RUN TIP ARCHIVES

RUN TIP ARCHIVES

Many of our runners are planning a Marathon in the next two years. Some of the Run Leaders and Coordinators are training for the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon in June. A question that is often asked is, "What is the ideal Marathon training program?" The answer is a simple one -- We have no training template that is ideal for everybody. That is why coaching is such an individual thing. At runY2K we try to give everybody a personalized running program set specially for them considering a multitude of factors, including injury history and training preferences. This is why logging runs at the runY2K web site is so important to your training. Logging your runs allows the Runmaster to monitor your progress day by day. If you are interested in a generic program that is close to ideal, check out the 10 day Running Week at http://www.runy2k.com/cycle.htm

Remember to hydrate before, during and after your training runs. You should drink at least 250ml (1 cup) 40 minutes before your run, and another cup 20 minutes into your run. You should then drink the same amount of water every 20 minutes during your run. Continue drinking this amount every 20 minutes until your urine is clear after the run.

Make sure you have good shoes.

The right running shoe is absolutely critical. Just because a shoe has plenty of cushioning does not necessarily mean that it is the right shoe for everybody. Go to a good running store to get the right shoe for your foot and for your running style. We are all different. We all need different types of shoes. An experienced shoe fitter at a good store will help you select the right shoe with the correct amount of motion control, pronation control and arch support. Make sure your shoe is selected for the larger foot.

Just a reminder that the Three Commandments of running are:
CONSISTENCY, MODERACY AND REST

Be consistent with your training -- try to train three times a week.
Be moderate with your activities --be moderate when increasing intensity or distance;
ideally no more than 6-7% per week and definitely no more than 10% per week.
Rest for a full 36 hours between runs -- especially if you are a novice,
or rest for a full 48 hours between runs if you are increasing intensity or distance.

Experienced runners will tell you that having a trustworthy coach that can set a realistic training program is one of the most important aspects of training to achieve a specific goal. Training under the direction of a coach was number 7 of the top running tips of the last millennium.

The best way of achieving running goals is to find this "trustworthy coach" and train under the program that has been set for you, giving continuos feedback to the coach. RunY2K is a website designed specifically to make this aspect of running easy to implement.

Do you have a personalized training program and do you give regular feedback to your coach? If your answer is no; runY2K.com is the cyberplace to train!

TEN TOP TIPS FOR THIS YEAR

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Train consistently throughout the year - make running a way of life.
Start slowly and gently - increasing your run time by no more than 10% each week.
Plan in sufficient rest days.
Be holistic in your approach to training - listen to all the self-training and remember that what you eat and how you sleep affects your training.
Train first for distance and then for speed.
Alternate the easy with the hard days (weeks and months).
Train under the direction of a coach.
Keep a detailed log of your running.
Visualize achieving - keep the mind fit.
Run with a buddy or a group

Rest & Recovery -- Many RUNY2K members have had an excellent year of running. A significant number have achieved a run in the last thirty days that was only a dream six or twelve months ago. Congratulations to all our runners who have achieved their goals.

I always like to use December as a 'Rest and Recovery' month. The "silly season" is a great time of the year to stop taking running so seriously for a while and just do the kind of runs you feel like, instead of doggedly sticking to a predetermined plan.

So, do the runs you want this month, stop for a chat with the postie, stop and look at the snow on the peaks or the green meadows, depending on where you are. Enjoy the season and all it has to offer and recharge your batteries for a new millennium.

Whether you are about to run your first half Marathon, 5km Fun Run or try and get a 'Personal Best' in a 10km race, preparation is essentially the same just before the event. Follow these tips:

- Don't run for four days before the event ... ok, maybe a short jog,
- Drink eight glasses of water every day, if you can,
- Don't eat junk; stick to good, low fat, nutritious carbohydrates
- Stretch every day when you get up and before bed
- Eat highly refined foods on the day before, and cut back on dairy products
- Get up early, take a warm bath and eat breakfast an hour before the event
- Have a complex carbo and a simple carbo -- bagel and honey
- Don't panic - YOU CAN DO IT!
- Relax and enjoy the run.

Running in the Rain!!
I love it, but not everybody agrees!! First thing is -- Get the Gear. Contrary to what everybody thinks the rain jacket is the last thing you want to buy to stay comfortable when it is wet out. Here's my suggestion for the order of importance of buying gear - obviously good shoes are the first item. We have done shoe tips before, so check out the previous tips. Next comes socks, shirt, gloves, peaked hat, tights, jacket. Remember the wet maxim - synthetics next to the skin to keep you dry. Its unbelievable whatf a difference it makes. If you don't believe me, borrow a "coolmax" sock and wear it on one foot and a plain cotton one on the other. Go running in the puddles. Send me an email!!!
I love the rain!

We are extremely fortunate to have many trails to run on, here on Vancouver's North Shore. However, beware at this time of the year when a lot of these trails tend to be covered by newly fallen leaves. They sure look beautiful and are great to run on; but when they are hiding a rock, a root, a hole - something to trip an unwary runner - they can be extremely hazardous!

