The half marathoners and Upstarts (and a few visiting marathoners) set a good precedent yesterday at the track. I was really proud of and excited about the effort I saw out there. Like I said before, as important as it is to get that baseline for your training and goal-setting, the time trial is important to me because it's really an opportunity to really test your will against an extremely difficult challenge. You all met it yesterday. Next time, and other challenges, won't be easier physically, because you'll always be pushing your limits, but you will have a better sense of your ability to push those limits, and some faith in the strength of your will.
So now you've got this time. If you'll look over to the left, under the moustaches and stolen quotes and race countdown and deadlocked colored water voting, there's a link to the McMillan Pace Calculator. Go there, read his intro, select the 2 mile distance, and enter your time. You'll get a table of your predicted times over various distances.
For an idea of the freaky accuracy, here's my predicted times from last year's time trial time, vs. my personal best:
Two mile time: 15:51
One mile: 7:25 / 6:45 (proud of that one)
5K: 25:44 / 25:39
5 mile: 42:39 / 44:01
10K: 53:27 / 56:08 (a constant source of frustration, but still close)
10 mile: 1:29:34 / 1:31:22
Half marathon: 1:58:56 / 2:04:03 (granted, this was three weeks after a marathon)
20 miles: 3:08:21 / 3:34:41
Marathon: 4:10:51 / 4:44:17
See where the problem hits? Miles 14-16 on. Knowing this, I've changed my own training plan to try to make myself better able to hold pace longer. But generally, you can see the calculator works. The variations are personal quirks about my running - I'm not so good with the 10K distance, for some reason, and then the mile 14-16 thing.
So, I think a lot of folks have a misconception about how pace works. You don't have just one pace that's going to work for racing a mile or racing a marathon.
I don't care how much you joke about being slow or protest that you don't care about your time. I'm not trying to turn anyone into speed-hungry freaks out here. But you need to know what your current level of ability is, and you need to know the paces to run certain workouts and your races at.
You don't want to plod along in a race or a paced training run, because it just gets harder the longer you're out there. Fatigue builds almost exponentially, and the wear on your body increases. If it's cold, or hot, or rainy, it's tougher the longer you're exposed to those conditions. So, you're better off working at the proper pace, even if it's slightly faster than you might otherwise go, for that reason.
You also need to know your ideal pace to set a speed limit, whether you realize it or not. you're going to get excited, and swept up by the crowd in a race. If you're running too much over your pace early on, it doesn't just mean that you'll go slower later - again, the fatigue will build exponentially, and it could even jeopardize you finishing the race. Most of us, including me, with a very solid times I should have been running, learned this yesterday by going out too fast. Don't knock yourself - everyone does it, and it's something you just learn over time and with practice.
The calculator will also tell you what times you should look for in your long training runs. That's a good, but loose guide. If it's wildly different from the times you've been running, talk to me.
So, plug in your times, print out what you got. Ask me any questions you might have. I'll run the numbers myself this weekend and keep a record, but I want everyone to take the responsibility of calculating and keeping track of the paces they should be running - you need to have that level of involvement and ownership in the process.
Good job, and I'll see some of you tonight, and almost all of you this weekend. Saturday, we're all meeting at Whole Foods at 7am, and running either the Beginning 5 or the Beginning 6, routes that will take us to the start area of the marathon and half marathon, through the first few miles of the AT&T course. See you there!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Remember What Just Happened...
I just came back from running the Northern 7 with Jean and Eve. For Jean, still recovering from a head cold, it was her first seven mile run. For Eve, it was her first seven mile run where she didn't walk, and I have to say that she ran the whole thing at a very respectable clip. There were times that I might have gone a little slower... It was great for me, too - it's been a long time since I took a long run with good company, and at the end, I felt like I could have run it twice. It may have been the sugar from the leftover red water, but I actually felt that rare feeling of euphoric invincibility. I decided, though, to take my winnings and leave the table.
I now want everyone to know what's important about the run, so you can marinate in that for a while. Months ago, when I was just loosely running with a few of you, I put the seven mile run together by quite simply stealing a portion of the marathon course. Clearly, I called it the Northern 7 because it's the northernmost part of the marathon course. I didn't just take this portion because, as we all know, I'm a thief, but rather because it's a critical chunk of the marathon course (if you're a half marathoner, keep reading, it's still relevant).
From a course perspective, when you turn onto Shoal Creek, you're a few miles of flat road removed from what I think of as the back of the dragon - the early, hilly part of the course through Tarrytown. The first 10-12 miles of the course are a matter of running smart as well as tough - they really test your discipline and planning.
The course from Shoal Creek at mile 13 or 14, all the way to North Loop, seems to be what I think Douglas Adams wouldn't mind me calling "the long, dark teatime of the soul." Long, straight stretches of flats and slight grades, and somewhat sparser crowds (only relative to other parts of the course). These are the quieter miles you just have to get through, and where thoughts of, "this is not a really good idea, let's walk" start creeping in.
Similarly, when the five mile route hits Burnet Road, you half marathoners are joining the 3M course at a point where you'll have settled into the race, and are just doing the work to get through those middle miles.
It also seems that while we all hear about hitting "the wall" somewhere around mile 22 or 23, the span from 14-20 miles is a physically tough one for a lot of us. For me personally, in all three marathons I've run, I've run at or close to my goal pace up until 12-14 miles, at which point my mile times begin approaching infinity at an exponential rate.
It was important to me that we run this at this point because the mileage fit, and because it's an early "win" that I want you all to associate with these difficult portions of your goal race. Both runs represented a bump up in mileage, which means that for some of you, it was a major milestone in your running. For others of us, it was the farthest or maybe the best we've run in a while. It's not a breeze of a route, but it's not a killer, so most everyone had a good day, which is also a tribute to your will and the work you've all been putting in every week.
So for all of you, take some time now and over the next few days to think back over the route you ran. Not to put too fine a point on it, but you all kicked its ass. Maybe you had rough spots, maybe you walked a little, but everyone got through it and finished and seemed to be pretty happy. Do not forget that feeling, and do revisit it often, so that you associate it with that part of the course.
Do this, so that when you're running 3M in January, and you hit Burnet Road, or when you're running the marathon and you do enter the long, dark teatime of the soul (or at least Great Northern), you'll remember running it on Saturday. You'll remember the nice weather, and the good company, and the encouragement of your friends. You'll remember sharply that you put in some hard work there, but that you got through it, and got through it well, and accomplished something new.
And Christine, you aren't trying to run a half marathon, but you ran farther Saturday than you ever have - the memory will be a source of strength for you someday, as well, in a race, or otherwise.
I know personally that the memory of the run I had this morning will make my experience in the Northern 7 very different in 2008. I promise you all that if you can keep your memory of this run alive and real, it will dramatically reduce your suffering, and you will kick ass all over again in January and February.
