Running Barefoot--Who should?

It is safe to say that right now the hot topic in the running world is Barefoot Running. This could be due to the Vibram 5 Fingers, or Newton shoe releases. Or maybe because the book BORN TO RUN, is a good read and talks a lot about the Tarahumara Indians running barefoot. Either way, the question remains, who is it for? Will it fix your injury? Should you run barefoot/minimalist everyday? Will you be better off long term with our without shoes?

Since this blog is sponsored by a running shoe store, I thought it best that we look outward to someone who is more 3^rd party. While Salt Lake Running Co does, in reality, do our very best to be absolutely honest and not push a bad product on someone, it just seems best to outsource this answer.

The objective opinion is going to come from Bobby McGee, a world class running coach for the last 25 years. No really, this guy is one of the sport’s best. Having coached world record holders, world champions, Olympians, professional triathletes and everyday normal Joe runners like ourselves, he knows his stuff and the BEST part is that he is sponsored by NO ONE! He has no allegiance to any product whatsoever with the exception of his greatest product…his athletes...US!

Here are some excerpts from a recent post by Bobby on the barefoot running scoop. To check out the full article, click here. www.bobbysez.blogspot.com Feel free to comment here and/or there on what you think or have experienced.

Can we all run barefoot?

If we all grew up rurally in regions where there was no concrete or asphalt, or broken glass & shards of various metals lying about, then maybe…

AND

If we all started life using running as a primary mode of transport (together with walking) for EVERYTHING we did & EVERYWHERE we needed to get to, then maybe

AND

If we all lived in climates where footwear was never a prerequisite demand of our environment, then maybe

AND

If we all grew up never having the posterior side of our legs shortened by footwear with heels, then maybe

AND

If we all weigh under 110 pounds if we are female & 130 pounds if we are male, then maybe

AND

If we all had the time, the structural integrity, the youth, the willingness, the mechanics, the soft tissue, the environment, the guidance, the patience, the support & the understanding, then maybe:

Who can run benefit from running barefoot some of the time?

I work with the individual running quirks of many world-class athletes & regular athletes. I address each one according to need. Some actually NEED less orthotic, less support, less cushioning. Many have feet that have atrophied & lost critical motion capabilities because of overly restrictive or ill-advised footwear or orthotics. Many can benefit from time spent walking or even some small amount of running barefoot on well cushioned surfaces like grass or synthetic grass surfaces – this will return neuromuscular feel & function; this will teach true elastic-loading & unloading. This will also strengthen critical muscles & tendons in the foot & lower leg. It is a very gradual process & prescribed not because the athlete desires to run barefoot full time, but to heal & enhance their running experience.

Do the fastest runners in the world run barefoot?

Only one man has ever won an Olympic marathon barefoot & his name is Abebe Bikile, an Ethiopian who ran 2:15 barefoot because he was such a late entry into the Ethiopian team, Adidas could not find him a pair of shoes that fit – he had trained barefoot however. It is interesting to note that his father was a shepherd, so clearly he grew up exactly fulfilling ALL of the above Ifs. He won the next Olympics in 2:12 in Puma shoes. Both the 1st sub 4min South African miler, DeVilliers Lamprecht & Zola Budd ran barefoot & they both told me that eventually their feet gave them so much trouble that they could no longer run (DeVilliers) & that they had to resort to wearing shoes for training & eventually racing as well (Zola).

The forefoot, midfoot, healstrike argument

The greatest runner of all, Haile Gebrselassie, realized after being badly beaten in the London Marathon with a time of 2:06, that he would have to forego his habit of running on his forefeet, he would have to lower his heel to the surface to compete against the world’s best. He now runs the marathon 3 minutes faster! He has run in Adidas shoes his entire career.Many of the world’s greatest runners are heel strikers (look at above picture of Haile) – having these athletes switch to barefoot running would no doubt destroy them –

As a whole, we need shoes to survive the hostility of running

Before footwear became as advanced as it did, distance running was reserved for only a small select group of men & school children participating in track…HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE ADVENT OF THE MODERN RUNNING SHOE, DISTANCE RUNNING AS WE KNOW IT TODAY, A SPORT OF HEALTH, FITNESS & HEROIC PARTICIPATION WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ACCESSIBLE TO THE MASSES. IT WOULD HAVE REMAINED A SPORT FOR A SMALL COMMUNITY BLESSED WITH THE PHYSIOLOGY & MECHANICS OF A BORDER COLLIE. THE LUNATIC FRINGE WHO NOW SO IRRESPONSIBLY & VEHEMENTLY VILIFY RUNNING SHOES WOULD HAVE US RETURN TO THOSE DAYS WHEN NONE BUT A FEW MECHANICALLY BLESSED INDIVIDUALS WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO A SPORT THAT SAVES & ENHANCES THE LIVES OF MILLIONS.

THANK.YOU. BOBBY!! We appreciate people like Bobby McGee sharing their opinion that is formed in their quest to not only keep us all running, but to help us run faster!

Here is a great closing quotation emailed to our staff by Travis. It is from the book Born to Run where YES! Even Christopher McDougal confesses that it is not complete heresy to run WITH shoes.

“Check out their feet," said Eric. Even though Scott [Jurek] was in the Brooks trail shoe he'd helped design and Caballo was in sandals, they both skimmed their feet over the ground just the way [Barefoot] Ted did in his bare feet, their foot strikes in perfect sync. It was like watching a team of Lipizzaner stallions circle the show ring." - Born to Run p. 190.

Hills, the uphill battle.

I think that most people are aware that here is Utah, we are not hurting for hills to run. Yet, the question still remains, "Should I run hills in training? If so, how much, what pace, how steep, how often?" It is clear that some of you who run have no choice but to run hills based on where you live or work. In a nutshell, hills are good. Actually, hills play a vital role in run training especially if you don't spend much time in the weight room. But, just like any other part of training, too much or incorrect application can backfire. But, it is time to clear up a couple things so that everyone can use those hills their advantage in their quest for fitness and faster times. Here are two important uses of hill.

