Posts in the Tips Category at , Page 14

The Pain Drain: Keeping Your Brain in Check When the Pain Sets In

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Cait — 14 Comments ↓

“Being a distance runner is about handling pain. If you can’t manage pain, you probably won’t end up as a distance runner.” I love this quote from Kara Goucher featured in an excellent read from Running Times, ‘Pain: Deal With it.’

Okay, you had me at the title on that last one. But it’s true, pain and distance running trot hand in hand; as runners we often lie to ourselves about that, it’s a bit of a coping mechanism I suppose. If we didn’t to a degree deny how much it will hurt those last few miles or at the end of that race we may be hard pressed to actually start!

Certainly there are varying degrees of pain; full on grueling the last lap of the 10k, digging deep on that last 800 meter repeat, and the discomfort of training day in and day out. Discomfort, even ‘easy’ runs aren’t a walk in the park, you still are working out there and getting your heart rate up, the lungs working, the legs pounding the pavement so to speak.

If we wanted to be loafers then we could coin the term, but we’re not, we are runners and being as such we learn to deal with the pain.The pain that in a twisted sort of way we run towards. The way we feel afterwards is worth it.

Punch pain in the face.

I did a long post on the art of visualization HERE and also how lying to yourself works wonders HERE. The Running Times article has tips from multiple top distance runners. Some general themes:

* Zoning out. Distraction from the pain is key, by zoning out you really try to limit thoughts. Pinpoint a spot on the back of the person in front of you, look dead ahead and don’t lose contact with that fixed point. Mantras can also help with this, pick a single phrase and repeat it until it’s in sync with your breathing or footsteps and repeat it like a robot…zooooone out.

* Control what you can. Think of your form; Kara Goucher, “I try to think about positive things — how great my form is, how my arms are swinging, my breathing, how loud people are cheering. My sports psychologist taught me there are a million things telling you you can’t keep going, but if you find the things that say you can, you’re golden.” Keep your torso tall, don’t hunch over, keep your arms swinging and your legs will follow.

* Callousing through training. Training and workouts are all race simulations, not just physically, but chances to callous the mind just as you do the body. Here are prime opportunities to test out different ‘mental tricks’ and find what works for you. The more often you push yourself and get cozy with the feeling of being uncomfortable the more you’ll ‘get used to it’ and know how to deal with it.

* Break it down. Take the run/workout/race and break it down into easier to digest segments; whether that be lap by lap, mile by mile, or five minutes at a time. Tell yourself you can easily go through one more mile…get there and then tell yourself the same thing again. 😉

* Confidence. This sounds a little odd, but take confidence in the workouts and hard work you’ve done in the past. Remembering that you’ve faced this pain and come out the victor plenty of times in the past should give you the confidence that you can handle it this time and achieve the times/goals you set.

And some people daydream of food as distraction...guilty! 🙂

Breaking down your own mental barriers is an ongoing process; it’s interesting how you’ll be met with challenging points in workouts, races, or runs that when you finish you think to yourself, “Okay, I definitely just pushed though to a whole new level.”

1) How do you deal with the pain of hard workouts, races, long runs, or runs where you certainly aren’t feeling it? What is your favorite distraction trick?
Zoning out or breaking it down is usually my go-to.

2) Easy runs and general training comes with a level of discomfort, if it were a cake walk everyone would be setting World Records and running a million miles a week! How do you gauge your training to make sure you keep the intended workout at the proper level of exertion? (ie: use a heart rate monitor, chuck the watch on easy runs, go off of feel, etc.)

3) Did anyone race this weekend? If so do tell, if not, what did you do?

There Aren’t Any Ref’s for Running: Rules of the track and running etiquette

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Cait — 8 Comments ↓

There aren’t any ref’s in track or cross country, or road races for that matter, but should there be?

Check out my little bro on the left, yo! 😉

I know there are plenty of elbows being jabbed in some of those tight, jostling packs of harriers. Sure there is a general code of conduct but truth be told some of those European and high stakes track races can get downright cagey. Runners fighting for their personal space, positioning, afraid of getting boxed in and a part of racing is being tactical and making sure that you ARE in the position to make a move if you need to be.

How far is too far though, and when is being an assertive or ‘defensive’ runner crossing the line into being just a downright boxer or ‘sketchy’ runner?We’ve seen runners go down during a race, of course there are the accidents, but sometimes there can be a few brow raises and fingers pointed.

Man down!! 😛

Elbows and runners right up on your heels isn’t only relegated to world record paced runs and it’s something anyone at any age can deal with. The first time I got a swift elbow to the side on a high school cross country course I was a little shocked, then mad, but later realized that it wasn’t necessarily personal and that if you’re all in it to win it you need to be prepared to fight for your positioning.

There is a difference between being a running bully and carving yourself out a good position…you don’t want to be all set to dig for the extra gear but be stuck right up by the rail with no way to pass your competition!

