Set Your Sights on a New Goal for Autumn - Learn to Run at the Elkins/Randolph County YMCA

(Elkins, WV April 4, 2010) We all know how to run from something - but now you can get help with running towards your health and wellness goals. The Elkins/Randolph County YMCA is offering a 20-week “learn to run” program starting May 25^th that will lead you through a training plan to help prepare you for the Mountain State Forest Festival 10k race on Sunday, October 2nd.

This program, designed for all levels of runners, will answer your questions about running, help you find your pace, team you up with people to run with, as well as outline a training plan focused on injury prevention and fun. Participants will train together for the 10k event and may chose to work with the instructor for the Elkins half marathon in the spring on 2012. All running goals can be accommodated in this running group.

The program will meet for weekly group coaching and/or runs on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. at the YMCA. Some nights we'll run but I have found a few new hands on ideas that we'll be using the time with and when lessons are small, we'll get in a run. I will continue to assess strides for folks as well and hope to have you achieve ideal posture in your running and walking.

Carl Bolyard (that's me) will instruct the group. A runner since High School and an experiential educator for fifteen years, Carl had no aspirations to enter a race until autumn of 2007 when he used his first marathon to kick start his running program and began really enjoying the regular benefits of running again. Drawing upon advice from Tom Holland, Bart Yasso, Tim Noakes, Philip Maffetone and others, he believes in a simple low mileage plan that is focused on injury prevention and directed by the individual’s goals. Several running experts from our region will also contribute to the course by presenting some Wednesday evenings.

In the interest of encouraging wellness in the larger community, Learn to Run will offer a supplement to the regular twenty week program as a bridge course that supports runners who wish to train for their first half marathon. Davis Health System’s annual half marathon, scheduled for April 2012, is a wonderful challenge and runners who wish to train with Learn to Run, will have the opportunity to subscribe to a bridge course to continue to build their fitness from October until the race date in April.

The class fee of $100.00 for YMCA members and $110.00 for non-members includes the cost of the class textbook and training materials, advice and fitness planning each week and running plans that will be tailored to the individual’s fitness history. All revenue after expenses will be donated to the Randolph County Girls on the Run program.

Advance registration is preferred. Participants can visit the YMCA to complete an enrollment form. Sign-ups will also be taken at the first session on Wednesday, May 25^th at 6:00 p.m.

The Elkins/Randolph County YMCA was established in 1908. The YMCA is dedicated to improving the lives of men, women, and children in the region through quality programs, classes, and activities. Financial assistance is available based on household income and family size.

The YMCA is located at 400 Davis Avenue and can be reached at 636-4515. Visit the Elkins YMCA on the web at www.elkinsymca.com

Register by contacting - Sue Gillispie - Elkins YMCA- 304-636-4515 - memberservices@elkinsymca.org

Running On the Cheap

Running on the Cheap –
Save your money for shoes or running shorts and let’s talk about tricks for getting more miles out of your recreation budget.

Some of the best tips from our friends at Runners World include:
Local races are cheaper, sometimes offer food and are a great way to meet new running partners. The side benefits – you may be the fastest one there or for your division and this can be a prize category along with bragging rights. Always plan ahead for your race and pre-register. For big races this can save you $25 on the entry fee. If you travel to run then plan to carpool and room share with running buddies to trim costs. Pack a lunch to share and carbo load together.
Always support your local running store when you can. No shipping and the immediate gratification of having what you need and keeping a shop open near you. Ask if they’ll meet whatever catalog price you saw too – it never hurts to ask and a good business person can always find a polite way to state what they cannot do.

Volunteer at a race – often you can still run it and maybe at a reduced fee in exchange for your time. It is a fun and different way to be involved and it is what keeps area races going.
Fall is a key time for shoe models to change and whenever you see the new shoe guides hit the newsstand that means it is time to pick up whatever model you were running in for a better price as it goes off of the shelf. If you are a very common size you may need to jump on this a bit sooner to get your shoes but the pay off is worth it. They do not go bad in the box and most folks do not see a shoe size change annually. Roadrunner, REI, and zappos are all good sites for shoe sales when the style season ends.

Buying multiple pairs of shoes that work well for you does a few things. You are not pressured by style change when they phase out something that is working well for you. Secondly when you rotate shoes they last longer on account of the fact that the supportive foam (the only thing that really wears out sometimes on a shoe) has 48 hours to rebound every time you run your shoes. Getting them an air-out time and allowing foam to recover allows me to run two pair at a time, possibly 50-100 miles further than I could otherwise. Many runners benefit from this practice and it adds up over the cost of several pairs.

There is an increase in folks who run to work or run home after work and anyone who has an HR department at their workplace they should ask about any incentive that is offered for employee wellness or carbon savings. You are saving on gas or parking fees, gym membership and keeping your workplace insurance bills low so anything you can gain in reimbursement would be gravy.
Several folks have gotten a spouse, relative or buddy to run and this replaces their time at the bar or coffee stop with a cheap and healthy habit they do together.

Switch to real food. Better for you and less money too. Often times an easy grocery store substitute can replace expensive energy gels and Gatorade. Diluted fruit juice works for some folks and others just use less powder than the mix calls for (and Gatorade powder is far better and cheaper than paying for water and high fructose corn syrup) fruit leather, pretzels, honey, or any road tested thing you like is less money than a Powerbar. I am a big fan of PB&J on wheat.
Our area running clubs; Elkins Roadrunners and WV Mountain Trail Runners are very affordable ways to meet folks and their events are low budget and very fun affairs. Sometimes there will be apparel available that is great for running in and some clubs do get discounts from retailers – it pays to ask.

Your loved ones now know you are a runner so be specific when your birthday or Christmas comes and give them your shoe size and model; for what is the most costly and most often purchased item on your list.

Remember that big races are now often giving out technical fabric race shirts and these are your "two for one" deals on running apparel. When it comes to outerwear, shorts and shoes: this often remains an expensive spot in the starting runner’s budget. Remember that in days of old, wool was the original technical fiber and it still works great for everything but summer running. It is also already in the closet or at the secondhand store. I have always been a deal hound at the army/navy store for this kind of technical clothing for being outside. A funny and informative recent column sent Runners World staffers to the big box stores to shop out any clothing that looked like it would get them through weekly mileage and they only had $100 to spend for a complete outfit. Sports Authority and Amazon came up as the best bets for this shopping challenge. Two stores had brand name shoes and the shoes were similar to the manufacturer’s regular shoes with technology that was just several year older than new – yet good. Clothing from Starter, Champion, and Nike all turned out have some items that were acceptable to the testers, just simply did not last as long as what they were accustomed to. (Understand that the RW magazine editors all run in the newest free stuff to product test every month so they set the bar unfairly high.)

Runners World polled folks on their spending habits and found that 3% folks spent less than $100/year on running. The largest group 28% spent $250-499/year on running and an almost equally large number spent more than $1000/year ( I would guess that this accounts for travel to destination events) Recent polling shows that runners spending has held pretty constant in the current climate as well. Folks have a good habit that they cannot give up and they will continue to run even if they downsize a bit.
I hope some of these ideas and tips will help get you further this year. If you have others please post them to the facebook site.

Race Day Recovery

Recovery From Racing -
You are an experiment of one, but here are some tested tips to avoid injury after a big race or run.

