Week 4: November 1-8

I’d like to re-cap what was said in the last newsletter and expand on a couple of things as we go along.

When you add in new programs and have to make… well… not exactly, but “life altering” adjustments, these adjustments are not easy. Some people will have a tough “pill to swallow” when faced with what they would like to do and the amount of time and energy they can commit to a task.

We’d all like to believe we have the ability to be World-Class athletes, and as far as I’m concerned, the verdict is out as to whether that’s not impossible for everyone to achieve. Especially when you consider all the available choices and right variables that are necessary (body-type, time, dollars, and conditioning). It may not even be the sport or event you currently dream of completing in. We all have special skills, gifts and unique abilities unto ourselves. Sometimes it takes others to see it before we realize it ourselves. We saw in the last clinic that although a lot of people wanted to excel at the marathon distance, they had better results running the half-marathon. There are a number of reasons for this, and that is why the next clinic coming up in January 2009 and the athletic program starting November 1 is all about pacing. Before I lose track, let’s delve deeper into types of runners and running.

Firstly… let’s make this perfectly clear right from the beginning…

current goals should be based on current race performances

not past races or paces and interval times taken from running tables. It just doesn’t work that way. There is a natural progression in performance and there are no shortcuts. You cannot say, “If I train at these paces it will guarantee me _______ (time). If you have never run the distance before, then do not concern yourself with time. Concern yourself with how you feel after each workout, each week, each month, and especially after each training race or suggested event. These are true guides to know that you are doing all the right things. For those who have not heard this before, “It’s not how far, how fast, or how often you can run any given distance, it’s how fast you can recover to do it again”.

Some bodies are built for speed, others endurance. Then there’s this massive grey area in between for each one of the individual events including surface type and terrain. We used to joke about sprinters because of the announcers on television. They’d talk about the acceleration for some people up to 40 - 50 metres and then hanging on until the 100 metre mark. Other sprinters would continue to accelerate up to 60+ metres due to strength and ability. Some would hang on. Others would make that little critical error of accelerating too soon. They couldn’t hold the pace and get nipped at the tape by two 100ths of a second. The announcer might say, “Had the race been 98.7 metres, the winner was clearly…”. Hence the retort, “I’m a 98.7 metre specialist”. We’ve all had that experience… “Had the race been 20 metres shorter/longer…” The point is: Different people excel at different distances, events, and terrain, but it is all really good.

So… what did happen in your last race? Where could you have improved if you wanted to? Was it in the pace? Was it conditioning, or maybe both? Despite what happened then, we are moving forward. If it was pace, we will work on it. If it was conditioning… oh, ya!... will we be working on conditioning! But first, let’s step back a moment and look at the reason you run in the first place and why you are here? As the saying goes, “different strokes for different folks” and since this is about running, it’s all good stuff. Whether you want to complete your very first half marathon or marathon, get a personal best, or set a World Record, we have a program for you.

There are a number of people who come out week after week in the clinic to run. They are not interested in all this performance talk and are satisfied at the moment to come out, run and socialize with everyone else - that’s fantastic. We really hope you continue to do so. We need you for as much inspiration as we need those crazy ones pushing the 3 hour button. Without you to remind everyone that this is all about running, we’d be lost. To you, I want to say thank-you.

There is also a group of people who are totally happy with where they are right now and like a bit of a challenge. They are able to workout 3 – 5 times a week. These people may also have other areas of interest outside of family or work and need extra energy for that as well. Their goal is to not only finish the race, but maybe to get that qualifying time for Boston or New York. They don’t have the time to really commit to running in a more competitive scenario. And guess what?… that’s awesome too! You’ve found the right balance!

The third group likes more of a challenge and they have the time to train and recover. They want a program to challenge their current limitations and build towards getting the most out of themselves athletically and spiritually. It’s hard to not mention the spiritual side of running when it comes to getting stronger and faster. Running can also be a meter that defines to some extent one’s character. It’s not easy running 50-60-80-110 miles per week. It takes commitment and sacrifice to get better. There is only so much time. The more you put into one thing, something has to be let go of. Regardless if it’s running, family, or relationships; it is all about balance.

