Strategies for successful running in warm weather

This is the time of year that endurance athletes must make some changes in their routines to adapt to the rising mercury. Whether planned races or recreational runs have you set to put in your miles under the sun, keep a few concepts in mind to ensure a safe and successful experience.

Keep it covered - wearing highly breathable light colored clothing, including hats will keep direct sunlight off you while enhancing the conductive cooling effects of your sweat by transporting that perspiration out to the atmosphere where it can cool you.

Nutrition and Hydration – It’s assumed that you enter each training session and race in excellent nutritional standing. This means being fully hydrated with proper electrolyte balance. For further reading on this topic consult ‘Endurance Sports Nutrition’ from Human Kinetics.

Enhancing atmospheric cooling – One of the main methods of cooling the body is through the evaporation of moisture from the skin. To get a head start on this process begin by wetting your head and neck before a hot run and ‘refreshing’ yourself at each aid station to keep the cooling process going.

Practice Makes Perfect- After proper nutrition there is nothing as important as practicing for the conditions you will be encountering on race day. This can be done simply by selecting the part of the day that will have similar temperature and humidity to your event. For those traveling for races in climates significantly more warm and particularly humid you may have to get creative. Adding layers during runs is one way to challenge the body to accelerate it’s internal cooling mechanisms. For those who expect exceptionally humid conditions on race day and live in arid climates, visiting a sauna for some riding on an exercise bike has been done by elite athletes in preparation for goal races in hot humid climates with success.

Remember to use common sense when training and racing in the heat. If you ever experience the sensation of becoming chilled and covered with goose flesh while in summer conditions stop and seek medical attention. With respect for the heat and humidity and some specific training you can have success even in the warmest of conditions.

A few months ago the man who owned the track for almost a decade and in recent years has evolved into a dominant marathoner (and current world record holder), annouced that he will not be competing in the Bejing Olympic marathon.

At 35 years old, "Geb", has exercised-induced asthma.  He fears the conditions in China could damage his body and prevent him from competing in a elite level down the road in future competitions.  Over 42k the pollution could damage his lungs.

He plans to compete in the 10,000 meters, an event which he was 2 gold medals.  Just this past fall Geb ran a 2:04:26, the world record, yet he does not have a gold medal in that event.

A few weeks ago Geb ran a 26:51 for 2nd place and it looks like he will be in Olympics for the 10,000.  I will never be one to doubt  this man's running ability but as fast as he is in the 10k there are a hand full of guys that should beat him, like Kenenisa Bekele, Sileshi Sihini, etc.. (and he probably knows this).  Also, he will be passing up on another world record marathon chance in the fall if he runs the marathon.

My question is why the 10,000 over the marathon?  Yes, I know he said it's the pollution but if Geb is worried about the marathon and breathing then wouldn't the 10k be worse?  The rate of breathing is the problem and at the very high VO2 max intensity (95% of max) of the 10k will be worse.  The marathon will have higher total volume of breathing but 2 hours still is not long enough.  Think of it this way, if you are sick and coughing up green crap what is worse an easy long jog are a short hard burst, even just a mile fast? 

Geb has enough physiologists to know this, so what is his reason?

Monitoring your resting heart rate can be a valuable tool for evaluating your fitness and performance goals in running. The heart is a muscle that with training will be able to provide adequate blood to the body at rest with a lower number of beats per minute. Since the amount of blood the heart is moving will stay the same at a resting level, the fitter heart is able to snap out more blood on each beat after the effects of training have been absorbed by the body.

Monitoring your resting heart rate can be a valuable tool for evaluating your fitness and performance goals in running. The heart is a muscle that with training will be able to provide adequate blood to the body at rest with a lower number of beats per minute. Since the amount of blood the heart is moving will stay the same at a resting level, the fitter heart is able to snap out more blood on each beat after the effects of training have been absorbed by the body.

How to take resting heart rate: To take a resting heart rate count your pulse on your wrist or neck for 15 seconds and multiple by 4. Do this before rising at the same time each morning. If unfeasible to do before rising in the morning lie down at the same time each day and relax for 20 minutes. At the end of this rest period take the pulse rate on a 15 second count. Document this value in your training log each day.