Run, refuel, stretch, shower, and stretch again, and rest. You are what you eat at this point in training so treat yourself to a great meal that fulfills the nutrient and energy expenditures from your effort.

Stairs can me managed by walking them backwards to help sore quadriceps (be careful, and hold that rail!)

Expect that delayed onset swelling and pain can occur after your event. While the typical swelling curve follows a 12-24 hour timeframe from insult, you may see soreness 1-2 days post event that you did not experience previously. RICE (Rest, Ice, Elevation,Compression)

Pain relievers and NSAID anti-inflammatory drugs may provide some initial relief but loose their effectiveness after several days. Pain is a good guide for when you are able to resume activity and how much activity.

Massage a few days after a race, when point tenderness is going away, is a great rehabilitation tool.

If you can stand it after a big run an ice bath will reduce inflammation in the legs, and is proven to help speed recovery. The secret is that the water need not be iced but can be anything below 50 degrees. Remember to wear a sweater and hat, only soak your lower half, and bring a book to keep your mind off the discomfort. Fifteen minutes in the bath is helpful and is better at fighting inflammation than the NSAIDs, and does not stress the kidneys.

For every mile you race you’ll need a day off – initially. You may choose to change this after you develop a significant mileage base.

While it may feel difficult to hold back on your training you should incorporate rest post-event and use cross training that is a pain free activity to fulfill any need you have to exercise.
Walking is called active recovery and should be included in your recovery plan to get you feeling better sooner. I like to walk as much as I can after a hard race effort.

In the first weeks after a big race seek to keep your efforts below PE 7 or 75% or your maximum heart rate to allow your body needed rest and to speed recovery. Stay away from hill work or any speed work as well. Re-starting an aggressive program post event can lead to injury.

Prepare for a let down, the post race blues – use this time to plan another project and to resume running soon - but allow for plenty of time to get ready and train. You cannot judge your success as a runner by this race or this program – this is a beginning for your running – with more challenges ahead.

Look at your process goals and the A, B, C goals you planned to see how you did, and while your mind is fresh from the event; note in your training log your race time and what went well and what you want to do better with the next race. You already have you date to begin running again marked on your calendar so why not plan your next race day too?

If you ran a 6.2 mile race, then 6 days after racing go ahead and check your resting heart rate and blood pressure to see if it matches the values measured the week before your race. If the values match and you are not experiencing muscle soreness it is a safe time to gently return to running, keeping in mind the above ideas.

Race Prep notes

Race preparations –
“Emotion is a direct manifestation of a person’s appraisal of any given situation”

Here is a rambling selection of important thoughts about your upcoming big day. You have worked hard and deserve an afternoon that will be enjoyable enough that you are surprised, delighted and want to do it again. So keep these things in mind – as they may help you to that end.

Do not try anything new on race day. That means no new thing. You will have tested your diet, your socks, your hydration plan, your sports wear etc. on runs prior to the race so that you can put your best effort forward with the confidence that “this works, I tried it last week”. Having your bag packed the night before and your breakfast laid out downstairs allows you to get to sleep naturally dreaming about the crowds screaming your name as you cross the finish line strong and in charge of your race. Not all of your big runs end like this one, so just like Christmas morning – you need a plan and you begin drawing it up right now.

The week of your race try to add one hour of sleep to each night’s schedule (so that if you normally sleep 7 hrs/night try to get 8hrs, every night) because while we will not taper for this event - your body needs to rejuvenate from all the training to run at your best. We improve while at rest - not while working out. So race week is a time when you cannot cram for the test, you need to bide your time and relax as best you can. While many American feel more is better; without adequate rest - fitness adaptations may occur short term but ultimately are not retained.

Carbohydrate loading for this length of race is risky. You will be able to eat your normal diet, a good breakfast 2 hours before your race and have enough glycogen in your muscles to run the entire race. More food may create issues with gastric emptying and lead to cramps. Eat light and right as you would before a morning run and you’ll be fine – avoid risky foods 2-3 days before your race. Not a good time to get food poisoning or an upset stomach. With an afternoon race you may need to adjust your breakfast time on race morning to eat later than you normally would eat breakfast – you will try this out the week before on your long turn to confirm that it works for you. Some runners give up dairy for 30 hours preceding a race so as to not feel bogged down in the GI system – I have tried this and have not seen a clear advantage to doing so.

Caffeine is a proven performance enhancer for runners and is a legal substance under USATF rules. One to three cups will have negligible effect on hydration and will boost energy level. If you currently use caffeine do not skip it on race day. That being said – you should read the post on our facebook site – which is a discussion of the abuse of caffeine and it’s hazards – along with a link that has the amount of caffeine in many consumer products. You should know what you are taking.

Begin planning now for your bathroom break and time it to be before your race time. You’ll feel better. Races nearly always have a bathroom (typically port-o-johns) but paper may be in short supply.

Physiology studies have shown that you can train your body to have a time of day where cardio-fitness and oxygen intake is optimized. Many folks begin a pattern or running at the time of their race start and this has been proven to be helpful in race performance.

Review your race goals the night before your event. Have a Plan A, and a Plan B so that you are prepared. Keep a positive dialogue about these goals and your race day performance. You trained, you put in the work, and you can do this.

Consider a “dress rehearsal” for your race. Do one of your long runs as you would run your race event.
Wear what you hope to wear on race day
Securely tie your shoes
Eat your race breakfast, two hours before your run and ensure you are hydrated
Drink your caffeine if you normally do
Use all the same techniques you hope to employ on race day
Run at the same time as your event
Be prepared for weather changes and have these items with you
Check and calculate your pace for a “three stage race”
Visualize a strong finish and success

Pack your race day bag the night before with everything you’ll need.
Water bottle, recovery food, safety pins for your race number, Running shoes, socks, shorts or tights, shirt, wind layer, hat, gloves, a dry change of clothes for post race, your watch, toilet paper (races with big crowds are notorious for running out), sunscreen, glasses, car keys, a few dollars, phone, camera, coffee/cup
Trim your toenails very carefully a week or more before your race, so that any mistakes can grow out a bit prior to the big day. If you do not trim you could get “black toe” or lose a nail from pounding in the shoe.

While racing you need to keep in mind some etiquette issues that are “rules of the road” when running in large groups that help everyone have a good race day.
· Line up according to how fast you run or walk – slower participant to the back for safety and courtesy. Do not go out faster than you intend to run.
· If you drop something at the race start do not stop to pick it up. You endanger yourself and those around you. If you need to tie a shoe, step to the side of the course.
· Strive to run or walk in a straight line and look before you veer, spit or blow your nose. If you are taking walk breaks step to the side of the course.
· Do not walk or run more than two abreast, doing so create congestion on the course and may lead to irrational behavior from runners who feel compelled to pass.
· If you stop at the aid station to eat or drink, consume these items past the aid station and on the side of the course. Always use trash receptacles and never litter on course.
· If you hear “excuse me” “passing” or “on your left” you need to be aware of your surroundings and yield to the faster traffic that is passing. Runners should always indicate verbally they are passing and “thank you” should be heard regularly also.
· Cheer and encourage other on the course – help everyone to have a good day
· Thank volunteers along the course - races cannot happen without these people
· Enjoy the race, look around and savor the moment. You worked hard for this and Tom Holland says “welcome to the party!”
· Cross the finish line and keep moving - stay in race order (finishing order) so that your standings can be documented then keep walking to clear the area for others.
· Most races offer refreshment at the finish and you should enjoy the refueling while being mindful that runners on course will need some of these supplies as well.
· If you have a complaint about the event - do not tell a volunteer who is busy making a great experience for runners. Tell the race director or write your comments on a comment card and submit them. Your race director is VERY interested in your feedback, and yet he/she will not have time for your comments on race day. Always be kind to volunteers.