* Defensive runner: the gun goes off and you get out fast enough so as not to get stuck at the back, naturally there is a bigger group at the onset so be prepared for a little hustle and bustle. The longer the race usually it’s not as crucial to establish a spot at the onset for fear of the ‘box in’, but here are times where you might have to have those arms swinging just a little wider and be extra aware of the people around you and how much space there is between you guys.

* Running bully: it’s down to a two person race, both runners are making a drive for the homestretch, and if an arm goes out to obviously stop from being passed…that’s not cool. The same might be said for the lead runner purposefully running extra wide to make it even harder to be passed. It’s not illegal, but not exactly something to be proud of.

Running and racing doesn’t really come with a manual and I’m sure we’ve all seen some things where we wish a ref could be called to order. Blow a whistle, toss a flag, or if nothing else point a finger to call the offender a poor sport. 😉

Own your space but don't kick someone down to get it...hehe. 😛

There are sometimes race short cutters who think they can pull a fast one…too bad these guys actually wound up in jail! hehe. Being a female I’ve had road races where macho guys refuse to get ‘chicked’ (I love this term, thank you Britt for teaching it to me!) and weave around so I have a doubly tough time passing them.

No, there aren’t ref’s for running and I’d say that’s generally fine for us genial runners but every now and again I think we all should be able to shout out FOUL on a particularly annoying offender…if for no other reason than to alert them that we know they stepped out of line and if they do end up winning maybe we can call it a ‘tainted’ win…hehe.

Okay, now is my little moment for being a proud sister…the referees there are at the top are my littlest brother and his date to the Sadie Hawkins dance. So that’s how this little sportsmanship tangent my brain went on came to be.

In running and in life there are often written down rules and the unsaid codes of conduct. Sometimes don’t you wish we could have a whistle and a flag in our back pockets so we could whip them out? How about an ear-splitting *toot toot* at the random runner you come up to on the sidewalk, you’re obviously going at a faster clip, but then they huff and puff trying to ‘race your easy run’…you could then let them know they are being annoying and it’s totally fine for everyone to run their own pace and just let you pass them! Then we could also toss the red flag up at the guy who obviously has 24 items in the Express Line at the supermarket. 😉

1) Have you ever had an encounter of a ‘mean racer’ or race bully? What’s the oddest or most unsportsmanlike behavior you’ve ever seen? And you don’t have to limit it to races, maybe something that’s happened on just one of your runs.
A woman in a baby jogger short cut a race to come out the winner. I mean, power to women pushing jogging strollers, but it’s a co-ed race and did she really think she’d get away with that one? Hehe.

2) Is there a tip you have for being an assertive racer and getting a good position in a race?
I guess a tip I have is to try and pass on a straight-away; that way if you have to just run extra wide to make a pass or a move you won’t need to be tacking on even more extra distance by going wider over a the curve or a turn.

3) What would you blow a whistle on in a recent ‘life’ situation?

4) Did you ever go to a themed dance and what did you dress up as?

The Case of the 500 Mile Shoe: How Often Do You Really Need to Replace Your Shoes Before You Call Them Dead?

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Cait — 15 Comments ↓

We’ve all heard that a shoe is dead once it hits 500 miles, right? But as with any ‘rule of thumb’ that’s a generalization and just as we are each individuals with individual running quirks, these rules need to be tailored to fit the runner.

Keeping tabs on how many miles we have run in our shoes is important because it gives us a gauge of when we need to remember to replace them. As in we can remember to get a new pair of shoes BEFORE our body starts to send us reminders in the way of aches, pains, and injuries. As ‘small potatoes’ as it may sound, running in the wrong pair of shoes or a dead pair of shoes account for a high percentage of running injuries. One simple shoe change would solves so many maladies but this ‘minor detail’ often gets overlooked.

Shoes aren’t cheap, of this I know, but saving pennies will leave you paying with injuries. Even though a pair of good running shoes may carry a not so appealing price tag, do keep in mind that with our sport shoes really are the only necessary, big investment. We don’t necessarily NEED the Garmins,so if it comes between picking one or the other lest I remind you the Garmin will get no use if you can’t run due to injury.

Be YOU. And with that, remember that YOU need to tailor the 500 rule to your running feet. 🙂

But getting back to 500 miles before you need a shoe replacement. This is an estimate and here are some factors that sway that number:

* Foot strike. How you run is going to impact how long your shoes will last. If you tend to be a hard heel striker, run predominantly on outside of your foot, shuffle in your stride, are a heavier runner, over-pronate a lot…all of these are things that will wear down the tread of your shoes faster and thus make it necessary to swap shoes earlier than the 500 mile mark.

* Shoe quality. If you’re serious about running you shouldn’t be running in a pair from the sale bin of Big 5…just saying. It may seem like a cheaper route to for a knock-off pair but it’s a case of quality vs. quantity and in the end you’ll pay double with a crappy pair of kicks: you’ll have to replace them more often and you’ll probably get hurt along the way.