Long Slow Hills

Purpose:

To build strength.

Speed:

Keep this kind of workout as close to conversation pace as possible. It is okay to keep it slow. The goal is to do about 30 minutes worth of going up during a 60-90 minute long run. The only time to consider running this hard is if you are substituting a hard flat tempo day with this hill workout.

Steepness:

You will, no doubt, come across different grades of steepness when you run that long. That is just fine, but the most productive hills are still shallow enough to run up. When it is too steep for too long, then the difficulty gets in the way of the run specific strength work. It is common knowledge that there are some hills that you can power walk faster than you can run, but stay disciplined! You are trying to train your run specific muscle groups so keep running and mix those tougher hills in with some that are more moderate in grade.

When and how often?

Doing this kind of workout once a week pretty much all year is a great idea. Doing this one too often will be too taxing though so more is not always better here. If your legs start feeling heavy all the time then that is an indicator of too much. On the other hand, the only times to let it go completely would be during recovery periods before your most important races/events or during that initial off season period where you are trying to really kick back and relax.

Considerations:

In the summer, when the trails are wide open and lead upward straight into the blue Utah sky, it is easy to find enough long hills for this workout. You might have to be more creative when most of those trails are inaccesible in winter, but don't give up because winter is a perfect time to run long hills. If you are an ultra distance trail runner, then you obviously will walk more of those uphills than stated above and just flat out be doing them more often and for longer.

Also,when on trails, take the opportunity to really run fast down the hill where possible. Make sure to read this blog article on downhill running

Short Fast Hills

Purpose:

To build speed, strength and power

Speed:

5-10 fast Sprints of 15-30 seconds long with a walk down as rest.

Steepness:

Very steep! Like the kind of steep that you really could power walk faster.

When and how often:

This is a great workout to do throughout the year. Some people will throw in 5 or so hill sprints at the end of a 60-90 run to stimulate the fast twitch fibers. Another place to put it is after doing some once a week short sprints on a track when you are already working on your fast twitch fibers (you could even use stadium stairs for this if they are a long enough set). If you do this, then shorten your speedwork session a bit. If you want to know more about a speed session, read this speedwork post. And there are those who like to use this workout just towards the end of race prep period to sharpen the saw so to speak. Either way, once a week IS PLENTY!!

Considerations:

Always take plenty of rest in between these sprints by walking down the hill. You should start the next one only when you feel recovered. If your legs are a bit tired, then do less. These are a bit tougher to do on a rough trail. You will want good footing for sure.

So there are some ideas on how to use hills to your advantage. Hills are great to build strength, speed and power. Happy climbing!

Top 5 Winter Running Tips by SLRC staff

After Reading the following Top 5 Winter Running Tips from most of our employees. Can you pick out what the #1 most common tip is?

Mike’s tips

1) When it is windy, start your run against the wind and have it to your back when you return

2) Stay hydrated

3) Wear Smartwool socks

4) Wear reflective gear (lights, vest, etc) Be seen!!!!

5) Realize you are ahead of most when you train in the winter.

Amanda’s Tips

1. Don't worry about your feet getting wet. If you have good socks they won't and if they do you won't notice. If you do notice, you should go faster.

2. Dress warmly throughout the day. If you are cold just doing the day to day stuff, you won't want to go run outside in the cold.

3. If your shoes are wet from the previous day's run open them up, pull the liner out a little and stuff some newspaper in there.

4. Remember to drink lots of water throughout the day.

5. Get some nice running underwear. It makes a big difference to be warm on your bum.

Brandon’s Tips

1 Running partner to complain with

2 Smart Wool socks

3 Sport Hill infuzion gloves

4 Sport Hill wind protection underwear

5 Pipeline trail-the snow is packed down and the scenery is pretty darn nice

Scott’s Tips

1. Continue to drink and eat gels. Even though it's cold outside, you still sweat. Also your body has to work harder in the winter to stay warm, so your energy demands are actually higher during a run, especially during long runs. I like to fill my water bottle up with warm water to start out with. Drinking ice cold water or frozen water isn't easy.

2. Yaktrax rock. Use them on packed snow for good traction or during a snow storms. Not great on pure ice, or hard surfaces though. Running with them is much easier than not in many situations, and it's safer.

3. Be aware that if you are running outside for the first time, it will be a shock to the system. The lungs may burn and your face will probably get cold. You will get used to it though, so stick with it. The best thing to do is to continue running outside as the seasons change and you will adapt much easier.

4. It's ok to run on a treadmill. I don't like to be outside if it's below 0 and would rather run inside. Incline the treadmill 1-2% to make up for the effort in comparision to the road. It's also a good idea to not run outside on red burn days.

5. Find safe roads to run on. Running on State Street during the winter is probably not a good idea. Back roads tend to be the best, much less traffic to deal with. I also like to run on the left side of the road into oncoming traffic, it's easier for drivers to see you. NEVER assume a driver see's you at intersections or at driveways, be overly cautious.

6. One more just for kicks. Run with a cell phone if you are running alone. Spraining an ankle or getting some other injury (heaven forbid getting hit by a car) can be deadly and you get stuck in the cold.

Travis's Tips:

1. It is mental not elemental. Yes it is cold, but life does not stop so why should your running. Kids still go to school. People still have to work. Shopping still gets done. We still go to parties and travel. We should still run.

2. Expect to start a little bit cold. You will heat up very quickly, but once you are hot it is very difficult to not overheat. Start cold and allow your body to warm itself.

3. Combine layers when possible. Clothing that combines layers is much more comfortable than using individual layers. A light base layer with one heavier top works better for me than multiple layers. Same for bottoms. A heavier pant is more comfortable for me than wearing a pair of tights covered by a light pant.