Warm up by simply walking around, hop, very gently stretch just to move blood supply - not to stretch muscles. By getting the pulse up a bit we are better prepared without using too much energy.
We always start slow – go out too fast and you’ll have an empty tank and may not finish your event. Run the first leg of your race relaxed and smiling, keep your effort in the PE range of 3-4.
Start the second leg of your race with a PE range of 5-6 and you are ramping up now but trying not to blow up – pace yourself
Start the third leg of your race with a PE range of 7-8.5 and really give that last stretch your best effort, keeping your running form clean. If you are not running with good form - slow down. Breathe, relax, hold your form and hang on – you’re almost there and this will hurt a little bit. But its not childbirth…

Perceived effort works at the level of our autonomic nervous system. Your body will actually make you feel very poorly right before it thinks that you cannot do any more. Athletes can train this PE center in the brain to some degree and give it greater reference. We train to go the entire distance because you have then taught your brain that you can travel this distance without blowing up – so when you get that bad feeling simply slow down, let the body recover some – and then keep going for what you trained to do.

It is never over until it really is over. It is very Ok to walk, crawl or even rest and then crawl again to finish – there is no time limit and if you are up to it; give it your best effort to finish.

NO Pain reliever on race day. I see it all the time and even among folks who should know better but the more I read and listen on this subject the more I feel compelled to advise you to not use pain reliever on race day. Here is a short list of reasons.
You need to stay in tune with your body and prophylactic use of pain reliever, particularly NSAID’s, (non-steroidal anti-inflamatories) has been proven DANGEROUS to runners and their bodies. If you are sore the next day you may choose to take OTC pain reliever in standard dosage with water if you and your physician say it’s OK. Running with ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Alleve) in your system may truly hurt you on race day.

By limiting prostaglandins that normalize blood flow you may tax your kidneys. Your basic over-the-counter drugs may seem benign to you, but they do block important biochemical’s called prostaglandins and these do a great number of things in the body – including dilate the blood vessels to your kidney. Remember that your kidneys are something that you need, and rely on, to maintain the electrolyte balance in the body, maintain fluid balances and eliminate wastes. These NSAID’s (by blocking prostaglandins) may increase your blood pressure at a dangerous time to do so – when running – and this could trigger a TIA or CVA (stroke). NSAID’s block the enzyme cyclooxygenase that protects the heart and thus may pose greater risk to the cardiovascular system as well.

Cyclooxygenase helps protect the stomach lining from digestive acids and so when NSAID’s block the enzyme you may experience nausea, cramping, diarrhea or bleeding. Studies indicate that NSAID’s may increase the risk of Hyponatremia or “water intoxication” a problem with electrolyte imbalance.

New research says that you might take one baby aspirin every day or every other day – see the link at our FB site for the literature on this preventative for everyone to learn more - then ask your DOCTOR.

Try to reduce stress in your schedule the week before your race, plan a massage 5 days out if you want to, look back at your training log to see how much running you have been doing and feel good about your accomplishments. Before the starting gun goes off you have already won by working so hard to get here – now if you have a fun race day it is the gravy and a just reward for all this “work”. You are a runner now.
More sage wisdom and some comedy here:

Track Workouts

Time Trials and Track Workouts

Track work can be fun & even a bit addicting if you are a sports fan that enjoys data or statistics. Remember that this type of workout is 15% or less of your total program and yet you will often see results in the data in just 3-4 week of work. These workouts are seldom easy and because it is not easy – and it pushes the body to a new place in your running, the rest of the work will feel more effortless. Track work develops both aerobic and anaerobic capacity. You’ll get more efficient moving lactate (metabolic waste) out of your system and you’ll enhance your running form. All these benefits from only 15% of the work sounds like an infomercial – too good to be true. Well remember I said it was hard and it is also demanding on the body, so it is not for folks who do not already have four to five months of regular running under their shoes. Some of the folks in our group are already there on this which is great because speed work will tune you up for any race goal. First timers will be ready for some speed work as the program concludes and because of this I introduce track workouts. This is not intended to be a comprehensive workout description but a way to sell you on the basics and guide you through what you need to know to get started. You’ll find these workouts everywhere in magazines and online so you’ll have some tools when you’re ready.

This lesson is a chance to explain some terminology and serve as a primer to track work. You’ll need a stopwatch (or stopwatch function on your watch), maybe a buddy for motivation and to help keep count, and a paper and pencil plan about how to progress before you start the process.

How fast do I run these? Short question - big answer. Most folks will use a recent race that went well to estimate what their fast pace. Those without a race will calculate running paces based on a “miracle mile”, so what is this all about? You head to the track or a pre-marked distance on the bike trail, and run your fastest pace that you feel you can sustain for a mile and clock the time. This uses your “central governor” that we have talked about before – your own very well trained, race computer in your brain that will not let you blow up and will adjust performance by how much is in your individual tank. Once you have a race time or your own one-mile time trial you have a reference point or baseline. This is a starting point for you to calculate from & you can have a professional trainer calculate for you - for free.
http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm
This tool is great because you will get a full spectrum of running paces for the types of runs you’d like to do in a given week. These times were designed with the idea that you’ll not be over-training or stressing yourself anaerobically too often but allowing adaptations to develop gradually. You’ll still need to fine tune these with your own heart rate or level of perceived effort to make sure that they work for you.

Remember that we have already covered lessons regarding the 4 types of workouts. These are LSD runs, everyday runs, tempo work, & threshold or track work (see “the Mix” lesson). Any running above your goal pace - for a planned length of time falls into Speed/track work. We have already talked about Perceived Effort (PE) & how it relates to your heart rate & pacing (see Pacing lesson) – so you know a bit about how to not overdo it & you can estimate where you’ll want your PE to be for these workouts. You want to warm up and cool down MORE for this workout –a mile of easy running beforehand & walking a mile or more afterwards. Low level aerobic activity after the speed work helps to clear lactate from muscles faster due to increased circulation. You’ll be asking your body to run into the 8-9 range (anaerobic work) for SOME these runs/repeats but you will be careful to never go all out. You can only drive the car as fast as it was designed for – if your form is suffering, simply slow down and work up to that pace later as you progress gradually.

So here are a few terms and ideas to get you started:
These concepts you’ll see over and over – so they are the best place to begin and with just these building blocks you can begin to construct your own track progressions.

Miracle mile – you head out and run the best mile that you can run (four laps on a standard track, 440 yards /lap or 5280 feet total) and the key here is that the pace must be steady. So go out and finish at the same pace, no heroics. This is a good measure for shorter races and a decent way to start any endurance program. You’ll know what your best possible race pace is right now – a snapshot.

