The idea of a vacation away from heavy training doesn’t seem to sit well with a lot of our novice and veteran runners. This portion of your yearly program is just as essential as any other. Within the framework of a proper training program you build in active rest. After a hard interval in any training session you rest. After a hard workout week you rest. After a hard training cycle you need to rest. And after a hard year of training, you especially need to rest. This is that time where we let the machine heal itself. Sure, we can still run, but the intensity and duration should be considerably reduced to allow deep healing and nutritional replacement. We suggest choosing better food options if you are concerned about some minimal weight gain at this time due to the reduction in work load. Otherwise, don’t worry about it. Because the next program is starting for many in less than 30 days. Don’t worry about your insignificant loss of fitness for the same reason. Our 2010 running programs as reviewed by our General Manager Phil Ellis has been called the program top athletes should consider and we are doing them at your pace. This will be a very exciting year indeed.
Another common training error for novice runners is ignoring pain or worse; seeking non-professional medical assistance when in pain and hoping it will simply go away on its own. Working in the athletic footwear industry you will eventually get the most technical and sometimes unique questions from customers. Occasionally we come across the most interesting biomechanics that may even baffle a medical professional. Such was my week. I’ve been in the athletic footwear industry (with the exception of one year) since 1980. My medical library is massive but, the more I learned about sports medicine, the more I didn’t know. At one point I was comfortable making “prehistoric” orthotics for customers even though I have no medical training. I only had a theoretical understanding of biomechanics gained over the years as a competitive athlete and working on my own footwear. Most of the time I was lucky enough to have helped a number of people by readjusting or adding to the sock-liner (insole) in the shoe. This meant adding greater or extended arch support or adding a metatarsal pad. I occasionally canted the insole to provide a more stable plane for the customer. In certain instances, adding a 4 – 6mm lift to both heels easily solves some problems. I don’t do that stuff (much) anymore, because mechanics can have a domino effect. In that when you change one thing, it can change everything. The point is “pain” is not a natural state to be in. I’ve even seen a professional athletics coach give the wrong diagnosis to a national class athlete that set them back months of training. So, if you are training and get injured, the only question you may want to ask a non-medical professional may be, “Whom should I see about…?” You certainly don’t want to send the plumber to do an electrician’s job.
I mentioned a couple of weeks back about a Peninsula Runners employee who within the last year or two dropped 100 pounds and has taken up running with a voracious appetite. I mentioned he ran the Bellingham Marathon and then wanted to run Victoria the next week. The only reason he didn’t was because 2 days after Bellingham, he decided to train with his University cross-country team and realized he hadn’t fully recovered yet. (Go figure, eh!) I received an urgent phone call from him the other day because he was having some external knee issues. I hate making diagnoses over the phone, like a doctor, but it sounded like Iliotibial band syndrome. None-the-less I told him to see a sports medicine doctor. I then explained to him his unstructured running history is the root of his problem and that he needed to rest. His coach told him to rest. I think even the University medical department told him to rest, but this wasn’t what he wanted to hear. Maybe it’s simply human nature to keep moving down the evolutionary ladder until you find someone who will tell you what you want to hear.
So, if you’re finding you are having a discomfort that causes you to change your natural running style, something is definitely wrong. This doesn’t mean every little pain needs to be “Okayed” by the Surgeon General. But…. if after a little R.I.C.E. (rest, ice compression, elevation) it continues, seek the help of a reputable medical professional or sports medicine specialist. Your “bar tender” may be knowledgeable in a lot of areas, but medicine is highly unlikely (hangovers, maybe). You may ask him for a referral, but if you get the wrong advice, this could set you back a long time. The same goes for the Internet. A lot of people now consult the information highway on everything and may even look for the possibilities they would like it to be as opposed to what it is. Just because someone may have similar symptoms - unless you personally have had this injury before - it doesn’t mean it’s what you or they think it is. Your biomechanics and theirs may be different and therefore the cause of the discomfort may be different also. Sure, there are many generalizations that could be made, but do you really want to take the chance. See a medical professional. If after one opinion you still have reservations, see another doctor. If everyone says the same thing, then either they’re right or you need a more specific specialist.