* Minimalism shoes. The whole minimalism movement isn’t just a trending wave it’s like a tsunami by now; yes these lighter than air shoes are quite awesome and can make you feel like you’ve dropped 10 lbs in shoe, but depending on your foot strike they aren’t necessarily the best choice for everyone. Minimalistic shoes and barefoot running can strengthen your feet and lead to positives BUT you need to beware of some things first; you need to gradually integrate using them, think twice if you’re a heavy pronator or supinator, and then keep in mind that with less shoe you’ll probably need to swap them out more often.

* Manufacturers needing profits. Shoe companies make money off of selling shoes, fact. It’s a business after all and truth be told the running shoes of today, while they are advanced in oh so many ways over their decades’ old counterparts, they also wear out faster. The materials are designed to not last forever and over the years their lifespan has shortened. Hey, in the end everyone has to make their profits somehow.

So the 500 mile thing isn’t so cut and dry, it’s got to be adjusted to YOU. Just as with training, each runner is different so you need to learn how to gauge the lifespan of your shoes based on your history. Sometimes that’s tricky to figure out but you learn along the way and when in doubt err on the side of caution…replacing your shoes earlier isn’t going to leave you injured,but wait too long and you could wind up lame.

Don't wind up injured when a shoe change could have prevented it.

Outside of counting miles run on shoes an easy way to see how much life is left in them is to just look at the treads on the bottom. Most running shoes are black or darker on the outermost bottom layer…if you start seeing white or areas where that black color is nearly shaven down, the shoe is dead. Even if the spot of wear is only in on specific area (ie: the outside heel) and the rest of the shoe looks brand new, the shoe is dead. Get to know your tread pattern and then you’ll know where to look to find out how much longer your shoe will last.

Some ways to prolong the life of your shoe:

* Buy two at a time and then swap out between the two. It may sound strange but alternating days between two different pairs will keep each one spry for longer.

* Orthotics and cushioned inserts. To a degree these can help eek out a bit more life out of your shoes if you’re blasting through them every 300 miles. Heavy pronators should think of supportive inserts regardless, but it’s actually the cushioning of shoes that breaks down the fastest and leads to you needing a new pair. It’s the cushioning materials in shoes that are eaten away by our miles much faster than the harder, supportive materials used.

Getting rid of a dead pair of shoes if it’s prior to the 500 mile mark might be hard for some to do because it feels like a ‘waste’ of a shoes. But put your running health first and here are some things you can do to recycle the dead ones:

* Use the old pairs for walk-a-around shoes or for when you’re working on the lawn or scooping up dog poop.

* Donate your dead shoes to charity. There are always people without any shoes who would love your old ones; toss the dead shoes through the wash to spruce them up, then offer them up to someone who needs them. I know Julius Achon was always happy to take old shoes and send them off to his children in Uganda, you can visit his site HERE. Nike also has their Reuse-A-Shoe program.

Wow, so much for the whole ‘easy 500 miles life-stamp’ of a shoe right?? 😉

—————
Thanks to Ali at Running With Spatulas for inspiring this post. If you haven’t signed up for her Spatula Runners Virtual Race and pledged to send in your awesome running pick, then DO IT! 🙂 Then you can check out some yummy treats for your post-run refuel…heaven knows I can’t cook or supply and fun recipes. 😉
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1) How often do you honestly replace your shoes?
I try to stay right on top of that one, I’ve learned that my body gets cranky when that tread pattern wears thin!

2) What are some reasons you might keep running in a dead shoe too long? (ie: forget, don’t want to spend money, don’t know you need to, etc.)

3) Do you run in any shoe inserts?
Not any more because I’ve worked a lot on my form and my foot strike has changed; I used to need orthotics though for extra support.

4) Where does your shoe’s tread wear thin the fastest? Or do you have no clue…hehe.
Mine is on the outside heel, it’s gotten better over the years though. When I first started running, no joke, I’d burn through a pair of shoes on the heel in a month tops. And back then I’d be hard pressed to think I even kissed 25 miles a week. 😉

Missing Sleep and Cursing Daylight Savings For All I Could Have Done With That Hour

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Cait — 9 Comments ↓

So tonight we lose an hour.Daylight savings, curse you for depriving me of those precious 60 minutes of sleep!! Sure, I’m not going to lie, seeing the sun past 4pm is going to be wonderful but I’ll still hold a bit of a grudge on the jyped pillow time.

She wishes she had had more sleep. 😉

Sleep is vital for recovery, though it’s often times one of the first things that people skimp on due to hectic schedules. It is during sleep that the body restores itself, releasing hormones to repair (growth hormone) and build back the muscles and other tissues stronger after we tear them down during training. Not only that but sleep patterns directly impact mood and a myriad of other bodily functions. Have you talked to a caffeine crazed college student during finals after day and night cram-fests?

I’ve read that Paula Radcliffe and Deena Kastor sleep upwards of 10 hours a night and still take a nap during the day. It’s not uncommon for naps to be an actual requirement for some elite training groups. Bust out the kindergarten sleeping mats and stuffed animals! 😉

Sleep is a tricky little bugger though and actually slipping into the deep REM cycles that you need can be difficult. Insomnia and other sleep disorders are very common; both professional runners Tera Moody and Bobby Curtis suffer from insomnia and have had to figure out how to handle that along with heavy training loads.