4. Good gloves make a big difference. It is handy to have a couple of different weights available so you can keep your hands the right temp on different days and in different conditions. If your hands get too hot, the rest of you is hot. If your hands get too cold, the rest of you feels cold.

5. Wool socks!!!! Even if your super breathable shoes get wet a good wool sock will help keep your feet comfortable even in the snow or rain. Waterproof shoes only make your feet more susceptible to over-sweating because the waterproof barrier keeps the sweat in just as much as it keeps the elements out. It also takes waterproof shoes much longer to dry after your run. If you do need to wear a waterproof shoe, once again wool socks are key for keeping your feet comfortable.

Rhielle’s Tips

1. On red burn days run at elevation (go to mountaintrails.org for a list of groomed trails in PC or go to Mountain Dell Golf Course) or go to the olympic oval. Although all gyms and indoor running tracks have filtered air, the Olympic Oval has to keep the air climate controlled and is therefore the Gold Standard. Additionally, most indoor tracks are 200 meters, and the oval is 440, fewer turns = fewer injuries.

2. Running in snow is harder, similar to running in sand, so go slower and run for time not distance. The stuff you are running on is uneven and moves when you put weight on it so your muscles fire twice for every step, once to stabilize and once to propel. You work twice as hard in the snow.

3. To stay upright in the snow, instead of on your bum, run like you don't have shoes on. When you heel strike, you land on the snow with a very small amount of surface area giving the runner very little stability. When you land on top of your foot, you have much more surface area, making you more stable. You can also stay in car tracks where the snow has been moved away a bit. Running on flat surfaces, not hills, will also make it easier.

4. Dressing to stay warm: 1. Use the VIP layering system. 2. No cotton. 3. Wear an extra layer over the core. 4. Buy Smartwool socks and baselayers- they retain heat even when they get wet so you can sweat and sweat and stay warm the whole time.

5. To dry your shoes out after a wet run, take the liner out and stuff the shoe with newspaper. The paper will draw the moisture out of the shoe.

6. Wear reflective gear. Most people don't know that the yellow is not reflective so it doesn't do you any good at night. It is only good to help you stand out during dusk and dawn. The silver, silky stuff is the reflect so wearing something that is a combination of both is very important.

Jesus’s Tips

5.- Plan ahead, we all are busy specially in this time of the year so make sure you make some time available for your run.

4.- Dedicate your run to somebody, whether is your mom, your wife or your dog is a great motivation tool, i use it specially in this weather.

3.- Don't overdress, my biggest mistake when i started to run in the winter was to bundle up to much, keep in mind that you will increase your body temperature by about 20 degrees, so if the temperature is in the 30's dress for 50's.

2.- Wear reflective gear, this time of the year when it gets dark by 5 o'clock you should always wear reflective gear when is dark, you never know when a distracted driver could cross your path.

1.-Base layer up! this is a must, it makes a world of difference to have the right base layer when you need it. My favorite are Smartwool and Craft.

Chris’ Tips

1. Smart Wool socks

2. Along with cold weather comes less day light, so I use my Black Diamond Sprinter head lamp a lot.

3. Vest

4. Sport Hill mens cold weather underwear

5. a fairly tight/tapered running pant or tight

Seth’s Tips

1) Afternoon trail runs. (You will see tons of wildlife, no one is up there and it is warmer)

2) Sporthill pants (Great wind resistance and super flexible.)

3) Amphipod Reflective Vest if running on the roads at all any time. (Holds your ID, Phone, Gel and keeps you from being hit.)

4) Trail shoes, Brooks Cascadia. (The snow is giving you plenty of cushion, the traction is what you need.)

5) Warm light weight gloves, Saucony ultimate Run Glove is my current favorite.

Off Season Training Stage 1- R&R

It has been quite a long year by September for most folks. You may or may not have done a lot of races or events, but usually most people have dedicatedly stuck to some sort of structured program since last Nov, Dec or Jan. Time for a break! Back away from the Garmin, put up your feet and don’t even think about working out hard…or long…or tomorrow…or often. Seriously, there has to be a time every year where you give your body, mind and spirit a vacation.

It would be nice if we could all lie on a Hawaiian beach for a month, but most of us have to find a way to put our bodies through a staycation of sorts. Yes, life goes on, work still happens and the kids are always hungry, but allowing your body to recover, repair and restore is not just important, but VITAL to a life long pursuit of sport.

What needs to happen in this phase of training? And yes IT IS TRAINING! You can’t make a tired and broken body go very fast. So putting fuel back in the mental and physical tank is the priority. And this process is a little different for everyone. But here are some things to consider:

• Let go of structured workouts and schedules

• Do only what you feel like and NEVER force a workout at this point

• Slow down—go for a hike instead of a run. Preferably alone, with friends or family you don’t normally “workout” with because you are “in training.” This applies to biking too.

• Stretch--do yoga or stretch for 30 minutes as a days workout and then take a hot shower

• Do only light core work if you INSIST on strength training.

• Add an extra rest day or two. Stretching is not a rest day. Doing nothing is.

• Don’t get into a pool to swim laps if it brings tears or the thought of “I would rather pour acid into my eyes”

• Never train hard enough to need Endurox or any other recovery product……Okay, maybe just once a week for those of you who just have to do SOMETHING.

• Do something around the house you don’t normally have time for because it just feels good to finally git’ er done without being worried about how it effects tomorrows workout.

How do you mentally recover? Mentally “let it go.” Just let your mind take the vacation too. Stop thinking about workouts, schedules, races, goals and whatever else clutters it up at this point. Turn it off and think about something more important like how the morning light trickles down through the trees during your hike or how fresh the early fall wind feels on your skin as you run and ride easy. Yoga is really good too at training your mind to feel the subtleties that most people want to ignore. And don’t ignore the unstructured silence you may encounter. It is said that in the silence you discover your own shallowness, but it is there you discover your own strengths too. And if you are uncomfortable admitting to such transcendental thoughts, then just don’t tell anyone! But think them…no.matter.what!