I used to blame not wanting to stop running on the side effects of endorphins. My theory is that when the body is under either physical or mental stress it automatically produces a morphine-like chemical to neutralize the discomfort. Some people refer to it as a “runner’s high”. I think it more as being a running addict. At an early stage of my running career and after learning a bit about Pavlov, I started conducting self-experiments into this phenomenon and tried to figure out the point of origin of endorphin release. When did the endorphin release start and from what portion of the brain was it released? The theory was, if you knew the exact physical point of initial endorphin release and stimulate those sensations simply through meditation, you should be able to trigger an endorphin release. If Pavlov made a dog drool by ringing a bell, one should be able to trigger an endorphin release by merely thinking about running. After several weeks of practice I was most successful… much too successful, actually. I also started to get lazy amongst other stunned-like side effects, which could also explain my current condition, so I stopped. Now I just inhale “Price Smart” cinnamon buns with cheesecake icing. Oh… sorry! Maintenance…
What we are currently doing with our yearly Maintenance Program is allowing the body to go through a healing process. Whether you realize you need it or not (and you do) this will help you avoid early injury when we begin the next session. Remember, you are working towards significant improvement in the next session and that can’t happen if you are trying to push it right now. Every session I have to fight and plead with people to follow the program. It’s in their best interests - really. The ones that do follow the program…excel. The ones that add more to it or change something or don’t follow the paces get injured. Then there are the others who do their own thing and have shown little or no improvement, or have simply switched activities.
Some people will say that improvement is individual and it takes longer. You can still measure individual improvement and if you are able to adapt to an increased load from your former program, this will translate into stronger and faster at the end of the program. If you saw no improvement in your last 6 months, let’s sit down and map out why? Here are just a few questions you may want to ask yourself going into the next session.
Did you start the program at the correct physical level? Where you started last session sets the tone for the rest of the clinic. The purpose of our training program is to take you from “A” up to “B”. If you went from “A” and stayed there and this was your intended purpose, then you achieved your goal. Congratulations and thank-you for running with us. I hope you join us again. But what if you wanted to go from “A” to “B” and didn’t? Well… one of the more common mistakes by all runners, even at the elite level, is to try and run at a higher level than your current physical condition and hope your body adapts to the stress. We use many of the paces suggested by the McMillan Running Calculator from the McMillan Running website at http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm It is important that you start at the level of your average previous race results within the last 3 months. We will also be providing a tutorial at the beginning of the next session on how to use this valuable training tool.
Did you start the last program injured? Many runners insist on training hard all year long and don’t allow their body to rest and recover. They tend to skip rest concerned that they will never get back into the shape they are currently in. They are also still on an endorphin high from the last session and disregard all the signs that a little rest is in order. They are also fooled by the internal swelling and ignore the fact that they are gradually getting slower and feel more tired than usual. It isn’t until pain occurs that they actual realize that they really did need to rest. By that time, the next clinic is starting and not wanting to be left behind and they try to train through pain.
Did you work within YOUR TRAINING ZONE for ALL workouts or the paces of the people around you? Take personal responsibility to knowing your training paces and sticking to them. Every workout we tell you to do this. But some people have a myriad of excuses and leave it up to the pace group leader or simply follow the herd. Does this sound familiar? That’s the “McFitness” way of doing things. Another reason some people really excel in this program is that they know exactly where they should be all the time and ignore everyone else. In previous programs this was acceptable for an entry-level runner to do during an endurance-building program, but the results are minimal at best. We have a partial focus on strength and speed, which is more fine-tuned and gets better results (as proven) especially when performed only in your TRAINING ZONE.
Did you switch groups depending upon the workout or how you felt that day? There are workouts that occasionally feel off the charts awesome. You may even move up into the next group. You might even have a 20-mile run to do and somewhere along the way you find yourself speeding along effortlessly at sub-race pace. MAKE NOTE OF THAT IN YOUR TRAINING JOURNAL. Why? It’s usually followed 3 weeks down the road by an overuse injury. I’m not sure if this is Newton’s Law of action and reaction, but strange as it seems, one generally follows the other and an injury usually follows. If you’d rather train than sit on the sidelines then stay in your Zone at all times. This is especially important during intervals and tempo runs. If you are out of your zone, it’s usually because you are too fast. The more you stay in your zone, the better the results.