Hmmm...maybe I'd even have a sense of fashion with more beauty sleep?? Probably not though.

I’ve got sleeping issues myself and I can attest to how draining and maddening it can be to be staring at the ceiling unable to get to sleep. Or waking up every hour…you could be down in the sack for 10 hours but not having REM sleep makes you feel like you never really rested.

So I’m angry at you, Daylight Savings, just because you’re an easy target for tonight’s lost hour of sleep. A lot can be accomplished in an hour too, in those robbed 60 minutes just think of how much a person COULD have accomplished:

* An awesome run. Sure the distance covered will vary, but let’s say we busted our bums at the current World Marathon Record pace we’d come in just short of 13 miles.

* Caught up on what 700 of my Facebook friends have been up to the last 24 hours.

* Read a dozen blog posts. Wished I was funnier, wittier, and more exciting.

* Drooled over 25 recipes I’ll never be able to attempt.

* Wondered about 18 times why I’m not accomplishing more in this hour.

* Fully digested the results of the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships and the World Indoor Championships. Congrats to the Lady Ducks of the University of Oregon on their third team title win!

* Entertained myself people gawking while at the super market, caught up on the celeb gossip rags in line, and questioned why so much of my money is now being sucked away by my stomach.

* Created an entire new comedy show revolving around runners that would go on to be a raging success, I’d become a zillionaire, allow myself to never worry about money and institute daily naps, my running would soar, I’d then beat that 2:03 marathon time and then have all of my time sucked away by drug testing instead. 😉

Oh well, let's just enjoy some extra sunlight at night. 🙂

Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to live with never having those precious 60 minutes. Let’s all do our best to really try and get the hours of sleep we need…aim for 7 1/2 hours at least (sleep cycles work in 90 minute increments) a night.

1) Do you always remember about the moving clocks forward and backward?
I wouldn’t unless I had a zillion social media sites alerting me to the change.

2) Are you looking forward to longer daylight? Do you plan to capitalize on it, and how so?
I will say for all those that have to run after work you’ll be much safer out there!

3) What ‘could’ you have done with that missed hour?? 😉

4) What are your sleeping patterns like, do you have problems getting or staying asleep? What are some of your best tips to getting a decent night’s rest?

The Art of Visualization to Improve Your Performance: Guided Imagery 101

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Cait — 20 Comments ↓

Take a second to close your eyes, force out any noise clutter, and picture yourself achieving one of your goals. Pick a goal, for the purposes of this post make it something tied to running or working out, and envision yourself working towards it and then accomplishing it. How do you feel after you’ve done it? What were you picturing?

I just finished an article that you can read on Competitor, ‘Foresee it, Believe it, Achieve it: The Power of Visualization for Runners,’ all about the power of visualization and how it can improve your performance. But visualization isn’t a great tool for the sole purposes of acing a race and if you’re not exactly looking to PR or hit a time/race goal you can use it to be more productive and achieve more than you think is possible.

Setting goals, higher than you’re comfortable with, can be tricky…mostly it’s a matter of putting yourself out there…putting that goal out there. It makes you vulnerable; there is after all the possibility of failure. However if you want to DO better you have to aim higher and it’s also proven that goals are more likely to be achieved if they are 1) concrete and 2) written down and or stated.

By concrete I mean, something black and white, definite, there is no question of whether you’ve achieved it or not. Think a certain time, a certain placing in a race, finishing a particular distance. Not, “I want to get faster” or “I want to get in better shape.” The last two are ambiguous, see the difference?

Getting back to visualization, I had the great pleasure of talking with Dr. Jim Bauman, Ph.D Sports Psychology, who has worked with World Teams and Olympic athletes along with anyone who wants to propel themselves further in their given sport.

The article covers the three types of visualization: internal, external, and kinesthetic. Each are slightly different and may work better depending on the athlete and how they learn or are hard-wired. Internal is through the first person, external is through the third person perspective, and the last involves actual muscular movements. Dr. Bauman also advises the first few times you attempt visualization you do what is called guided imagery, where you have someone else lead you through the exercise. That way all you have to do is hone in on their voice and picture the scene that plays out.

The other point about visualization is that Dr. Bauman stresses you have to do it regularly. Practice it just like you workout. Also, try to include as many details and senses (ie: smell, feel, sound, etc.) into your imagery scenes.

So here’s a little exercise. Think of the next race or workout that you have; think of what you want to get out of that race or run and set a goal. Now close your eyes, try to find a quiet space and tune out where you physically are.

Think of your first few steps of the run…it’s probably your warm-up, think of your legs starting to loosen up as they slip into your familiar stride. After the first couple of minutes the kinks are starting to work out and by the end of your warm-up you’re feeling relaxed and strong.

You move to some stretches and then strides. The last stride you feel ready to roll, the engine’s burning hot and your legs are turning over efficiently. You’re now at the starting line, or about to start the first interval, you take off…fast but contained, you feel in control.

