Weighty Issues

My latest Runner's World magazine had an interesting article titled "Running on Empty."  It talks about cutting food to gain speed and how easy it is to cross the line from eating smart to barely eating.  One runner featured was a male college student who was six feet tall and got down to 129 pounds.  Yes, even men have eating problems.  The interesting thing about that student was when he got back to a healthier weight of 154, he broke a school record and captured the second-fastest college time in the country that year.

There are dozens of weight charts available and they don't all agree.   Of course, we all get heavier as we get older, because there's a lot more information in our heads.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  There are also many more factors to health that the number on the scale.  Your doctor can help you in that area.

Here is how weight affects running performance:

Overweight
Carrying excess weight puts pressure on your joints and can lead to hip, knee, and ankle injuries.  Gradually increase weekly mileage to avoid excess strain on your joints.

Slightly Overweight
You may not be able to chase down a PR (personal record) if you're carrying extra weight, but you'll certainly have the energy to run hard and are at little risk for injury. 

Average Weight
For most runners, this is the best place to be.  With proper training, your risk of injury is low and you should feel energetic, fast, and emotionally balanced.

Slightly Underweight
Stress fractures become more likely because your bones suffer from being undernourished.  Also, you'll fatigue earlier during runs and may suffer uncomfortable post exercise symptoms like headaches and lethargy. 

Underweight
If you're undernourished, your pace suffers as your body breaks down muscle for energy instead of using food as fuel.  Loss of muscle also disrupts hormone function.

Drastically Underweight
If you've basically stopped eating, you tax your heart so much that you're at risk for a heart attack or stroke.  Eating disorders are also considered psychiatric illnesses.

This is so fascinating to me.  And just so you know, I am definitely not undernourished!

Today's Run

I felt AMAZING this morning!  The wind was gone, it was a comfortable 50 degrees.  I ran six miles in under an hour - 59:29 to be exact!  That's a 9:55 pace.  When my "official" training starts next week my first run is 4 easy miles at 10:04 pace.  So excited to get this party in gear!

Motivational Monday

I received the latest Runner's World magazine last week - it is full of inspiring people and motivating ideas!  I really like this quote from Darnell Crawley of Atlanta:

"A morning run gets my metabolism going and my energy up.  Some people need coffee; I need my run."

I can relate to that!  I feel so much better after a morning run than if I sleep in.  No grogginess.  I have time to get awake, talk to God and figure out my day ~ no caffeine required!

Week 4 Report

It's been another wild weather week around here!  All was calm on Sunday, it rained on Monday, and the winds started blowing on Tuesday.  They really kicked up yesterday and are still howling this morning.  I managed to sneak a run in yesterday before they started up, but today was out of the question.  I can only think of three weather conditions that keep me from running:  pouring rain, extreme smoke from a wildfire, and high Santa Ana winds. 

This is the first week in a long time that I didn't ride my bike a single time.   The rule of thumb for mountain biking is to stay off the trail 24 hours after it rains, so I couldn't ride Sunday or Tuesday and it's been too windy since!

Total miles for this week:
Running:  34.65
Cycling:  0
Total  34.65

1 down, 9 to go on my weight loss!

Weight loss goal:  10 pounds
Lost this week: 1
Total lost: 1

Wordy Wednesday - LSD

LSD is the most common hallucinogen and is one of the most potent mood-changing chemicals. It is manufactured from Lysergic acid diethylamide.  And has absolutely nothing to do with running!

In the world of running LSD is a long, slow distance run to build endurance...

Why would anyone want to run slow?   Long runs improve aerobic capacity, build your strength, and get your body accustomed to spending hours at a time on your feet.  A 15 mile run, at 10:00 pace, would take 2 1/2 hours.  That's a long time on your feet.  It also helps you get use to drinking water and eating a little something while on the run ~ both very important aspects of going the distance.

It can be tempting to crank up the distance and the pace at the same time. That's a recipe for injury. In the early weeks of training, focus should be on developing a solid base of running at easy, slow speeds. It's essential to do this before you build speed into your program.