Did you follow our program or did you mix it with some other program? I tell you what… if in the next clinic, you do all the workouts as written and are working out the same number of days as scheduled… haven’t added anything else into the program… always stayed on your targets and within your training zone… If you don’t improve over last year… bring in your training journal and show us and we will refund your money. If running is important to you, and we have not made you more successful at it… then we have just taken your money. And that’s simply wrong. And although you wasted a little time, at least you were still running and now you’ll be able to afford another program elsewhere. Does it get any better than that?
Did you train consistently or were there gaps in your training? We know life at one time or another will get in the way of your training. One or three training sessions over the course of the program will make no difference. It’s when you miss a week or two here, or there, and have long gaps due to injury that make up the difference. Make a plan with your family and friends or whomever you may be living with… even if it’s your puppy, that these are your training days and to please respect them as much as possible. You may even want to make a deal with your spouse. “If I can just train for this marathon coming up in May (?), I will give you __________________. Or, _______________ and ________________. Or, ___________________ and _________________ and ________________. It’s all about you making some concessions too. Remember, running is supposed to add to your life, not take things away. Remember, the meaning of life is to live. This means in all things.
How was your diet this year? Were you able to eat properly this year? A lot of people like myself eat on the fly… well not a real fly… they’re disgusting and make lousy pets. Just try and get one to leave on command. Anyway, my diet sucks, but so does my running… currently, but I’m here to train people, not improve my own performance, which is a problem with many running coaches. Are they coaching you or themselves (example: Said Aouita, Morocco)? You can usually tell by their performance. They generally don’t get good results from the group, but do well themselves and… I’m off topic. So… diet… We are busy creatures. We have commitments coming out of our ears and sometimes it’s hard to find time to eat properly. Supplements are not substitutes for food. Meal replacements are not meals. Ronald McDonald is a clown. Fat Burger may be “phat”, but it’s also fat. Make sure the majority of your meals consist of nutritional items. It doesn’t have to be all the time, but it certainly helps.
How was your sleeping pattern this year? I know I need some 8 hours per night. Some people may “survive” on less and some people need more. When I was training heavily, I would also include a 1-hour nap in the afternoon. (I really miss those.) In order to function properly, you need your sleep otherwise you can’t perform and are more susceptible to injury.
How was your state of physical well being this year? Were you able to stay uninjured all year? (Give yourself 10 points!) The longer you can go uninjured and stay on the program, the faster you will improve. This means always staying in your training zone. The only time you should be giving it your maximum effort is during an important event. This is usually laid out according to your training program as directed by your coach. There are specific times to push hard or to make it a training race. Either racing or training racing you have to go into it with a plan.
How was your state of mental well being this year? As the saying goes, “Things happen.” …Good things mostly… but, things nonetheless. Occasionally we get mentally down and there’s not much can be said or done and we just have to ride it out. Some people take longer than others and that’s just the way it is. Should this happen, take your time… sort things out. Just don’t immediately replace one bad situation with another in disguise.
The more solid your training foundation is on all levels, the better you will be able to perform. As always, running is about having fun. It’s not usually your day job and it doesn’t bring in any income… yet. I still have high hopes for a lot of people in our group because of all the potential, but it’s up to the individuals.
Last week we wrote about RUNNING 201. This week we’d like to talk about our former ALTERNATE 2 PROGRAM, now called, RUNNING 301.
RUNNING 301
RUNNING 301 was originally designed as an endurance increaser program because at one point or another you will realize that in order to discover your maximum athletic potential, you will need to do more miles. It was not intended to be a personal best program right from the start, but for many, it simply worked out that way because it increased a very important element in half-marathon and marathon training and that is, a bigger base of aerobic training. The concept is to safely increase your weekly mileage by 10 miles per week over the course of the program without sacrificing too much speed and strength. Therefore, if you feel you are either lacking in endurance or strength then more distance will be of greater benefit to your training program. By the end of this program you will be safely running 10 miles per week more. After a one year period that means an extra 500+ miles per year no matter what your current base currently is. As you can appreciate, this program may take more time to do than any of the other programs you may follow depending upon your future goals.
After careful review and consideration of the results from the last session, if you follow this schedule and do not deviate from the suggested mileage or paces, it should be completely safe for anyone to perform two RUNNING 301 programs within the year. As a former semi-competitive athlete with over 45 years of running experience, it is my findings that if you desire to achieve your maximum running ability for up to the marathon distance, it takes a minimum of 68 miles per week. If you research all the world’s best athlete’s in any age group between 20 - 70, you will find this to be about the average minimum distance. The questions are,
a) Do you have the time to commit to slowly building up to your maximum potential?
b) Do you have the desire to commit to slowly building up to your maximum potential?
c) Do you have the patience to commit to slowly build up to your maximum potential?
d) Do you have the support of family to slowly build up to your maximum potential?
e) Will you find your luggage and training logs on the front porch when you get home?
