In a previous blog, I wrote about consistency being the key to running success. A tool that can help with consistency, as well as performance and injury prevention, is the training log. Here’s what you need to know to get started:
Choose a logging tool. Depending on how technology-inclined you are, there are a few options for runner training logs. If you like old-school paper journals, there are many options available, including “The Complete Runners Day-by-Day Log”, one of the classic training logs that has been available for more than 30 years. If you prefer a high-tech approach, there are many stand-alone apps for your phone (such as Running Log Free) that will do the job. If you have a GPS tracking device (Fitbit, Garmin, etc.) use one of the integrated apps, such as Map-my-Run or Runtastic.
Know what to log. In addition to logging your distance, pace, terrain (hills, running surface) and weather conditions, you should also log some more qualitative information, such as how you felt and what, if any, aches and pains you might have experienced. It is also useful to log your resting heart rate, measured right after you wake up. The resting heart rate should be fairly consistent. If it drifts upward and stays there for several days/weeks, that is often a sign of overtraining.
Understanding how to use log information
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Consistency: One of the primary uses for the log is to hold yourself accountable for staying consistent with your training plan. It will be obvious when you miss a run (or two) so that you can more easily get back on track in a gradual way, especially if you miss a week or two of running.Performance: If you are trying to achieve a personal record in your next race, you are probably performing runs that are intended to achieve certain time goals. The log will help you determine how close you are to your goal, so that you can make adjustments, if necessary. The resting heart rate will help you determine if you are overtraining, so that you will know whether you need to push harder or to back off to improve your performance.Injury prevention: By logging any aches and pains, you will be better equipped to notice trends that may indicate the early stages of injury. If you are feeling discomfort in the same spot over a few consecutive runs, you might be developing an injury. If you catch it early, you can respond accordingly by backing off your training and/or adding appropriate strength training, stretching or foam rolling to try to head off the injury.
Creating and maintaining a training log can be very helpful on your running journey. Interested in more tips like these? Join us at RunSMART!
Laurie LasseterMarathonerACE Certified Personal TrainerRRCA Certified Running CoachEdward-Elmhurst Health & Fitness
Strength Training for Runners
One of the best ways to make your body more resilient against injuries, as well as improve your running strength and performance, is to strength train. It is important to focus on the key areas in the right ways in order to maximize the benefits of your strength training for your running.
Feet and ankles: Your feet and ankles absorb a great deal of the force of running and in order to withstand that force and avoid injury, they must be strong and have adequate range of motion. Exercises that encourage foot and ankle health include calf raises/lowers, heel walks and toe raises. Other exercises may be useful depending on your injury history. For example, towel drags are useful for runners with a history of plantar fasciitis.
Quads, hips and glutes: These muscles are the powerhouse of your running. The focus here should be on stability, symmetry (each side of your body close to equal strength) and general strength. Exercises to include for quad, hip and glute strength are: lunges, squats and glute bridges. Difficulty can be increased by adding weight or by increasing the stability challenge. For example, try single leg glute bridges. Other exercises, such as clams and lateral straight leg raises, are useful for runners with a history of IT band injury.
Core (abdominals): The core is key to keeping your pelvis stable as you run. Here you should focus on stability and endurance. Exercises such as planks, side planks, leg lowers and isometric side holds (Pallof holds) are useful in training these muscle groups. Planks and side planks can be advanced by adding instability (such as a ball or BOSU) but be careful with these progressions as the risk of falling or injury is greater.
Focus on these areas and you will reap the benefits by becoming stronger and more resilient to injury.
If you are interested in a small group strength training class focusing on all of the above body parts, join us at RunSMART.