Motivational Monday

I'm starting a new feature ~ "Motivational Monday."  These posts will be quotes or stories about runners who inspire me.  I hope you'll be inspired, too!  I posted this quote on McMoments and Memories a couple weeks ago:

Running is just you, the work you put in, and the clock. You can't cheat yourself. If you don't put in the miles, you can't go to the starting line thinking you're going to pull a miracle out of nowhere. You get out exactly as much as you put in.
~Desiree Davila

I did a 10 miler yesterday morning.  It felt SO good!  The air was clean after the rain we got on Saturday and I was well rested.  I was watching my pace quite a bit ~ it was about 11:04.  At one point I said, "That's almost 2 minutes slower than what I need to run a 4 hour marathon."  On the heels of that came this thought, "That's why I'm training." 

I'm not ready for my marathon yet, but as long as I don't cheat myself in the training, on June 3rd I'll be able to say I've done my best!

Week 3 Report

This was a good week.  I didn't get to run or ride this morning due to rain, but I feel like I'm getting back on track now that I have good running shoes again.

Total miles for this week:
Running:  12.30
Cycling:  20.95
Total  33.25

My weight loss plans are in gear. I'm starting with today's weight, so no loss to report yet.

Weight loss goal:  10 pounds
Lost this week: 0
Total lost: 0

Weighty Matters

If you've ever wonder why it's the thinner runners who win the race, there really is a reason. The effect of weight loss and run pace multiplies over distance; meaning that the longer the run, the more significant the amount of time saved.   Joe Henderson, the author of various books on running, has this to offer: "The loss of a single pound doesn't mean much for a single mile, but the effect multiplies nicely. Ten pounds equals 20 seconds per mile, which grows to a minute-plus in a 5K, more than two minutes in a 10K, nearly 4.5 minutes in a half-marathon and almost nine minutes in a marathon."

I had read this somewhere before, but as I pondered the five extra pounds that have attached themselves to my body in the past few months, I realized it's time to get serious about shedding them!  I'm not going to starve myself to do it, but I know I've been lax lately.  I enjoyed the holidays a little too much.

So here's where I've landed.  Five pounds is my minimum, with ten pounds being an ideal weight loss.  I've got just under 20 weeks until O2O, so my goal is to lose 1/2 pound a week.  Both doable and sustainable.  I'm not going to post what I weigh here, just know that 10 pounds will not make me underweight or extremely thin!  I am hoping it will make me faster!

Look for updates with my weekly Saturday reports.

Wordy Wednesday - Pace

Pace is simply how fast am I running?  A 10:00 pace is running a mile in ten minutes and you would cover 6 miles in a hour.  If you walk 4 miles in an hour, your pace is 15:00.  World class runners often run 5:00 pace - which would mean they would run a marathon (26.2 miles) in 2 hours 11 minutes and 6 seconds.  The world record is 2:03:02 ~ a pace of 4:42!  That is fast!!!

To run a marathon in four hours, the pace must be 9:09.  Does that mean every step is at that exact pace?  No.  The pace will vary depending on the terrain (up hill, flat, down hill) but the overall pace must be 9:09.

Marathon race pace, or MP, is one of the things I'll be working on during shorter runs.  Each day of my training schedule, along with my distance, I have a pace target.  That is getting my legs use to running at that pace, turning over at a steady clip, not trying to beat the person next to me who may be an 8:00 pacer.  It's also important to keep a steady pace over the long haul, not going out too quickly, then hitting a wall with 5 miles to go.

The first run of my training plan is 4 "easy" miles, 10:04 pace.  That's not exactly an easy pace in my book, but it's a great target!

Today was my first "real" run of the 2012 season.  I ran 7.23 miles with an overall pace of 10:55.  Here is how my miles went:

Mile 1:  11:15
Mile 2:  11:14
Mile 3:  10:06
Mile 4:  10:44
Mile 5:  12:09
Mile 6:  10:42
Mile 7:  10:28

Oh Mile 5, how you hurt me!  You, with your hill with a 6% grade.  But you didn't defeat me!  Mile 6 flew by and I finished mile 7 even stronger!

9:09 pace for a 4 hour marathon?  Eek!  I've got work to do!

Finally!!

My new shoes arrived today!  Can't wait to try them out in the morning...

My Personal Marathon Training Plan

I decided to purchase a plan for my marathon training.  I wanted more than "run 5 miles today."  After looking at several, I chose one from a link on Runner's World.  It is a 16 week plan. Here's a bit more:

Runner's World Break-4:00 Marathon Plan  

Ideal for runners who want to break 4:00 in the marathon.  (I would really like to run my marathon in 4 hours, my first half marathon was just under 2:00, so we shall see!) 