Our group has been called “competitive”. Yet we have such a mixture of athletes from novice to high performance… or is that “high maintenance”?... I always get those two mixed up. This is why there are 2 programs this session.

Over the last year we wanted you to discover your inner running-self and decide what it is you wanted from running (recreation or competition). In order to do this, high performance training methods were introduced into the recreational setting so that some of the people could see that they could be more on all levels of personal growth and physical development. Why personal? Because: in order to be more, you have to know yourself. If you can meet a challenge and have a positive experience, then you are ready to move to the next level; if that is your wish. Conversely? There is no “conversely” here. We are talking about running and it’s all good whether it is on a recreational level or seeking more from yourself. Just remember, no matter what the reason, it’s all about what you want to do.

So why do we even bother to bring up all this stuff and make it… personal? Some people have a continuously positive running experience that has inspired them to achieve greater levels of fitness. Others… well… not so positive and not negative either. There are a lot of people who have added running to their lifestyle with a balanced perspective. Some have aspirations of doing really well, but don’t have the time to put into it. They become discouraged and feel it’s not worth doing it at all if they can’t keep up with the “big dogs”. If you are only able to run 2 days a week, then this can be true. However, if you can manage a commitment of 3 times a week then you will see improvement. 4 days are better than 3 if you know how to balance it. The more combination of quality and quantity you can put into it, combined with rest (or active rest), the greater your rewards. It’s about making time for it and being selfish about that time that’s going to get you those goals.

Despite what group you would like to train with (either more recreational or athletic) decide how many days you can commit. If you can only run 3 days a week then you really should only consider the Vancouver Program. It is designed to improve your current endurance, strength and speed without leaving you bagged. It contains the elements in a balanced format to ensure you get the proper rest and recovery so that you can progress. However, it won’t be at the same rate as the athletic program. The athletic program is meant for people that are able to run 5 and 6 days a week. The athletic program does not guarantee results based on 3 – 4 days a week. The only guarantee about any program we can make is that you may get injured because of applying the dear old Dr. George Sheehan adage of, “Too much, too soon!”

So who is running in the athletic program? The athletic program is designed for those who were currently running 4 – 5 days per week at the top end of the last program. Then, if possible, we are suggesting a 6th day. Remember what adding the 5th day did by adding over 100+ miles per year? The bigger the base the faster the recovery and the longer it takes for you to slow down in a long run or race situation. But again, all this takes time over a period of months and sometimes years, depending upon your conditioning. Running is one of those sports where the more you put into it, the greater chance you have of overdoing it. But with the proper balance of paces and recovery you will continue to grow for a long time. Nobody gets too far starting from the beginning and running 6 – 7 days a week. We’ve learned over a period of years that this is a standard recipe for disaster.

For those people just entering the clinic we’d like you to commit to no less than 3 days a week. If you have gone through a session or have been running 3 days a week for at least 6 months then we’d like you to consider a 4th day (Friday). If you’ve been successfully running 4 days a week, then we’d like you to consider either building that 4th day up from 3 to 5 miles or adding in a light Tuesday run of 3 miles. To help illustrate this, we’ve included some program examples of how we balance your program. The specifics have been left out, but this gives you a method in which to plan your schedule.

As you can see there are a variety of examples to chose from, but we ask you to chose one and make the commitment to stick to it. We also ask that you don’t try to mix the programs because each one progresses at a different level and you will not only confuse yourself, you will also get injured. An example of this would be if you were to decide 8 weeks into the program to take a strength workout from the athletic program after starting with the Vancouver program. The people in the athletic program have progressively gotten stronger over a wider range of muscle groups in comparison to the Vancouver Program. This is not compatible with the type of workouts you have been doing from the beginning. Therefore, you’ll put your body at risk of getting injured from doing something you are not used to. Plus, the benefits are practically nil if you don’t continue doing them on a regular basis.