How long will it take? Usually at least 3 weeks, but sometimes up to 6 or 8 if you have put your body through a tremendously high volume or intensity over the last 10-12 months. This could be the result of training for multiple ironmans, half ironmans and marathons (which I don’t recommend.) OR maybe you are very competitive in the shorter events and have invested A LOT of time to train hard and race even harder. Whatever the case, if you have put your body and mind through the ringer, have regularly trained over 12 hours a week, trained very hard, raced hard more than 6 times, or done too many long events, then you may need more than 3 weeks. Even if you have just done your first marathon or first year of structured training, but it challenged you more than anything ever has, then take it one week at a time!

When is your body, mind and spirit ready to go again? Physically, you are ache free, loose, flexible, feeling light in the legs and rested overall. Mentally, you have your excitement back! You definitely can wrap your brain around your next adventure and are more than ready to get back into a routine of some kind. Spiritually, you feel renewed, more calm and directed.

This is one of the most fun points in the year when you do it right. When you have properly rested and recovered for long enough, this is when you find the love in what you do again. This is when you can breathe deep and feel no weight on your shoulders. This is also when you are ready to look ahead with eyes wide open ready to chase and catch the next, even higher state of becoming at true athlete. What is a “true athlete?” Well, that is something that is available to anyone at any level. It is worth you pondering about and a discussion we will have another time!

Downhill running

"Are you sure this is worth it?" That is the question I hear runners say in the days following a serious trail run that forced them to fly down the mountain at dangerously high speeds. Usually, the question is a results of the fact that they can no longer walk normally, or turn over in bed without discomfort, or (heaven forbid) go down down stairs. Yeah, those quads take a Humungous beating when you spend any decent length of time running downhill. But, the question still remains, "Is this going to help me?"

Why so sore?

Well, let's address the reason why you can get so unbelievably show stopping sore following a downhill run. There are three reasons for this.

1. The first is pretty obvious. You are hitting the ground a lot harder than normal and therefore causing more shock to travel through the muscle tissue. This shock wave will break blood cells in your feet and legs (footstrike and compression hemolysis,) as well as cause more microtearing of the muscle tissue than your are used to.
   
2. You are using stabilizing muscles and connective tissues that you don't normally use any other way. Therefore, the small stabilizers in your ankles, adductors, abductors and hips can really feel beat up since they have to work harder than normal.
3. You are putting yourself through the most destructive form of natural weight training. Eccentric contraction. That means that you are forcing a heavy load on your legs when it is in the proccess of elongating. So each time you land on your weight bearing foot, your quad is going through full extension and fighting your bodyweight and gravity at the same time. The happens on a flat road too when you run, but it is pretty obvious that you are putting a much heavier load on your landing leg when going downhill so again, more damage.

Is it good for you?

How could it not be? No really serious here, I know that at first it seems like there is no way this much soreness could help a person. But, like anything else, if you work into gradually and then do it consistently, you will benefit. I have run some of my fastest run times just off of running long and hard mountain trails and working the not only the uphill, but the down too. Such a great break from structured workouts.

1. Downhill running will help you change your rhythm to a faster stride rate. Most runners need constant reminders through speedwork on the track and/or downhill running to keep their cadence up. People who run fast have fast turnover rate at about 90-95 footstrikes(per right leg) per minute. So going down hill is a great way to program yourself to do this without having to give the harder interval effort on the track/road to get it done.
2. Downhill(and trail running in general) is excellent to help strengthen your stabilizer muscles. There are quite a few injuries that result from overtraining of large muscle groups combined with undertraining of the small stabilizers and connective tissues. Running on road does solve this problem. Running on trails and especially down hill sections on the trails goes a long ways towards targeting many more complementary muscle fibers.
3. You will develop strong and fabulous calves. Because your calves are undergoing the eccentric contraction(elongation) under heavy load they will become very strong ;over time and look great! There is no calve machine...in any weight room...ON.THE. PLANET. that will make your calves as strong as downhill running. That is because you just can't put enough weight on the machine while your calve is in eccentric movement to match the force of running downhill. The most well developed calves that a sports scientist will see will be attached to a mountain trail runner. And in Utah we have plenty of those mountains.
4. What goes down must have come up first. I am sure I don't need to explain that part of the principle accept to say that if you choose the right trails to do your downhill running on, then you have to give a good effort to get to the top. The best trails I know are the ones that have epic uphills(elevation gains of 1000-3000 feet) that force great strength work and, at times, threshold heart rates. A good hard climb makes the downhill speed training that much better. You will get a very well rounded workout this way.
5. It's mentally refreshing, always changing and beautiful. How much better can it get!

Words of caution

1. Like any new or neglected form of training, work your way into this. The most sore you will EVER be from a run workout will be from doing a huge down hill day when you are not used to it. So, do shorter versions and choose hills that are more runner friendly at first. After a couple of break in sessions, you will be able to run some very difficult and long down hill routes with out needing a wheelchair for the next week.
2. Keep some downhill running in your normal routine weekly. With the above statement and other tips in mind, it is a good idea to do some good downhill time each week even if it is on the roads.
3. Do the difficult mountain downhill trail runs no sooner that 2 weeks out from your key event. Even if you are used to running down, there is still plenty of muscular damage that lingers. Therefore, place the great mountain peak runs far enough away for you to recover. Usually, that is at least 2 weeks.

Late summer and, most especially, fall are some fabulous times to take advantage of the Utah mountains. You will get some great training benefits and have a blast doing it!

