Know Thyself

by Richard Ferguson Ph D (Running Journal, Feb 2006)

As strange as it may sound, many runners don't understand themselves very well. In other words, they are not in touch with their body and mind as they run. Often you're told to concentrate, focus, relax, get psyched etc., during a race. But how many runners are actually aware of being focused, relaxed, or even anxious? In my many years of running, both from a personal and professional perspective, I have found that almost all runners can benefit from increasing their own self- awareness.

Being a good runner means having the ability to constantly adjust both during training and racing. How many times are things perfect in training and racing? Very seldom are you in an optimal performance zone. That means you learn to adjust when you don't feel well, the weather isn't great, or when you've had a poor night of sleep. However, in order to make any adjustment when training or racing, you must first be aware that an adjustment needs to be made.

What adjustments are we talking about here? Goal setting is one big area that often needs work. Do you have a goal in running? Do you have too many goals? Some runners really don't have any goals, while others set so many goals that they get bogged down and never reach any of them. Goal setting is critical for running performance because goal setting forces you to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your past performances. Goals should be performance goals where you strive to reach personal improvement criteria, like miles run in training, days in the weight room, or times run in certain workouts or races. You should also set short-term goals for each day or week of training. These short-term goals will help you reach a long-term goal, such as a particular race months or years in the future. Any goal setting program means better self- awareness, because as a runner you must first set goals, then work to attain them, then evaluate your performance, and in the end, adjust your goals in an appropriate manner.

Running is a sport where there is a very fine line between running too hard and physically crashing, or not pushing hard enough, thereby limiting your best performance. Learning to monitor your body is critical for peak running performance. Always work on reading how your body feels at different paces and exertion levels. Research has shown that the best runners are the ones who are exceptionally in tune with the feedback their body gives them during running. Try not to block out signals your body is giving you. By monitoring muscle discomfort and breathing rate, you can learn to run just below the anaerobic threshold, which is critical for any long race such as a marathon. Cross the anaerobic threshold and lactic acid will begin to accumulate rapidly in your muscles and you will have no choice but to drastically slow the pace.

Another part of self-awareness is knowing where your optimal level of arousal lies. You know, the point at which you feel excited, yet not so nervous that it hurts your performance. Being able to maintain an optimal level of arousal, both before and during competition, is critical for optimal running performance. If you're too nervous before a race it means you waste valuable energy. Feeling flat and unenthused before a race may mean a very flat, unenthused race performance. Being able to energize yourself with self-talk or recognizing when you need to relax during a race is also critical for peak running performance.

If you can learn to recognize what makes you nervous or why you sometimes feel flat then you can develop ways to relax or pump yourself up. Becoming aware of why you have certain emotions can be an invaluable skill. By recognizing triggers for anxiety, or even boredom, you can work to avoid the triggers, or if they're unavoidable, learn to prepare to react to them more appropriately. Also, if you know when you feel too anxious, you can then use cognitive techniques to help get you back to an optimal level of arousal. Think back to how you felt emotionally before your best races. Try to identify just how you felt and then work to get yourself into that zone of emotional arousal before every race. By doing so you can get yourself into what famous sport psychologist Yuri Hanin has termed the "zone of optimal functioning."

How can you go about developing better self-awareness as a runner? Maybe the best way for any runner can be found in their running log. Many runners simply write down their miles or workouts in their log. Try to put a little more reflection into your log entries and note how you felt both mentally and physically in the workout or race. Was there anything that stressed you before or during? How well did you monitor your body feedback during the run? How well did you concentrate? Did any particular technique help you to relax or help to raise your level of emotional arousal? By answering such questions. you will begin to develop better self-awareness and see strengths, but also weaknesses that need to be corrected.

Once you are better able to identify your ideal level of arousal and concentration, you can then use some visual imagery to help you "practice" getting into that ideal performance state. Relive previous great races and the accompanying optimal arousal level, thought patterns, and concentration style. With imagery you can constantly work to achieve optimal performance states even when you're not actually training or racing.