I now want everyone to know what's important about the run, so you can marinate in that for a while. Months ago, when I was just loosely running with a few of you, I put the seven mile run together by quite simply stealing a portion of the marathon course. Clearly, I called it the Northern 7 because it's the northernmost part of the marathon course. I didn't just take this portion because, as we all know, I'm a thief, but rather because it's a critical chunk of the marathon course (if you're a half marathoner, keep reading, it's still relevant).
From a course perspective, when you turn onto Shoal Creek, you're a few miles of flat road removed from what I think of as the back of the dragon - the early, hilly part of the course through Tarrytown. The first 10-12 miles of the course are a matter of running smart as well as tough - they really test your discipline and planning.
The course from Shoal Creek at mile 13 or 14, all the way to North Loop, seems to be what I think Douglas Adams wouldn't mind me calling "the long, dark teatime of the soul." Long, straight stretches of flats and slight grades, and somewhat sparser crowds (only relative to other parts of the course). These are the quieter miles you just have to get through, and where thoughts of, "this is not a really good idea, let's walk" start creeping in.
Similarly, when the five mile route hits Burnet Road, you half marathoners are joining the 3M course at a point where you'll have settled into the race, and are just doing the work to get through those middle miles.
It also seems that while we all hear about hitting "the wall" somewhere around mile 22 or 23, the span from 14-20 miles is a physically tough one for a lot of us. For me personally, in all three marathons I've run, I've run at or close to my goal pace up until 12-14 miles, at which point my mile times begin approaching infinity at an exponential rate.
It was important to me that we run this at this point because the mileage fit, and because it's an early "win" that I want you all to associate with these difficult portions of your goal race. Both runs represented a bump up in mileage, which means that for some of you, it was a major milestone in your running. For others of us, it was the farthest or maybe the best we've run in a while. It's not a breeze of a route, but it's not a killer, so most everyone had a good day, which is also a tribute to your will and the work you've all been putting in every week.
So for all of you, take some time now and over the next few days to think back over the route you ran. Not to put too fine a point on it, but you all kicked its ass. Maybe you had rough spots, maybe you walked a little, but everyone got through it and finished and seemed to be pretty happy. Do not forget that feeling, and do revisit it often, so that you associate it with that part of the course.
Do this, so that when you're running 3M in January, and you hit Burnet Road, or when you're running the marathon and you do enter the long, dark teatime of the soul (or at least Great Northern), you'll remember running it on Saturday. You'll remember the nice weather, and the good company, and the encouragement of your friends. You'll remember sharply that you put in some hard work there, but that you got through it, and got through it well, and accomplished something new.
And Christine, you aren't trying to run a half marathon, but you ran farther Saturday than you ever have - the memory will be a source of strength for you someday, as well, in a race, or otherwise.
I know personally that the memory of the run I had this morning will make my experience in the Northern 7 very different in 2008. I promise you all that if you can keep your memory of this run alive and real, it will dramatically reduce your suffering, and you will kick ass all over again in January and February.
Friday, September 21, 2007
1,000 "cc"'s of Blue, STAT!
As much as I shouldn't be fomenting potentially ugly controversy, I can't help myself. A comment made on this blog today deserves, nay, demands more attention and discussion. I steal, I mean, post it here in its near-entirety:
Go Blue! Reasons to vote for Blue (according to Phillip):
1. This is Travis County, not Williamson County.
2. How often do you get to consume something blue? Hardly ever. Can you same the same for orange, red and yellow things?
3. Deep Blue will be a nod to our first race sponsor, IBM, and the newest member of our group, HAL, who is a bit slow, though. He talks a lot too.
4. Do you really want to risk drinking yellow water?
5. Only communists drink red water.
6. Katherine Harris drinks orange water.
7. The pope drinks blue powerade.
8. What other color is a kind of music?
9. I don't see any "Red Man Group" dancing in tights in theatres.
10. In German, "I am blue" means "I am drunk." Need I say more?
Go Blue! Reasons to vote for Blue (according to Phillip):
1. This is Travis County, not Williamson County.
2. How often do you get to consume something blue? Hardly ever. Can you same the same for orange, red and yellow things?
3. Deep Blue will be a nod to our first race sponsor, IBM, and the newest member of our group, HAL, who is a bit slow, though. He talks a lot too.
4. Do you really want to risk drinking yellow water?
5. Only communists drink red water.
6. Katherine Harris drinks orange water.
7. The pope drinks blue powerade.
8. What other color is a kind of music?
9. I don't see any "Red Man Group" dancing in tights in theatres.
10. In German, "I am blue" means "I am drunk." Need I say more?
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Musts
I have been bombarding you with information for weeks now. My own thoughts race when I get out there with you, and I'm manic with trying to impart everything I think you must know, while trying to keep it to something remotely digestible. You've all done really well sorting through and absorbing it, but here's some important bits that I see have somehow fallen through the cracks. These are things you must know:
You need the right shoes. You are repeating a motion thousands and thousands of times. The ideal cadence is 85-90 steps per minute. So, just running for 30 minutes requires upwards of 2,700 repetitions of the same motion, the same exertion of force, the same impact. The motion of running, whether your form is correct (accurate) or not, is extremely precise. A huge percentage of people overpronate or supinate, and hopefully, they get shoes that correct for that.
Over time (200-300 miles), the foam cushioning in your shoes breaks down, and they lose their ability to correct things. Angles change, and suddenly, your muscles and joints are moving in ways they're not used to, or in ways they just shouldn't. What happens? Things start hurting. Ask Eve. Ask, I think, Phillip, and Christine.
Worse, I've seen people show up in shoes that were never meant for running. Things happen, we forget our gear. But you are now runners. You have taken it on, all of it. So now, one of your fundamental jobs is to have your stuff together. You run even three miles in the wrong shoes, and you're asking for an injury. You run in shoes with cushioning that's shot, it's the same thing.
I'm not getting on anyone, here - it's something you have to learn, and there's the financial aspect, as well, and I understand that - I'm 220 pounds, with a pretty active stride. My shoes are toast at around 200 miles. Both pair I run in right now have well over 250 miles each. I'll be buying some soon, but I have to weigh some other priorities against how badly they're impacting my health and running.
The bottom line is, make sure you have the right shoes, or you'll pay a price.
You have to get the mileage in. The schedules I'm drawing up are not minimums, but they're not maxed-out mileages, either. This is a commitment. You have to get the mileage in. Some weeks, you won't. We're all adults, we all have lives. OK, you're all adults, you all have lives. I live mainly to tell you things like: get the miles in, if you want to have a shot at meeting your goal.
You have to run long and slow, and you have to run short and hard. You've got to run slow on your long runs and your solo runs. Drop all the macho b.s. and the desire for speed - running at too high a pace is a path of diminishing returns for all your effort. Similarly, you need to build strength and a different variety of conditioning, and that's what all the hillwork and speedwork of our weekday group "quality" workouts are for. When people come to the workouts, they work hard. And everyone that's missed has had reasonable excuses for missing. It's week three. We have about twenty weeks left. Keep trying to make all your runs. Try harder. You've put your money and time and effort and determination and hopes into this. Don't short yourself by missing workouts if you absolutely can't help it. If you have to miss one, let me know, and let's try to make it up.