Why is this useful: In addition to enjoying the reinforcement that your fitness is improving by observing a lower resting heart rate from your regular running the consistent record keeping of your resting heart rate is important for your training and your coach in 2 ways.

 

1. A resting heart rate 5 or more beats above normal is an early indication of overtraining, stress or impending illness. By catching the symptoms early you or your coach can modify training as needed to alleviate larger problems resulting in more time away from running.

    

2. Along with an accurate maximum heart rate, resting heart rate can be utilized to develop heart rate training zones specific for your current level of fitness. To use your resting heart rate to accurately hit a goal heart rate zone follow these steps

    

   1. Maximum heart rate – Resting heart rate = Heart rate reserve

       

   2. Heart rate reserve x Goal exercise intensity (%) =% of heart rate reserve

       

   3. % of heart rate reserve + resting heart rate= Goal heart rate for workout

      Employing heart rate training zones that utilize a known resting heart rate along with an accurate maximum heart rate will ensure you are training at the proper intensities for your current level of fitness. Training intensities that do not take into account your resting heart rate will be significantly less accurate.

If you do not know your maximum heart rate I recommend the following equation. HR max = 205.8 - (0.685 * age).

Although no equation will accurately predict your maximum heart rate, this equation was shown to have the lowest range of error (+/- 6.4 beats per minute) when evaluated against 43 other calculations for maximum heart rate. [i]

Using heart rate to monitor exercise intensity is most useful at the lower running intensities and should be used in conjunction with your corresponding training paces. My future articles will address ways to calculate maximum heart rate and use heart rate training zones most effectively.

Regularly monitoring resting heart rate is a simple and effective way to prevent overtraining. By ensuring enough recovery between workouts you will be less likely to become injured or chronically fatigued because of your training load and life stresses.

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[i] Robergs and Landwehr. The Surprising History of the “HRmax=220-age” Equation. Journal of Exercise Physiology online . 2002; 5:1-10

Bret is gearing up for the 25k National Championships in Michigain.  Go to page 3 to view some of Schoolmester's training and working and horse chores.....

http://www.boulderrunningcamps.com/page9/page9.html

How was your training going leading up to the race?

Training’s been great – I’ve been going to the track two days a week pretty regularly since January, although the workouts have just started to become more steeplechase-specific recently. I think it’s that consistency as much as anything that’s helped my fitness and confidence. I did go to Asia for a work trip at the beginning of this month, but fortunately it didn’t end up being too much of a disruption.

Do you find it difficult to travel and race, or is it something that gets you more excited to race?

Well, actually I hate flying to races. You end up with these long, boring days in hotels waiting around with nothing to do – it makes me nervous. I’d much rather wake up in my own bed and just have a completely normal day up until an hour before my event.

What was your race strategy before the gun went off?

I wanted to run under 10 minutes and get the A standard, so I planned to run an even pace of 80 seconds per lap. I wasn’t sure if I could do that, but it sounded like a logical strategy. Some people don’t like to lead a race, but I’m not as comfortable when someone else controls the pace, so I figured I would just run to the front.

Were there any points during the race where you were uncertain that you could hit the Olympic Trials qualifier time?

My pace wasn’t perfectly even during the race, so I sortof lost track of how close I was to the qualifying time. It wasn’t until 100m to go, when I could see the clock at the finish line, that I realized (with a little surprise) that I was actually going to run under 10 minutes. When I finished and the announcer called out my official time, my first thought was, I can’t believe that just happened.

So you obviously PR”ed, how much of an improvement was that for you?

My best time in college was 10:37.44 (I just looked it up). I broke my foot two years in a row so I actually didn’t end up running too many steeplechases in college. Needless to say I returned to the event with caution!

Who is your awesome Coach? Can you beat your coach in an all-out 200 meter dash?

I am coached by the very knowledgeable and very patient John Dimoff. He could likely beat me in a race at any distance, but I think the tides would turn if he let me add hurdles.

What’s next on the horizon for you?

Another steeplechase at Stanford University in a few weeks; the Nike Mile in late May; Olympic Trials in June; Wedding in July; return to normal life in August.

Anything else?

Yes – I owe a lot of my success to the great training partners I have here on campus. It’s been amazing to have people actually, willingly, join in on some of the track workouts I’d otherwise have to run all alone.