By increasing self-awareness you will be better able to monitor physiological feedback from your body and thought processes from your mind. Both of these skills can be a valuable tool in preparing for races and in getting the most out of your potential during a race. Start getting to know the running you a little bit better.

http://www.running.net

Cross Training (XT)

Over the past few years, runners of all abilities have discovered the many benefits of cross-training as a means to enhance their total conditioning and running performance.

Although cross-training can provide numerous benefits for those aspiring to run a marathon,too much of a good thing can be counter-productive and detrimental to one's marathon training and participation in his or her chosen event. For example, partaking in certain cross-training activities on a scheduled rest day may leave one tired prior to attempting an important workout such as a long run. Furthermore, some cross-training activities can actually increase the likelihood of an injury, particularly during the mileage build-up stage. This in turn may prevent a runner from completing the training necessary to participate in, and finish a marathon. After reading this section, it is hoped that you will select your cross-training activities carefully and schedule these sessions to enhance, rather than detract from your marathon training.

Benefits and Purposes of Cross-Training

• 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.

Precautions and Considerations

• 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.

Swimming

Swimming is one of the best cross-training activities for several reasons. Swimming enables one to build muscular strength and endurance while improving flexibility. It is especially recommended for those who want to prevent injury, are pregnant, are recovering from an injury, are suffering from joint or bone conditions, or are overweight and want to exercise in a weightless environment. For the compulsive runner who has a hard time taking a rest day, swimming gives those fatigued leg muscles a breather while at the same time, provides an excellent upper body workout. Additionally, water is considered a healing medium, providing a therapeutic effect for all muscle groups. While gentle kicking alleviates some muscle soreness and fatigue, avoid using the kickboard for hard kick sets on your running rest day. Keep in mind that compared to other cross-training activities, your heart-rate may not reach as high a level while swimming (typically 10 to 20 beats per minute less than what it is for dry land activities) due to the loss of gravitational force, the horizontal position, and the cooling effect of the water temperature. Nevertheless, what truly counts is that the heart, lungs, and muscles are still processing oxygen.

Deep Water Running

This cross-training activity is just what the doctor ordered for the rehabilitation of many running injuries. Because there is no shock from foot strike, water running is a great alternative to a mid-week "easy day" run. For either purpose, it should be based on your current level of ability and present dry-land running schedule. While it is possible to run in the water without floatation aids, find a pool that has these devices (e.g., vests, belts, etc.) to make your workout easier.

Ergometer (Rowing) Machine

This is another great cardio-vascular activity that can be done on a rest day. It strengthens the hips, buttocks, and upper body while sparing the legs of heavy pounding. Be sure to learn proper rowing technique to maximize the benefits of this activity.

Nordic Track Ski-Simulator Machine

This challenging workout is highly effective in building/maintaining aerobic conditioning and endurance while strengthening the muscles of the upper and lower body. Because it requires the ability to balance and coordinate duel action movements of the upper and lower extremities, proper form must be learned and utilized. In short, this is great workout for runners interested in supplementing their training.

Stair-Master

This activity provides a great cardio-vascular workout while being rather gentle on the skeletal system. To achieve maximum benefits, proper form and posture must be utilized. Because of the vigorous exercise the leg muscles receive from this machine, it is not recommended as a supplemental workout for a complete leg rest day.

Versa-Climber

This great cardio-vascular activity provides a total body workout because all the major muscles of the upper and lower body are fully engaged and thus strengthened. Because of the coordination required by the arms and legs (climbing against gravity, similar to the motion of ascending a ladder), it can be a challenging machine to learn to use correctly. Again, procure the guidance of a knowledgeable fitness instructor to learn proper technique. The Versa-Climber can serve as a "stepper" machine when only the handrails and foot pedals are used.

Elliptical Trainer

These machines provide a great total body cardio-vascular workout. Their oval-like (ellipse) motion provides the user with the feel of classic cross-country skiing, stair climbing, and walking all in combination. The elliptical trainer can be programmed to operate in either a forward or backward motion, providing a low-impact workout for all the all the major muscles in the legs. The backward motion emphasizes the gluteal muscles (buttocks). A great upper body workout can be achieved by using the two poles located on each side of the machine in conjunction with the leg motion.