Time trials – several kinds of time trials you can do. One type would be to start a long endurance program and you go out and see how long you can run without stopping, running by time. You hope to have a steady pace throughout and you simply stop when you have had enough. This time/distance trial is the starting place for your long runs (LSD runs) that are the cornerstone of any endurance program. Many who start a half-marathon or longer program do not know how long their first long run should be and this is a good measure of where to set the initial distance.
Another type of time trial is a more of dress rehearsal for race day. The Hanson distance project is famous for this type of run and they will choose a route that is 60-70% of the distance of the intended race course. Runners go out and run this trial 6 weeks prior and 3 weeks prior to the event. Running at race pace and seeking to maintain that goal pace the entire distance. Hanson distance project has found that the runners in training who can maintain that goal pace during their program will easily maintain the race pace for the entire race distance after tapering and resting properly. Giving them most of the race at this speed is a great confidence builder as well without breaking them down beyond what they can recover from.

Track repeats - a run length that mimics the endurance level required for your race which is repeated several times and includes a rest or jog between repeats. Endurance is increased by adding repeats gradually over the weeks and by reducing the rest or jog interval in between runs. 5K runners might use 440 or quarter mile repeats, 10K runners might use 440 or 880 repeats, 13.1 mile racers and 26.2 racers would use half mile or mile repeats. Think about these like the granddaddy of a walk run program – instead of running a minute and then walking one, you are running a quarter mile and then letting the body catch up by walking/jogging a lap. This gears you up for speed without the strain of running the entire distance at speed (more than we can recover from). Just like your running - you slowly add repeats and then lower the rest intervals as race day approaches and you hone the runner to race. These should not be intimidating as the system is familiar and the results are the same – you gradually become more comfortable running faster in small doses so as to not wear you down. Research has shown that this work pushes back your lactate threshold. Because the work generates lactate faster in the body, you become more adept at clearing it and thus more efficient at lower intensity running as well, making you faster.

Ladders - many programs will choose a distance that matches your race length well and select repeats of these distances which move the runner from warm up to tempo through threshold pacing and back down through tempo and cool down modes. Ladders might look like this:
1 mile warm-up, 800 meters, 600 meters, 400 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, 600 meters, 800 meters and 1 mile cool-down. Ladders typically add challenge with progressively shorter and faster runs at the ladder top and repeats of the difficult repetitions. After ladders there is usually a long slow run which allows lactate flushing and teaches the body what the “end of the race” feels like in competition.

Rest interval - most folks start speed work with walking the rest interval which is a good thing. Later they jog the rest interval. As repeats get easier they shorten the rest interval and push the body to better adapt to race pace running because on race day most of us do not plan on stopping to jog a lap. This is where track work differs significantly from Arthur Lydiard’s training philosophy. He felt that you should not train the body to rest but go slower to avoid damaging the runner and instead ask him to keep running. He used track work to adjust the runner to race pace and anaerobically condition the runner in the final stages of a program.

Yasso 800’s – Bart Yasso used the half mile repeat regularly as part of his training program for dozens of marathons. What he found over time in his running logbooks has proven true for many other runners and when he released his findings with the help of Amby Burfoot they coined the term Yasso 800’s. Bart starts speed work training with maybe two half mile repeats and runs them once each week. Every one to three weeks he adds an additional repeat. He tries to run all of them at race pace – what he expects to run on race day. Three weeks before the race day he hope to run 10 or more of these repeats at race pace or faster and if he is successful, then he knows he will run his race in the goal time. He also uses a slick conversion factor to gauge his speed work. If Bart wants to run a 3:00 hour marathon he runs his repeats in 3:00 minutes each. While this pace per mile is a bit faster than a 3:00 hour marathon and is very nearly threshold pace for distance runners, his estimates for this distance have proven nearly foolproof for many marathoners.

When getting into track work – remember a few key concepts that bear repeating
· Long warm ups and cool downs
· Very gradually add repeats first, then reduce rest intervals
· Check your training paces carefully, have a plan, and never sprint all out
· Speed work on the track is clearly a once a week, maximum, activity (15% of weekly miles, max)
· Lots of good track interval suggestions at Runner World, McMillian Running, & coaching sites
· Not for beginners, you need 5 months under your shoes before trying track work

Runners foot care

“Your feet are your friends” unknown, but this sage wisdom has been handed down for a long time...

You need to start looking at your feet each day to better understand their needs and how they are taking care of you. Understanding the way your feet work will keep you running many happy miles. Dr. Tim Noakes states “Treat the cause, not the effect. Because each running injury has a cause, it follows that the injury can never be cured until the causative factors are eliminated.” Would you ever think of treating your hands with the casual disrespect we give our feet? Probably not, because you and everyone else takes notice of them – yet we often forget our most prized running instrument. The tool that contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 12 tendons, and 18 muscles is a wonder and something DaVinci called a wonder of engineering.

I should say upfront that most of what I know about foot care has come from years as a distance hiker and leading groups afield. But what I know (and share today) about running foot care comes from the 300+ page, definitive tome of foot care called Fixing Your Feet by John Vonhof. He has a blog as well but this book is so well thought out that it is in its 4th edition with Wilderness Press and I highly recommend this book.

So here is the nice thing about reading a blog – nobody will see what you do next.
Take off your shoes and we’ll have a brief foot tutorial and review - with you “kicking the tires” to see how these things work and if you are properly caring for them. Go ahead, your privacy is assured – but your running future is at risk if you do not take a look at these things…
Look for changes:
Redness, cracks in the skin, nails are OK, any itching or scaling? Blisters or sore spots, callus buildup, plantar warts or corns etc – should be things you are looking out for & aware of in the developing health of your feet. Our noses, ears and feet with continue to change over the course of our lives and this program and your new pastime will impact your feet - so get a baseline look now and watch what happen over time.

Keep them smooth and clean.
Brush off the feet before going into socks and ensure nothing is in your shoes that should not be there. Use of lotion on your feet helps skin remain soft and then that skin is less likely to thicken – think about applying before bedtime and sleeping in clean socks to keep moisturizer close to the skin. Callus is generally accepted in the medical community to be a sign of abnormality, high friction, biomechanical issues or poor fitting foot gear. These should be sanded down, smoothed and reduced by gradual filing as often as possible. Failure to take care of this may cause the callus to dry and crack (producing a painful, tender injury to skin below) or deep blisters beneath the callus material which heals much more slowly than regular blisters. Soak feet in warm water or shower prior to filing/sanding with a pumice stone for best results.

Stop “hot spots” or blister right away.
If you feel friction inside the shoe stop and immediately examine the problem. Carry tape or mole foam when you anticipate trouble and apply as needed to stop friction. Even duct tape will work; trim edges to prevent “rolling” while you run as tape peeling up will make blisters worse. I love the Engo patches and have shown these to classes before – they are a Teflon type sticker that you can adhere anywhere inside the shoe as needed.

Trim your toenails before you need to – straight across to prevent ingrown nails. The failure to trim nails flush with the toe causes snagging on socks or shoes and can lift the nail off the nail bed. Long nails can cause “black toe” bruising and bleeding in the shoe! Yuck. During exertion feet will swell. Feet are largest in the afternoon, which is why it is the best time of day to buy shoes. Feet, running at days end will be very large, and so it is critical that nails be kept at the proper length to avoid impact injury.

Feet age – like we do they change over time. 1) They continue to enlarge and change in size. 2) The toenails often thicken. 3) The padding on the bottom of your feet thins and we lose some of the spring in our step as a result. 4) Feet stiffen and some range of motion is lost over time. 5) Balance sensitivity changes over time with some losses expected. 6) Arches flatten slightly

Proper shoe sizing, foot pedicures, new insoles and arch support in your shoes, stretching and strengthening exercises can offset these changes to your feet and keep you happily running.