Like other aspects of our health, breathing is seldom considered...unless it is compromised. This is certainly the case while running.

 

Since breathing is the means we use to transfer oxygen to all of our body's systems, saying it's "important" is quite an understatement. Improving your breathing mechanics while running is a skill that should be valued by beginners and experienced runners alike. The concept of proper breathing while running is straightforward, but requires practice on a daily basis to become second nature. The best breathing technique during running is to breath from the diaphragm. Some call this yoga breathing or belly breathing . By breathing from the diaphragm, a runner will take deeper breaths, preventing the shallow breathing in the chest that can lead to side stitches.

 

In addition to preventing side stitches, breathing from the diaphragm is likely to improve performance through a variety of factors. The most obvious advantage to this breathing strategy is the greater volume of oxygen taken in with each respiration, in comparison to shallow chest breathing. Other benefits may include the postural advantages gained by breathing from the belly that will likely improve the stabilization of the spine by engaging its support muscles. To practice the proper breathing technique in running, begin with an exercise at home. Lie on your back and place a large book on your stomach, centered over your belly button. Attempt to raise and lower the book in a consistently gradual manner through fluid breathing. Try to push the book up with each inhale and gradually lower it on the exhale. During training runs, work on spending a portion of the run using this technique in the most natural manner possible. Tim Noakes, in his book “Lore of Running,” explains that this may take up to two months to perfect. Breathing is seldom considered a trainable factor in your running, but I challenge you to work on developing breathing from the diaphragm. In future articles, we will discuss other forms of respiratory training.

Every runner has faced those days when the legs are heavy and the mere act of putting one foot in front of another is more drudgery than invigoration. Incorporating daily post run therapies into your routine may provide a way to arrive at your next run with more spring in your step.

Contrast bathing is one such therapy that can be added to your training regimen. The concept of contrast bathing is straightforward; by submerging your legs in a bath of warm water followed by a bath of cold water, blood flow is improved in the legs. The increased circulation will speed up the rate at which metabolites produced during runs are removed from the muscles. Research has found subjects who have engaged in contrast bathing therapies after intense bouts of sub-maximal running have reduced lactate concentrations in the blood and an increased perception of recovery [1]

To make contrast bathing part of your post run ritual follow the guidelines set forth in the research study:

- Prepare 2 baths; one should consist of warm water (105-110 ° ) and the other of cold water (50 ° ). Make the baths large enough to submerge your legs up to your waist.

 

- Spend 2 minutes in your warm bath, followed immediately by 60 seconds in your cold bath. Repeat this for 10-15 minutes.

If you don’t have the facilities to prepare two baths that can accommodate your entire lower body, then use your shower instead. Begin with 2 minutes of warm shower focusing the head on your legs, followed by a chilling 60 seconds of cold water on the leg. Continue this for 10-15 minutes.

Have your contrast bathing routine follow your foam roller stretching routine for maximum benefit. If time and facilities permit contrast bathing may be done on a daily basis.

The day after your contrast bath routine should leave you feeling with a bit more bounce to your stride. You will also gain pleasure in knowing you have added another element of ‘threshold’ training with your repeated exposure to icy cold water, perhaps just the thing to get a leg up on your competition. 

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[1] Effect of recovery modality on 4-hour repeated treadmill running performance and changes in physiological variables.

V Coffey ¹ , et al. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport McArdle,W.A., et al(1991): Exercise Physiology-energy, nutrition and human performance. Lea & Febiger.

With so much focus aimed at how the legs move in running we often forget that the upper body moves in counterbalance to the lower body. This makes the angles and positions of the trunk and head important for efficient, injury free running.

 

From the waist up one should strive to have a slight forward lean. This should develop naturally to allow the momentum of the whole body to 'fall' forward. This can simply be obtained by repositioning the head to tuck the chin towards the chest and then let the shoulders fall forward like your trying to fall flat on you nose.

 

Go to the track (perhaps in the dark of night if you are self conscious) and stand with feet together, tuck the chin into the chest and let the shoulders fall forward. As you are about to tip forward pick up one leg and drive it forward initiating the first step of your run.

This simple exercise will demonstrate the role forward momentum plays in proper running form. It may also reveal that your upper body position is posteriorly positioned more than you had previously realized. This acts like a weight drawing you back as you try and run forward.