Walking

This is a very under-rated activity that provides great therapeutic benefits following a long run or speedwork. While walking is not intended to be a substitute for an easy running day, a relaxed two to three mile stroll is a great way to loosen up the legs the day prior to a big race. Depending on the type of injury, speed walking is a great rehabilitation activity to maintain cardio-vascular fitness.

Weight Training

(http://www.marathontraining.com)

STRETCHING

Stretching offers many benefits

• 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!

For Speedwork and Races
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).

Make Stretching After the Run Part of the Run

A workout isn't over until you stretch thoroughly (part of your cool down period) immediately following the run. Your legs will be most receptive to the benefits of stretching immediately after you run. Waiting 30 to 40 minutes later after your fatigued and tight muscles have cooled down (especially after long or fast-paced workouts) increases your chances of causing injury. In short, stretch gently and slowly while your muscles are still warm. Make the after running stretch part of the cool down process.

A Final Note: Even if you presently have poor flexibility, a regular stretching program will greatly improve your range of motion through static stretching. Get started now and/or continue stretching as part of your running routine.

(http://www.marathontraining.com)

Psychological Issues

Of all the distance running events, the marathon presents the greatest challenges both physically and mentally. Even after completing all the required training and making it to the race site rested and healthy, arriving at the starting line in less than the ideal state of mind can have a devastating effect on your performance.

In this section, a variety of mental strategies will be discussed that will enable you to set realistic goals, complete the necessary training (in particular, the long runs), and be optimally prepared mentally for the challenges that await you in completing the marathon.

Please be familiar with the following terminology (described with positive outcomes), as each will be mentioned later in this section:

Mental Rehearsal/Visualization - The process of creating pictures or images in your mind.

Imagery - Playing out/imagining in your mind the way you wish for an event to occur.

Self-Talk - The "voice" in your head that can be trained to provide positive affirmations during adversity and tough times.

Before You Begin

There are certain "prerequisites" or internal characteristic that a runner must possess in order to undertake the necessary training that the marathon requires. These include motivation, self-discipline, and effective time-management, all of which are inter-related characteristics.A coach can be enthusiastic about the training program he or she designs/presents and show interest in the runner's development; however, motivation and self-discipline must be developed primarily from within. The best marathon training program in the world will not enable a runner to make it to the finish line of a marathon if he or she isn't internally motivated to undergo and complete the training and then finish the race.Similarly, it requires a great deal of self-discipline to complete the long training runs while at the same time, cope with other daily distractions and manage all the personal responsibilities daily living provides. This is why it is crucial that the runner who wishes to train for the marathon be an effective manager of time. It is beyond the scope of this web site to discuss in detail strategies to enhance one's motivation, self-discipline, and time management strategies. There are a wealth of resources available featuring information relating to both these topics and sports psychology.

Short and Long Term Goal Setting

General Goal Setting Considerations

For most first time marathoners, goal setting is simple… To finish the race! Nevertheless, regardless of your experience level and race aspirations, it is best to be as specific as possible when setting goals. Be sure to write the goals down, perhaps tell others about your goals, and set a time frame for achieving the goals. These strategies will enhance the possibility of achieving both your short-term objectives as well as your big goal.

There are two basic types of goals: Process goals and outcome goals. It is important to set short-term objectives (process goals) on your way to achieving the big goal (outcome goal). The definitions and examples of process and outcome goals are listed below:

Process Goals - These types of goals involve activities that focus on mastering the task and increasing one's skill level (e.g., the knowledge and training needed to complete a marathon). Examples of process goals include: Following the training schedule as closely as possible; Improving your nutrition; Reading as much as you can about the marathon; Consulting with your coach on a regular basis; Getting more sleep to be as rested as possible, etc.

Outcome Goals - These goals relate to the finished product or stated differently, goals you hope to accomplish in the marathon. Examples include: Breaking 4 hours in the marathon; Running the second half of the marathon faster than the first 13.1 miles; Defeating a rival; Running a personal best in the marathon.