Troublesome toes: Many folks have a condition called Morton’s toe (named for the doctor who discovered the condition). The second metatarsal bone being longer than the first, the second toe is the longest one on the foot and shoe sizing must accommodate this difference. Estimates range from 15-60% of the population having this condition. The second toe length can affect gait and contribute to over-pronation as well as callus formation where the toe bears additional weight. Simply being aware of the condition can allow for accommodations such as sizing, orthotics or additional padding.
Little toes can develop what Vonhof calls the little toe triangle. Check your little toes (or nested toes) to see if they are round and smooth on the bottom or if they have a small hardened triangle of skin developing. This triangle is very vulnerable to blisters and even tearing and so it should be soaked, reduced and moisturized to remain trouble free for long runs.

Feet can produce a pint of fluid in perspiration each day! This has to me managed for the runner.
Blisters and foot pain are most often caused by a triad of elements; friction, moisture and heat. Eliminate or effectively manage at least one of the triad and you’ll run with comfortable feet. Complex foot issues can be mitigated using socks, powders, and lubricants in your primary care plan. Additional preventive support can be found with; taping, skin conditioners, antiperspirants, orthotics, specialized lacing, shoe and sock changes, nutrition and hydration, and gaiters.

Socks are as important as your shoes and they need to match up with your shoes well. Your socks assist in injury prevention if they provide cushioning, protection and temperature management. Some of the best socks for running are now made as Right and Left in each pair. Socks do not have a break in period but you should test your socks for 3+ miles or more in your shoes prior to race day to ensure; they feel great, will do what they are supposed to, and do not give you blisters. Synthetic fibers are best and keep feet dry. Feet that are too wet or dry and grabbing something in the shoe/sock are the ones that blister.

Women’s fitted socks, toe socks, anatomically fitted (right & left) socks, anti microbial fibers, seamless socks, double layer socks, compression socks, Teflon enhanced socks to reduce friction are all currently available. There are even waterproof socks called Sealskinz but my experience has shown that these get so sweaty inside that they may be unmanageable for many runners.
Pay attention to the size of the socks as the number on the package may be “sock size” which fits a range of shoe sizes and may not numerically correspond to your foot size. Remember you are buying socks to fit your feet and not the shoe size, which may be larger to accommodate your foot swelling while you run.
Popular fabrics that review well include; Coolmax, polyester, acrylic, olefin, merino wool, bamboo, drymax, x-static, blister guard, are all great fibers currently being used in running socks.

Many running shoe companies make a sock that works well. Other names include: Balega, Bridgedale, Thorlo, Drymax, Under Armour, Injinji, Wigwam, Teko, Wrightsock, Defeet, Fox River, Goldtoe, InGenius, and Smartwool. These are available at Zombierunner.com, Zappos.com, Roadrunnersports.com, REI.com and other retailers.

Lacing can change the fit of your shoe and take pressure off of trouble areas in many cases – refer to the book “fixing your feet” by John Vonhof or Runnersworld.com, or Ian’s link, posted here on the blog, for lacing suggestions and diagrams. There are products that offer micro tensioning for laces; stretch laces that look like springs, lock laces with tension adjustments, and sausage style laces that offer tension adjustments. These may help you micro fit the shoe and unlike the “garden weasel” seen on TV many of these lacing gizmos work.

Footbeds are available for a number of foot types and gaits. Over the counter insole products are shapeable and trim to fit for your shoes. When sizing these tools at home follow directions closely! Many of these products are expected to last about a year under normal use and are often superior to the insoles that come with your shoes. SOLE, Spenco, Superfeet, Hapad, and Sorbothane all make a reputable footbed product. These are not orthotics as a podiatrist would make for you and cannot correct gait issues. They may provide additional support, prevent injury and reduce chafing in footwear. If I reveal my bias here though – many PT’s who are in the running expert-type-zone feel that using a footbed or advanced support works at the pain or problem but not the source of the issue - which may be feet in need of balancing (in terms of strengthening and flexibility) - therefore footbeds may only be the shortcut. I’ve used them and they feel good…

Self massage devices, floor rollers or tennis balls can be used to massage and rejuvenate feet with great results. Many ultra runners swear by the monthly pedicure which includes some foot massage and foot maintenance.

A foot soak you can do at home which will deodorize, soothe and soften feet (while being antibacterial/antifungal) is Pedifix FungaSoap. Contains tea-tree oil, Epsom salt, & peppermint, costs about $11.00 at pedifix.com. I have had good success with this product as a way to prep my feet for nail trimming and sanding off callus material. It smells great and leaves feet very clean and soft. Let me know if you have another trick and I’ll post it here.

Ankle strengthening and balance exercises to increase proprioception aid in having stronger healthier feet and serve to offset aging and prevent injury. These need not be complicated – as John showed us last week - standing on one leg and remaining balanced, for progressively longer intervals, is one simple method and there are many others. Walking barefoot around the house a bit is another.

A great web resource - from the man who wrote 350 pages on footcare is http://fixingyourfeet.com/blog/
Read up, incorporate a few tips each week for your amazing feet, and remember that “Your feet are your friends”

Pelvic & Abdominal Power

Why talk about all of these drills that seem to build supporting muscles without actually running? Well, awhile back I spoke about the idea that we are making running a habit and a Practice and this means that we are trying to shape it into a process oriented thing rather than a goal oriented thing. Further you have heard my bias that we are all made to run and yet when we enter into something new, it will often show us an asymmetry, an imbalance or weakness somewhere in our body as we develop into the new activity – be it gardening or golf. This is why we train the supporting musculature.

Why talk about all of this now? Recall that I said that we could easily overwhelm you with good information that could seem insurmountable to a newcomer. Some people will not need to do core work as they come to a program with developed anatomy from another sport or genetic gifts. Others will find that almost ten weeks into their program they are coming into a few minor glitches and wondering how to hop over them. That is why we take the time now to talk about posture and core strength and balance – because for some it will be the next key and you have to present information as folks are ready to absorb it.

So in a potpourri of topics related to core strength I will begin with a summary of a great article by Dimity McDowell, Runnersworld 3/09 titled Never Get Hurt.

Many common injuries are associated with pelvic instability or lack of strength in this region according to the Center for Endurance Sport at the University of Virginia.

Injuries such as shinsplints, iliotibial (IT) band syndrome, and lower back pain are some injuries that can be addressed at the cause and possibly “pre-habilitated” by doing an abdominal and pelvic workout.

If you develop a stable pelvis that supports the legs below and the torso above; the legs will spin almost effortlessly beneath you while the upper body remains quiet and solid. Think about the Roadrunner in the cartoons as he buzzes away from his attacker.

Many of these exercises will positively affect posture and ease the chance of injury from the road. The core work we are already doing for strength training nicely augments this routine.

Drills are about 20 minutes three times a week and can be done before a run
Video of each exercise is available at
http://www.runnersworld.com/video/0,8052,s6-1-0-5,00.html

Besides your abs many muscles help make up the runners core
Transverse Abdominals – cough or laugh and you’ll feel these muscles which stabilize the spine and pelvis, right above your pelvic bones.
Gluteus medius – this muscle on the side of your glutes minimizes side to side rotation.
Your lower back also plays a key role and you need to think about being as strong as is practical – all the way around your core as a protective cumber-bund and to build posture that promotes more structural running.