Your shoulders are dropped, your arms swing back to front, your hands and jaw are relaxed. You deeply inhale the cool air, feel it work down your throat and into your lungs before it is hotly exhaled and the process repeats. Feel the oxygen fill your lower lungs and leave in a rhythm.

Think of the rhythm of your feet, you can hear your steady footfalls like the beat of a drum. You feel the same crisp air prick at the hairs of your arms, you feel the rush of the air as you break against it. You are running smooth, relaxed, and with an even stride.

Now picture the part of the race or workout where you know it is starting to get tough. You know there is the burning sensation building in your legs, but instead of tightening up you stay relaxed. You keep your eyes locked ahead, if it’s a hill you’re climbing you stare only at the horizon. You remind yourself that this pain is only temporary and it’s a test…a test to see how bad you want this.

You focus on your steady breathing, the in and out, your footfalls beating like the steady drum. You’re now closing in on the last repeat, the last push to the finish. You see the people around you, you’re passing them. You can slightly feel the whoosh as you edge ahead of them and leave them behind.

You are running smooth, relaxed, strong, and now all the way through to the finish. You have done it. Think of that goal you set prior to starting, you’ve achieved it. Let that sense of accomplishment wash over you, remember that feeling so you can recall it later for motivation.

This mind-space you’ve created is yours alone, you can tap into it whenever and wherever, you just have to know how to get there.

(The above was an example of an internal guided imagery.)

1) Have you ever used visualization as a tool? If so, when and describe your experience.

2) How do you set concrete goals that push you but are attainable?

3) Do you think you’ll try using visualization if you haven’t before, and if you have do you plan to continue to practice it?

4) Is anyone racing this weekend? What are your weekend plans?

Diversify to Improve Your Running – Don’t limit yourself due to type-casting

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Cait — 7 Comments ↓

Have you type cast yourself?Do you think of yourself as ONLY a long distance runner and wouldn’t go near a mile race with a ten foot pole? Do you think you’re only made up of fast twitch muscles and deem anything over a handful of laps around the track bordering on an ultra? Maybe you fall somewhere between the two, but it’s often VERY easy to stick yourself into a niche where you feel comfortable and come up with any excuse to NOT get out of it.

Do you coin yourself 'The Prankster'? 😉

Guilty. I own up to it, I detest anything resembling a sprint. I use the term loosely because I don’t think my 200’s could even accurately be described as such. I’d get more nervous if the next day’s workout was 10×200 versus 10×1000’s. I feel comfortable in the longer distances, like I can settle into a pace, maintain control, and tick off the laps. The slower build of pain versus the BAM in your face lactic acid onslaught from the first step.

Ironically the more you RELAX in the shorter sprints the faster you’ll go; I usually ended up trying too hard, tensing up, and shooting myself in the butt so to speak. If you look at the fastest sprinters their faces are completely relaxed and loose…they are flying and they make it look easy. It’s not, but they are relaxed.

Back to the point: stepping outside of the niche you’ve glued yourself into will help you in so many ways.

* Go short: If you’re a 10k and up runner you might balk at the idea of entering a mile or *gasp* even an 800 race. But, training for these shorter races will immensely help your longer distance, forte events. Think about it, if you can build your base speed, when you go back up to the 10k or marathon, the pace there will feel a lot ‘easier’ than before.

* Go longer: Opposite end of the spectrum; if you’ve never run more than 6 or 8 miles at a time…EVER, then training for a 10k or half-marathon (where your long runs would get into the double digits) will build your strength and endurance a great deal. When you go back down to a mile, or even 5k, you will be able to hold it together much better towards the end of the race because your overall strength (ie: base) is bigger.

* Ultras: Some ultra runners only do miles, miles, miles…at the same pace. That’s changing now as more are learning the benefits of speed play and that the long run is not the epitome workout that all should be focused on. The top dogs still enter races as short as a 10k, some even go to track races and run the mile. It all comes back to getting their turnovers and base speeds faster…it translates up.

Mental games: yes, it can be scary to pry yourself out of that niche and put yourself out there. Most likely you won’t be as dominant in the race as you may used to, that’s okay. It can take some swallowing of the egos but if you keep practicing and IMPROVING on your weaker events you will…well, improve.

It’s easy as heck to hate something that you might stink at, but igniting the competitor in you will work to your advantage. Find some people who may be better in this department as you, relax, let them pull you along and do the pace-setting work…that’s okay. Let’s face it, come race day it’s nice to beat people and you’ll push yourself to get to that line. Even if it’s in a push to not get last…hey, embarrassment is a fine motivator, been there! 🙂

If you need a little case study from the top, look at some of our nation’s best distance runners. We’ll take for example the USA Olympic Marathon Trials…many of the runners there have PR’s in the 5k and 10k that rank amongst the leading National or World times too. Some of them still run the mile and 3k races as well, they don’t only stick to one, long event.

If you continually ignore your weaknesses they will just fester and stay weak. Instead, embrace them, push yourself in a new direction and keep it diversified. It doesn’t mean giving up your already strengths, but quite the opposite because in the end you’ll be making those even stronger too.