This certainly does not mean that by choosing this program you want to be a competitive athlete. Maybe you simply would like to run more because you enjoy running. Maybe you love tempo running, but don’t enjoy the race atmosphere. Maybe you just like training and every once in a while you just want to “cut loose”, challenge yourself and run fast. Because you really like the feeling of running fast, faster, or your current fastest. You are in a running program because you love to run. We would just like to offer you the greatest program opportunities, insight, and expertise to give you the best options of discovering the real runner within yourself and have fun doing it.
RUNNING 301 begins December 5, 2009 and follows the similar Saturday endurance run pattern as RUNNING 401. By the end of all the running programs we offer, all groups will be performing their Saturday endurance runs together. During the Monday and Wednesday workouts, RUNNING 301 will be occasionally working out with all the other groups, but you will also be running somewhat independently. Because in order for you to increase your base mileage, you will be expected to meet the weekly targets as shown in the example below. Please note from the example below that the more days you run per week, the less mileage you have to do on any specific day. We recommend that RUNNING 301 be your minimum 3rd running clinic with us and that you have built up to running comfortably 4 days a week in the previous session and are about to add a 5th running day. Therefore, you will find RUNNING 301 to be more adaptable on a 5 day a week training program so that your consistency, intensity and recovery are more assured. For example, if you have currently averaged 30 miles per week in the last session and were running 3 days per week, you average 10 miles per workout. During the RUNNING 301 example program, you will be required to run up to a maximum of 55 miles per week and on a 3 day a week program this would be an average of over 18 miles per workout - and that is simply not safe. Even at 4 days a week and working up to almost 14 miles per workout, again, you will find this challenging. You may not recover enough between workouts and therefore may not achieve the maximum benefit of the tempo and speed portions of the program as you will need more time to recover. If you are always in the state of recovery, you may sustain over use injuries if you attempt to maintain the suggested paces. This is why we suggest a minimum of 5 days per week (or more) on the RUNNING 301 program.
SAMPLE
RUNNING 301 PROGRAM
(THE FIRST 16 WEEKS BASED ON A 6 DAYS PER WEEK TRAINING SCHEDULE)
| WK 1 | WK 2 | WK 3 | WK 4 | WK 5 | WK 6 | WK 7 | WK 8 | |
| SAT | 11 MI | 13 MI | 16 MI | 13 MI | 15 MI | 18 MI | 15 MI | 17 MI |
| MON | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 |
| TUE | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| WED | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 8 |
| THU | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| FRI | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 35 | 39 | 43 | 38 | 42 | 46 | 41 | 45 |
| WK 9 | WK 10 | WK 11 | WK 12 | WK 13 | WK 14 | WK 15 | WK 16 | |
| SAT | 20 MI | 14 MI | 18 MI | 22 MI | 14 MI | 17 MI | 22 MI | 15 MI |
| MON | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| TUE | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| WED | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 12 |
| THU | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| FRI | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| TOTAL | 49 | 44 | 48 | 52 | 47 | 51 | 55 | 50 |
Please note that the above chart is based on a 6 days per week training schedule or the average runner’s 4th or 5th clinic and that the mileage increases between the weeks is exactly the same for everybody no matter what distance you are starting at for the Half-Marathon or Marathon program. We have illustrated the Marathon program based on 6 days per week, but if you are running the Half-Marathon program, you will have to increase what you do during the week in order to balance out your increase. This could mean you are actually running longer during the week than on the Saturday run depending upon the requirements of the weekly mileage. Again, the less days per week you run, the more miles you will have to run during any given workout distributed as equally as possible. Please confirm with us before signing up for this program that you have considered this to be your best option.
RUNNING 301 is a more independent running program and you will be required to work out your own program based on the number of days you run and your current weekly average for the last 6 months. The workout itself will be given, but the distance cannot because there is an almost infinite number of calculations based on the number of days per week run and the number of miles per week each runner is doing. Should you require individual help with your schedule, please see us on an appointment basis and we will further explain and work it out with you.