Marathon Goal Setting Considerations

In the couple of weeks prior to the marathon, think about three (outcome) goals you'd be interested in accomplishing for your marathon: (1) an easily obtainable goal, (2) a realistic yet moderately challenging goal, and (3) an ultimate goal. Determine a strategy to achieve the ultimate goal, but build into your plan flexibility to aim for less ambitious goals if things don't pan out the way you had planned. Above all, be realistic. For example, if you don't possess the genetic predisposition (natural ability) to run a sub-38 minute 10K, there's very little chance you can break three hours in the marathon, no matter how positive an attitude you possess!

Strategies for Completing the Training

• 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

(http://www.marathontraining.com)

The L-O-N-G Run

What is a long run?

The long run starts with the longest distance you've covered within the last two weeks and increases by one mile on a weekly long one up to 10 miles. At that point, you'll shift to running long every other weekend, increasing by two miles each time. Once you reach 18 miles, increase by three miles every third week.

The Mental Benefits

While there are significant and continuing physical benefits from running long regularly, the mental ones are greater. Each week, I hear from beginning marathoners after they have just run the longest run of their lives. This produces mental momentum, self-confidence, and a positive attitude. By slowing the pace and taking walk breaks, you can also experience a series of victories over fatigue with almost no risk of injury.

The most direct way to prepare for the marathon

As you extend the long one to 26 miles, you build the exact endurance necessary to complete the marathon (14 to 15 for the half marathon, 8 to 10 for the 10K).

Pacing of Long Runs

Run all of the long ones at least 2 minutes slower than you could run that distance that day. The walk breaks will help you to slow the pace, but you must run slower as well. You get the same endurance from the long one if you run slowly as you would if you run fast. However, you'll recover much faster from a slow long run.

Adjust for heat, humidity, hills, etc.

The warmer and more humid it is, the slower you must go (two and a half to three minutes/mile slower than you could run that distance that day). The slower you go, from the beginning of the run, the less damage you'll incur from the heat, humidity, and distance covered. More frequent (or longer) walk breaks will also lower the damage without detracting from the endurance of that long 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.

(http://www.jeffgalloway.com)

More About the LONG RUN

Definition and Purposes of the Long Run

For the purposes of this discussion, the distance of a long run is considered to be 10 miles or longer as well as runs that last over 90 minutes. It should be run approximately one minute slower than the pace you plan to run during the marathon or stated another way, one to 1-1/2 minutes per mile slower than your present 10K race pace. If your training schedule calls for a long run of 16 miles, the distance must be run at one time rather than splitting the distance into an 8-mile morning session and an 8-mile evening run.

The long run is the most important component of marathon training because it teaches the body to both mentally and physically tackle the challenges presented in completing the 26.2-mile event. Physiologically, the body must learn to tap into and utilize energy reserves from fat storage sites after the glycogen (fuel stores in the muscles, converted over from carbohydrate food sources) have been depleted. Through long run training, the capacity to store more glycogen within the muscles increases. An increase in glycogen stores translates into the ability to maintain one's pace during the marathon and delay the onset of fatigue. Conversely, trouble is on the horizon when you run out of glycogen, as your pace will significantly decrease.

One must also be accustomed to running for very long periods of time, and the mental toughness that develops from completing long training runs pays off handsome dividends during the actual marathon.

The long run also provides an excellent opportunity to experiment with a variety of issues and concerns (e.g., shoes, nutrition, pacing, etc.).

Above all, marathon training schedules must be designed so that runners are adequately rested prior to undertaking their long runs. One who completes at least two long runs of 20 miles or longer prior to his or her marathon will no doubt reduce the possibility of visiting the dreaded "wall" (the point in time when glycogen stores within the muscles have been depleted and as a result, the runner's pace slows considerably, oftentimes to a walk).

In short, the majority of runners who experience difficulty in completing their long training runs fail to prepare adequately for these critical workouts. In short, remember that both long runs and the marathon don't have to be painful experiences. The key is to plan ahead.

Benefits of the Long Run

• 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.

(http://www.marathontraining.com)

Speedwork for Every Runner

Most of us can come up with plenty of reasons to avoid speedwork: we might say it hurts; it increases our chances of picking up an injury; it makes us too tired for our other runs… the list is endless.