Surviving Half Marathon Training in the Summer
Many of you are probably training for the Naperville Half Marathon (or another fall half marathon) and by October, the weather will be much more favorable for running a successful long-distance event. Unfortunately, your training plan calls for long runs in the summer, during the heat and humidity of August and September. Here are some tips to successfully make it through those late-summer long runs:
Watch the weather. First and foremost, watch the weather forecast. If you learn in advance that your long run will fall on a day with less favorable conditions, adjust your plan accordingly. Keep in mind that your running performance drops below optimal levels when temperatures are above 55 degrees Fahrenheit and will fall off 10% or more when temperatures exceed 80.
Have a plan B.
If it looks like your long run is planned for a hot, humid day, consider these options:
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Switch the day. Consider moving your long run 1-2 days earlier (or later) if your schedule allows. Your long run is your most important run each week, so moving or adjusting a couple of your shorter runs won’t hurt your training. The goal for the week is to have a successful long run.
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Start early. Starting at 5 a.m. can make a big difference in the amount of heat and humidity you face during your long run. Getting most of your long run in before the sun rises can improve your chances for success.
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Find the shade. A shady course can make as much as a 10 degree difference in ambient temperature.
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Go indoors. Consider doing your long run on a treadmill or indoor track. It might be more boring, but the conditions will be much more favorable. This will allow you to achieve your goal training pace more successfully than running outside in 90+ degree heat. To avoid boredom, listen to music or a podcast, or run with a training partner.
If all else fails, you have no other option and you must run in the heat and humidity, hydrate and slow your pace. One of the main purposes of the long run is to teach your body to handle exertion and energy expenditure over a long period of time. In the heat, exertion levels and energy expenditure will be much higher for a given running pace. Hydrate properly before your run and go as slowly as necessary to complete your long run, taking frequent hydration breaks (including both water and electrolytes) and walking breaks. Don’t worry about your pace or time, the training effect is occurring and in your next long run, weather permitting, you will do and feel much better.
Stay confident through these late-summer long runs and when the weather cools, you will reap the benefits of difficult training in the heat.
Strategies for Maintaining Fitness and Coming Back
Strategies for Maintaining Fitness and Coming Back
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Can I run? Chances are you will get a “no” to this question, at least for a while.How long do I need to stop running? At this point, the answer to this question might be unknown.Can I do other activities? What would those be? This is a very important question as the answer will allow you to formulate a cross training plan to preserve your fitness.Do I need physical therapy? Medication? Surgery? Immobilization/casting? What treatment options do I have along those lines? Depending on the injury, there may be multiple options. Your doctor may have a recommendation, but be sure to ask what all of the options are and discuss the pros and cons of each.What are the next steps regarding medical follow-up? Make sure you make and keep any subsequent doctor’s appointments.Follow the doctor’s plan. The doctor may prescribe medication (such as anti-inflammatories), immobilization/casting, physical therapy, meeting with a specialist, etc. Make sure you follow the agreed-upon plan.Create a cross-training program. Based on your doctor’s recommendations about what activities are acceptable while injured, create an exercise plan. Being a runner and not being able to run can be difficult, but it is important to find exercise that you can do to preserve your fitness. This will help you return to running more efficiently once your injury is resolved. Ideally this exercise plan will include some form of cardiovascular exercise and some form of strength training. Alternative forms of cardio that your doctor might suggest could include biking, swimming, walking, elliptical trainer, etc. Strength training options from your physician will likely avoid the injured area. For example, you may need to do upper body and core strength training only for a while. It is important to maintain these muscle groups as you are recovering. You may be told to “let pain be your guide.” In that case, be aware that the pain may manifest itself during the activity, or it may show up that night or the next day. In all of these cases, the offending activity needs to be discontinued.Take care of your body. As you are recovering, it is important to eat nutritious foods and to get enough rest. Be careful not to overeat (out of boredom or sadness over your injury) as weight gain will compound problems down the road. Try to minimize other stresses in your life. Your cross-training program can help with minimizing stress.Return to sport. Once your injury is resolved and you receive your doctor’s permission to resume running, you should return to running cautiously. Don’t jump back into the training load you were doing when you got hurt. Depending on the amount of time you were injured, you may need to start back with a beginner’s program. Consult your physician for advice on how aggressively to return to running. You may also want to consult a running coach or fitness professional to help you create your return-to-running program. With a good plan and a little time, you’ll get back on track.Laurie LasseterMarathonerACE Certified Personal TrainerRRCA Certified Running CoachEdward-Elmhurst Health & Fitness
Consistency Key to Running and Racing Success
Consistency Key to Running and Racing Success
People often ask, “What is the most important thing I should be doing to ensure success in running?” They are often surprised at my answer. It doesn’t really matter what time of day you run or if you run before or after your strength training or if you run on Saturday versus Sunday. What matters most is that you pick the times of day, workout order and days of the week that will allow you to run consistently. There are several reasons why consistency is the key to running success.