Some of my favorite stability drills come from Danny Dryer: in one example he ask you to lean forward against a table edge so that the table touches your leg at mid-thigh and you maintain a slight – whole body- lean forward as if you are a 2x4 from ankle to head. Hold this position for as long as you can and slowly increase your time. This is working the lower abdominals in a way that is similar to the way they support you going down the road.

Working these muscles is done with body weight resistance and can be done w/o equipment. Clean form is a must and you only do what you can muster comfortably, and slowly you increase the repetitions or interval weekly.

Some posture guidelines for thinking about a stable pelvis.
Heavy heel strikers typically see lower back pain down the road. Do not overstride and seek to have feet fall nearly beneath you while maintaining a long and neutral spine. Practice good posture daily and translate this to your running. While it may be hard to think about your stride all the time – you take five minutes to think about it, twice during each run, and from there we build muscle memory for best form that will follow you later in your runs.

Danny Dryer in his book ChiRunning, takes this a step further and talks about where we generate power from. “Efficient movement comes from your core muscles, not the muscles in your legs. We are so used to being told that strong legs are the answer to efficient running that when we are told to relax our legs, it is a huge mind body shift away from how we normally move.” So you ask, “Relax my what?” and my simple answer is that you are asking a very big question – but I know that this is not a sufficient answer. You generate the most power from your core and if you have ever hit a baseball, drove a golf ball, skied bumps in spring, practiced martial arts or rowed a boat then you know what I am talking about. These are core sports and activities that require what the literature calls “upper/lower body separation”. In short that means that sometimes your entire body is moving together and other times you isolate the motion of one half from the other half or top from bottom. So while you do need legs to best achieve maximum performance in these sports you will often isolate the movement of the legs from the core and have each doing different tasks or workloads. The core is where a great deal of Danny’s award winning speed and grace comes from and this allows him to not power through on his legs which are not as efficient.

He goes on to say later in the book that the true test of mastery is in how long you can maintain correct technique – quality reigns supreme over quantity. This should sound familiar to you as well. By working these core muscles we allow you to support yourself structurally for longer stretches of time and this will not just benefit your running but your daily posture, air exchange, and daily well being.

On page 72 of ChiRunning, Dryer presents an example of a great drill that you can do anytime to tune into your own posture habits and work on better form. He calls it the vertical crunch and we practiced the idea of this in running seminar in June. If you place your hands at your own waist line (one on your navel and one on your lower back, each just above the bony prominence, or iliac crest) you should get a sense of their relationship to each other. If you are seeking to use your hands to reference the top of your pelvis; is one hand higher than the other? Are they at the same elevation, front and back? Dryer states that this relationship will offer insight into whether you are using more of your lower back, and compressing discs in the process or bowed forward and tipping your pelvis to the rear. If there is an imbalance here - between your two hands “elevations” there may be less room in between vertebrae and a chance of low back stress. You may struggle to breathe from the diaphragm as we have discussed earlier. He points out that when you bring these hands into alignment, front to rear, that you should only be using abdominal muscles to do this and these are lower abdominals that seldom get used so it may take some time and focus to make it all come together.

Other posture tidbits that I find help runners. Another one from Danny Dryer: to begin each step, think about lifting your feet off the ground from the heel – this helps recruit muscles from the back of the body in your running stride.

More training guidelines to prevent injury
Your longest run should not be more than half of your weekly total mileage.
The “10% rule” states that total mileage does not increase by more than 10% each week.

If you are limping you have no business running. If the pain is sufficient to cause a limp your stride will create alignment issues that will tear something else loose before the end of your run. You would not drive with one wheel rubbing the wheel-well because you know that the misalignment of the car would throw you into the ditch or give you a flat. In the same way that you would not drive the car with the rubbing tire, do not run when you have pain to the point that you are compensating somewhere, even subtly.

Here is another great running drill that gives you the strong feel of what solid running posture would be like and points to any current weakness you can work on. This comes from the Chi running instructors.

Leveling Your Pelvis
A Killer Exercise to Develop Coordination and Strength
By Scott Smith, ChiRunning Certified Instructor of the Month
(articles about Chi techniques, and a subscription to the newsletter can be found at chirunning.com)

As a ChiRunning Instructor, one of the most important services I can provide is educating a student on coordinating and strengthening the muscles that that are used to level the pelvis. This movement is essential for optimal posture and efficient movement. Whether I am skiing, cycling, running or kayaking, I always draw my strength, balance, and endurance from my pelvic floor/lower abdominal region. Low back pain and tightness can be reduced greatly by recruiting the muscles that level the pelvis, thus signaling the opposing back muscles to release (reciprocal inhibition).

The following rope exercise teaches you how to level your pelvis while moving your legs (engaging your hip flexors), simulating walking or running.

Step 1: Lay on your back with knees bent, heels close to buttocks, toes up and slide a 3/8" to 1/2" rope underneath your low back where the largest gap exists.
Step 2: Flatten your lower back against the rope by pulling your navel to your spine, pinching the rope against the ground. Try to pull the rope out with one hand. Make sure your head, shoulders and tailbone all stay on the floor.
Step 3: Test your starting point: If the rope slips, then do 3 x 30-second holds, 4-5 days per week. When this is mastered with no rope slippage, add movement of the knees up and down while slowly walking your heels away, half an inch at a time until the rope begins slipping. Now back up half an inch and use this as your starting point, doing 3 x 30 knee lifts for 4-5 days per week. Keep advancing heels away from the butt over the next couple months until you can do straight leg raises, with your core engaged, back flat, and no rope slippage.

With practice, this is an excellent way to engage and strengthen your lower abdominals. Good Luck!

A note to sore & discouraged runner

Here is something I wanted to talk about because I got a student question on injury that gave me the feeling something else was under the surface - their motivation had been shaken too. I used the Dear Abby format to keep everything anonymous - I advise a lot of folks - not just in Elkins. Because we only meet on Saturdays it is possible that you do not have your sails lifted as often as you need in getting started and if that is the case, or your injured, or you need help - let me know. I feel like running is the best thing going and I want it to work for you if at all possible. I hope another person's question is a learning experience for others. Let me know.

Dear Carl: I wanted to touch base with you about my knees. After our run the other day, I drove twenty minutes to get home, and it was all I could do to climb 5 steps to get in the house. The next two days were better...and I could go up and down the stairs without hurting. I went for a run today and started off by walking, my knees bothered me and after the first walk run interval I could feel it just wasn't right, so I took a rest. I am I cut out for running?

Dear runner: here are several suggestion to your very big question.

You’re hurt. Maybe not bad, but you need to walk for now and here is why. We rarely get better standing still and when you see an “injury” in the real world (say a bird flies into your window) they get up right away because they know they are cat bait if they do not. Simple. Oftentimes some gentle movement will tell you more about the condition without making it worse and help you loosen up. Remember that stairs are easier walking backwards if your knees and quads are sore. Hold onto the rail! Never-the-less you have heard the prescription before of, activity as tolerated. This is what you need to do along with things like Rest, Ice, Compression & Elevation (RICE) and being good to yourself while staying confident that you can do this if you choose.

Whatever is bothering you is difficult to diagnose over the phone (or email) w/o a lot of trial and error but there could be several possibilities to consider right out of the gate that I see a lot (sort of FAQ’s from class) so without making light of your predicament – I’ll use the opportunity to teach a bit and toss around several of the possibilities that may be working on your knees.