Strides. Several people will think I'm directing this solely at them. That's because multiple people have asked me what strides are. Warning: I'm about to be a little snappish... Strides are the last drill we run on track days, the drills I call "strides", the "strides" that I've said are important to learn because sometimes the schedule will say four miles plus "strides". Often, people are chatting when I say this, and I have a vision of the future I will share with those people, in which they will ask me how they're suppose to do "strides" when they have no way of knowing what they are, and in which I will respond in the rude and condescending (but hopefully disarmingly funny) fashion that I'm responding in now.
Strides are the drill where we start off by leaning into the first step, then begin running at a moderate cadence, slowly building our footspeed until we're at 80-85% of our max speed, but running very relaxed, focusing instead on the fast "turnover" of our legs to get us to speed, rather than the lengthening of our stride or the overinvolvement of our muscles to push us down the track. We do these for about 100 meters, or a city block, or a similar distance, regressively decelerating at the end just as we progressively accelerated at the beginning.
Running strides works a little speedwork, and just some variation, into a long, slow run. The focus is on footspeed and a relaxed form, but injecting speedwork into a long, slow run also helps with the burning of fat, which I know a lot of us are interested in.
You guys are all doing a tremendous job. And, I do know that you all listen to me. And yes, it's 2:30a.m., I'm tired, I've had a few beers, and as mentioned, I'm a little snappish. Actually, I decided to write this now for those very reasons, because this is the time for me to be the hard-ass coach, and not your "aw shucks, that's OK, just jog for a few minutes in those deck shoes" buddy.
Oh, and another "must" - you must get enough sleep. You are demanding a lot of your body if you're running the mileage that I'm asking of you. Your body needs sleep. That said, I am off to bed... See you Saturday!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Big, Exciting Stuff
OK, I have two bits of extremely exciting news.
The first is that the folks at Conley Sports, the group that organizes the AT&T Austin Marathon, are sponsoring a guest speaker for Team Spiridon: Dick Beardsley, one of the greatest marathoners ever, American or otherwise.
He'd like to come speak to us, and take a short run with us, not necessarily in that order. His weekends are packed, so a weeknight would be ideal. I really want everyone to attend - this is a fantastic opportunity for each of us, and for this group. I'll be figuring out a way to consult everyone on scheduling so we can get the best turnout.
The other big news is still in progress, but we're working on getting a fantastic new movie, "Spirit of the Marathon", to Austin at the Alamo Drafthouse for Marathon Weekend, possibly in conjunction with the Dick Beardsley Foundation. I'm hoping that Team Spiridon will be able to play a very visible role as a sponsor of the event.
Just the trailer is an incredibly inspiring work of art. I've been waiting over a year, and stayed in touch with the filmmakers, anxious to see the finished product. The name has changed (the trailer below still has the original, very cool title, "Land of the Gods"). It's being premiered at the Chicago Marathon in October, which is appropriate because that's the marathon the movie centers around. As much as I want to run a couple of new marathons next year, watching this so makes me want to go back to Chicago...
If this trailer alone doesn't stir something in you, then something is very, very wrong with you, and you should seek help before you start torturing small animals. Oh, and, I want to mention - watch this (at least) once for effect, then watch it again to observe the runners. All except for one exhibit the proper arm motion, particularly Deena Kastor. Watch how her arms pull back, then glide forward. Look how relaxed and smooth the motion is...
The first is that the folks at Conley Sports, the group that organizes the AT&T Austin Marathon, are sponsoring a guest speaker for Team Spiridon: Dick Beardsley, one of the greatest marathoners ever, American or otherwise.
He'd like to come speak to us, and take a short run with us, not necessarily in that order. His weekends are packed, so a weeknight would be ideal. I really want everyone to attend - this is a fantastic opportunity for each of us, and for this group. I'll be figuring out a way to consult everyone on scheduling so we can get the best turnout.
The other big news is still in progress, but we're working on getting a fantastic new movie, "Spirit of the Marathon", to Austin at the Alamo Drafthouse for Marathon Weekend, possibly in conjunction with the Dick Beardsley Foundation. I'm hoping that Team Spiridon will be able to play a very visible role as a sponsor of the event.
Just the trailer is an incredibly inspiring work of art. I've been waiting over a year, and stayed in touch with the filmmakers, anxious to see the finished product. The name has changed (the trailer below still has the original, very cool title, "Land of the Gods"). It's being premiered at the Chicago Marathon in October, which is appropriate because that's the marathon the movie centers around. As much as I want to run a couple of new marathons next year, watching this so makes me want to go back to Chicago...
If this trailer alone doesn't stir something in you, then something is very, very wrong with you, and you should seek help before you start torturing small animals. Oh, and, I want to mention - watch this (at least) once for effect, then watch it again to observe the runners. All except for one exhibit the proper arm motion, particularly Deena Kastor. Watch how her arms pull back, then glide forward. Look how relaxed and smooth the motion is...
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Planning Your Race Season
The racing season is upon us, and no matter what group you're in or what level you're at, I want you to run some races. Most of you are training for the marathon or the half marathon, and running races during your training helps keep you focused and helps you keep your competitive edge.
I know what you're thinking... "Competitive? Who the hell am I going to compete against?"
Cliche as it is, the answer is, You. Sorry, but only a couple of us... actually, a couple of you, have any shot at placing in your age group at this point. And none of us will win a race unless we put it on ourselves and not tell anyone else, or absent a major cataclysm, like Cesar Chavez opening up and swallowing the rest of the field. Not being mean, it's just the reality of running for the vast majority of runners.
What we can all do is go out and compete against ourselves, see how far our training's gotten us, see how much we can squeeze out of our bodies, our minds, and our wills. Also, you get some nice swag at some of these races, and the pictures are often funny.
Running races also gives you events to look forward to so you don't feel like you're training in some horrid six-month void, just running, running, running without end. Furthermore, I've built some races into your training plan.
I keep mentioning the Silicon Labs Relay on September 30, but I'm hearing little response... It's a fun team event.
For the Upstarts and half marathoners, I'd like to see you race these:
I know what you're thinking... "Competitive? Who the hell am I going to compete against?"
Cliche as it is, the answer is, You. Sorry, but only a couple of us... actually, a couple of you, have any shot at placing in your age group at this point. And none of us will win a race unless we put it on ourselves and not tell anyone else, or absent a major cataclysm, like Cesar Chavez opening up and swallowing the rest of the field. Not being mean, it's just the reality of running for the vast majority of runners.
What we can all do is go out and compete against ourselves, see how far our training's gotten us, see how much we can squeeze out of our bodies, our minds, and our wills. Also, you get some nice swag at some of these races, and the pictures are often funny.
Running races also gives you events to look forward to so you don't feel like you're training in some horrid six-month void, just running, running, running without end. Furthermore, I've built some races into your training plan.
I keep mentioning the Silicon Labs Relay on September 30, but I'm hearing little response... It's a fun team event.