1) Do you type cast yourself? What do you see yourself as?
Totally…and I know it’s not good for me. All slow-twitch over here!

2) Do you avoid certain races or workouts? Why?
When I was racing, I would groan and hate whenever my coach would force me into a shorter race. I’d do it because I don’t like to argue, my coach knew best, but I just hate the short races.

3) Can you foresee perhaps challenging yourself to try a new race, workout, or set a goal targeting your weakness?

What Kind of Runner Are You? Trails, Tracks, Treadmills and Roads…Oh, My! (Part I)

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Cait — 13 Comments ↓

When it comes to your choice of terrain, what kind of runner are you? Do you crave the speed of the track, the solitude of a long trail run, dodging car splash on the roads, or zoing out on the treadmill?

I was ~~sucked in~~ forced to watch one of the episodes of The Bachelor (that Ben guy, am I the only one who finds him a bit of a scruffy version of Dax Shepard?) where they were in Park City, UT and he was saying how he’s an ‘outdoorsy’ guy. He likes to be out in the woods chopping trees, riding horseback, fishing, and such. All I could think was, “Dang, I would be sucking wind out there on any runs.” Then some flashbacks to some particularly gnarly runs in Park City followed that.

Trails can be really beautiful and fun to run on (not at altitude for me, thank you very much, unless you’re acclimated to it and used to living there) and they have a way of making the miles pass faster than you think…until you look down at your watch and realize that thanks to that climb the miles were technically pretty slow! 😛

I’ve never really lived in a place where there were ample trails that were safe to run on year round. The thing with trails is you need to be really careful because if you’re not you’ll wind up hurt…or worse. I loved the quote World Class trail runner, Michael Wardian, gave me awhile back, “I remind myself not to zone out while outside and especially on the trails where a bad footfall can mean stitches and a new tooth.”

When to Dodge the Trails:

* Really rocky.One of the benefits of trail running is that it can be a much more forgiving surface than concrete IF it’s actually soft terrain. I’ve been to some trails where I was basically running on rocks and gravel which is not going to give your legs anything in the way of cushioning. On top of that the loose gravel stuff could set you up for a nasty fall or ankle twist.

* Slip and sliding…slick trails. In Oregon there were some beautiful trails but, hello, it’s Oregon and it rains a ton which means that the trails were really slick and slippery the vast majority of the time. On top of that if there is a lot of foliage…have you tried running on a bunch of wet leaves…it is your own slip and slide.

* Drastic uphill and downhill running. Lots of uphill running will make you sore (which can be a good thing if you’re intending some harder work to build strength) BUT so will tons of downhill running. The additional pounding and force of each footfall thanks to gravity when running downhill is tremendous, it’s really hard on your quads, knees, and joints. So be careful if your route has a lot of downhill.

* Roots, twists, cougars, darkness, and the other stuff.Since we’re discussing safety it’s important to bring up the obvious factors here…you need to practice running safety regardless of where you’re going but if you’re going solo for a trail run be sure to tell people where you’re going and how long you plan to be out. No one wants to go out for a run and end up having a search party bring them home…and that could be the happy ending of that story.

Another benefit of trails is that they usually make for easy insta-pop-and-squat spots! 😉

That said, there are a myriad of benefits to trail running…and if I had more access to some trails I’d get out there more.

* Strength. Like I said, running hills will build your strength tremendously. That extra strength will translate to speed when you then run flats.

* Happier joints and injury prevention. Like I said if you get on a softer surface you can do much in the way of reducing the pounding on your legs. This is one reason lots of elite athletes will go to place where there are miles of soft trails…soft trail miles are ‘easier’ on the body and with the amount they are putting in that adds up to a world of difference.

* More supple joints. Having to navigate twists, turns, and uneven surfaces will strengthen the smaller muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the ankles and feet. This, if done gradually and smartly, (don’t go from no trail running to all trail running all at once or your feet won’t have time to gradually get stronger, they will just get hurt!) will make your ankles and feet stronger and less prone to a sudden pull or sprain down the road if you do step in a pothole.

* The mental factor. A change of scenery is always nice and like I said, if you get going on a good trail that long run can ‘feel’ shorter.

So, what kind of runner are you…if you’re a trail-a-holic now’s your chance to voice why they’ve stolen your heart! 😉 This post got really long so I’m going to break it up into a series and spread the love of the track, roads, and treadmill in the next installments…mmmmk.

1) Do you like running trails, do you get a chance to run on them a lot?

2) If you had more access to trails would you take advantage of them? If not, why?

3) What are some things you need to be careful about when running trails?

4) What are some of the benefits of hitting up the trails?

Performing to Your 100% Potential and Injury Risks

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Cait — 8 Comments ↓

Is pushing yourself harder to get a 100% performance worth the extra risk of injury, or is ‘safer’ to back off in an attempt to lower your injury risk but wind up with a 90% performance?

This is the question that I wrote about in an article at Competitor, ‘Is Squeezing 100% Out of Yourself Worth the Risk?’. I wanted to bring it up here and get some of your thoughts as well as be able to voice a bit of my own opinion.

