of the marathon for which you are training.
Visualize what the finish line area will look like (e.g., with the clock displaying the time you're shooting for).
See in your "mind's-eye" the spectators who will be cheering for you.
Think of all your friends back at home who will be thinking about you and pulling for you while you'll be running.
Check out the following book co-authored by Jerry Lynch and Warren Scott for great information about sports psychology as it applies to running: Running Within: A Guide to Mastering the Body-Mind-Spirit Connection for Ultimate Training and Racing
The L-O-N-G Run
Signs you went too fast on a long one
- muscle soreness or leg fatigue which lasts more than two days, making it uncomfortable to run
- aches and/or pains that last for more than four days after a long one
- huffing and puffing so much during the last two to three miles that you can't carry on a conversation
- struggling during the last two to three miles to maintain pace or slowing down
- an increase in nausea and irritation at the end of the run
Long run facts
- Twenty miles with walk breaks equals 20 miles run continuouslyŠat any speed (but you recover faster with walk breaks).
- Forget about speed on long runs. Focus only on the component of endurance.
- You can't run too slowly on the long runs. Run at least two minutes per mile slower than you could run that distance that day, accounting for heat, humidity, etc.
- You usually won't feel bad when you're running too fast at the beginning of the run; you must force yourself to slow down.
- The day before the long run should be a no-exercise day.
- Provides the necessary endurance to complete the marathon.
- Strengthens the heart (increases stoke volume) and opens the capillaries, both sending energy to working muscles and flushing waste products from fatigued muscles.
- Other physiological benefits include the increased number and size of mitochondria and increased myoglobin concentration in muscle fibers.
- Strengthens the leg muscles and ligaments, thus improving your endurance.
- Recruits fast-twitch muscle fibers to help with slow-twitch tasks (like running a marathon).
- Teaches the body to burn fat as fuel.
- Develops your mental toughness and coping skills, thus increasing/enhancing your confidence level that you can go the full marathon distance on race day.
- Increases your overall speed, even for shorter races.
Preparing for the Long Run
While completing long runs can be sometimes difficult, preparing properly for these training sessions will make this important workout much easier to accomplish.
Listed below are areas of concern that require your careful preparation prior to, and during your long run. Let's assume that your long run is scheduled for Sunday morning.
Rest
- Get lots of rest Saturday night, aiming for 8 hours sleep.
- Make either Friday or Saturday a complete rest day for the legs.
- If you do train on Saturday, make it a very light workout on the legs.
Nutrition
- Begin hydrating on Saturday.
- Eat meals high in carbohydrates for lunch and dinner Saturday. Selecting the "right" foods is an important area of experimentation.
- Avoid foods with excessive protein/fat content all day Saturday.
- Drink about eight ounces of water Sunday morning prior to your long run.
- Eat a light snack Sunday morning prior to your long run. This is also an important experimentation area in regard to food selection.
- Drink lots of fluids while running. Be sure to stop for water frequently throughout the run. For runs longer than 60 minutes, you MUST drink sports beverages (such as Gatorade, PowerAde, etc.) at every two to three mile interval. Drinking on the run requires careful planning of the route (making sure there is water frequently available along with places to stash sports drinks).
- Consider trying gel carbohydrate replacement products. Be sure to chase these supplements down with water to avoid stomach cramps and insure absorption. A final thought: Please dispose of gel and energy product wrappers properly by throwing them away in trash receptacles or placing them in your fanny pack. Let's all work together to keep the environment clean!
- After the run is over, continue to drink fluids (water, sports drinks, and/or juice products are all great choices).
- As soon as possible (ideally within 15 minutes), grab something nutritious to eat to replace your depleted glycogen stores. Research indicates that to avoid muscle fatigue the next day, carbohydrates should be eaten as soon as possible following long duration exercise. Shoes, Apparel, and Accessories
- Make sure that you are training in shoes with low mileage wear to maximize absorption of shock.
- Wear Cool-max or synthetic blend socks, singlet, and shorts that wick away moisture/perspiration and won't cause chafing to enhance your comfort level.
- Use Body Glide, Skin Lube, Vaseline, or similar products (on feet, under arms, between thighs, nipples, etc.) to eliminate or reduce chafing and/or blisters.
- Do not over-dress. Assess the need to wear tights, long-sleeves, etc. as excess clothing can lead to overheating of the body. Doing so makes the "real feel" 10 degrees warmer once you begin running. In cooler weather and/or in windy conditions, consider wearing an old t-shirt that you can discard once your long run or marathon begins, but be sure that you won't be running into the wind later on your return route. Also remember that if you choose to wear a hat, it will trap body heat (great in cold weather) but a bad idea for a long run or marathon with hot/humid conditions).