4 X 1 mile repeats-bread and butta baby

One of the biggest mistakes most runners and triathletes make is that they don’t do much in the way of speedwork. I admit that it really is fun to go out with a friend for a 60-90min run and chat. And there is even a place in appropriate training for that. However, if you are trying to get faster and/or would like to stimulate your metabolism a little more, then here is a great workout to help mix things up without being too overwhelmed. And this kind of workout is very different from the shorter speed intervals that I have put out there before.

WHAT: 4 X 1 MILE REPEATS WITH 60-90 SECONDS REST--Well, that is pretty straight forward and simple to understand isn’t it?

WHERE: This can be done as 4 laps on a track or take out on the road if you have a very accurately measured coarse. At our house, we actually have a meter wheel (yes, we are THAT nerdy) and we have measured this kind of thing. Technically, a mile is 1609 meters, but in order to match the track version we just go with 1600 meters so we can compare times.

WHY: This workout is a great way to do some lactate threshold training. That means that you are teaching your body how to run faster before being overcome by lactic acid. Now, lactic acid is a byproduct of your body burning glycogen for fuel (and this is what you burn as you go FASTER than conversation pace,70% of Max Heart Rate, all the way up to running almost anaerobically which is as short and fast as 800 meters.) The lactic acid produced by the body actually gets constantly reabsorbed and also used as fuel. Cool huh? Well the problem comes when you go fast enough, you create more lactic acid than your body can use and reabsorb, so it starts building up and lowering the alkalinity of your muscle. Your muscle becomes acidic enough that it loses electrical impulses and becomes tough to fire and contract at full strength. Mile repeats help your body begin to adapt to higher lactate levels, become more efficient at reabsorbing lactate and eventually run a faster pace at that higher lactate threshold level before becoming overloaded and shutting down.

WHEN: This mile repeat workout can be done once a week with every 4th week or so either doing only 2 or just resting. Give yourself at least a day of rest before and after before attempting another type of hard day or long run.

HOW: Well, just remember that you have to do 4 of these and you want them AS EVEN AS POSSIBLE! So if you run the first mile in 8:05, then all the other miles should be within 5 seconds one way or another. If you have never done these before then pretend you actually have to do 5 or 6 and that will help you not go to fast on the first one or two. Even when you finish the 4th one, you should be able to run a 5th one IF YOU ABSOLUTELY HAD TO! However, if you are totally wiped out, then you did them too hard. You need to save that kind of effort for a race. And you need to be able to wrap your brain around doing this kind of workout each week. So start easy and build confidence by getting faster instead of blowing up.

WHAT YOU LEARN: You learn two big concepts by doing this kind of workout:

• First you start learning how to be mentally focused and tough enough to do this kind of work. That will transfer over beautifully to a race since it will develop the many of the mental skills needed to run faster.


• Second you learn what you can run a 5k or a 10k at! The average pace you run for each mile is pretty much what you should be able to string together for a 5k. So if you run an 8:00min/mile average, then that is the pace you should be able to race a 5K IF YOU ARE MENTALLY FOCUSED. It won’t come easy, but it can be done. Also, if you add about 15 seconds per mile (maybe a hair more or less,) then you have the potential of running a 10K at about 8:15 per mile.

So if you are ready to try something new, then give this a go!

Ice Baths--Recovery on the Rocks

One of the best ways to be able to help your body handle a regular routine of intense and/or high mileage workouts is to plunge feet first into the recovery ritual of ice baths. What does such a bone chilling experience have to offer? The benefits lie mostly in the reduction of post workout inflammation and muscle soreness. Many endurance athletes come back from those harder days feeling much more refreshed the next day if they implement this cheap and easy post workout therapy. In fact this is one of the secrets that elite/pro athletes consider to be a necessary part of training and racing. So, how do you properly bath in ice and survive?

How do draw up an ice bath? Ice baths begin with filling the tub with cool water that you can still handle getting into. While it fills, go grab a bag of ice and your recovery drink! Then, throw on a long sleeve shirt, keep your shorts on and jump into the cool water. It will take a minute or two to get used to the cold water at which point you can dump the bag of ice into the water. You will need to sit in the tub for about 10-15 minutes depending on how cold it actually is. The colder the temperature, the less time you need. So, if you only want to spend 5 minutes in the tub, then drop the temp to the lowest safe temperature of 45 degrees F. Otherwise, keeping it at 50-60 will work just fine if you sit for the longer time. And really, sitting longer is not that big of a deal because once you get numb it is a lot more bearable. Just grab a magazine and read for a little bit.

What do you do if you don’t get home from your workout for a while? Don’t stress, the ice bath will still work. Also, if you finish your long run, trail run, hard bike ride or whatever near a cool body of water or river, then dunk your legs right then and there before going home. The sooner the better… for sure.

How often should you use ice baths? If you have time, then you would jump in after any hard or long day. It is okay to use cold therapy often and regularly. At the very least, take an ice bath after those few key hard and long workouts that you have maybe never done before and are really trashed after.

When should you take a hot shower after the ice bath? Following cold with hot is a very common therapy practice. Right after is okay, but waiting 30 minutes is better. Whenever you get in, you can spend a couple minutes doing some light stretching to help restore flexibility to the muscle tissue.

What races should you do this year?

Once the month of May comes, the race schedule gets pretty packed with all kinds of road races, triathlons, bike racing and off road events. Already, there has been the Moab Half-Marathon, Salt Lake Marathon, a handful of sprint triathlons and bike races. At this point in the year, the biggest mistake I see people make is doing too many races/events. Not only is this expensive, but it is also very draining mentally and physically, not to mention the stress on the family. Oftentimes, by the time late summer rolls around, I hear many complaints of being tired all the time, a lack of enthusiasm for the next race and/or the most dreaded of all, INJURY! Seriously though, if you want to take all the fun out of training and racing, then racing too often will do the trick. Here are some tips to think about as you decide what you are going to do this year whether it is running, triathlon or both.