TIP-- if you are running on a leafy trail just be aware of every step you take. Simply concentrating on how and where you place your shoes will take away a lot of the surprise should you encounter a hidden hazard, and therefore will reduce the danger.

As the days get shorter and finding time to run during daylight becomes more and more challenging, we must all think about our personal safety whilst running in the dark. The most important aspect of this is to make yourself highly visible. With the reflective clothing technology available these days this should not be difficult. Just remember these four things--

1) In the rain and dark it is easier for you to see vehicles approaching than it is for them to see you. Run defensively, facing oncoming traffic;
2) Wear light coloured reflective clothing, the more reflection the better;
3) Try to run with a buddy in single file -- aside from doubling the reflectors between the two of you, you have double the listening & hearing ability to facilitate defensive running;
4) When running in a group, try to stay on the same side of the road as the rest of the group at all times.

Relaxation and Visualization -- We all worry too much before a run, especially a race. I find it helps tremendously to try to visualize the next days run before I go to sleep the evening before. Even if I don't know the course we will be running I lie and visualize running along gracefully(!!!) with regular breathing and feeling great. Runs are always easier if I do this properly.

About worrying: It is no good worrying about those things that are beyond your control, because if they are beyond your control - it's no use worrying, and it is no good worrying about those things that are under your control, because if they are under your control - its no use worrying!

Use relaxation and visualization techniques to be under control.

New Shoes - many members are asking if it's time to get new shoes. This is a difficult question. I always try to buy a new pair when I consider my old pair at about half life; this gives me a chance to break in the new pair slowly. Theoretically, by the time my old pair is finished the new pair will be at half life and I will then buy a new, new pair! Sound logical? Maybe, but hardly ever happens in practice! I now normally have close to five pairs that I wear hanging around ... ranging from' nearly finished' to 'almost new'! What's the message in this tip you may well ask ... seeing I hardly have ever had a serious overuse injury, I am either seriously lazy or I am getting the benefits of wearing a few different pairs of shoes!!

Clothing Technology: Runners today have huge advantages over those who ran years ago. The estimate is that 50% of all those completing a marathon currently could not have done so thirty years ago - they would have injured themselves training in the shoes of those years. We have covered purchasing new shoes in a previous Tip of the Week. Specialist running clothing should be taken advantage of by all runners, especially those of us who run through the dark wet months of fall and winter in the North West! A polypropylene shirt and spandex tights to keep the moisture off the surface of the skin are almost mandatory in our climatic zone. You probably also want to consider a pair of synthetic gloves and and a microfibre soft peaked cap even before you look at a running jacket. Keeping the moisture off the skin and the hands and head warm are my recommendation for comfort through the next few months.

Orthotics: these shoe inserts have almost been elevated to the status of 'miracle cure' for any lower leg running ailments. Your Runmaster is not convinced! Remember that most of us are mechanically imperfect! We all run funny!!! Some of us - 'yours truly' is a great example - run funnier than others. Go easy on getting orthotics, it might just be that you have started running with a program that is not as moderate as it should be and that your body needs longer to adjust. My advice is as follows -- If you have a suspected injury due to "mechanical imperfection", do the following in this order;

1- Back off your training and see if the injury gets better on its own.
2- Ensure that your shoes are not the problem.
3- Get the cheapest and lowest form of orthotics (a spenco inner sole with good arch support)
4- Go to the best orthotics fitter you can find.
5- Introduce your orthotics to your program gently. Remember Train don't Strain.

Lots of members are asking questions right now regarding running at a higher speed, or achieving a higher pace. There is no better feeling than running a long way quickly -- it gives an incredible high! Remember however -- SPEED KILLS! There is no greater risk factor than running too far too fast. Most of us can cope aerobically with greater speed than we can cope bio-mechanically ... in other words, we are increasing the risk of traumatic or overuse injuries when we speed up. The common wisdom is 'distance, then speed'. Learn to run far, slowly, then train for speed. This is why the RUNY2K Run Programs have speed or tempo runs being less than 20% of total weekly runs. To stay injury free, run less than 1/5th of each weeks runs at a medium-high exertion and the rest at a medium exertion. Remember -- MAKE HASTE SLOWLY.

Bio-mechanically we are all different, therefore even though each of us will run in a different manner it is important to understand what the correct techniques are, so we can attempt good running form. Over the next few weeks we will look at this aspect of running.

Torso Position: Ideally you should carry the torso perpendicular to the ground -- try to run in an upright position with the shoulders relaxed and the head carried high. Think -- "the top of my head should be 'pulled up' by the sky and my shoulders should be relaxed."

Shoulders & Hips: It is a good idea to keep the shoulders and hips travelling straight down the path that you are running. This might sound obvious but it is surprising how many people run swinging from side to side with gay abandon! The way of focussing that your body travels directly forward is to ensure that the elbows drive directly back. Don't hold your hands in front of your body, ensure that they are moving back as the elbows move back and that they travel directly forward as the arm swings forward again. This will keep the shoulders square to the direction you are running. When the shoulders travel square to the direction of travel, so do the hips and the rotation on the knees is lessened.

