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In this Issue
Marathons with hills are easier!?
Nutrition during your workout.
Weight Training for Runners part II
Running with a Positive Mental Attitude
Chain Reaction
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Hilly marathons are easier than level marathons!?
Though many changes occur in the working muscles when running, e.g. increased blood flow, increased metabolic enzymes, and dilation of capillaries, to name a few, one thing that does not occur is the mobilization of glycogen stores in the non-working muscles to that of the working muscles. Once in the muscle cells the glycogen can not be released back into circulation, unlike glycogen in the liver which mobilizes the glyogen into the bloodstream of which is then diverted to the areas in most need.
It is suggested this fact partially explains why some runners prefer gradual changes in incline during marathons*. With the slight change in incline different muscles, and portions of muscles, are called into use, thus temporarily sparing the glycogen stores in the muscles used in regular, or flat running.
In order for energy to actually be reserved with the addition of small and sporadic hills on a race course, however, the athlete should already be adequately trained in hill running. By previously training on hills the adaptations are made such that the increased oxygen demand needed for the hill is of minimal change. This fitness level occurs due to the increased skeletal strength, postural endurance, muscle power, circulation, and efficienceny in muscle firing that occurs in response to the hill training.
The metabolic fact mentioned here, in conjunction with training variables (hill running, cross-training, prior sport activity, etc) partially explain the discrepency between those who excel on rolling hill courses versus flat courses. A third factor, genetics, is another key element here, however, since very few marathon courses are truely flat, and with the benefits of appropriate hill running towards level running being so numerous, all programs should include hill training in a capacity appropriate to the individual and his/her circumstances and goals.
Boston Running Center - Head Coach
* Martin and Coe: Better Training for Distance Runners, 1997, pg 66-68. |
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Why nutrition is important DURING your work out & the tools to do it right (part 3 of a 4 part series)
Last month's nutrition article addressed nutrition before the workout. This piece will focus on nutrition for activity lasting more than one hour - when glycogen, fluid and electrolytes need repletion. Fine tuning nutrition during your training runs will allow you to reach peak performance on race day and continue to improve on your natural abilities.
Runner's Nutrition Toolkit:
Fluid:
Sweat evaporation is the primary avenue for heat loss in the body. Blood carries heat away from the exercising muscle to the skin where sweat evaporates on the skins surface. Dehydration increases muscle strain and the athlete's perceived effort to perform the same task. For any water deficit, there are alterations in physiologic function and consequences on performance. Therefore, drinking should be routine during any-high intensity exercise.
What we loose: fluid, salt, chloride, potassium and magnesium
Goals: Prevent <2% reduction in body weight
What to do out on the roads:
-4-8 ounces every 10-20 minutes (more fluid, more often for larger size and higher temperature)
- 13-26 oz per hour (if you are relying on a 28 oz fuel belt or squeeze bottle, you should be looking to refill at the local coffee shop one hour into your long run) This is the range your stomach can likely handle, without inducing sloshing of contents or possible nausea.
Hydration assessment: You can weigh yourself before and after exercise to get an idea of your individual fluid losses per hour which can range from 0.4 liters to 1 liter per hour (translates to about 0.9 pounds to 2.2 pounds on the scale) dependent on temperature, intensity of exercise and your size.
Sodium:
Sodium regulates fluid balance in the body and stimulates thirsts. Drinking a sports beverage or gu/gel/bar should do the trick. Sodium tablets should be reserved for those competing in ultra endurance events.
Carbohydrate loss and replacement during the run:
Proven to sustain high intensity exercise over one hour. If carbohydrate sources run low (from glycogen stores in the liver and muscle) the body will begin to rely on protein (AKA - you working muscles!) as a last resort for energy. The recommendation is 30-60 grams per hour. . . full article
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| WEIGHT TRAINING FOR RUNNERS part II
As last month's article focused on proper guidelines for upper body training we will now shift our attention to the lower body. In most cases the running drills, limited plyometrics, and variety of running workouts (intervals, hills, tempo runs, etc.) that a runner takes part in each week should provide the majority of the strength gains needed for optimal performance. These activities stimulate adaptation in the environment most closely related to the actual race and for this reason alone should be given the utmost attention and energy. By trying to build leg strength through more traditional lifting programs, on plate machines or free weights, not only can the running program be compromised (due to the time needed to recover from such workouts) but the gains that are achieved in this manner can be counter-productive to the endurance runner.
Let's look at the guidelines of two contrasting programs for the lower body.