Speedwork doesn’t just make you run faster. It makes you fitter, increases the range of movement in your joints, makes you more comfortable at all speeds, and it will ultimately help you to run harder for longer.
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.

Ease into it. When you started running, you ran for just a couple of miles every other day, and have gradually built up to your current mileage. You didn’t suddenly start running 35 miles a week, so adopt the same approach to speedwork. Put at least three months of steady running behind you, then start with just one session every 10 days or so.

Not too hard. Speed sessions aren’t about sprinting flat out until you’re sick. They’re about controlling hard efforts and spreading your energy evenly over a set distance or time, just like you would in a perfect race.

Warm up and warm down.Before each session, jog for at least 8-10 minutes to raise your blood temperature, increase bloodflow to the muscles and psyche yourself up for fast running. Follow that with some gentle stretching and then run a few fast strides before getting down to the tough stuff. Afterwards, jog for another 5-10 minutes, before stretching once again.

Find a partner. Speedwork takes more effort and willpower than going out for a gentle jog. It’s much easier and more fun to train with someone else – and if you really want to improve, try running with someone just a bit quicker than you.

Quality not quantity. Speed training should not account for more than 15 per cent of your total mileage. So slot in your speed sessions around the regular work you’ve been doing all along.

Speed Sessions That Will Guarantee Faster Running

Here are 39 sessions to help boost your speed. You don’t have to try them all, but give some of them a go – especially if you want to shave a few seconds off PBs at all distances. And if you find one that you really like, just keep adapting it by adding reps or increasing the distances as you become fitter (and faster).

Sessions For Beginners

If you haven’t tried speedwork before, here’s a (relatively) gentle introduction. Try one session a week if you can. If that’s too much, then attempt one session every 10 days.

1. You could start with a session of tempo intervals. How about six minutes brisk, one-minute walk, six minutes brisk, one-minute walk, six minutes brisk.

2. Hills are also an excellent way to start speedwork. Try 6 x 1 minute uphill, then jog back down. Gradually add extra reps until you can complete 10.

3. Add some fartlek training to your schedule. To begin, try just a 25-minute run with quick bursts.

4. Interval session: 6 x 1 minute, with two- to three-minute jog/walk recoveries, or 5 x 2 minutes with five-minute

recoveries.

5. After two months or so of speedwork, you can try your first session of repetitions: 5 x 300m, with four-minute recoveries; 5 x 200m, with three-minute rests; or how about 10 x 200m with three-minute recoveries.

6. Glide downhill: on down slopes during long runs, go with the hill and allow it to pick up your pace to around 80-85 per cent of flat-out, just letting gravity power you downhill. Don’t go any further than 150m. The idea is to speed up without using any extra energy.

Core sessions. Once you’ve eased yourself into speedwork with two or three months of the beginners’ sessions, you’ll want to try something different. Here are few ideas to get you started. If you’re interested in improving your pure speed – you’re trying a 1500m track race or want a killer kick – then concentrate on the shorter reps like the 200s or 400s. If it’s speed endurance you’re after – you want to run longer distances quickly – then try the longer intervals. You might balk at the idea of running five or six one-mile reps at 10K pace, but just remember that you have to do this, without any rest, in a race anyway. Try to fit in at least one session a week, and mix pure speed sessions with speed-endurance sessions for the best of both worlds.

7. Pyramid sessions: so called because you start with a short distance, gradually increase, and then come back down again. These, as well as the following two sessions – are ideal if you’re planning a few track races. For example, start at 120m, add 20m to each rep until you reach 200m, and then come back down to 120m. Run these at 400m pace, with a walk-back recovery.

8. Fast reps of 200m or 300m: run 6-10 x 200m, with two- to three-minute recoveries, or 5-8 x 300m, with four- to five-minute recoveries. Start both at 800m pace, eventually running the last reps flat out. You can also combine the two, for example 3 x 200m, 2 x 300m, 3 x 200m.

9. Simulation session: in theory this should replicate an 800m race. Run two sets of either 500m + 300m, or 600m + 200m, at your target 800m pace, with 60 seconds or less to recover between each rep and 10 minutes between sets.

10. Run just one set of 500m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m. Start at 1500m pace and get increasingly quicker on each rep. The recovery between each rep should be 60-90 seconds.