Arms & Hands: We have mentioned that you ensure that the elbows drive directly back. It is important not to hold your hands in front of your body, ensure that they are moving back as the elbows move back and that they travel directly forward as the arm swings forward again. The fingers should be gently curled as if "holding an egg" and the thumb should rest on top of the fingers. Keep the elbows bent at roughly 90 degrees. Less than 90 degrees will cause your shoulders to tense and greater than 90 degrees will ensure more shoulder swing which is undesirable.

Pace Length & Foot Strike: It is important not to overstride. Overstriding can result in inflammation to the top of the tibia as a result of the full landing impact being transmitted all the way up the tibia instead of being partially absorbed by the flattening of the foot. So keep your pace length short enough to ensure that you are not stretching, and are landing with your centre of gravity above the foot rather than with the foot stretched way out in front. Make sure that you are striking with the heel and pushing off with the toe. When trying to increase pace length it is advisable to focus on leaving the push off foot on the ground as long as you can as opposed to stretching the front foot out further!!!

Health & Fitness relies on understanding yourself & listening to what your body is telling you.
HENCE: There is no better reason for not doing something, than you simply don't feel like it! There is no better reason for doing something, than you feel like it!

Running in hot weather can be a challenge. Remember the following if venturing out in the warm weather;
1. Drink enough water - before, during and after.
2. Dress sensibly - cool, loose clothing and a cap or hat that has plenty of breathing holes.
3. Run in the early morning or late evening.
4. As the temperature goes higher make the intensity and duration of the workout lower.

Traumatic (as opposed to overuse) injuries should heal quickly; however it is important to ensure you don't aggravate the injury by running before it has properly healed. Telling when it has properly healed is difficult because even after the actual injury has healed there can still be some localized pain and stiffness. So, start slowly -- maybe 2 1/2 minutes of jogging then 2 1/2 minutes of walking for 35 minutes in total. If you feel good then build up from there.

It is critical that you rest and get back slowly after a race. This is because of all the additional effort expended in races. This effort results in additional 'wear & tear'. How much of this 'wear & tear' occurs depends on many factors, including body mechanics, training and injury history, type of race terrain; even the weather conditions and state of mind. Generally speaking, the more the effort, the more rest and recuperation (R&R) you need after a race. Current thinking is that a slow jog or a long walk the day after a race is a good idea as it helps eliminate the toxins and waste products produced during the race and lessens the residual stiffness. After that, a slow return to training is recommended.

When measuring your exercise activity it is important to consider all activity that raises your heart rate -- and consequently your metabolism -- to anything over 55% of your maximum heart rate for any period of longer than eight minutes. Therefore, playing with young kids and swinging them around is an exercise activity which should be considered, or factored in, when counting your minutes of activity per day/week. Many people start a running program, AND start going to an aerobics fitness class AND start walking their dog for ten minutes longer each day. This is not following the 1st Commandment of moderacy!! Start easily and make haste slowly! Consider all aerobic activity.

Moderacy in approaching any running program is key. When increasing or ramping up your program it is absolutely key to remember that the changes should be made in small increments only. For instance, try to change only one of the variables per week. Variables are factors you can influence during your training runs, such as run intensity, speed, running surface and gradients (hills or flat). Change only one factor every week.

Breathing -- A lot of runners try to breathe through the nose only. This is impractical, especially when you are running quickly. You want to try and get as much air as possible into your lungs and therefore you should keep drawing air in through both the nose and mouth. Practice belly breathing as a relaxation technique while you are lying down. Belly breathing means doing deep breathing by expanding the lungs initially by flattening the diaphragm -- this will cause the belly to rise. Then, and only then, use the intercostal muscles to expand the rib cage thereby drawing in more air. Exhale in the reverse order. Once you have practiced this sufficiently it will become your natural breathing technique.

"Sleep is important. When you are training hard you need extra sleep. Even a moderate training program will cause your body to demand additional hours of sleep. Remember that if you do not get enough sleep you will become sleep deprived. Sleep Deprivation Syndrome (SDS) can be linked to at least 50% of all accidents in one way or another. SDS, in conjunction with drugs such as alcohol or antihistamines can often lead to fatal mistakes. Get enough sleep. If you rely on an alarm to wake you every day, chances are you are sleep deprived. A good rule-of-thumb is that your body needs an additional minute of sleep each night for every minute you train that day, and an additional minute the following night for each two minutes you train."

"Remember ... sleep is important when you are training. A good rule-of-thumb is an additional two minutes sleep for each minute of training per week. For example, if you are training for 120 minutes per week you need an additional 240 minutes of sleep per week."

"After a Race -- even if you have walked -- it is important to consolidate the gains that you have achieved. Use the week after the Race as a regeneration week. Your legs will be tired so you should not run/walk with too much intensity. Rather, go out for a few relaxing sessions and use the runs to relax and get rid of any stiffness that you might have."

"Run tall. Keep your back straight and the top of your head pointed towards the sky. This will keep your lungs open and make your running easier. Remember to keep the hands and shoulders relaxed and elbows bent at about 90 degrees."