You simply ran too far and are suffering Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. We did run a 30 minute workout instead of the prescribed 20 minutes and while ten minutes of TV does not seem like a lot, we added 30% to your workout on a nice day of talking and running slowly. Honestly, maybe we should not have – I apologize for talking more than I was looking at the watch. When I run too long I am sore afterwards too – sometime for many days. I take responsibility for running too far on Saturday and I am sorry, you have my word that I will not do that again.

Your knees, shoes, or gait are bothering you. While I do not know your prior history with the knee ( your doc should always ask you “has this ever bothered you before?”) You may have a historical imbalance that we can work out slowly over time. We would do this with a gentler plan, once you are not sore. Stretching daily, and strengthening the muscles that support the running, including your knees. If your shoes are not new or brand new, they can tweak you the wrong way. When I have a runner in front of me I ask “what has changed since the problem began?”, and begin there. Think about that one and we can get back to it because small changes can have profound effects - good and bad.

I am always sore when I drive after running and this never changes for me. I have to stretch to get my muscle relaxed after a run and driving forces me into a long term, unnatural position, that often makes it tough to rise from the car. Perhaps you have seen me stretching between class breaks in nursing? I just cannot sit for very long anymore – I guess my lower body was made for nursing now. You may have to incorporate a 10 minute cool down and snack time before you drive home. When I ran the Tucson marathon my Dad read the paper for an hour while I stretched, ate, stretched, walked and then I could finally get in his car to head to the hotel.

Anything that hurts for two or more days needs a 2 day break before returning to running. You can always walk your miles, as this uses different muscles and you can self regulate easily. Wear you running shoes while walking to see if they are part of the issue (scientists control as many variable as possible) and to pad your feet/body. If after two days of self-rehab (which would be walking, stretching, using RICE on your affected area) you do not feel better let’s talk again with greater specifics about what is going on and in the meantime schedule with your Health Care Provider (HCP).

Remember that your homework assignment was to let your doctor know what you are doing and why you wish to take on this project. This last part is as important as the first, because I have heard doctors tell people they just cannot run and in my opinion this is hogwash. Most people can “ambulate for exercise” if they choose to – we need to modify our expectations of what running and realize that less is more. We start slow and many of us stay that way, only to just have the fitness experience simply get easier and maybe a little quicker. We do not go out and try to force change on our bodies but let it happen gradually. I would tell you to have the attitude that you can do it if you do it gently and that you advocate for this when you visit you’re HCP.

Of course, there are folks who develop stress fractures, have injuries they have never known about and other conditions that I have no business to diagnose - and you know that is why I am sending you to your HCP. But I know you signed up for class for a reason, and a very good one is that you are making an investment in yourself. Lobby for that and I will too. In the meantime walk, eat right and get back to me with more about your condition after two days rest.

There are several good links on the website and one of them is injured runner where they’ll ask you what hurts, then tell you what it might be, and try to sell you a book. While you may not need the book you gain some more insight about typical running related injury. Please understand that 90% of running related injuries are the result of overuse/overtraining. We’ll spend the next five months talking about all of the ways to over train and again I apologize for showing you one of them on Saturday- running too long. Also read the website entry on stretching and strength. I can tell you first hand that these two components greatly helped my running. I learned about the parts of me that were not adequately trained and works holistically to fix these areas to improve my running. In addition to these two key techniques that were covered this week many folks use other tools as well such as yoga (see Sage Roundtree on the site) and massage to again, open up, relax the body and strive for better symmetry.

We are seeking a new path and while I did say that you can do it, I will never say that it will be entirely easy. I was sincere when I said that I honor and admire the courage it requires to take up something new and challenging. I do try to make it a seamless transition for people and we should ease into it, know that everybody will adapt slowly at their own pace and can choose to triumph in the end. The most unlikely folks have come to fall in love with running over the years and one reason for this; I believe, is that we were built to run. Nobody said how fast or how far- you choose those variables with some guidance.

Misery loves company and if you really want to read a “crash and burn” story while you rest and RICE, try Tom Holland’s tale of his first marathon attempt (pages 9-16) which will cover at least a dozen things you do not want to do. In spite of his debacle, Tom not only went on to write a great book but holistically corrected his problems to run well. His story is one of many and I have heard countless others from people who were not runners (before they started) and are still not going to tell you that they are athletes, even today, when they are wonderful examples of a healthy lifestyle. Why did Tom Holland become a runner after that dismal race day? Because he wanted to, and that is the 1% inspiration that somehow weighs in as almost heavily as the 99% perspiration that he applied afterwards to surmount his goal. Please understand that I will never tell you to “gut it out” like the high school football coach did, because I do not think it is responsible guidance – it is not congruent with an injury free fitness program. But I do wish that you maintain your hopes to be a runner. I do hope you understand that there are a lot more possible solutions than there are reasons to quit. I hope I have begun to illustrate that when your body is new at something you approach the solution to success as a puzzle to solve and that we well may be able to do that together.

Stretching & Strength

All of our bodies have imbalances – this is normal. Most of the time you never notice what is commonly a very slight asymmetry in the body or your posture. Starting a new sport, any new sport, will often bring the asymmetry to your attention. Stretching and strengthening is an opportunity to isolate and modify our natural imbalances that could bring about a long term strain or injury. Many of us run of one side of the road for miles and miles and never notice an imbalance that might result from the slope of the road crown or shoulder.

I have a different story that is a more extreme example. As a raft guide I saw in the back right corner of the boat and spent days paddling six guests down the river. One side of my lower back is much stronger as a result and that was very clear to me when I started running further. My buddy has a lesser example, his chiropractor told him he needed to take his wallet out of his back pocket, because the 4” of credit cards and dinner receipts and whatever else was in there was giving him an asymmetry. Sometimes we know what causes these slight changes and sometimes we do not. They can be subtle or extreme but I’ll bet we all have one, and I’ll bet again that a few of us will have our running bring it to our attention. You’ll hear me say it often that you need to listen carefully to your body and this type of issue need not alarm you if you are a careful monitor. My back had a talk with me slowly and in a “tap, tap” you on the shoulder kind of way. That is when I went to strength training and gently corrected the problem. Before you go out to take the chainsaw safety course they sharpen the chainsaw for you, they know you’ll have a much better experience with a sharp saw.

Stretching and strength training are a quick way to get under your own hood and make sure everything is shored up and aligned a bit before starting this big journey. And when I go on a long drive for summer vacation I do not take the whole car apart to make sure it works! I just check a bit, kick the tires and noodle with the simple stuff and that is what we are doing here too.