2009 Program Options (PDF file)

Conversely if an athletic program person were to periodically change to the Vancouver program, they will not receive the same benefits. So, unless you need an active rest day, it is not advisable to do this often. You will get behind on your strength workouts as they expand and as the program proceeds.

Some people incorrectly expect the Vancouver Program to be a “watered down” program. This is the same program you have been doing. Like anything else in life, what you put into it is what you get out. The athletic program is designed to maximize your workouts. For the most part, you will work independently because many of the people doing this program have evolved their current state of fitness over the last year and a half and know the drills. Although we have 10 group leaders, we have now introduced a second program for the first time. The Vancouver program is for those people who still want to improve but don’t have time for 5 – 7 workouts per week. This does not mean the Vancouver Program is easy. It will be as challenging as you make it, but please remember, it’s all about recovery or the ability to continuously build upon your current state of fitness. The Vancouver in other ways could be considered an active recovery program for those who have gone through the previous two athletic sessions and may want to take some time away from the strength work to recover from their last event, but that doesn’t necessarily make it any easier.

Email Russ, your group leader, or Lorne with any questions about the programs. We will answer them individually and add them (questions) to next week’s COACHES’ COUCH! Also check the archives section of the COACHES’ COUCH in the right column.

Week 3: October 25 – November 1

Why is it when you're not looking for something you find the most interesting things? I recently read an article on marathon training and thought, "WOW! We are doing the right stuff!" I've included the link below. I especially love the lines about the marathon… "It's an event where a background of speed is critical to success — if you want to be successful at the marathon, it's our opinion that the key is to stay on the track for as long possible, and develop speed that you can carry into the marathon… All of this has great practical implications, even for the runner aiming to crack 3:00, maybe even the four hour runner." And they were talking about training for the 3 km racing distance and up! Is that cool or what? Check this out… read article.

As I sit here in my big comfy chair gingerly sipping my delicious hot chocolate (with loads of those teeny-weenie marshmallows in it) watching the roaring fire engulf my house from the front yard (shock humour), I'm thinking… "Does life get any better than this?" This does actually pertain metaphysically and philosophically to all the stuff that's happening in my life right now… it's all manageable… and quite interesting. Add to that the anticipated explosive enthusiasm generated by the up-coming ATHLETIC PROGRAM starting on November 1. Then with the January 3 VETERAN PROGRAM rapidly approaching, it's exhilarating! More information will be provided on these two clinics a little later in this issue.

It's hard not to mix anything without politics or philosophy. We are trying to present a method each week for you to personally figure out what it is you'd like from this new running clinic session. The previous clinics were using basic methods to develop everyone into well rounded but not obese runners. As we said in the last newsletter: We have over a period of time worked on certain elements each clinic for the benefit of everyone (endurance, strength, speed, and now pacing). These concepts were introduced for the 95% of the people who are continually returning to the clinic. Hopefully so you could decide what it is you'd like out of your running and how much effort you'd like to put into it or are able to put into it. The more you can put into it, the more you will progress. As we move into the future clinics, we are going to present information where you can begin fine-tuning your workouts through understanding the type of runner you are whether it is recreational or competitive.

Some people may want to take some time off. This past year and a half has been a "shock" to the system and has drained some people both physically and mentally. A lot of runners came out and thought if they just run, they would get better. That's what we teach in our learn-to-run programs. Sooner or later you learn that there are individual limits to endurance and in order to progress, you have to add in other elements. The trouble is each element must have a foundation. Therefore in order to be faster, you have to first be stronger. Once you have a basic amount of strength then we maintain it and add in the speed element. It's sort of like building a house. First you lay the foundation, or your endurance. Then you build a frame, or strength. Next you put a roof on it (speed). Lastly you add all the other stuff (pacing, nutrition, rest, etc.). You then balance it all and appropriately increase the other elements and learn how to pace yourself. But first… we had to build the basics and I believe we have. Now it's time for some to move into the next gear.