The question was sparked initially by something Dathan Ritzenhein said when he was discussing his own injury-riddled past year. He was quick to point out that he isn’t necessarily ‘injury prone’ but being that he’s an elite athlete it’s his job to push himself to the limit. To straddle the fine line of just enough versus too much…sometimes you go too far over the line and wind up hurt.

Different people have different reactions to that philosophy; some will always preach that leaving more in the tank or taking the conservative route is the thing to do regardless. Others are totally in line with Dathan Ritzenhein as they are training that way all the time themselves; after all even if they backed off there is no guarantee that they still might end up hurt…valid point. Then there are tons of degrees between to two extremes.

I think what it comes down to is the individual, what they are training for, and how running realistically fits into their life.

Your wall's been tagged by a runner gang! 😉

* Newbies and high school athletes have YEARS ahead of them and here is where I’d say the smarter thing to do is err on the side of ‘less is more’.

* Collegiate athletes too have years ahead of them but are in a different spot because often times there are big stakes on the line or other issues complicating matters. Their team is vying for a Championship title, they are on scholarship, their coach really wants the points…sometimes they have to race through an injury.

* Elite athletes in my opinion will be more in the position than anyone else to take more gambles than others. But their position is starkly different that ‘mortal runners’ because like Ritzenhein stated, it’s their job, it’s their livelihood AND they have a whole team working with them. Taking gambles is a little ‘safer’ being that they are able to tend to other forms of recovery and rehab the rest of the day. (ie: massage, ice baths, naps, etc.) They also have conditioned and calloused their bodies more than most and are in tune with them. Not that they don’t misread signals and make ‘I knew better than that’ mistakes like everyone does, after all they are only human.

* Mortal runners and competing runners. There are far more runners who compete but know they are not Olympics bound…still, a PR is a PR and comes with as much of a sense of reward and runner’s rush for anyone! So how do competing runners in this category play the odds?
1) Get perspective. If you have a coach, training partner, or third party who knows where you are training-wise, take advantage of them. Often times it’s easier to come up with a resolution if you’re not the actual one debating what to do.
2) Think long term. What is your ultimate goal or race? If this IS your big day maybe it’s worth risking it a bit more…but if you’ve got a whole season ahead of you maybe your decision should be different. Ask yourself, “What do I ultimately want to achieve; how will this decision or workout/race effect that?”
3) Gauge the pain. Be honest with yourself…you know ‘that’ kind of injury pain; sometimes the hardest thing to do is back off and not go harder but it’s the right thing to do. But if you’re just mentally in a blah mood because of a bad day, I think it’s at least smart to go out and start the run then take it from there.

I suppose that’s my reasoning behind it all; but I DO think that some athletes are able to handle different workloads than others or are able to handle more pounding without getting hurt than others. I think after a certain number of years all runners know about what mileage they can handle, then know when to push it and when it’s a little smarter to back off or cross-train instead.

1) What are your thoughts on this question?

2) How do you find the right balance or make decisions regarding training when it comes to workouts, backing off, or adjusting your plan?

3) What kind of mileage or workload do you know suits you best or keeps you sharp but now hurt?

4) What is your ultimate goal? It can be for the end of the season or years ahead…don’t be shy. 🙂

Racing Re-Cap: Things We Can All Learn From This Weekend

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Cait — 12 Comments ↓

In case you’ve lived in a bit of a running cave, or don’t follow running all that much, there were some pretty big time races going on this weekend. We saw American Records being broken left and right, the family tradition of a running legacy continued, and even some late season cross country races.

Regardless of if you ever plan on chasing a record, have the desire to spike up (or racing flat up) ever again or not…here are some things we can all learn from this weekend in racing.

1) There is always someone better than you and someone working to be better than you. In a nice ironic twist, at the USATF Indoor Classic Galen Rupp broke the American Record for the indoor two mile event with 8:09.72; he took the record from Bernard Legat. The same day at the Millrose Games Bernard Legat reclaimed the indoor 5k record with 13:07.15…he took it back from Galen Rupp. Read more details and see video at Paul Merca’s site.

The lesson here is that no matter how good you are and continue to be, there is always, and will forever be, someone looking to beat you. This goes for anything; it’s a good thing as it inspires you to push harder and never settle. You’ve got to stay on your game and keep working hard if you want to stay in the game.
usatf women finish
Source: Photorun.net/Letsrun
2) ALWAYS run through the line. I think this picture says it all…from the USATF Cross Country Championships Molly Huddle (right) thought she had the win a hair too early. Sara Hall ran THROUGH the line, pushed it to the end, and ended up snagging the win.