• If you have run a marathon or a half marathon longer than 2 hours, wait 3-4 weeks before doing any other event of any kind.


• Putting 2 marathons within 8 weeks of each other is not advisable, more info here.


• 5K’s and 10K’s can be done twice in a month as long as there is good recovery in between.


• After an Ironman, no events for at least 5-6 weeks and then only a short one that lasts less than 2.5 hours as long as the run portion is no longer than a 10K.


• A Half Ironman requires about 3-4 weeks with no event.


• It is okay to do an Olympic distance tri once a month even if you do a sprint during that month as well.


• In general, try not ever line up event that occur 3 out of 4 weeks or 4 out of 6 weeks or 5 out of 7 weeks.


• PLAN AHEAD Write the events you are interested in on a calendar in PENCIL. Pick 2 of them that are your most important races (“A” races) and sign up for those (as long as they don’t conflict with above.) Then pick 2 or 3 more “B” races that won’t interfere with your performance at your “A” races. After that, seriously plan on doing only those unless you know for sure that it is far enough removed, short enough, and/or low key enough to be added. However, most of these kinds of races are more easily and cheaply done at home


• Remember that your racing schedule is your own and not your friend’s, so don’t feel pressured to do something you are not excited about or ready for.


• Even if you are performing well, stick to your guns! Getting overexcited too soon will have you racing too hard and too often at races that are not your “A” race and therefore don’t matter.


• It is okay to change plans midstream if the one you have isn’t working. For example, it is okay to switch to a half marathon from a marathon or to a sprint tri from an Olympic if that is what works better for you.


• Remember that when comparing your schedule to an elite or professional, they are capable of handling a higher workload and quicker recovery times so it is not wise to model your schedule after theirs.


• Some years you may feel like racing more than others and that is normal and advisable.
  

Above all else: Remember that you are doing these things for the fun and/or challenge of it. Too much ruins the experience. One excellent race experience is better than 5 mediocre ones. No matter where you are at fitness wise, getting out and doing what you are ready for is what should make you happy. Other peoples' or society's expectations should be disregarded. They are not in your shoes and don’t know what brings you joy or makes you tick. You are still a runner if you do only 5K’s and 10K’s and you are still a triathlete if you do sprint tri’s and not Ironmans. So, as always, pick race and events that will help you to RUN FOR YOUR LIFE AND KEEP ON TRIING !

Marathon, Half marathon,10K or 5K taper

You have done the work, run the long runs, got your shoes and gels ready, and are ready to rock come race day. But, what do you do to get ready for the big day when you are 5-7 days out? Do you rest? Run a little? Stretch? Well, how your legs feel on race day will partially depend on how you have tapered the week of. Here is an example of what a rest week might look like for a Saturday marathon or half marathon race

Saturday: 60 minutes
Sunday: Off
Monday: 45 minute run with *8 X 200 meters fast followed by a 200 jog*
Tuesday: 30 minute run and stretch well and moderately do *Trigger Point or Massage*
Wednesday: 30 minute run with *6 X 200 meters fast followed by a 200 jog*
Thursday: Off
Friday: Jog for 30 minutes and stretch lightly
Saturday: Marathon or Half Marathon

**only do the activities marked in the astrix if you have already been doing them. Otherwise skip it.

Overall, here are some tips to keep in mind during this taper week.

• Do active recovery
• The best day to take off is two days away from race.
• Do the 200 meter strides to keep blood volume up so you don’t arrive to the start feeling
• lethargic.
• Stretch
• Get extra sleep
• Relax emotionally
• Get clothes, shoes, and food ready 2-3 days out so you have time to get something you thought you had but didn’t. Read marathon nutrition article
• Pick up race number
• Double check race start and bus shuttle times.
• Drink extra water and eat wisely. Read Carbo Load article
• Get excited! Relaxed, but excited!
  

Any event you do will be icing on the cake for all the work you have put in. For some people it is a chance to publically express their innermost goals, pursuits and passions. Sometimes, events are just celebrations of being alive and actively living. Either way, rest up, run smart and good luck!

From treadmill to road to treadmill to road to treadmill to ro...

Spring is in the air! There are some wonderfully warm days mixed in with some spring rain and snow. It is so refreshing and liberating to be able to run outside in warm weather, yet visits to the treadmill are sometimes still a necessary evil. With training as changing and variable as the weather, there is a way to make your treadmill and road workouts feel similar so it is not such a shock on your body to make those changes or that you are surprised by how much harder the pace is outside.

This really is a tricky topic because so much depends on the treadmill that is actually being used. So many people assume that the miles per hour/pace readout on the treadmill is accurate. Do not assume this! Actually, assume it is wrong! The biggest thing you are worried about on a treadmill is that you are working at the same effort as you would be outside. Here are some things you can do to make the two efforts match more closely

Workout using a heart rate monitor. This piece of technology really helps to level the playing field. Basically, if you learn what pulse rate you normally run at outside, then make sure to do that same pulse inside no matter what the treadmill numbers say. Then you will know for sure that you are getting the same cardio workout.

Consider using the incline. Sometimes it is frustrating to go outside after running on a treadmill because your legs get more tired from doing more of their own pushing. You can remedy that by using the incline button. Each machine is different, but in general, an incline of 1-2% will feel more like the work you do outside.

Be patient. There is a difference between running outside and inside when it comes to environmental influences. It takes the body time to adapt to all the weather and terrain changes outside so the reality is that it takes some consistent running outside to feel more comfortable outside. Treadmills can be boring, but at least the weather and terrain is predictable and easy to adapt to.

Over the years, I have had to make the jump many times from treadmill to road and back again. I love the warmth, consistent pacing, restroom availability, and early dark morning or dark night convenience of a treadmill. I also love the freedom, sunshine, wind in the hair and trail terrain of running outside. I appreciate and accept what both forms of running have to offer and now I know what to expect out of each one. No longer do I let the nuances of one or the other ruin a perfectly good chance TO RUN!