Stage 4 of the program will see 2 groups, but the same focus will be applied to both programs. There will be a little less strength work and a little more race pace tempo work. Now that we've introduced and completed the first stage of the speed work, it's time now to learn how to control it. Heart Rate Monitors have target zone controls that tell you when you are out of your range. Speed and distance monitors have alarms – but you have to listen to them. That's why I've always liked treadmills. They control pace and depending how sophisticated your treadmill is, you can program it for different terrains and even races. Since we don't have the luxury of this and some people dislike treadmills, we have to do it the hard way… tempo runs. Lots and lots of tempo runs. This next clinic has more tempo runs and variations of tempo runs than you can shake a runner at.

We have completed 2 programs that you may review at any time at the store to see which one better suits your needs, goals, and commitment. The VETERAN PROGRAM is designed for people who are happy with their current fitness level and accomplishments. It has workouts designed to maintain and challenge your current state of fitness and bring you back to where you were before your last race and maybe even show some improvement if you stick to the numbers. Some people have the idea that once they have completed an event that they will always be able to do it just as well without putting in the same previous effort; thinking they don't have to work as hard. It took a lot of work to get you to where you are now. It takes just as much work to maintain it and even more to exceed it.

I learned that lesson the hard way and paid for it with a positive 38 minute split in the back half of my last marathon. Again… "Figures don't lie, liars figure" although… it really is kind of funny taking over a half hour longer to get through the second half of the race. Remember… your figures have to be your most current race; not a lofty "goal". You can't do what I did. In a short period of time I went from training 7 days a week down to 2–3 days. Fitness does not carry over unless there is an equal or greater amount of work involved.

Some people learned another little "figure" in the last clinic that if they exceed the paces, they get injured. This includes the long runs and the interval workouts. The paces are designed to safely build you up throughout the program. As was stated continuously last time, there is no need to exceed them. In fact, it can be argued that some of you may have had even better results if you backed off your training numbers a bit. Marathoning is a funny game. Sometimes you have to slow down to speed up. It is impossible to legibly provide all the individual athletic interval pace times based on each person's individual performance; therefore a little bit of accountability is expected from all 3 of us… myself, your group-leader and you. We have requested that the group leaders in the next session have a chat with people in each group who may either be not challenged enough or have slightly over-anticipated their ability. As you can tell from the numbers provided from last season's races, the people who did the best were those who were more evenly paced.

The ATHLETIC PROGRAM will contain and continue building the various strength components (advanced Brazil, G.I.'s, bounding drills, etc.). This program will continue to generate even better results over a wider variety of distances than any other program that removes these sport specific elements. We saw the results from the Jan–May/2008 clinic that the groups who continued with the strength component had generally better times in the fall and were able to train harder all year. This being said, some people might want to consider focusing on the half-marathon distance for May. This will allow them to concentrate on getting stronger and faster over that and shorter distances. Then, as you move into the fall, build up to the Marathon distance. Hopefully you read the earlier article regarding the current evolution of the marathon. It's always your choice, but the rewards are greater if you think in the long term.

Consider also the variation in the way we changed our hill-running workouts. Originally the concept was to work up to 10 repeats of the hill. As you got fitter a variation of a strength component was added by getting everyone to "bound" up the hill. Once that component was removed (due to the lengthening the distance of the run up the hill and allowing for physical adaptation to safely build up to 10 repeats) people's posture and form began to dissolve. By the end of the clinic, you had the leg strength, but lost some of your core strength. For the ATHLETIC PROGRAM a variation of the bounding drills will return. And there will be a greater focus on drills to increase core strength. Don't worry, you will not be bounding up the entire hill… this year… or ever.

Contact the store should you have any questions we will answer them individually and add them (questions) to next week's COACH'S COUCH!

— Lorne