Adaptation: Your body will adapt to its workload. Therefore, if you load your body consistently 3-5 times per week with bouts of running, your body will adapt to those stresses and you will optimize your training effect, maximizing the benefit from your workouts. If you miss workouts, your body will start to become detrained in just a few days.
Injury prevention: One of the most common causes of injury I see in my clients originates with training inconsistency. Often the story of the injury begins with, “I took a couple of weeks off because I was on vacation/tired/lazy/busy at work and then I went back to my normal routine and now I’m hurt.” This is not a surprising result. As stated earlier, your body adapts to its workload. It’s only natural that when the workload isn¹t there for a few weeks, your body adapts. When you suddenly go back to the original routine, your body is not prepared for the sudden increase in workload. The result is often high levels of soreness and in some cases, injury. Don’t worry about missing the occasional single run. It is missing 3-4 runs in a row (a week of runs or more) that will cause the detraining effect that can result in injury. If you are busy and can’t fit all of your runs into a given week, try to get at least 1-2 runs in, even if they need to be shortened. Just make sure to keep them at your normal intensity.
Racing performance: If you are training for a specific time at a goal race, consistency is even more important. Your training program likely includes progressive bouts of speed work, hill training or both. If you miss these runs, you will not be able to progressively improve your speed and strength to achieve your race time goals. In this case, if you need to miss a run (or two) in a given week, try to miss one of your “conversation pace” runs. Make sure you do all of your long runs, speed work runs and hill training runs. Even if you have to adjust your schedule a bit, try not to miss these key training runs.
Year-round running: Given how important it is to stay consistent with running, make sure you are maintaining a strong base of running mileage all year long. Ramping up each spring after running zero mileage in the winter to get ready for warm weather running and racing season is a recipe for poor performance and injury. You are much better off running throughout the year. The base mileage you maintain throughout the year will depend on your distance goals, but at a minimum, 10-12 miles per week should be maintained throughout the year.
Stay consistent in your training all year long and you will enjoy decreased soreness, higher performance and lower risk of injury.
Training for the Naperville Half Marathon
Training for the Naperville Half Marathon
Planning to run in the Healthy Driven Naperville Half Marathon? Now that you have decided on the half-marathon distance, how do you train for it? There are many online training programs available, but here are a few considerations for choosing a plan and training for the half marathon:
Starting point. Make sure the first week of the training plan is consistent with your current mileage base. Most programs assume a “beginner” runs 8-10 miles per week. Don’t choose an intermediate program if you are really a beginner. On the other hand, if you have raced the half-marathon distance before, choose a more advanced program that will give you the challenge of speed work and hill training so you can race more aggressively and better your previous time.
Calendar time. Look at your calendar and make sure you have enough time to complete the required training before your goal race. You definitely don’t want to try to shorten the program to fit it in with your race. If you don’t have enough time, choose a different goal race. So, if you aren’t currently running 8-10 miles per week, consider running the Healthy Driven Naperville 5K instead.
Weekly running program. Choose a program that includes one longer run per week and at least two shorter runs per week. If you are running a beginner program, the two shorter runs will be at conversational (easy) pace. If you are running an intermediate or advanced program, expect to do some speed work and/or hill repeats as part of your shorter runs. The long run should ramp up to a maximum of around 12 miles or two hours of running. Your last long run should be approximately two weeks before your race. After you complete that last long run, your program should include a taper, a reduction in weekly mileage while maintaining the speed/intensity of the runs.