And finally, here is a great story to remember if you are stuck on a treadmill more than you would like to be and wonder if you can really get road fit on a treadmill.

Dr. Christine Clark works 25 to 30 hours a week as a physician and has two young children. Oh yeah, she also lives in frigid Alaska. She didn’t let these obstacles prevent her from training for the 2000 U.S. Olympic marathon trials. She did nearly all her training on a treadmill, including 15-mile runs at a 5:50 per mile pace at a room temperature of 70F. At the February 26 trials it was 70F, and Clark averaged 5:50 per mile to win in a huge upset with a time of 2:33:31, earning her a spot in the Sydney Olympics.

Now that is rockin!

Moab Half Marathon Tips from Nicole and Stacy

We’re Real Runners, or so we thought. Our expectations and results of the Moab Half Marathon last year weren’t exactly what we had imagined. After having finished the race suffering through the stomach flu, we swore we would never go back to Moab not even to see the Arch. Bibs for Moab 2009 would teach us that some things take more than one try to conquer and achieve. If we had another opportunity to run the half marathon in Moab, we’d take note of the 13.1 lessons learned.

.1 – Salt Lake Running Company is our favorite place to accessorize
13 – Training in SLC blizzard temperatures takes dedication
12 – Pack some toilet paper for the pre-race
11 – Adding five minutes to your PR is okay if you have the flu
10 – Don’t run 13.1 miles on a stress fracture
9 – Gu is good but only when taken as directed and not with Gatorade
8 – All you can eat pizza and pasta buffets are overrated
7 – Tube socks from the local True Value make the best legwarmers (SEE PIC BELOW)
6 – Don’t believe anyone who says the course is all down hill
5 – Pack your own oatmeal – the hotel’s complimentary breakfast won’t cut it
4 – Make sure you receive the bib for the half and not for the 5K before the bus
3 – Wearing matching shirts doesn’t mean you’re going to have the best run
2 – Will power can get you to the finish line, even when you’re in pain
1 – Believe you can achieve and you will

Nicole Santiago - There's nothing like feeling the sense of accomplishing a distance with only your legs and willpower to take you there. I've learned to love something I never liked before. Starting a race is exhilarating when I look around thinking how admirable it is to know the other runners trained just as hard both physically and emotionally to reach their goals and dreams. My shoes, aka my runners, travel with me around the world and encourage me to explore different routes. Hitting the pavement helps me run off my frustrations and find solutions. And last but not least, I run so I can enjoy my guilty pleasures: Cafe Rio salads and desserts.


Staci Basilius - I run because I love the way I feel after I've finished a long run, there's nothing that compares with that high...it's addicting. Running makes me appreciate my body, I'm always amazed by how I can push it and I know it will respond. And I especially love those weekday mornings when I've woken up at 5am to run 10 miles I stroll into work feeling invigorated and my co-workers have barely rolled out of bed. I'm lucky enough to have a great running partner, who pushes me when my mind isn't in it and who helps the time fly by with great conversation (except when we're running up hill, then the conversation has to wait).

How fast can you run your marathon?

Have you ever wondered how fast you can run a marathon? A marathon is long enough that it can be hard to figure out what kind of goal time to shoot for. There is a cool little workout called Yasso 800’s that can give you a pretty good idea of what kind of time to aim for as your marathon finish time. The Yasso 800’s are named after Bart Yasso, the race services manager for Runner’s World for over 30 years. Here is what Bart had to say about using them in training,

"I've been doing this particular workout for about 15 years," he continued, "and it always seems to work for me. If I can get my 800s down to 2 minutes 50 seconds, I'm in 2:50 marathon shape. If I can get down to 2:40 (minuses), I can run a 2:40 marathon. I'm shooting for a 2:37 marathon right now, so I'm running my 800s in 2:37."

Before discussing the pro’s and con’s of this workout, here is how to actually do the Yasso 800’s. The full workout is 10X800 at goal marathon pace with EQUAL amount of walk/jog rest in between. So if you want to run a 3:30 marathon then you should be able to do 10 X800 in 3:30 with that much walk/jog rest in between. But do you do all 10 every time? No! If you want to know approximately where you are at to begin with then do the whole workout. Other than that, you would work up to doing 10 of those 800’s.

Here is an example. Hopefully the marathon you are getting ready for is about 10 weeks away to progress through this workout. Let’s say, that you want to know ABOUT where to begin and you have no real idea as to how fast you can run a marathon. In that case, your first time doing them should be all 10. Pace yourself so you can finish all 10 at pretty close to the same pace. At the end, if you run all 10 within about 5-10 seconds of 4:00 min per 800, then you can probably figure that you are ready to run within about 5-10 minutes of 4 hours.

Now, that you know an 800 time, you can progress through the workout by doing them once a week. You can choose to stay with the same time you got on the test workout and just try to get in shape to make that pace easier or you can pick it up 10 seconds per 800 and try 3:50. Either way, do this workout only once a week in the middle of the week and start with ONLY 4 of them at goal marathon pace. Add one more repeat each week until you reach 10 of them. The final 10 X 800 workout should land about 2 weeks out from the race.

Some people criticize the above workout by saying that it is off by 15-20 minutes and that a marathoner doesn’t need to do that kind of workout. I disagree. Any marathoner would benefit from speed work. Now there are other kinds of speed training that are indeed more fitting for marathons than this workout, but if you don’t ever do anything fast then you can give this a go because it will most certainly help you. If you are already doing tempo or lactate threshold runs, then do Yasso 800’s every other week and add 2 800’s instead of just one each time.