11. Find a large, open area such as a football pitch. Mark out a circuit of roughly 800-1000m. Once you’ve warmed up, run a circuit at your 5K pace, jog for five minutes, then run a second circuit about three seconds faster than the last. Continue speeding up by three seconds until you’ve completed five circuits.

12. 5 x 800m at a pace 10 seconds faster per 800m than your usual 5K pace. Recover between intervals for the same amount of time it takes you to run them. As you get fitter, increase the number of reps to seven and gradually cut recoveries to 30 seconds.

13. A two- to three-mile warm-up, then 4 x 1 mile at a pace which is faster than your 10K pace, with a three-minute recovery jog between each rep. Finish with a two- to three-mile jog.

14. Pyramids work for long distances too: 1000m, 2000m, 3000m, 2000m, 1000m at your half-marathon race pace, with a three- to four-minute recovery jog between each effort.

15. Don’t fancy a full pyramid? Then go for a half: 400m, 800m, 1200m, 1600m, 2000m, each run faster than your 10K pace but not flat out. Jog 400m between each – but you can take three to four minutes for this.

16. Divide 1000m into: 400m at 5K race pace, with a 400m jog; 300m at race pace, with a 300m jog; 200m slightly quicker than race pace, with a 200m jog; 100m slightly quicker, but still not flat out, with a 100m jog. Do all recoveries at marathon pace, and then repeat the session.

17. ‘Structured’ fartlek: warm up, then run hard for five minutes at 5K pace, recovering with a five-minute jog. Alternate in this manner for a total of 30 minutes, then warm down. As the weeks pass, reduce the recovery jog to toughen the session, at first down to four minutes, and eventually to just one.

18. 4 x 400m (or 4 x 70-90 seconds) at slightly faster than 10K pace, with one-minute recoveries, then a three-minute rest, followed by 2-3 x 2-3K, with a four- to five-minute recovery between each rep. Finish with another 4 x 400m.

19. Simply try to run a negative split on an out-and-back run. That means run faster on the way back. Try three miles out at 70-80 per cent effort, returning at 80-90 per cent.

20. 3-5 x 1200m at 5K pace, with recovery jogs of about a minute less than the time it took you to do the rep.

21. Run five to six miles, alternating two- to three-minute bursts at 10K pace, with a 60- to 90-second jog recovery between each.

22. Run a mile on the track at about 10 seconds per mile slower than your 10K pace; jog for two minutes, then run another mile, this time at 10K pace; jog for another two minutes, then do a last mile at about 10 seconds faster than 10K pace.

23. Run 800m at 10K pace, then jog for two minutes; run 400m at 5K pace, then jog for a minute; run 200m at your

estimated one-mile race pace, then jog for 30 seconds; run 1000m at 10K pace, then jog for four minutes. Then repeat the session. Start with two sets, increasing to three later on.

24. Run eight reps of 200m two seconds faster per 200 than your 5K pace. Gradually increase the distance until you’re running 600m reps at this speed. Then follow the same progression from 200-600m, this time at four seconds faster per 200m than 5K pace.

25. Find a flat stretch of trail or grass and jog for 10 minutes, then run at your mile pace for one minute and 40 seconds; slow down to a jog (don’t walk), and recover for three minutes, then repeat another 100-second burst. Try four of these sessions to begin with, and gradually work up to 10. These 100s work on speed without the tedium of circling the track.

26. At a track, warm up, then run eight laps, alternating fast and slow 200s. The fast 200s should be hard, but not a full sprint – you’ll soon learn just how fast (and slow) you need to go. Each week add an extra lap until you run 12 fast/slow 200s.

27. Run 2 x 800m at 10K pace, with a two-minute recovery jog after each. Follow with 4 x 400m at 10K pace, with just a 60-second recovery jog between reps. After the fourth 400m, jog for 60 seconds, then do 800m at slightly faster than 10K pace; jog for two minutes, then do another 800m at the same pace.

28. 5 x 1000m: run the first 800m at your 10K race pace, and then accelerate to your 3K pace for the last 200m, with three-minute recovery jogs.