Plan Overview:

Weekly Routine: 2 days of rest, 5 days of running

Weekly Mileage: 25-50 miles

Long Runs: start at 9 miles, peak at 22 miles

Speedwork:  strides, marathon goal-pace runs (MP), tempo runs, Yasso 800s 

Perks of the Plan:

• Daily emails with your next workout to keep you on track
• Create your own routes or search our library of routes for tracking your workouts
• Map, graph, and share workouts with your friends by email, Facebook, and view in Google Maps or Google Earth
• Upload workouts from one of more than 80 training devices (Garmin, Suunto, Timex, Polar, more) or easily record your workouts manually
• Track your fitness and gain confidence
• Complete nutrition tracking to monitor your diet
• Get support and answers on the message boards

I know some of this will seem very confusing and I plan to start a weekly "Wordy Wednesday" to explain the various running terms that pop up - just one real quick "LSD" = long slow distance, not a required drug to complete the distance!  I arranged it so my long run is on Saturday instead of Sunday.

Here is a look at Week One, which I will start on February 5th:

Sunday - Rest Day
Monday - 4 miles easy
Tuesday - 4 miles hills
Wednesday - Rest Day
Thursday - 4 miles easy
Friday - 4 miles easy
Saturday - 9 miles LSD

Total for the week - 25 miles

Week 6 looks like this:

Sunday - Rest Day
Monday - 5 miles easy w/strides
Tuesday - 6 miles hills
Wednesday - Rest Day
Thursday - 4 miles with 2 miles @ MP
Friday - 6 miles easy
Saturday - 15 miles LSD
Total for the week - 36 miles

Week 13 is when the rubber really meets the road!!

Sunday - Rest Day
Monday - 5 miles easy w/strides
Tuesday - Yasso 800s (10 miles total)
Wednesday - Rest Day
Thursday - 6 miles easy
Friday - 5 miles easy
Saturday - 22 miles LSD

Total for the week - 48 miles

And finally, Week 16 - Marathon Week!

Monday - Rest Day
Tuesday - 5 miles w/3 miles tempo
Wednesday - Rest Day
Thursday - 5 miles easy
Friday - Rest Day
Saturday - 3 miles easy
Sunday - Race Day!

Total for the week - 39 miles

Week 2 Report

 

I don't want anyone to think that I have great weeks every week ~ this one was an absolute dud!  I still don't have my new shoes and our weather has been like this:

Sure, the temps are great, but winds over 20 mph... there's a big difference between difficult and dangerous.  Trying to ride in those kinds of winds is just too dangerous.  On a brighter note, I have continued with my strength training - two more sessions with the power ball this week!

Total miles for this week:
Running:  6.00
Cycling:  17.31
Total 23.31

Step 6 of Marathon Training - Get Started

This is the final step in getting going with marathon training.  Next week I'll tell you about the specific plan I will be following.

It doesn't matter if you have the world's best coach or the more scientifically advanced training schedule available if you don't stick to the plan.

Step six in your plan is to go out today and do your first workout.  Once you have done it, come back home and make a note of what you did and the results of your benchmark tests.  You now have a detailed plan that sets out exactly what you have to do each day to succeed.  I can't stress enough how important it is to record your training results and workouts.  Being able to visualize your improvement is a huge motivational tool.

Skipping Training Sessions
Don't beat yourself up if you miss a training session.  We are all human and these things happen.  You may get sick, work may get in the way or it may be one of a million other interruptions.  If you do miss a session, sit down with your plan and rearrange the next few days training.  If you had a rest day planned then guess what?  You just had your rest day!

Flexibility is Key
While your training plan is structured to keep you on track, it should not be inflexible.  So long as you are following the intermediate goals you have set yourself and are seeing improvements in your benchmark testing then you are on the right track.

While training randomly on a whim and doing what you're in the mood for every day can be very fun it will not reap the rewards you want.  If your goal is continual improvement and long-term success, an intelligently designed training plan is the map that will lead you to be a winner this season.

Step 5 of Marathon Training - Don't Skip the Gym

This is another important part of training ~ one that I often neglect but am working on this year!  I don't belong to a gym, but Les has all the equipment I will ever need for strength training.