#1 traditional lower body workout
- 2-3 sets of closed and open-chained exercises as well as a combination of multi-joint and isolation exercises (squats, lunges, leg extensions, curls, etc)
- 12-15 repetitions for each exercise
- concentric contractions to near full-exertion per set
The benefit of such a simple program is primarily stronger skeletal muscles that can now better support the weight bearing joints during running (ankles, knees, hips, and lower back).
"Sounds good! When do we start!", you might be saying. The answer depends on the individual. A less fit person, who also participated in only a limited fashion in weight-bearing activies during his/her growing years, will need this basic strengthening to help prepare and protect the skeletal-muscular system for the chronic impact forces of running. The more fit runner, who has endured and adapted to years of running (and some cases even continual participation in soccer, tennis, and basketball), has the muscle and bone strength to endure several bouts of challenging running workouts each week. In this case the primary benefit of workout #1 may already have been achieved and now has less importance.
The negative of such a workout, if the frequency and intensity is too high, is a strength gain attained through purely anaerobic gains - the firing and development of primarily fast-twitch muscle fibers. With their development the progress of the slow-twitch fibers (the more important ones for endurance runners) is inhibited. This is due primarily to the ability of the oxidative fast-twitch fibers to act as either fast or slow twitch fibers, depending on the training endured. Again, since the use of fast twitch fibers reduces with longer race distances (from 20% during a 5k to less than 1% for a marathon) the 'training endured' should emphasize and give priority to endurance training (slow twitch development).
#2 lower body workout for the fit runner
- body weight exercises to promote balance and coordination (squats, single leg jumps, single leg standing, etc)
- inclusion of eccentric (the primary contractions used in running) and isometric environments (to maintain strength and stability)
- a variety of stretching and self-massage exercises (i.e. use of a foam roller)
- alll intensities of weight bearing exercises are altered to the priority of the running program.
In this case the lower body workout is used not only to achieve the benefit of workout #1 but to also help the body recover and prepare for the coming running workouts. The combination of strength exercises, stretching, and massage increase range of motion, help clear out cellular bi-products of previous hard runs, increase circulation, mobilize healing agents for damage tissues (perhaps occuring as a result of an intense interval session), and improve neuromuscular coordination. All of this without compromising the run for the following day.
Again each individual will require his/her own program and this may likely include a combination of the programs described here. In general, the lower body workout should adhere to the Law of Specificity as much as possible - strengthen your legs through motions and environments similar to running, as well as running itself.
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RUNNING WITH A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE
Anytime we speak to ourselves, we are utilizing the skill of self-talk. What we think and say to ourselves can affect the way we feel and have a direct impact (positively or negatively) on our performance. The more positive thoughts we have going into a training run or race, the better our chances of having an enjoyable and positive experience. Runners typically engage in the following types of self-talk:
1.POSITIVE/INSTRUCTIONAL:
words or phrases that offer encouragement, increase effort/energy and a positive attitude (I can do this, I love these challenges, keep it going, etc) and focus on the technical or task-related aspects of running (keep the knees up, pump the arms, take it slow on the downhill, keep the hands relaxed, etc).
2.NEGATIVE: critical, counter-productive, anxiety-producing, and self-demeaning statements that prevent us from reaching our potential (I hate hills, I can't do this, etc).
Once you can monitor the content of your self-talk and maintain a combination of positive/instructional thoughts, you will find this skill to be effective when out for a run and you need to Control Attention - using words like 'focus', 'present', 'right now' help you deal more effectively with distractions and keeps you "in the moment"; Control Effort - when you feel your energy is low or you have too much adrenaline going, use words like 'easy now', 'push it', or 'pick up the pace'; and Build Self-Confidence - you are only able to do what you think you can do so avoid common negative perfectionism 'I always fail at --' because you never 'always do something'. Keep your thoughts and inner dialogue on what you want to do, not what you don't want to do!
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Last week I was doing the "loop" on the Charles as usual. Nothing new, same old beautiful Charles, the skyline view, and, with it being 6:15 p.m. on a weekday night, a parade of other fitness enthusiasts bouncing along. I'm enjoying the cooler temperatures and soaking the whole scene up as I gaze over the water. Then it starts, a chain reaction out of a sitcom. First, I watch a couple on a sailboat struggle with a gust of wind and roll-over. They were rather close-by so I got a good view and was certainly entertained as they flew into the water (they were ok, even laughing). As I was fully absorbed in this, while running, I failed to notice the upcoming bulge in the sidewalk, down I go. The biker behind me swerves to avoid me, runners coming the opposite direction swerve to avoid the biker and proceed to jump over and in to a small picnic a small group of friends were having, and while still on the ground I hear screeching breaks on Storrow (fortunately no accident). Not sure what or if there is a lesson from this, perhaps we just need to watch where we're going . . . or find other places to workout!
-anon.
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