29. Long warm-up, followed by 4-5 x (2 x 1K). Eh? Well, once you’ve warmed up and run 1K at slightly faster than your 10-mile race pace, jog for two to three minutes, and then do another 1K fast. Recover for a mile at 60 per cent effort before repeating the 1K efforts. Finish with a long cool-down.

30. 10 x 500m: run the first 400m at your 3K pace, then the last 100m flat-out, with 200m slow recovery jogs.

31. 8 x 400m: run the first 200m of each rep at your mile pace, and then accelerate for the final 200m. Your recovery jogs should be 400m.

32. Run at marathon pace for five minutes, then increase your speed to 10K pace for one minute. Continue this five-minute/one-minute sequence until 30 minutes have elapsed. This session improves your speed and breaks up the monotony of a long run.

33. Here’s a great session for distances above 10K, but particularly for the marathon. If you want to complete a marathon in three hours, 27 minutes, simply run 800m reps in three minutes and 27 seconds. If you aren’t planning a marathon, then run them at 10-mile race pace. Warm up for 10 minutes then run the 800s. After each, jog for the same amount of time that it took you to complete the 800s. Add one 800 a week until you can run eight reps.

34. 3 x 1 mile of alternating fast strides over the straights and jogging fast around the bends, with 400m recovery jogs between reps.

Advanced speedwork (these might hurt)

35. 4 x 400m, accelerating over each 100m. So, the first 100m should be run at your 10K pace, the second at 5K pace, the third at 1500m pace, and the fourth at 800m pace. Take a slow 400m jog (three minutes) to recover. Follow these with 6 x 200m at 800m pace, with 20-second recoveries.

36. Start with a long, easy warm-up, then 5-8 x 1000m at 10-mile race pace, with 400m recovery jogs. Finish with a long cool-down.

37. Three sets of: 400m at your 3K pace, then a 30-second rest; 400m, 20-second rest; 400m, 10-second rest; 400m. Jog 400m in three minutes between each set.

38. Run four to five miles at a steady, moderate pace, and then run a mile, 1200m, 800m, 400m, 200m at increasing speeds. Rest for no more than 30-60 seconds between these intervals. This session improves your ‘kick’.

39. Basically 2 x 4000m, but with a twist: each 4000m consists of hard reps of 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m. The 400s are run at 1500m pace, 300s at 800m pace, 200s at 400m pace, and the 100m is a sprint. At the end of each fast rep carry on running for the same distance at a steady pace. So, after the 100m rep, you run 100m steady, and then it’s straight into the second fast 400m. After the first 4000m, jog for three minutes, and then repeat.

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.

Types Of Speedwork

Repetitions/intervals.Periods of hard running at 5K pace or faster, between 200m and 1200m in length, or 30 seconds and five minutes. Recovery periods can be short (30-90 seconds), or of an equal time or distance to the reps. Running at harder than race pace for short periods not only improves speed, but also allows you to work on your running form. When you’re pushing hard, it’s important to concentrate on things like arm and hand motion, posture and stride length. If you can keep these together during a hard session of reps, it will be easier to do so during a race. Don’t attempt reps until you’ve tried other types of speedwork for a couple of months.

Tempo intervals.These are longer than ordinary intervals in that they take between 90 seconds and 10 minutes (or between 400m and two miles) and are run a little slower than your 5K pace. These work a bit like threshold runs – they raise the point at which lactic acid builds up in the muscles.

Fartlek.Fartlek is Swedish for ‘speed play’ and is the fun side of speedwork. Best done on grass or trails, you simply mix surges of hard running with periods of easy running. Run fast bursts between phone boxes, lampposts or trees when you feel like it, and as hard you like. Great for newcomers to speedwork.

Hills. Simple: find a hill that takes between 30 seconds and five minutes to climb at 85-90 per cent effort, and run up it. Jog back down to recover. A great alternative to track intervals.

(http://www.runnersworld.co.uk)

Sand Running for Speed and Strength

(From a triathlete/biathlete's online question whether to run on soft sand or hard pack and which shoes to use.)