Marathon runners often make the mistake of neglecting the weight training aspect of their sport. Many believe that weight training will bulk them up, thus slowing them down by adding extra weight.  This is not necessarily true. By incorporating specific strength and flexibility training into your aerobic workouts you will develop explosive power and become more resilient to injury.

Add one strength and flexibility training session in to your weekly training plan. At a bare minimum, incorporate some strength training into one gym visit each week.

Size and Strength

For the marathon runner, it is important to strike that perfect balance between size and strength, and speed, leanness, and agility. So the question becomes: what's the optimal way for you to approach weight training?

It's usually best to make use of body weight resistance exercises. Some machine use and some free weights can be used to supplement body weight exercises but body weight resistance training results in lean, strong muscles with explosive power.

The Best Weight Training Exercises

The best body weight resistance weight exercises for the marathon runner are pull-ups, push-ups, dips, and lunges.

One day a week before you do your in-gym running training do three to four sets of each of these exercises. Each set should be of between 16 to 24 reps. Add to these body weight exercises the classic 'free weight squat' and you will notice huge improvements in your performance. Squats are the best universal weight training exercise there is and will build up strong legs, back and the 'core' stomach muscles.

Protect Your Core

You should also focus on a combination of "core strength" training and flexibility. This will result in strong stomach, lower back and hip muscles. You will be surprised to find out just how demanding on the stomach and hips a marathon is, but running really does put enormous strain on these specific muscle groups.

Yoga?

You could do a lot worse than do a weekly yoga class to supplement your aerobic training. Failing that, you should certainly do 'core work' every time you are in the gym. Don't fall into the trap of 'leaving it til the end' of a workout, your form will be poor or worse still you may just skip it. Before you jump on the treadmill, do sets of abdominal or lower back exercises.

Step 4 of Marathon Training - Eat for Success

This just might be the most important part of any training!  Especially the second point.  I've learned from personal experience, just because I exercise does not mean I can "eat what I want."

Stop right now and think about your daily nutrition. Proper nutrition is one of the most important aspects of your marathon training. Nutrition is, however, the most easily overlooked of all training aspects of any marathon training program. We tend to focus so much on conditioning and not on fully optimizing our training.

Train Smarter

We have all heard the saying "work smarter not harder", and this could not be any more true that in relation to your eating habits. Step four in designing your marathon training plan is committing to a better diet.

Nutrition is the fuel for our biomechanical engine. If we don't put in the right fuel, we don't get optimal results. You'll have a far better chance of succeeding if you eat the right foods and consume the proper amount of calories, minerals, and vitamins.

You Can't "Eat What You Want"

Athletes often assume that since they are fit they can eat whatever they want. While it is true that being physically fit enables people to consume more "junk food" and still have more energy and overall better health than the average person, unless your nutrition matches your training in terms of quality, your performance will suffer.

Grains, lean meats, vegetables, and fruits are all wholesome foods that will give your body the energy it needs to keep on training. Relying on pricey drinks and energy bars can get really expensive, so you'll do better if you plan meals that contain these foods.

Stay away from foods high in sugar and fat when you're training for a marathon. Your training will be negatively affected when you consume a lot of junk food. You should also steer clear of alcohol, because that will leave you dehydrated and contains a large amount of 'empty' calories.

You'll achieve your goals quickly when you incorporate proper marathon nutrition as part of your training.

Pre Training Diet

Eat a small, healthy 100 to 200 calorie snack before your workout and then a sensible snack or meal afterwards for recovery. Keep fuel available for your workouts so you get maximum benefit. The result is better performance and a better gain from the training session.

Increase Your Protein Intake

Normally, a person's recommended daily intake for protein consumption is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. But endurance athletes have different needs. Depending on body type, size, and weight, they need anywhere from 1.4 and 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.

Step 3 of Marathon Training - Add Detailed Training Sessions

Step three in putting together your training plan is to fill in the details of each daily workout within each of the three-to four-week training blocks.

The framework structure you already have in place will make it easy to ensure you are progressively loading your training and the Rest Weeks that are already incorporated into your schedule will avoid any risk of overtraining.

In the earlier weeks of your training, focus on longer lower intensity training sessions.  Keep your heart rate at an elevated level but not at anaerobic levels.  

Indoors or Outdoors?