Race conditions. Train on surfaces and terrain that are similar to your goal race. Find out if your race is hilly or flat, asphalt or crushed gravel, hot or cold temperatures, morning or evening, and train under conditions as similar as possible to your goal race. If you can’t do all of your training under race conditions, at least do your long runs that way. For the Healthy Driven Naperville Half Marathon, choose training routes that are slightly hilly and on asphalt. Be prepared for cooler conditions since the race is in October.
Fueling and hydration. For the half marathon, you will definitely need a hydration strategy that works for you. Determine how frequently you will consume fluids and how much fluid you will consume. It is usually best to drink at the frequency at which water stops will be available on your goal race course. This information should be available on the race website. During the Healthy Driven Naperville Half Marathon, there are six aid stations at approximately miles 2.5, 4.5, 6.5, 8, 9.5 and 12 that will offer water and Gatorade Endurance. You may find you perform better by ingesting some carbohydrates during your long runs. Experiment with Gatorade Endurance and/or other sports drinks, gels, blocks, etc. to see what works. Practice and refine your hydration and fueling strategies during your long runs. Keep in mind that if you don’t use the carbohydrate source the race provides, you will need to carry it or arrange for someone to give it to you on the course.
Whether your end goal is to complete a half marathon or use it as a stepping stone to the marathon, enjoy the race and be proud of the great accomplishment of training for and completing a half marathon.
Your Race-Day Practice Plan
Your Race-Day Practice Plan
By now, your long runs are getting longer. Depending on your training plan, your longest training run may be 12-14 miles. It’s time to start practicing for your half marathon. You should use the rest of your long runs (or at least two of them) as rehearsals for the race.
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Meals. Dinner the night before and your morning pre-run food should be exactly what you plan to eat before your race to make sure it will not upset your stomach and/or cause unplanned bathroom visits. You also want to make sure the meals fuel your muscles sufficiently for the long run effort with a balanced mix of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats.
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Hydration. Similarly, your fluid intake the day before and morning of your run should mimic your race day hydration. As a general rule for race day (and long run practice days), two hours before the run, drink between 17 and 20 ounces of water. About 10 minutes before you head out to run, drink another 10 to 12 ounces.
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Fueling and hydration during the long run. Here again, mimic the quantities and frequencies of fueling and hydration that you will use on race day. Pay attention to the location of the water stops in your goal race and the type and location of nutrition (sports drinks, gels, etc.) that will be provided during your race. This information should be on the race website and on the course map. Practice with the specific brands of nutrition prior to the race to make sure they agree with your stomach. The Naperville Half Marathon serves water and Gatorade Endurance Formula, and will have six hydration stations at approximately every two miles (they are marked on the course map).
- Attire. For long runs, you should wear the exact outfit you plan to wear during the race – shorts/tights, tops/jog bras, socks, shoes, hat/headband and hydration belt/pack (if you are using one in the race). I recommend using a fairly new (but broken in) pair of shoes for the half marathon. A common strategy is to wear a new pair of shoes for one or two of your shorter mid-week runs, then use them for one of your longest runs (10 miles or more) and then wear them for the half marathon. This will give you shoes that are broken in but still with plenty of cushion and life. Make sure you practice with all of the clothing to ensure you know how to combat chafing and blisters with your chosen outfit.
- Terrain. Mimic terrain/running surface, elevation changes, climate/temperature and time of day of the race for your long runs. If possible, run part or all of your long run on the actual race course (traffic permitting of course).
- Pacing. If you are going for a specific goal time for the half marathon (if it is your first half marathon, you should not have a goal time and instead focus on finishing) practice your race pace for parts of at least some of your longer runs. Also, practice even or negative splits (running the second half of the long run faster than the first half.) This type of pacing will help you to maximize your performance and not burn your glycogen reserves too early in the run.