For the Upstarts and half marathoners, I'd like to see you race these:
- IBM Uptown Classic 10K, October 21
- 3m Half Marathon, January 27
- AT&T Half Marathon, February 17
- Some 5K's and 10K's along the way - Race for the Cure (11/4), Livestrong (10/13)
For the marathoners, I suggest you go ahead and run the Distance Challenge:
- IBM Uptown Classic 10K, October 21
- RunTex 10 Miler, November 11
- Decker Challenge 20K, December 2
- Hoover's 20 Miler, January 7
- 3m Half Marathon, January 27
- AT&T Marathon, February 17
For the Distance Challenge, you have to buy your own timing chip, so they can track you through all the races. They run $37 at RunTex, but after that, you never have to mess with or pay extra for chips at races again.
I'm going to check on discounts for some races, so stay tuned, but start planning on doing these races. If you have any questions or concerns, let me know. Also, if cost is an obstacle to your entering a major race, let me know and we'll see what we can do.
Running Your Own Race
So, oversaturated with music, sun, and annoyance/sadness at the slow, continuing death of care and consideration in today's society (but surprisingly, not oversaturated with beer)I took yesterday off of work. Mandy dragged me out for a run, but by screwing around at home, I was able to run us so late that she only had time for a three mile run rather than four or five. Still, that run and the five miles after gave me lots to think about and pass on.
Mandy was also recovering from ACL. Something about beer and cigarettes, and no running. Mandy's a trouper, and a machine - she'll chug through any distance - but I kept realizing that she was running at my pace, and I was having a good running day. She probably didn't get as good a workout as she would have going a bit slower.
She left, I continued on for another five miles. Without Mandy to keep me company and make me conscious of pace, I sped up a bit, and it was a constant struggle to keep myself at a reasonable pace.
With a couple of miles to go, I was still feeling pretty strong. I passed a sturdy, tanned runner on the Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. He kept a short distance behind me, though.
I get very self-conscious of the often unintentional sort of cat-and-mouse that can happen running on the trail, where you and/or another runner keep varying pace, and passing each other. Some part of me is competitive and wants to catch/keep up with/stay ahead of some other runners. But I know it's stupid - the other runner could be running twice or half as far as I am. They could be injured. They could be running too fast and will blow up as soon as they get out of sight. They could just be the 55% of runners in any given race who are simply faster than me.
He was keeping his distance behind me, then I lost track of him. I didn't want to look back, for fear it'd be taken as a challenge. I heard steps, but it was another, much faster runner. That's fine, let him go.
I didn't realize it, but I had increased my pace passing this guy earlier, and had kept the pace up, and it was starting to wear on me a little. The heat had also just started to pour on in the last twenty minutes. I flagged a bit going up that small hill approaching the train trestle on Cesar Chavez, and the guy passed me.
I was sort of glad it was over, though I was annoyed that I had clearly let up on a hill.
I stopped for water at the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, thinking it was good that he'd get even more distance on me, and it would truly be done.
Drink, drink, drink, gulp, gulp, gulp... I looked up, and there was someone at the fountain next to me. It was him. He had run back.
He started running again, and I did, too, just behind him. I had gotten a slight recharge from the stop and the water. I tried to hold my pace down, but it didn't feel right. I passed him. And again, he maintained pace right beside me.
Finally, he broke the awkwardness by saying something about the heat, I think, and we started chatting.
It turns out that this guy, Dr. Alan Brock, had run the Pike's Peak Marathon this summer. Thirteen miles up, thirteen miles down. In July. Furthermore, it turns out that he actually ran... to get to the race. He logged, if I heard and recall correctly, well over a thousand miles this summer.
I would have felt very small, but he was just very cool and matter-of-fact about it.
Back at Mopac, I was done with my eight, and he decided to keep running. I think he was only going to run eight for the day, and I was excited that I had hit eight, as well. On the other hand, he was still recovering from running 24 miles a day for 40 days.
So, aside from meeting this guy and learning about this amazing thing he had accomplished, the whole day was all an abject reminder of that most important of running rules: run your own run, run your own race. It's fun to challenge yourself, and even to get into secret and not-so-secret competitions with other runners. But keep it in perspective. Get too hung up on what everyone else around you is doing, and you'll run too fast, too long, too much, even. You'll miss out on learning to find your motivation to run within yourself, and not relying on keeping up with your friend, or catching that other guy. And you might miss out on meeting someone pretty cool and learning something... maybe a little humility.
Mandy was also recovering from ACL. Something about beer and cigarettes, and no running. Mandy's a trouper, and a machine - she'll chug through any distance - but I kept realizing that she was running at my pace, and I was having a good running day. She probably didn't get as good a workout as she would have going a bit slower.
She left, I continued on for another five miles. Without Mandy to keep me company and make me conscious of pace, I sped up a bit, and it was a constant struggle to keep myself at a reasonable pace.
With a couple of miles to go, I was still feeling pretty strong. I passed a sturdy, tanned runner on the Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. He kept a short distance behind me, though.
I get very self-conscious of the often unintentional sort of cat-and-mouse that can happen running on the trail, where you and/or another runner keep varying pace, and passing each other. Some part of me is competitive and wants to catch/keep up with/stay ahead of some other runners. But I know it's stupid - the other runner could be running twice or half as far as I am. They could be injured. They could be running too fast and will blow up as soon as they get out of sight. They could just be the 55% of runners in any given race who are simply faster than me.
He was keeping his distance behind me, then I lost track of him. I didn't want to look back, for fear it'd be taken as a challenge. I heard steps, but it was another, much faster runner. That's fine, let him go.
I didn't realize it, but I had increased my pace passing this guy earlier, and had kept the pace up, and it was starting to wear on me a little. The heat had also just started to pour on in the last twenty minutes. I flagged a bit going up that small hill approaching the train trestle on Cesar Chavez, and the guy passed me.
I was sort of glad it was over, though I was annoyed that I had clearly let up on a hill.
I stopped for water at the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, thinking it was good that he'd get even more distance on me, and it would truly be done.
Drink, drink, drink, gulp, gulp, gulp... I looked up, and there was someone at the fountain next to me. It was him. He had run back.
He started running again, and I did, too, just behind him. I had gotten a slight recharge from the stop and the water. I tried to hold my pace down, but it didn't feel right. I passed him. And again, he maintained pace right beside me.
Finally, he broke the awkwardness by saying something about the heat, I think, and we started chatting.
It turns out that this guy, Dr. Alan Brock, had run the Pike's Peak Marathon this summer. Thirteen miles up, thirteen miles down. In July. Furthermore, it turns out that he actually ran... to get to the race. He logged, if I heard and recall correctly, well over a thousand miles this summer.
I would have felt very small, but he was just very cool and matter-of-fact about it.
Back at Mopac, I was done with my eight, and he decided to keep running. I think he was only going to run eight for the day, and I was excited that I had hit eight, as well. On the other hand, he was still recovering from running 24 miles a day for 40 days.