Your running training can be done outdoors or inside on a treadmill.  If you prefer indoor running you should make sure you do sufficient outdoor running prior to Race Day.  While indoor treadmill running is great for building base endurance, you need to expose your body to the specific conditions of real running to succeed.

Detailed Workouts

There is not enough space in this email to set out specific workouts in detail.  In fact I often run day seminars entirely dedicated to this topic.  The key to optimal performance is very focused training, developing technique before loading on the distance.  You must incorporate technical drills into your training rather than simply training for time or a set distance.  

Take a look at a sample week from my Beginner Training Plan for an example of the detail required and both the incorporation of specific training drills and the varying training intensity levels.  (It's a free download). 

There is no getting around the fact that if you want to design your own training plan, adding the details of your daily workouts does take a decent amount of time (my students typically tell me it takes over 4 hours to design a Beginner training plan).

Can't I Just Download A Free Plan?

I'm often asked "why can't I just download a free training plan?"  My response is simple - while free training plans are a great general overview for your training, they omit the crucial details. 

Simply saying "Tuesday - 45 minutes running training" is not an effective way to train.  I have said it before and I will repeat it now - you need to Train Smart.  My training plans are designed such that not a single minute of training time is wasted.  You do the proven optimal amount of training and no more. 

Marathons by the Numbers

I thought this was a really cool chart.  I definitely live in the right state - with 76 marathons per year in California, I should have no trouble finding marathons to run in!

Week 1 Report

The 2012 season is off to a great start!  I'm still waiting on my new shoes, but I did lots of riding.  I've also added strength training, an area that I tend to neglect.  I did two sessions with my Atlus Power Ball - this little four pounder really adds a lot to my workout.

Total miles for this week:
Running:  5.00
Cycling:  45.92
Total 50.92

Step 2 of Marathon Training - Set Out Your Training Framework

Step two in designing your training plan is to map out the broad framework of your training schedule and periodize your training efforts.  

Plan Backwards from the Race Event

Get a calendar, and mark down the race date and your goal event.  Now work backwards and count the number of weeks you have to train.  

Now, download this template training week and print off as many copies as you have training weeks available.   (It's a free download). 

Schedule Around Important Commitments

Make a note on your templates of any other important dates and events you are committed to during your training period such as vacations, weddings and all other dates that you are certain you will not be able to train.  You should also make a note of any practice events that you are planning to take part in as further preparation.

Divide Your Training into 4 Week Blocks

Divide the weeks you have available to train into periods of three or four weeks.  Work backwards from your race day.  The week of your race should be labeled "Race Week." 

The week immediately prior to Race Week is your "Taper Week" which is a week of rest and last minute preparation.  The two weeks prior to Taper Week are your "Peak Weeks". 

Continue working backwards on your templates and ideally you'll end up with four or five three- to four-week periods, a couple of Peak Weeks and a Race Week.  Now you have a basic overview of your training plan.

Add Recovery Weeks

Every three-to four-week period should end with a rest and recovery week.  Label the last week of each three-to four-week training block "Recovery Week".  Keep the workouts light in your Recovery Week, your body needs this time to recharge and grow stronger.  Total training volume in each Recovery Week should be about half of regular training weeks.

As a general rule, the three to four week periods at the beginning of the training plan should focus on building an endurance base.  You should focus on longer, lower intensity (and heart rate) workouts at the beginning, adding speed and explosive power workouts towards the end of your plan. 

Step 1 of Marathon Training

I signed up for free Marathon Training tips and started getting them in my email. I'll be sharing them here, of course.

Step 1 of Marathon Training

The first thing to ask yourself is what are you trying to achieve? This will obviously depend to an extent where you currently are in terms of physical fitness. It's better to start small (with, for example, an 'easier' flat course marathon) and your goal should be both challenging and realistic.

You must be passionate about your goal - without the passion you will not be willing to push yourself that extra mile in training or get out of bed to train when its still dark outside. Write your goal down. Once you have your goal you have a target to focus your training plan design on.

The final thing to do in Step 1 is to sign up for your chosen event and commit to it. Get out a calendar and make a note of race day. You now have a tangible goal to work and train towards.

This goal is the foundation of everything that will follow.

Trust me, the results will be worth your effort.

Just remember that statistic:

Athletes who stuck to a plan were 76% more likely to finish their chosen race.

Step 1 for me is checked off!