The other caveat to this workout actually predicting your marathon time is that you do have to get in your long runs. Doing a long run every other week may or may not be quite enough to have the aerobic base you need to apply this speed. But don’t get too excited and do too many long runs because you are overexcited to run your 800 time in a marathon race. Weekly long runs should only be done by a runner who has been running long runs 12-18 months already. Then, all that is left is that you are rested and well fueled during the marathon. If anyone out there tries it, then let us know how it goes. Did you really run your marathon in the same time as the Yasso 800’s?

If you want to run faster, then run faster!

Many runners, bikers and swimmers ask the question, “Do I need to do speedwork in the off-season?” Well, I guess that would depend on if you want to become faster, healthier or lose bodyfat. If you want to do any one of those things, then YES, do speedwork.

Speedwork can be done in many ways and there are at least 3 different types of faster workouts that can and should be done. For now though let’s worry about the most basic place to start. I will call this workout REPITITION work which, ironically, is a workout skipped far too often in endurance athletes who are already doing some form of speed day. It is also the perfect kind of workout to start with if you are a beginner.

What is a REPITITION workout? Basically, it is when you do shorter intervals with lots of rest. Sounds fun, ehh? Seriously though, I am not kidding here. You actually get tons of rest and get to go for short distances lasting anywhere from 15 seconds -90 seconds. What is the catch? The catch in this case would be the speed part. You do have to go pretty fast. Not quite an all out sprint, but a pace that is backed off enough to relax and think about your form. An example would be to do 8 X 200 meters on the track with a 200 meter slow jog in between. When you are fully rested (how cool is that), then you go again. Remember that you have to go pretty fast, but not too fast or you may not be able to finish. The goal is to run the distance at a speed that you might be able to actually RACE for 4 times the length. So the 200’s would be run at a pace you might be able to all out race an 800.

The great part about this kind of workout is that you give your body much different physiological signals than when you run slow. When you do REPITION work, you are training your brain and muscles to go faster, run more efficiently and powerfully, and kick out more growth hormone. This growth hormone burst is a legal way to get an anabolic workout in. So you get to build muscle, strength and power (which all endurance athletes need a little more of), build your immunity and give your body even more fat burning signals. The hard part about the slower base mile type of running is that you are actually telling your body the opposite. I have seen countless endurance athletes (including myself) run and run all that slow distance and not be able to lose fat. But, if you add speedwork and weightlifting, then you get a totally different hormonal response. And of course, you get strength and speed and power. Those gains will most definitely help you become faster as you apply them to longer, race pace oriented workouts.

Remember to always warmup for at least 2 miles before doing a set of REPITITIONS. Take plenty of rest in between and do them only once a week at most. Sometimes after about 3-4 weeks, you need a week off. And then of course there are tons of variations. You are free to do any combination of 100,200 and 400’s that don’t exceed two miles of fast stuff and most people do about 1.5 miles worth. Always match the interval distance with that much slow jogging. On the road, you can go by time once you have a feel for this workout. So an example would be to do a 90 second fast effort (about 400 meters) and then rest for about 3.5 minutes so you are leaving about every five minutes for the next one. How many? Not more than 2 miles, so that would be 8(about 400 meters) of them at the very most. When the going gets a bit tough, just remember it takes time to adapt so stay as relaxed as you can.

Should you do them all year? Yep, pretty much. The only exception being your 3-4 week rest period after your last race of the season.

Base Mile Blitzkrieg

It might be O'dark thirty in the morning, cold and a bit snowy, but are you getting them in? Goin' the right pace? Grab some warm EmergnC and cuttle up with this tidbit of base mile info.

What are they really? Base miles are done at a low intensity that allows you to talk comfortably with a friend. No matter what event you are training for or your experience level, this kind of run should be an arrow in the quiver of every endurance athlete. It doesn’t have to be long every time you go, but it does have to be slow enough to give your body the memo, “Hey, make some more of those oxygen carrying mitochondria and enzymes so I can run even longer and eventually faster at this easy pace.”

Base miles have many names like:
Zone 2 (according to heart rate training,)
65-70% of Max Heart rate (again a heart rate monitor reference)
RPE (Borg rating of Perceived Exertion) of 9, 10 or 11—This is based on a scale up to 20
Long Slow Distance (LSD-not a drug reference although it can be euphoric)
50-60% max effort

Whatever you call it, it still means the same thing. Run slow enough to talk to your friend at an effort that feels like about 50-60% of your maximum effort (even though your pulse will be higher as mentioned above). Most new runners, and many experienced runners too, make the mistake of going too fast. So make sure to check your effort more carefully. You should actually enjoy this run! There has been more than one person who has said that they DON’T like running or can’t go very far until I take them out and teach them what this pace REALLY is. What do I do with them? Let them run a pace that allows us to chat for about 30 minutes straight. Talk about renewed hope! They all actually confess that they had no idea about how to do this and come back later to say they are happily running an hour or more using this new approach.

For a more experienced runner and/or a triathlete, this type of run is still very important. Way too many athletes are stuck running just a bit too fast on easy days. And when they finally do slow down into the right zone, they feel like running with a paper bag over their head because it is "SOO SLOW!" But, If you don’t slow down on easy days or your weekly long runs of 75-90 minutes (or more if you are doing a marathon,) then you will lose that aerobic capacity you are trying to cultivate and you will also not ever get fully recovered from faster and harder runs. By this point in your progression as a runner, you should have spent at least some time with a heart rate monitor, know your training zone numbers and then make extra sure to run your easy days under the Zone 2 or 70% ceiling. If you do this, you will feel a whole lot better come those harder days. If you still have not nailed down these numbers, then now is probably a good time to find out. Until then, "easy conversation pace" is the order of the day.

The next line of questions most runners ask is, “What kind of run then should I do for a hard day this time of year? Should I be doing anything fast at all? or Am I too new to try any type of hard run?” We will talk more about that next week!