So, aside from meeting this guy and learning about this amazing thing he had accomplished, the whole day was all an abject reminder of that most important of running rules: run your own run, run your own race. It's fun to challenge yourself, and even to get into secret and not-so-secret competitions with other runners. But keep it in perspective. Get too hung up on what everyone else around you is doing, and you'll run too fast, too long, too much, even. You'll miss out on learning to find your motivation to run within yourself, and not relying on keeping up with your friend, or catching that other guy. And you might miss out on meeting someone pretty cool and learning something... maybe a little humility.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The Rules
OK, this week's workouts were a great success - I'm really excited about how well everyone's doing, across the board. I am particularly excited and proud of the effort and the willingness to push that I'm seeing out there.
Now I've got to rein you in a bit.
Training for a half marathon or a marathon is a six-month long process for several reasons. For one thing, it makes your foundation of mileage and form more of a normal state for your body. Physically, your body can better take the exertion and the punishment and the impact because it's become habituated (used to) and hardened to it. Mentally, you will know that you can run distance as a matter of course, not just that you've done it once or twice.
The long time span of training is also important because it allows for a gradual build-up of mileage. What we do is hard. I don't care how macho you think you are, every extra mile or two a week will register on your body, and your brain. The rule of thumb across running is the Ten Percent Rule: increase your total mileage by no more than 10% every week, or suffer the consequences, those consequences being injury, fatigue, and mental and physical burnout.
Burnout happens, to almost everyone, at every level. Again, some of you think you're mas macho, but there are extremely tough athletes who love running, but they find themselves hitting points where their body and mind will cease to improve or even maintain performance. As gung-ho as I am about running, I didn't think it could happen to me, and it did. I went from training for my first marathon for 6 months, getting a two-week break, then going into a speedwork group for several months, then going straight into six months of training for the Chicago Marathon (during the summer!), going straight into training for the 2007 Austin Marathon, and running my fastest half marathon three weeks after Chicago.
I was toast. I wanted to run, but the body, and in a weird, unexpected, and uncharacteristic way, my mind, were just freakin' done.
My point - trust the training program. I don't pull this completely out of... thin air. I'm taking it from multiple credible sources, and infusing it with my own opinions and experience. Despite all that, all those sources and my own experience dictate similar, controlled increases in mileage, and properly-timed differences in intensity.
So, here's some rules, that I need you to trust me on, and that I will enforce:
- None of you should run two quality workouts a week.
- You run no more than the mileage on the schedule, unless I tell you to.
- You ask me before making up a run - the runs are specifically timed.
Something I don't want to reduce to a bullet point: If you have a pain that affects anything about the way you run, you tell me, and you stop running. You will all learn to run with discomfort, but if you continue to run with discomfort that is structural (unusual muscle pain, or any joint pain), or gets into the realm of dizziness/nausea/believing you are the reincarnation of Olivia Newton John (who's not even dead, of course), you're not being tough, or commited, you're just being DUMB.
We talk about playing hurt, but any good coach will tell you that they also expect their athletes to have the discipline to know when to stop, and to wait to the proper time to make their comeback. There is no point in running at 60% for weeks or months, and then not being able to run the event you're training and paying for, if you can take several weeks off early in the training season, and come back at 90-100%. It's... just... dumb.
And yes, maybe you don't get to come back in a month. Maybe you don't get to run this race. It's rough, but that's all a part of the experience of running, and athletics. Jordan had the discipline to sit out almost his whole second year, even though it drove him insane and he had to watch his team flounder without him. He rehabbed, trained, and took on a cross-training and strength program that made him one of the most injury-free players in the league.
Paula Radcliffe sat down on a curb at mile 22 in the Olympics and cried. She had tried to run, despite being extremely ill the week before, and being dehydrated and on antibiotics. Fat, stupid British journalists said mean things. She went, retrained, and came back to win the New York Marathon. After that, running the London Marathon, she stopped after mile 20. People thought, "oh no, not again." She ran off the road, took what the Brits called "a comfort stop", and went on to win the race by a full five minutes.
A friend of mine was ready for Chicago, and ready to make a run at qualifying for Boston. She got the flu on Thursday, and was wiped out. She chose to run, but she knew she was too ill to make her goal. She's working at it again, and she will qualify one day.
How you deal with your failures are more important than how you succeed as a runner, and as more.
So. Trust the schedule. The mileage will come soon enough, and there's no need to rush that. Don't take on more than you're trained for and habituated to. If you're hurt, you don't run.
OK?
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Saturday's Long Run: Starting with the Finish
Nice job out there yesterday, with all the Upstarts and the half marathoners!
This weekend should be a fun route - everyone will start together (7am at Whole Foods), and run north on West Avenue.
The half marathoners will turn right on 15th street, and will be on the last couple of miles of the AT&T Half Marathon course, at least as it stands right now.
The full marathoners will run north to MLK, bump over to Rio Grande, then turn right on 24th Street, into campus, where they'll join the last three miles of the marathon course.
I'll have water for the half marathoners just past mile 2, near Congress and 4th, and for the marathoners at about mile 3, near MLK (plus, I'll leave the water out at 4th.
I'll have maps for everyone to take, and I will either run with the half marathoners, or ride the course on my bike so I can catch everyone.
By the end of your training, you will have run the entire route, but in pieces. Some portions, particularly the hilly bit over in Tarrytown, you will know as well as your own neighborhood. Trust me, nothing flattens hills and shortens miles like familiarity. In the AT&T Half Marathon, the half marathoners have a steep hill on 15th Street, at about mile 11, after crossing Lamar. I took some of my halfers on an easy four-mile run a week or so before the race, going up that hill. They had a definite advantage on race day over people who hadn't checked out or run the course. They had a plan going into the hill, and knew what they'd have on the other side, and it just wasn't as much of a problem for them.
BE. ON. TIME. Again, getting up and being punctual is all part of your training. You can be late to everything else in your life, but be on time and ready for your runs. Cool? Cool.
This weekend should be a fun route - everyone will start together (7am at Whole Foods), and run north on West Avenue.
The half marathoners will turn right on 15th street, and will be on the last couple of miles of the AT&T Half Marathon course, at least as it stands right now.
The full marathoners will run north to MLK, bump over to Rio Grande, then turn right on 24th Street, into campus, where they'll join the last three miles of the marathon course.
I'll have water for the half marathoners just past mile 2, near Congress and 4th, and for the marathoners at about mile 3, near MLK (plus, I'll leave the water out at 4th.
I'll have maps for everyone to take, and I will either run with the half marathoners, or ride the course on my bike so I can catch everyone.
By the end of your training, you will have run the entire route, but in pieces. Some portions, particularly the hilly bit over in Tarrytown, you will know as well as your own neighborhood. Trust me, nothing flattens hills and shortens miles like familiarity. In the AT&T Half Marathon, the half marathoners have a steep hill on 15th Street, at about mile 11, after crossing Lamar. I took some of my halfers on an easy four-mile run a week or so before the race, going up that hill. They had a definite advantage on race day over people who hadn't checked out or run the course. They had a plan going into the hill, and knew what they'd have on the other side, and it just wasn't as much of a problem for them.