Remember, practicing these elements of your race during your final long runs will help you to find the best strategies for you and reduce your race-day anxiety by ensuring you feel as prepared as possible.
Finishing Your Training and Final Race Preparations
Finishing Your Training and Final Race Preparations
As you near race day, training requirements are ramping up and becoming more challenging to fit into everyday life. Whether you’re dealing with unseasonably high temperatures or schedule conflicts, we have answers. Learn how to power through the final weeks, finish strong and reach your running goals.
Q: I am following a training program for the half marathon and I want to hit a specific time. I am having trouble hitting my pace times in hot weather. Any suggestions?
A: The heat can definitely wreak havoc with your pacing if you have a goal time for your fall race. Generally, your training program should consist of mostly “conversation pace” running, with 1-2 runs per week that are for time. One of those runs should be a hill-repeat type of run; you should continue to run this outdoors and as fast as the heat allows. The real goal of hill running is to build strength and injury resistance, not to build speed. Your other, faster run is probably a tempo run or interval training. Try taking this run indoors in the summer. Inside, you will have a measured track (or if a track is not available, use a treadmill) and can easily make sure you are hitting your pace times. Also, you will avoid the heat and humidity indoors so you are more likely to hit your goal pace for these tempo and interval runs. Incorporating indoor speed work once a week will help you achieve the faster leg turnover and running economy you will need to hit your goal pace in your fall race. As the weather cools off and the humidity drops, your speed will come back. Most importantly, don’t push yourself in the heat to the point of heat exhaustion or worse. This very serious medical condition has long lasting effects on your health and running.
Q: I am training for a fall half marathon and I am two weeks behind on my training plan. I don’t want to give up on the race. What do I do?
A: Assuming you are feeling healthy, you can start to “split the difference” to try to catch up. For example, let’s say your plan says that next week you are supposed to run a 10-mile long run and a 40-minute tempo run. But your longest runs so far was 6 miles, and you’ve only done a 20-minute tempo run a week or two ago. Next week, you can probably do a 9-mile long run and a 35-minute tempo run. That way, when the following week calls for a 12-mile long run and a 45-minute tempo run, you should be able to catch up. Listen to your body during this period of catch up. Catching up will create additional stress on your body and make you more susceptible to injury. If you feel extra sore or tired, consider skipping one or two of your short, conversation pace runs. These are not as critical to your race performance.
Q: My final long run for the half marathon is coming up in a couple of weeks and I just realized we will be out of town that weekend. What should I do?
A: Life often gets in the way of a runner’s training plan. Since your final run is probably 12 miles or so, you have a few options to consider. If you usually run on Sunday and you are leaving for the weekend on Saturday afternoon, try doing the long run early on Saturday morning. If your weekend plans are more involved, you can also consider doing the long run on Friday or Monday (before work if necessary). This time of year, it is light before 5:30 a.m. so you can probably get that long run in and still make it to work on time (or close to it). As a bonus, it is a lot cooler at 5:30 a.m. If none of those options works, but you have some lead time to plan, consider doing the long run the weekend before it is scheduled. That will probably cause you to have back-to-back weekends with long runs, but after that you will have a week longer taper period to recover. Remember your training plan is not cast in stone.
Q: We are starting some home improvement projects at home and had planned to start the week before my fall half marathon. I have a goal time in mind that I really want to hit. Any advice?
A: Yes – don’t do the home improvement projects! I would advise against taking on any new, physically demanding activity during the two (or even three) weeks leading up to your race, especially if it is a “goal race” where you want to hit a specific time. New, physically demanding activity would include starting a new workout modality (like a new group exercise class), taking up a new sport, starting weight training or doing strenuous home or work activities that you don’t already do regularly. If you already do something regularly (like weight training) you can keep doing it, but even your normal weight training should be stopped about a week before the race as part of your taper. (Two weeks before race day if you are running a marathon.)