Here are a number of the key stretches that you will want to perform after a run, while muscles are still warm. Your text has a number of stretches and you can experiment with a number of them and others to get better results. We will practice one of these after every group run so that you can see them in action. Why did I choose these stretches? They are a good gentle start and work both flexion and extension related to key areas of your running movements. I realize that all of us are busy but I need you to make time to stretch. If it came down to you needing to shorten your run by 8 minutes in order to find time to stretch – then do that. But often you can read, watch TV or see you kid play while you use ten minutes to mitigate injury in your training day and longer looser muscles recover more quickly. You’ll feel better and recover faster with just these and can always expand your routine as you progress. Where there is not a page number listed (supine groin, glute/piriformis stretch) I’ll give you a handout for these and you can keep it in your textbook.

stretch after every workout find it
calf stretch standing, leg straight 1 rep 60 seconds each leg pg 185
calf stretch standing, front knee bent 1 rep 60 seconds each leg pg 186
Hamstring standing, one leg up 1 rep 60 seconds each leg pg 183
Quadricep standing 1 rep 60 seconds each leg pg 184
Lower back standing 1 rep 60 seconds pg 188
Hamstring seated 1 rep 60 seconds each leg pg 190
Calf and foot stretch seated 1 rep 60 seconds each leg pg 194
Groin stretch, supine 1 rep 60 seconds
Glute, piriformis stretch, supine wall 1 rep 60 seconds each leg

try to visualize a good race and what went well mid-run while you stretch

Additionally, I will recommend a few key drills to strengthen your key muscles used in running. Again, I realize that you are busy and some will say that they cannot find the time, while others will say they do not want to be a body builder. We will not add any mass to your frame with these drills, only muscle definition. The most important thing is that we support your running by giving you structural support and exercising tissue that does not see activity any other way. This type of weight lifting is quick and intended to be injury prevention for what we ask your body to do. By including a non-impact form of exercise in your conditioning we also stimulate a recovery response for your body and continue to build your metabolic rate without increased mileage or wear on your legs.

So that I do not make any assumptions; a set is a group of repetitions with weights and a repetition (rep) is a single lift of the weight. You will be doing just a single set and we’ll start with a small number of reps and slowly build to a number of 15 or less. The key to making this work is that you will use a weight that is heavy enough that the last few reps will be difficult to complete. But the weight should not be so heavy that you cannot correctly perform the exercise, because form is most important. Use the pictures in your book and a mirror at the fitness center to help you learn clean form for each exercise. You will notice that most of these do not require a weight room either so you can do them at home and save time for other things (like stretching). If you do not see a page number listed here then I’ll be giving you a handout for the exercise. Several of these drills such as plank and superman are isometric exercises and so you’ll hold them until failure, record your time and then add 5 seconds to that time each week as a goal. I would tell you that for best results strength training would be done 3 times weekly, however those three day a week folks only saw 5-10% improvement over those who strength train 2 days a week. Since you are already busy with running and stretching, I feel two days is sufficient and achieve our goal of a balanced body that is buffered from injury.


Core strength workout 2 times weekly, 3 is OK
exercise sets reps hold for find it
Standing wall slide one pg 138
Single leg squat one
walking lunge one
calf raises one pg 134
toe raises one pg 139
push up one pg 122
Dumbbell row one pg 123
regular crunches one pg 128
oblique crunches one pg 129
plank one sec. pg 130
superman one sec. pg 130

Remember: use enough weight that last few reps are challenging but you maintain form
every strength session makes your run miles more fluidly and easily
lean muscle mass deflects impact from joint structures which are less regenerative
an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure

Shoes, first thoughts

Running Shoes YMCA, LTR class

Shoes should be kept for running; they are an investment in your joints and a cornerstone of your injury prevention plan.

The average foot strike places more than 2.5 times your weight on the foot. Your feet will each hit the ground over 800 times in a mile. Once you run for awhile your feet may hit the ground 80-90 times each minute which is a lot of bumping along so those dogs need some protection.

Your shoes must fit, be sized for you, and be rotated and replaced regularly – every 300-500 miles depending upon the shoe. Running shoes typically are sized longer than street shoes. Two pair will last longer if you can rotate them every day.

Not all shoes or even shoes made by running companies are made for running. Most department stores stock shoes from Nike, New Balance, Asics, Saucony, Addidas and others that are designed for appearance rather than running. Buy shoes from a running specialty store or online from a running store and get the help you need for a best fit. A poor fit or bad shoes may mean that you do not continue with the sport due to frustration, injury or both.

Our state does also have a local shop - Morgantown Running and they are experts, have a treadmill and give custom service on site. You can order on the web as well with them if you cannot get to the shop or want to order by phone.
I also recommend www.roadrunnersports.com (800.551.5558) because they offer fitting specialists, a wide selection, and a fit guarantee that allows you to return a shoe that does not fit correctly. If you cannot get to a running shop staffed by runners this may be your next best bet.
Determine your foot shape and arch type – use a wet foot placed on a dry grocery bag to assess your type. Make sure your shoe fitter knows your weight & bring in an old pair of shoes to let wear pattern tell the story of your gait cycle. A great shop like Morgantown Running will watch you run on a treadmill and analyze your gait before recommending shoes. Do not shop by price, but by fit and function – you’ll still be under $100 in nearly every case.

Avoid “performance” shoes or racing flats – do not seek to run in anything super light to get started as most of us have very weak foot muscles and flexibility in our feet from wearing shoes for years. You will need a shoe designed for your weight, stride pattern and the type of running you do (road, trail, or high miles for example). The shoe company policy for years has been to build bigger and more cushioned shoes and I am not suggesting that this is great for your feet either. Many new shoes are out there that offer a slightly lighter & more sensitive build for getting started with good technique.

Strike a balance between support and built for you; while not too big and padded and structural. Know that we will be working on your stride a great deal for efficiency and right now we want your feet to have good support to learn all their new tricks. As you develop good stride mechanics (and you log miles on your shoes) your shoe needs may well change over time and this would be good if done slowly, taking into account that foot strength and economy must be properly developed prior to running in lighter shoes.

Many folks will have questions about mid-foot strike and CHI running shoes and we’ll get into details about this as we progress in our running – we’ll talk barefoot too later in the class – right now you need good shoes and your feet will thank you.

Size shoes in the afternoon when feet are at their largest, wear them awhile and take your time. Ensure that the interior has no seam that rubs, and your arch is in the correct spot. Wear them with your running socks too so you are sure they fit.

Take out the shoes insole and align your foot overtop of the insole as if you were wearing the shoe. You will need an inch, to an inch and a half in front of your longest toe to ensure you do not bump the front and get injured toes. You DO NOT want any part of your foot to hang over the insole (too narrow). You do not want to be further away from the edge of the insole than ¼ inch (too wide). You want the arch to occur about where yours does. If the insole fits then try the shoe with the insole replaced & again - give yourself some time to feel the fit.

You can change the fit of shoes by how you lace them, the socks you wear and the insoles that you place in the shoe. These correct minor issues on a reasonably good fit. If you wear custom orthotics consult your podiatrist about how they will fit your shoes.

When you buy shoes buy several pairs of running specific socks and rotate them carefully. The high tech socks help the shoes fit well and prevent most blisters. Your shoe fitter will help fit your socks also.

Your shoes may be recycled as they will look nearly new at 300-400 miles. It is OK to use old running shoes for “kicks” or in the garden, et al. If these shoes seem too ugly for that then send them to the following folks.
Soles for Souls 315 Airport Road, Roanoke, AL. 36274 USA (this non-profit group will use shoes for the needy domestically and internationally based on current need, USA warehouse)

Shoes for Africa c/o Monicah Kiplat POB 6943 Eldoret, Kenya (shoes will be distributed to youth w/o any footwear to combat the spread of disease and encourage youth in sport)

Nike Recycling Center c/o Reuse A Shoe, 26755 SW 95th Street, Wilsonville, OR. 97070 (athletic shoes of any brand will be accepted and ground into court and playground surface - most of which is donated by Nike to schools and parks)
“When it hurts to run, smile. When it hurts too much to smile, SLOW DOWN”