BE. ON. TIME. Again, getting up and being punctual is all part of your training. You can be late to everything else in your life, but be on time and ready for your runs. Cool? Cool.
Monday, September 10, 2007
The Relentless March of Tech Continues...
No, I don't mean Texas Tech, or Virginia or Georgia Tech. I'm talking technology - I'm experimenting with ways of posting our running schedule.
If you'll look down the left side of the page, you'll see links to the Google Calendars created for the half marathon and marathon training groups. They're not fully populated just yet, and the Upstarts calendar is coming soon.
I'd use the "Month" tab - it actually makes it easier to see everything than the week view does. If you click on a quality workout or long run, you can look at the details, which will include maps, and, you know, details. To use a link, though, you have to click "more details".
If you have a Google username and password, you can subscribe to the calendar, and get it to send you email or text message reminders...
Please note that the "Where" is where we'll meet.
OK, so definitely give me some feedback on how this is to use. Is it convenient, easy, readable?
Finally, we have the running countdown to the AT&T Marathon and Half Marathon, code ripped off from/courtesy of Dr. Mel...
If you'll look down the left side of the page, you'll see links to the Google Calendars created for the half marathon and marathon training groups. They're not fully populated just yet, and the Upstarts calendar is coming soon.
I'd use the "Month" tab - it actually makes it easier to see everything than the week view does. If you click on a quality workout or long run, you can look at the details, which will include maps, and, you know, details. To use a link, though, you have to click "more details".
If you have a Google username and password, you can subscribe to the calendar, and get it to send you email or text message reminders...
Please note that the "Where" is where we'll meet.
OK, so definitely give me some feedback on how this is to use. Is it convenient, easy, readable?
Finally, we have the running countdown to the AT&T Marathon and Half Marathon, code ripped off from/courtesy of Dr. Mel...
Friday, September 7, 2007
2008 Austin Marathon Sneak Peek
So, yesterday, I attended an Update and Information meeting for the Austin Marathon. Then I drank some beer, then I ran. The latter two things are not as important.
There are some changes for this year, some good, some a little sad.
The full and half marathon courses are essentially the same as in 2007. The most notable difference is that the start and finish line have moved. Lately, I've been walking down Congress at lunch to grab a sandwich and get my smile from the cute girl at Jimmy Johns that is no doubt too young for me, and I've been getting all excited around Sixth and Congress, where we thought the 2008 start/finish would be.
Unfortunately, due to all the construction that will be taking place downtown, we won't have the glorious start and finish on Congress Avenue anymore. If you ran or saw the event this year, count yourself as lucky.
The new start and finish will be on Auditorium Shores, which will still be pretty cool because of the new Lady Bird Lake Park (if you haven't seen it, you should check it out).
That change appears to be pretty well set in stone at this point, but be warned - the rest of this is unofficial. There's still a lot of work to be done on the course, and then they have to get the USATF to certify the course, which could necessitate changes. But here's some of the features as it currently stands:
Both the half marathon and marathon will share the course again, but whereas the half marathoners turned off Enfield onto Exposition, then split off from the marathoners at Windsor road, this year, the half marathoners will just keep going on Enfield. This means they get to miss some of the hills on Exposition.
From there, the marathon course continues as it did in 2007, until almost mile 22 or so. In 2007, we ran east on 46th from Guadalupe - we'd been steadily getting closer to the finish geographically - when all of a sudden, we turned exactly away from the finish line, to head north on Avenue H. The neighborhoods were very cool, including one house that had a big barbecue in the front yard to watch the race, featuring a sign that said "Running is better than Masturbating". I had to laugh at that point, thinking that these people were really doing something incredibly wrong.
Anyway, this year, it looks like we'll get to continue making progress by turning south on Avenue G, east on 45th, then south on Duval for a fairly fast stretch. This is more like the older marathon course, and it avoids the steep hill we had this year on 38 1/2.
The course resumes being like this year's, with the exception that there's a bump up and around the stadium. This throws a short, steep hill at you at about 23.5 miles in.
Mandy, Amanda and I ran six last night, picking up the last three miles of the course, and we all agree that this "bump" will absolutely suck. If it stays in, it'll be a priority location to make sure there's a band at the top and lots of cheering crowds.
In 2007, we turned right off of San Jacinto and had to go uphill on MLK to Congress. This was a killer in the last mile of the race. Right now, they show us crossing MLK, and turning up 18th. We didn't think it was much better than MLK, but it was nice to think it would be...
Left on Congress, around the Capitol, down Congress, to 4th Street, where this year's finish line was... then you turn right on 4th (bummer!), and go down past the coffee shop I used to work at (Halcyon) to Guadalupe, turn left, go across the South First Street bridge, turn right on Riverside, and finish to the cheers of thousands.
It's still gonna be cool. I've plotted out a rough version of the course on Gmaps Pedometer. Again, this is not official, and will almost certainly go through some changes until February. They won't publicize the early versions, because as soon as you do, the churches and a handful of residents will begin with the screaming. So, use this for your own purposes, only. Still, it's fun to think about.
I did not think to look at the remainder of the half marathon course after the turn-off, but I'll get that checked out and get back to you.
Other tidbits... it looks like RunFar might be back for the timing... there's talk of GPS runner tracking with text-messaging... this year will see the new 26 Miles for 26 Charities effort, which I hope we'll get involved in.
Start visualizing... this, or something remarkably similar, is gonna be your course on your day, February 17, 2008.
There are some changes for this year, some good, some a little sad.
The full and half marathon courses are essentially the same as in 2007. The most notable difference is that the start and finish line have moved. Lately, I've been walking down Congress at lunch to grab a sandwich and get my smile from the cute girl at Jimmy Johns that is no doubt too young for me, and I've been getting all excited around Sixth and Congress, where we thought the 2008 start/finish would be.
Unfortunately, due to all the construction that will be taking place downtown, we won't have the glorious start and finish on Congress Avenue anymore. If you ran or saw the event this year, count yourself as lucky.
The new start and finish will be on Auditorium Shores, which will still be pretty cool because of the new Lady Bird Lake Park (if you haven't seen it, you should check it out).
That change appears to be pretty well set in stone at this point, but be warned - the rest of this is unofficial. There's still a lot of work to be done on the course, and then they have to get the USATF to certify the course, which could necessitate changes. But here's some of the features as it currently stands:
Both the half marathon and marathon will share the course again, but whereas the half marathoners turned off Enfield onto Exposition, then split off from the marathoners at Windsor road, this year, the half marathoners will just keep going on Enfield. This means they get to miss some of the hills on Exposition.
From there, the marathon course continues as it did in 2007, until almost mile 22 or so. In 2007, we ran east on 46th from Guadalupe - we'd been steadily getting closer to the finish geographically - when all of a sudden, we turned exactly away from the finish line, to head north on Avenue H. The neighborhoods were very cool, including one house that had a big barbecue in the front yard to watch the race, featuring a sign that said "Running is better than Masturbating". I had to laugh at that point, thinking that these people were really doing something incredibly wrong.