Q: My fall goal race is coming up in a few weeks and I think I am getting sick. I have a scratchy throat, watery eyes, runny nose. I’m afraid this will ruin my race.
A: It is certainly possible to come down with a virus as your training peaks for fall racing. Hard training can negatively impact your immune system. If you have serious symptoms (i.e. fever, muscle aches, fatigue) definitely check with your doctor. If it’s just a scratchy throat, watery eyes, etc., you just may have fall seasonal allergies. It is ragweed season and this area is loaded with ragweed. Make sure you stay hydrated – mint tea with honey is one commonly used herbal remedy for allergies. Showering after you run (or go outdoors for other reasons) is very helpful to wash off the pollen. After you shower, stay indoors (in the air conditioning) to avoid exposure to pollen. Running in the evening will reduce your exposure to allergens as they tend to be higher in the morning and midday. Showering before bedtime is also helpful to reduce the pollen you breathe as you sleep. If your symptoms become very severe, work with your doctor if you feel you need medication to relieve the symptoms.
Community Spirit: 8 Benefits of Running with a Group
Community Spirit: 8 Benefits of Running with a Group
There’s no denying the benefits of a running community. They’re almost too numerous to count. Here are a few of my favorite reasons for lacing up with friends instead of hitting the road solo:
Laurie LasseterWhy Cross-Training is Crucial to your Training Plan
Why Cross-Training is Crucial to your Training Plan
As a runner, you probably devote most, if not all, of your training to running. Actually, that is not a bad idea. The principle of specificity as it applies to athletic training states that training should be relevant to and appropriate for your sport. However, there are some great reasons that you should add other training (cross-training) to your schedule of weekly activities.
Overall fitness: The five basic categories of fitness are aerobic capacity, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition. The good news is that running addresses three of these aspects: aerobic capacity, muscular endurance (primarily lower body) and body composition. However, in order to be fit in a complete and balanced way, you need to cross-train. In your cross-training, try to focus on activities that address the missing items in the fitness categories list. Resistance/strength training (muscular strength), yoga or Pilates (flexibility), and rowing (upper-body muscular endurance) are good choices to balance out your overall fitness program.
Injury prevention: Running is a very repetitive sport. As a result, it puts you at risk for overuse injuries of the hips, glutes, legs, knees, ankles and feet. The main causes of these injuries are muscle imbalances and overuse that come from having running as the only component of your training regimen. In order to combat injury, it is crucial to add strength training to your routine. Focus strength training on the core, hips (glutes), legs, ankles and feet. Try to include single leg exercises (such as lunges) to help create symmetry between the two sides of your body. If you want to add more cardio training to your routine, look for exercises that work different muscle groups and/or are low-impact such as swimming, rowing and cycling.
Preventing boredom: Even if you love running, if that is all you ever do, you may eventually get bored with it. Or, at the very least, it might become stale enough that you have trouble training at the intensity required to reach your goals. Cross-training adds variety, helps keep workouts interesting and increases your chances of long-term running success. Try things you like, maybe the elliptical machine where you can read or watch TV or a hiking program to help you enjoy the outdoors at a slower pace.
Weight loss/fitness: Running can be a great tool for weight control. However, your body will likely only tolerate so much running beyond which, you may start to experience injuries. Strength training (see above) will help you avoid injuries and may allow you to run a bit more, but it is likely you will reach a plateau with your weight-loss results. If you want to add more activity to keep your body challenged, cross-training is your best bet. Just be careful about falling into a trap where you think that more exercise equals more weight loss. Diet /food choices and portion control are the biggest keys to weight loss and body composition success.
Recovery: The body gets stronger after exercise when the muscles are given time to rebuild. Mixing up your routine will give different muscle groups time to repair and rebuild to allow your body to become stronger and more resilient.
As you can see, there are many reasons to add cross-training to your exercise program. What will you add in this week?
Laurie Lasseter