Lesson here is the obvious don’t ever ease up or count your victory until you’re past the line; but going deeper, don’t ever assume anything. You know the old saying there…but it’s true. From both perspectives here: 1) There are no sure things in racing…now, obviously if you’re 100 meters ahead and going to the line the odds are highly stacked in your favor and a little celebrating would be a safer bet. But still…even if you’re the World Record holder, when you get to the line there are no guarantees that you will come out the winner. To an extent we’re all equals once the gun is fired. 2) From Sara Hall: Don’t ever give up until it’s over. Racing should spur in you the urge to dig a little deeper and rise to the occasion…when it comes crunch time, search for that other gear, lock on to the competitor ahead of you and work to close the gap. Charge to that line and run all the way through it.

3) Onward and upward…things are always moving forward. In case you’re unaware, in recent years the times of top harriers have dropped remarkably in distance events. For the first time in decades Americans are also a part of the surge and mixing it up with the Africans. This applies from to the pro’s, the collegians, high-schoolers and road runners alike.

In Friday’s Husky Classic, Sally Kipyego won the women’s 5k race in 15:15.41. In doing so she ran the world’s fastest indoor 5k this year but behind her a whopping eight collegiate women ducked under the NCAA automatic qualifying time of 16:04.50…that’s quite a field. Read a much better and inclusive recap of those races at Paul Merca’s blog as he recounts.

Lesson here is that competition and surrounding yourself by people who are BETTER than you or at least on par is not only the best thing for you but the best thing for the sport. (Or whatever it is you are working towards.) If you want to get the best out of yourself, for whatever goal that is, you have to push yourself…push yourself harder and then some more, past what you think you are capable of. To do that, having someone ahead of you and also right on your butt is a sure fire way to make you dig for that extra gear you might not think you have.

That’s it for me, and I hope you’re all having a great weekend!

1) Were you following the big meets this weekend? Do you follow the sport of running; what sports do you follow?

2) Do you agree with or see any other lessons to be pulled from this weekend?

3) What did you do this weekend? Any races yourself?

Adjusting ‘The Plan’: A Training Plan is Etched in Stone, More Like an Outline

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Cait — 12 Comments ↓

When it comes to workouts and training I like plans. I like knowing what I’m going to be doing ahead of time. I feel most productive if I know where I am, know where I want to end up, and have the outline of how I’m going to be getting there.

Training plans aren’t etched in stone, I know that, but I like at least an outline, the gist of what’s in store for me tomorrow. But sometimes you CAN’T know and have to just roll with the punches so to speak.

You can’t foresee how you’re going to be in the future, sports science is the field of learning all we can to best predict performance ahead of time and stack the odds in your favor but there are NO SURE THINGS.

Times you just have to cede to not knowing and come up with things on the spot:

* Injury: We all hate them but they come with the game. An injury forces you to reassess your training program and adapt it.

* Coming back from an injury: This is separate because each injury is different and unique to the individual. The body is amazingly resilient at repairing itself…it can take longer or shorter than expected and here is where you just take it on the day by day approach. It’s amazing what a few weeks or even days can make…which can be both uplifting at times and heartbreaking at others. You can’t rush the recovery process but take it day by day…test it out and if things are improving run with the good news. Just don’t rush it.

* Change in volume:Anyone who’s increased their mileage can attest that the effects of fatigue are cumulative. It’s funny how you can feel stronger in the first few weeks but then get a sucker-punch to the face seemingly out of nowhere, “I’ve been running X amount of miles more than I was used to for a month now, why am I suddenly so tired?” The answer is it’s catching up to you. When you increased the workload you should prepare yourself for the extra fatigue and this may mean adjusting your planned hard workouts…either more recovery days between them or adjusting the goal times.

Didn't see that coming...

* Change in variables: A smart tactic is to only change one thing at a time; for example if you up your mileage don’t also up the intensity of your workouts. There are other variable to remember…namely curve balls life throws your way. Stress isn’t just hype and life stress can effect your running…especially if it comes with less sleep.

* The ‘who’s legs are these’ workout: They happen…your body just comes up flat and ugly. It’s the workout where from the first minute you know things are awry, and you might never really know why. Here is where you have to make some decisions: chuck the watch and go off of effort, adapt the workout so that you gain something from it (ie: if you planned milers but are super slow, switch to 200’s and sometimes the shift in muscle groups will allow you to at least benefit from one type of workout), or take the day as an easy run and attempt the workout tomorrow or later in the week.

In running, and in life, we can’t always have the answers or the absolute plan. I hate it as much as the next OCD runner…but remember that it’s okay to have those small margins of unknown. We still usually have an idea of where we eventually want to end up, an outline, we aren’t completely floating in nothingness.

When we have to adjust, or wait and see what tomorrow holds before we can make a decision, we do our best to let go of the anxiety of ‘not knowing,’ need to loosen up, sleep on it, and go with the flow. 😉

1) Do you like to have a plan with your workouts or at least know what you’re doing the next day?
Yes.

2) How do you ‘stay loose’ and made modifications as needed when things force you to adapt your plan?
Depending on what it is; with an injury it’s easier because mostly it’s staying positive and doing what you CAN to stay on track.

3) What are times you’ve had to make adjustments to your training plan?
Oh so many…and honestly we all should be adjusting them and they are more like outlines. Have an outline that may be months long, but you recalibrate each week as it goes along.