Anyway, this year, it looks like we'll get to continue making progress by turning south on Avenue G, east on 45th, then south on Duval for a fairly fast stretch. This is more like the older marathon course, and it avoids the steep hill we had this year on 38 1/2.
The course resumes being like this year's, with the exception that there's a bump up and around the stadium. This throws a short, steep hill at you at about 23.5 miles in.
Mandy, Amanda and I ran six last night, picking up the last three miles of the course, and we all agree that this "bump" will absolutely suck. If it stays in, it'll be a priority location to make sure there's a band at the top and lots of cheering crowds.
In 2007, we turned right off of San Jacinto and had to go uphill on MLK to Congress. This was a killer in the last mile of the race. Right now, they show us crossing MLK, and turning up 18th. We didn't think it was much better than MLK, but it was nice to think it would be...
Left on Congress, around the Capitol, down Congress, to 4th Street, where this year's finish line was... then you turn right on 4th (bummer!), and go down past the coffee shop I used to work at (Halcyon) to Guadalupe, turn left, go across the South First Street bridge, turn right on Riverside, and finish to the cheers of thousands.
It's still gonna be cool. I've plotted out a rough version of the course on Gmaps Pedometer. Again, this is not official, and will almost certainly go through some changes until February. They won't publicize the early versions, because as soon as you do, the churches and a handful of residents will begin with the screaming. So, use this for your own purposes, only. Still, it's fun to think about.
I did not think to look at the remainder of the half marathon course after the turn-off, but I'll get that checked out and get back to you.
Other tidbits... it looks like RunFar might be back for the timing... there's talk of GPS runner tracking with text-messaging... this year will see the new 26 Miles for 26 Charities effort, which I hope we'll get involved in.
Start visualizing... this, or something remarkably similar, is gonna be your course on your day, February 17, 2008.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Announcements!
Yes, there are important announcements, but I'm going to send you here to get them. I want to make sure everyone's in the habit of checking the run, drink, repeat site. Of course, I'm not sure people are checking this site...
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
What the...? Explaining Our Transitional Schedule...
I'm sorry if I was baffled by all the "What? When? Huh?" regarding our schedule last night. Looking at the schedule, there's a little reason for confusion.
Ideally, I would have started the beginners' group a couple of weeks earlier. Nevertheless, yesterday's workout pretty well demonstrated that everyone is pretty much where they need to be for the training they want to be in. I don't know how many of you did the math, but you ran three miles yesterday, the middle mile and a half consisting of speedwork, at that! Congratulations!
For the half marathoners, the structure of the early weeks of the training programs will be a little different for us, because everyone's been running. So, rather than starting from scratch this weekend, I'm working the schedule out as a continuation of the progress you've already made.
So, here's the breakdown:
Ideally, I would have started the beginners' group a couple of weeks earlier. Nevertheless, yesterday's workout pretty well demonstrated that everyone is pretty much where they need to be for the training they want to be in. I don't know how many of you did the math, but you ran three miles yesterday, the middle mile and a half consisting of speedwork, at that! Congratulations!
For the half marathoners, the structure of the early weeks of the training programs will be a little different for us, because everyone's been running. So, rather than starting from scratch this weekend, I'm working the schedule out as a continuation of the progress you've already made.
So, here's the breakdown:
- Half marathoners will meet on Tuesday nights at 6:30pm, and Saturday mornings at 7am.
- Marathoners will meet on Wednesday nights at 6:30pm, and Saturday mornings at 7am.
- The beginners, who I think I'll call "The Upstarts", will train with the half marathoners on Tuesdays at 6:30pm, and with everyone on Saturday mornings at 7am, but with modified workouts and lower-mileage schedules. I have no doubt that some of you will be able to transition into the half marathon program. We'll just keep tabs as we go.
Obviously, the half marathon/marathon runners have a goal race in February. The Upstarts are welcome to run with us for as long as they like. If you get to a point where you're running what the half marathoners are, I'll expect you to run the damned half marathon, and to pay what the other half marathoners have paid ($150). Otherwise, you'll be required to buy a shirt, pay $50 and/or help support the half marathoners and marathoners on a long run or two.
For everyone, the cost is $150, and again, your participation and commitment are more important to me than the money. If you need to, you can pay the fee out over a period of time. I don't want to do that with everyone, because it makes it too easy for people to bail out on their training, and it'll reduce the funds available to buy all the shirts, and fund things for the group. No, it doesn't have anything to do with my desire for a Mini Cooper or an XBox 360 coinciding with the release of Halo 3 later this month. My day job will pay for those things at some point.
I also will be encouraging you to do some external good with your running, by raising money for a cause. We'll be talking about some options and how to go about it in the next few weeks.
Any questions? This blog is far too quiet. Make some noise!
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
The Ten Minute Info Session
"The database needs to be down for no more than ten minutes, for maintenance."
So, what can I tell you guys in ten minutes... hmm...
Let's talk about cross training and core training. I've been severely remiss in not ever clearly explaining to everyone what the heck "cross training" on the schedule means.
For us, cross-training means any athletic activity, preferably low- to no-impact. Diversifying your training will not only help your running, but will keep throwing different levels and types of exertion at your body (and mind). It'll keep weight loss ticking along better than running alone will, and it is probably essential in injury prevention. Cross training is important in just about every sport. In basketball, players like Jordan and, hate him though I do, Karl Malone, were able to remain freakishly injury free for 14, 15, 16 years of playing 100 games a season (I'm counting playoffs) because they lifted weights, and they worked on their flexibility. Karl Malone was an avid mountain-biker.
So, here's a quick run-down of things you can and should do:
Core training: Core training is sort of a fitness fashion, but a valid one, not a Thighmaster. People have always worked their abs and their backs and chests, but often missed the refinement of working some other less obvious, or less sexily visible, muscle groups that are just as important. In running, if your core is weak, your form is going to fail, especially as fatigue sets in. Phillip has suggested we incorporate core training into our workouts, and I'm looking into that. In the meantime, though, if you're a member of a gym, I'd be willing to bet they have a core class. Ron Perry teaches some core classes through Rogue - eight classes for $64, and they meet on Monday nights from 6-7.
Yoga: Flexibility is a good thing. Again, forgive my basketball talk, but Kareem Abdul Jabbar credits his longevity as a basketball player to the flexibility and balance yoga gave him. And again, it's bound to be good for that core strength, too.
Weightlifting: The photos from my first half marathon tell a story. A funny, ugly, painful story. At mile 12, my shoulders are nonexistent, my arms are dangling a bit, and I'm struggling to keep my head up. I'm a fairly strong guy, but I wasn't lifting weights at the time, and aside from just some general energy problems, I just lacked the strength to get me through two and a half hours of running. You don't have to do a lot - once a week, for an hour, will make a tremendous difference. If you want to know more about what to do, let me know. I'll even come to the gym with you and run you through things, if you like.