Things to Consider While Running Long
- Run at a conversational pace by starting out slowly to conserve glycogen.
- Running at an easy pace reduces the possibility of incurring an injury.
- Stay loose by shaking out your arms and shoulders regularly.
- Carry your arms close to your waist or hips to conserve energy. Also avoid unnecessary arm swing, particularly laterally across the body.
- Realize that long runs will sometimes be difficult to complete and that you may experience some "bad patches" in the later miles. Persevering through these stretches will develop mental toughness, an essential skill that will be needed during the marathon.
- Use imagery, mental rehearsal/visualization, and self-talk to develop mental toughness. Mentally break the course into sections.
- Cool down by running the last half-mile at a very easy pace. After the Long Run is Over
- Drink and eat.
- Stretch thoroughly.
- Do some light cycling, walking, etc. later in the day to loosen up your legs.
- Consider utilizing some therapeutic techniques such as dipping your legs in cool water soon after the run, getting a leg massage over the next couple of days to reduce muscle soreness and fatigue. Guidelines and
Other Helpful Tips to Make the Long Run Easier and Safer
- Don't schedule long runs too early in your training, even if you are physically prepared to cover the distance. This may lead to staleness or premature burnout. Additionally, you may "peak" too early in your training.
Schedule some long runs at the same time of day the actual marathon will be held to familiarize yourself with running during that time-frame and to also develop a pre-race routine for which you feel comfortable. - Include weight training into your marathon training program.
- Consider running for time, approximating the distance. Doing so will enable you to have more flexibility and spontaneity in regards to the route you choose to run.
- Do not increase the distance of your long run by more than 10 percent per week. This equates to adding approximately 15 minutes to each subsequent long run.
- Every fourth week of your training schedule, drop the distance of your long run, providing for an easy week to facilitate rest and recovery.
- Use your long runs as a means of experimentation regarding future choices of food, clothing, shoes, etc.
- Schedule you're longest run no closer than four weeks before the marathon. The distance of this run should be 23 miles maximum. Above all, DO NOT run 26.2 miles in practice to see if you can run a marathon. Save your efforts for the actual race!
- It's perfectly acceptable to stop or walk to get the fluids down during your long run. Doing so will not have a negative effect on your preparedness for the marathon. Water and sports drinks are your "lifeline" to completing these long workouts.
- Running with a group will make the long run more pleasurable and easier to accomplish as opposed to running alone.
While running with a group is a great idea, be sure you don't turn long runs into races. This will almost surely lead to injury. Find training partners who run at, or close to your training pace.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Speedwork for Every Runner
If you’ve already added a speed session or two to your schedule then you’ll know all of this already. If you haven’t, then here are a few things to remember.
Pacing Yourself
When you start speedwork you might find pacing yourself difficult. If you’ve run a 5K race and a session calls for that pace, then you’ll have an idea of what it feels like. But if you haven’t raced the distance indicated for the session, don’t worry, because you’re most likely to find the right pace through trial and error anyway.
While the idea of speedwork is obviously to run quickly, you’ll rarely be running flat out. Instead, the time for each rep should be pretty similar, unless indicated otherwise. Run too hard at the start of a session and your times will fall off; take it too easy to begin with and you will speed up, but the session won’t benefit you as much as it should.
In fact, for your first sessions it’s better to be cautious, because you don’t want to immediately hate speedwork, and you’ll know that next time you can push yourself harder.
Sand Running for Speed and Strength
As to shoes, you don't need anything special for sand or grass. Wet grass would be best done wearing non-road racing shoes because you'll need some decent gripping from the soles. Trail shoes can be very specialized. Few runners use trails rough enough to warrant the expense.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
The Most Basic Law of Training
This basic law or principle is the first and most basic physiological concept that needs to be understood by both runners and their coaches who want to optimize short- and long-term performance progress. Unfortunately, precious few runners and coaches follow this basic law of training when designing their respective training programs. Under-estimating the importance of this most basic law will surely result in ineffective training - even if all other training strategies in a runner's program are highly sophisticated.
Put into an equation it looks like this:
Optimal Training STRESS + Optimal Training REST = Optimal Performance PROGRESS
Whether you realize it or not, rest (or recovery) can be, should be, and is taken after each and every unit of training that you perform. Rest is taken between hard speed repeats on the track. Rest should be, and is taken on the easy day (or days) that follow a hard workout day. And an easy month of rest is often taken (and recommended) after any racing season.