As in all our Half-Marathon and Marathon programs, RUNNING 301 requires everyone to comfortably run a continuous (not walk/jog) 6 - 8 miles. The Marathon program suggests the participant be able to comfortably run 10 – 12 miles. Comfortably is defined as a relatively easy effort. You could run more miles if you wanted to and you will complete the run somewhere around the 65% range of your maximum heart rate or less.
Pacing for RUNNING 301 should be based on your previous race time within the last 3 months. This does not mean it is necessarily your personal record time nor even a half marathon or marathon time. The place to start is where you most recently left off and build on that. You will not get a faster time by choosing training paces you’d like to have but, rather, by training from where you are right now. If you have not raced in the last 3 months then you may consider entering the RUNNING 101 or 201 PROGRAM and building on that. We make every attempt to avoid injury either by overuse or something program related. Your increase in fitness will develop much faster if you begin at the correct paces or slightly under. There will always be a false idea that you can train at the desired pace and get results as opposed to training at your current fitness level and building from there. This common belief will only get you injured from overuse and is strenuously not recommended.
Running 301 General Paces & Interval Times Based on a 3:45 Marathon Finishing Time
* (see below):
Long Run Pace: 9:06 – 10:06 per mile
Steady State: 8:09 – 8:23 per mile
Tempo Run: 7:49 – 8:09 per mile
1-mile: 7:25 to 7:41
Yasso 800's: 3:45
Ellis 1200's: 5:37
*All the above time ranges are based on an example only of a Half-Marathon finishing time of 1:46:41 or a 3:45 Marathon. They are by no means the specific interval times for every individual in the Running 301 Program and should not be considered unless they fit into your pace according to your individual fitness. Individual interval times may be extracted from either your most recent race, one of the many fitness tests during the program, or a combination of both results.
If this is not understood, please ask for clarification. We have had previous misinterpretation by both Group Leaders and Members on this point and wish to avoid future misunderstandings. Each individual athlete is responsible for their own pace and can refer to the McMillan Running Tables at http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm. Again please ask if you do not understand or need assistance in determining your pace. President and Chief of Vital Operations, Russ Fraser will also providing a computer tutorial as to how to use the McMillan Tables to find your individual paces in order to maximize your participation. There are also several target pace calculators attached to your workout spreadsheet for various types of workouts such as hill repeats and mile repeats.
Heart rate is also an excellent indicator of fitness. During the endurance intervals of 600-meters and beyond as found in tempo or fartlek runs, you will benefit more if your heart rate does not exceed 85% of the maximum rate otherwise you are racing and may not be getting sufficient recovery. As you get fitter your heart rate will remain the same but you will either be able to continue at the same pace or slightly faster.
RUNNING 301 is the recommended program after RUNNING 201 or for people who have completed either a half marathon or marathon during the summer session. Although most of your endurance gains are produced during the Saturday long run, we suggest in addition to your current Friday run, you add on an additional Tuesday run as your 5th training run of the week to further your aerobic base to progress your fitness gradually and safely. If you did RUNNING 301 in the last session and would like to continue on this program, your 6th running day will be an easy Thursday run of 3 miles. The 2 weekly workouts on Mondays and Wednesdays are designed to balance your speed and strength, but remember, it is better for you to always work within your training zone. Your training zone is determined by your most recent race, one of the many fitness tests during the program, or a combination of both results and pacing as extrapolated from the McMillan Running Tables. We would also suggest if this is your second RUNNING 301 clinic for you to increase your Friday and Tuesday runs to the 2nd stage which is to slightly increase the length of the easy run at the suggested levels.
If at any time you feel continued minor discomfort, this simply means you are outside of your training zone and you should slow down and possibly reduce the volume of running if necessary. At no time should you feel exceedingly uncomfortable or that you have to alter your natural running style due to discomfort or pain. Although the schedule may call for a given number of intervals, you may find it necessary at times to reduce the number due to fatigue, slight injury, or a possible illness. Please use your discretion and common sense. Do not attempt to work beyond your limitations.
With the new modifications all our programs can be personal record programs. But it’s up to the athlete and coach to decide which one will yield the best results based on past performance, individual strengths and the amount available time to train and recover. All of the new 2010 programs may be reviewed at any time during regular store hours or call Peninsula Runners at 604-582-8163 should you require additional information regarding training days or any other aspects of the program.
Have a great running week!
Lorne