Swimming: My friend Holly and I were, for a while, pretty evenly matched, with me just having an edge in a sprint. She was a swimmer growing up, and last summer, she increased her swimming regimen, and at the 3m Half Marathon in January, she blew away her previous half marathon with probably some juice to spare. No impact, but if you have a tweaked joint, you want to be careful - you can still exert some pressure on it.
Cardio machines: Always a good way to mix things up, with a couple of warnings, though. First, an elliptical or stairclimber machine have no actual impact, but there's still pressure. I think a lot of people rehabbing an ankle, foot, knee or hip will hit the elliptical, thinking they've eliminated impact. Just because rubber isn't slapping asphalt (kinda sounds kinky) doesn't mean you're not still loading up your bones, joints and muscles. I also think having your feet planted on a grippy pad can keep the leg joints from rotating and moving in natural directions, which can tweak a knee or a hip. If you need to be careful with impact, or on your cross training day in general, you're safer swimming or possibly biking or rowing.
Cycling: Coaches differ on how good cycling is for runners. I think that depends on the individual's strength and mechanics. At our level, it's a great way to build stamina and strength without a lot of impact (just don't crash... see Vicky for advice on that). It sure didn't seem to hurt Lance, and that concept of cadence and even the cycling motion probably made returning to running a lot easier for him.
Sports: Tennis, basketball, jai-alai, are all great, but just realize that you run the risk of use or sudden trauma injuries that can jeopardize your running. Last July, I decided to go play a little ball. I reached down to pick up the ball, and tweaked my hamstring. It's been tight and sore for over a year now. This says more about the need for flexibility and stretching and not being stupid than it does about basktball, but you get the point.
OK, back to work. Any questions?
So, what can I tell you guys in ten minutes... hmm...
Let's talk about cross training and core training. I've been severely remiss in not ever clearly explaining to everyone what the heck "cross training" on the schedule means.
For us, cross-training means any athletic activity, preferably low- to no-impact. Diversifying your training will not only help your running, but will keep throwing different levels and types of exertion at your body (and mind). It'll keep weight loss ticking along better than running alone will, and it is probably essential in injury prevention. Cross training is important in just about every sport. In basketball, players like Jordan and, hate him though I do, Karl Malone, were able to remain freakishly injury free for 14, 15, 16 years of playing 100 games a season (I'm counting playoffs) because they lifted weights, and they worked on their flexibility. Karl Malone was an avid mountain-biker.
So, here's a quick run-down of things you can and should do:
Core training: Core training is sort of a fitness fashion, but a valid one, not a Thighmaster. People have always worked their abs and their backs and chests, but often missed the refinement of working some other less obvious, or less sexily visible, muscle groups that are just as important. In running, if your core is weak, your form is going to fail, especially as fatigue sets in. Phillip has suggested we incorporate core training into our workouts, and I'm looking into that. In the meantime, though, if you're a member of a gym, I'd be willing to bet they have a core class. Ron Perry teaches some core classes through Rogue - eight classes for $64, and they meet on Monday nights from 6-7.
Yoga: Flexibility is a good thing. Again, forgive my basketball talk, but Kareem Abdul Jabbar credits his longevity as a basketball player to the flexibility and balance yoga gave him. And again, it's bound to be good for that core strength, too.
Weightlifting: The photos from my first half marathon tell a story. A funny, ugly, painful story. At mile 12, my shoulders are nonexistent, my arms are dangling a bit, and I'm struggling to keep my head up. I'm a fairly strong guy, but I wasn't lifting weights at the time, and aside from just some general energy problems, I just lacked the strength to get me through two and a half hours of running. You don't have to do a lot - once a week, for an hour, will make a tremendous difference. If you want to know more about what to do, let me know. I'll even come to the gym with you and run you through things, if you like.
Swimming: My friend Holly and I were, for a while, pretty evenly matched, with me just having an edge in a sprint. She was a swimmer growing up, and last summer, she increased her swimming regimen, and at the 3m Half Marathon in January, she blew away her previous half marathon with probably some juice to spare. No impact, but if you have a tweaked joint, you want to be careful - you can still exert some pressure on it.
Cardio machines: Always a good way to mix things up, with a couple of warnings, though. First, an elliptical or stairclimber machine have no actual impact, but there's still pressure. I think a lot of people rehabbing an ankle, foot, knee or hip will hit the elliptical, thinking they've eliminated impact. Just because rubber isn't slapping asphalt (kinda sounds kinky) doesn't mean you're not still loading up your bones, joints and muscles. I also think having your feet planted on a grippy pad can keep the leg joints from rotating and moving in natural directions, which can tweak a knee or a hip. If you need to be careful with impact, or on your cross training day in general, you're safer swimming or possibly biking or rowing.
Cycling: Coaches differ on how good cycling is for runners. I think that depends on the individual's strength and mechanics. At our level, it's a great way to build stamina and strength without a lot of impact (just don't crash... see Vicky for advice on that). It sure didn't seem to hurt Lance, and that concept of cadence and even the cycling motion probably made returning to running a lot easier for him.
Sports: Tennis, basketball, jai-alai, are all great, but just realize that you run the risk of use or sudden trauma injuries that can jeopardize your running. Last July, I decided to go play a little ball. I reached down to pick up the ball, and tweaked my hamstring. It's been tight and sore for over a year now. This says more about the need for flexibility and stretching and not being stupid than it does about basktball, but you get the point.
OK, back to work. Any questions?
Tonight's workout
Today's workout is at the Austin High Track.
If you're coming from south of the river, it might be easier to avoid traffic by taking Barton Springs Road, turning north on Stratford, parking under Mopac, and walking/running across the pedestrian bridge.
Happy hour afterwards at Uncle Billy's on Barton Springs Road!
Getting to Austin High's track:
From Southbound Mopac:
If you're coming from south of the river, it might be easier to avoid traffic by taking Barton Springs Road, turning north on Stratford, parking under Mopac, and walking/running across the pedestrian bridge.
Happy hour afterwards at Uncle Billy's on Barton Springs Road!
Getting to Austin High's track:
From Southbound Mopac:
- Exit at Lake Austin Blvd.
- Continue down the access road, through Lake Austin Blvd., past RunTex
- At Stephen F. Austin Drive at the bottom of the hill, either park under the bridge in the dirt to your left, find street parking, or park in the lots around the tennis center.
- Take the 1st-5th Streets Exit)
- Stay to the left (towards 5th street)
- Turn left on 6th/lake Austin Blvd.
- Turn left at Run Tex
- At Stephen F. Austin Drive at the bottom of the hill, either park under the bridge in the dirt to your left, find street parking, or park in the lots around the tennis center.
- Take Cesar Chavez west towards Mopac
- Veer right just past the Animal Shelter, before you go up the ramp to Mopac (this is known in running circles (pardon the pun) as the Dog Pound Loop
- Go under the overpass, then turn right on Stephen F. Austin drive - you'll see the track
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