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| SR homepage |
February, 2009 |
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| In this Issue:
BEST OF BOSTON
AvoidingTreadmill.com
Coupon: free trial yoga class
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Vote Boston Running Center
for BEST OF BOSTON 09!!!
Help us get the word out by voting for us with this link:
Then just use the "Nominate a Best of" box on the right-hand side, halfway down the page.
Our category is "Services" and simply enter Boston Running Center, and what you've liked thus far! THANK YOU!!!
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 AvoidingTreadmills.com is here!
We now have a new civic duty each and every day we run. To share the conditions of the course we just ran on at avoidingtreadmills.com!
We've recieved many requests over the years for such a service and recently approached our web designer about the possibility. Like most runners, he was very excited about this idea and has now created this amazing website! The trick is it's success totally depends on all of us to keep up with our updates, and with adding our favorite running routes to the database.
The more we can keep each other informed the less we'll be slipping and sliding out there, and hopefully the less we'll be on the treadmill for now we'll know exactly where we can run without problems!
So let's get going Boston, spread the word and update your course!!! It's free and very quick and easy to use! |
"Dead Zone" training and Lactate Threshold workouts
Dead Zone training can be defined as simply running without a defined physiological purpose. This likely means running too fast, too slow, with too many variations in speed, rest, or incline, or with an incorrect amount of rest or incline. Every run should be designed to either stress or rest the body in a way that best stimulates supercompensation (i.e. the building of a greater capacity for greater stresses, e.g longer and faster running bouts). When a particular workout structure or habit fails to have a particular goal we have Dead Zone training, as commonly referred to in coaching circles.
A common mistake in this regard is running lactate threshold workouts that involve 200-1000 meter intervals with a short rest, 30-60 seconds. Though the pace for the intervals may be correct (LT is often equal to about the pace you could sustain in a 60 minute race) the distance is too short to efficiently stimulate the improved metabolism, mobilization, and buffering capacity of lactate and it's bi-products. Runners feel that this workout still provides its challenges due to the short rest. This may be true, but if the intent is to improve your threshold pace, a more efficient and effective workout can be employed. Consider the following...
Each and every time we start to run our body searches for the best combination of fuel sources and enzymes to provide for the task at hand, whether it's fatty acids, oxygen, glycogen, lactate, protein, fat, etc. This process can take up to 30-60 seconds to work itself out, and has to restart whenever there is a substantial change in a fuel source. With regards to the workout of question, this change of fuel source is the sudden rush of increased oxygen that comes immediately after stopping. So for the first 30-60 seconds of every interval our body is adjusting.
Suppose a 'Lactate Threshold' workout is 10 * 800 meters at LT pace with 30 seconds rest, and we'll assume it takes 60 seconds of running at LT pace until your metabolic/endocrine system has fully adjusted. With 60 seconds of every 800 meter interval being less than ideal, that's 10 minutes of the quality portion of the run that is, in essence, wasted. Assume LT pace for this workout is 6 min/mile, that's 33% of workout (6:00 pace equates to 30 minutes total running).
Now assume the workout is the same total distance but is instead 5 * 2000 meters at LT pace with 30-60 seconds rest. Now only 5 minutes of the workout is 'wasted' for the adjustment period, as 25 minutes is now utilized! This type of workout thus stimulates your lactacte threshold system 16% of the time more than the aforementioned workout. The choice is clear...
Joe McConkey
Boston Running Center - Head Coach | |
| Winter Acrobatics
I didn't care, I was so sick of running slow, or inside. I had to run fast, outside. I picked what I thought was a clear stretch along the river, there were plenty of runners on it so it couldn't be too bad. It was great! Finally, my normal stride, wind surging past me, the ground ... being the ground.
With no other time to run but at night, black ice is a constant threat. However, I was on this stretch yesterday and it WAS clear. Apparently, however, the temps snuck above freezing during the day, the snow banks melted a bit, and now those once flowing puddles had frozen. Like a figure skater, I propel forward on one leg with the other leg high, but unlike a figure skater my arms were flailing like a drunken tightrope walker. At this particular moment I was really moving so when my foot suddenly hit solid ground again I jerked forward so fast my legs couldn't catch up. Fortunately one of my waving arms was quite close to the ground at this point so onto a pretty decent looking cart-wheel I went.
I landed like a robber might when jumping over a wall, a low crouch, hands out wide, and looking around suspiciously. My suspicion was confirmed as I hear a subdued gasp, 'jesus', from a runner right in front of me.
Onward I went, without a scratch, but my lessoned learned - winter training is a pain!
Mandy Robbins
SR reader
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