You only need to run about 10 % of your mileage on asphalt to practice running form on the hard surface, ready for racing. Try your 4 miles of tempo running on the road once a week; avoid concrete at all cost because it's about six times harder than tarmac or normal road. You title your question "knees and legs". I suspect you've got aches from increasing your training too fast, or doing too much high intensity running on hard surfaces.

Sand, mud, dirt, grass and trails are excellent training surfaces. They force you to run slower for the same heartrate, giving you the main benefit of altitude training. i.e. lower risk of injury...high running intensity is the second best predictor of injury. Remember that half the purpose of 80 % of your running is to develop a big pump and to maximize your bellows. The heart and lungs don't care if you are swimming, biking, or running at 10 minute miles in 6 inches of mud. However, your running and biking muscles do need some training at 1-2 minutes per mile (for running) slower than race pace, at race pace and also at faster than race pace

The trouble with deep sand is that it gets in your shoes. It can also mess with your running form. But oh boy, the advantages: It gives you a tough workout with very low mileage; Your back and shoulders get a workout because you have to maintain balance; You can wear very old running shoes...you are only protecting those feet from an occasional stone or cutting object.

Packed sand can be so packed that it has minimal give. Mostly though, you'll see your shoe imprints and you can run with your very best economical form. Soft or packed, make sure the slope, or camber is minimal. The low tide bar and the high tide bar are usually the best areas, but many yards shoreside can be good for really deep sand. Sand dunes will give your quads a great test of course.

On steady run days, try a mixture of surfaces. For quality days, deep sand is for strength or resistance training. It could include bounding for 20 seconds at a time, or reps of 1-5 minutes at 2 mile to 15K intensity depending upon which training phase you are in.

Packed sand can also be used for long reps at 15K effort, but is more typically used for VO2 maximizing sessions at 5K to 2 mile race pace with 1-3 minute efforts, or however long it takes you to run 400-1,000 meters on the track.
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.

(http://www.runningonline.com)

The Most Basic Law of Training

Neglecting the most basic training law results in more failures than all other mistakes combined.
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.

This training law is an essential part of the "foundation" of the training "house plan." No matter how well-designed or well-furnished the rest of the house (or training plan) is, without a firm foundation, it will collapse. A builder (or runner) can invest heavily in the materials (by working hard) on all of the other parts of the house (specific training strategies) and still have it collapse (or fail to achieve their potential) if the foundation is not strong and supportive (by not adhering to this most basic law of training).

The most basic training law is simple: Each and every training stress should be followed by an amount of rest (or recovery) which is appropriate to allow for optimal performance progress.

Optimal progress or improvement is the result of balancing optimal training stress with optimal training rest or recovery.
Put into an equation it looks like this:
Optimal Training STRESS + Optimal Training REST = Optimal Performance PROGRESS

While almost every runner or coach is aware of this most basic law of training, failure to effectively practice it usually occurs from over-emphasizing the "stress" (or hard work) part of the equation and underestimating the equal importance of the 'rest' (or recovery) part of the equation.

Therefore, understanding what constitutes optimal rest (or recovery) from hard training sessions (or stress) will be the primary goal of this article. We will achieve this goal by providing you with (1) a basic understanding of the physiology of stress and rest, as well as (2) a set of tools, methods and guidelines to help you balance stress and rest for optimal training progress.

Although the concept (stress plus rest equals progress) is simple enough to understand, it can in fact, be very complex. This is because each person's body is different (general health, basic muscle fiber type, body weight, running economy, injury history, fitness level, training history, etc..) and therefore, responds to different types of workouts (long runs, tempo runs, interval workouts, speed sessions, etc.) and other external stresses (sub-optimal weather conditions, altitude, job stress, family commitments, financial concerns, pollution, allergies, inadequate sleep, poor nutrition, etc.) in different ways.

All of these factors make it very challenging to gauge how to best apply certain types of training stress (key workouts), manage various life-style stresses, and use the proper amounts of rest and recovery in order to ensure optimal adaptation that ultimately leads to better running performances.

Rest can not be separated from stress. They are both equally important factors in the same training equation. Stress and rest each are parts of the same whole: making up any complete cycle of effective training.
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.

(Source: http://www.runningonline.com)