 

Back in Feburary I bought plane tickets back to Eastern Illinois University to open up the outdoor track season back in my old stomping grounds, with some old friends.

EIU's Track, Hosting State Meet 2007

For a mid-major DI school EIU actually has a sweet track.  One of the benefits of being a mid-major is we get to share the track and football stadium together, so we have huge stands surround 1/2 the track (one problem with tons of stands is a 100 fans doesn't go very far). 

Then, as everyone can relate, the memories that come with racing on the old track you trained on back in the day.  My memories are limited to giving or taking splits as I was always injured, and I found myself back in the same place again.  I'm so good with a watch by now that I rival FAT systems.  Though, that's not something to brag about, I'd like to say I won a ton of races on that track.

I shouldn't sound negative though, because that's not the point of this post.  I was blessed enought to be around most of my close friends that don't care if I ran a 2:05 marathon or a 4:05 marathon.  Well, that's not true, I guess they would want me to run a 2:05 but good company is much more important.  So, there I was watching some of my post collegiate friends, race the young undergrads, both out there competing for the joy and challenge that come with toeing the line and hurting.  Motivation isn't lacking and being back at EIU fired me up more.  I think being out in Oregon in an Olympic year, working at Nike around stud athletes, has caused me to lose perspective.  Too much pressure can actually be hinderance.  Distance running is such an individual sport, it is so hard not to get caught up in what other athletes are doing and try to match everyone else in the hardest training methods. 

I was talking with a older runner today about how back just 8 years ago you wouldn't know what the results of race were unless you saw another runner the next week at different race, or checked the paper.  My freshman year in college we had no idea what other teams did for training, now we can watch Ryan Hall's entire tempo run with splits and we get real time results on the Internet.  This connection is a good thing for American distance running.  Every level of running from high school, NCAA to Pro's has improved, but when I am struggling this connection is like heavy fridge on my back.  For example, I just got done with my second track workout yesterday and I was so frustrated with my times that I lost perspective.  Just 5 weeks ago I couldn't run 5 minute pace for any type of repeat, and I just did 4:30 pace.  Not world beater, RunnerSpace won't be knocking on my door anytime soon to tape my workouts (and if they did, no one would watch!), but for my little individual world it's a positive.  Sometimes that's all we have, or need to keep going.

 

Hanging in a Pack Early in 08' Trials

Goal Setting: Setting your sights on personal bests

Well-crafted goals offer you a roadmap for the months of training you will undertake—hour after hour—before your big event. These goals will enable you to achieve your highest level of performance on race day by ensuring that your training is focused and appropriate—your mind has honed in on exactly what you want to achieve in your goal race, and you know how to act out your performance to achieve this goal.

Goal setting, like any of the training you regularly do, has a process. To create goals that guide you towards your athletic dreams, make them S.M.A.R.T.:

Specific: Identify a specific action or event that will take place.

Measurable: The goal and its outcome should be measurable.

Achievable: The goal should be attainable given the time you have and your current fitness and experience.

Realistic: A well-founded goal is one that will require you to improve from where you are beginning, but also allow a strong likelihood of success.

Timely: The goal should include the date or time period by which it will be achieved.

Goal setting is a dynamic process. It is appropriate to set several goals in one session. Come up with 5 items that you would like to work on that relate to your main goal. Make sure to state your goals as a declaration of your intent and not a wimpy wish for an ideal outcome. “I will run 2:43:30 at the Chicago marathon in October of 2008” is a stronger statement of intent than, “I want to be a faster marathoner.”

Develop short-term and long-term goals. I have my athletes set short-term goals that will take them through the next 12 weeks , intermediate goals for the next 9-12 months, and then long-term goals for the next 24 months. This three-tier goal setting process encourages athletes to prioritize events they would like to participate in and determine what their goals are for those events over the short and intermediate time periods (1-12 months). Most importantly, the long-term goals set a course for us to follow in developing our strengths into even greater assets, improving on weaknesses, and encouraging continued education in our sport. These details make up the 1% difference between achieving great results and results that are merely good. These long-term goals tend to be more qualitative and may include a wider variety of ambitions like getting educated on nutrition, studying the lifestyles and training of great runners, or even something tangentially related, like learning a foreign language to use when traveling for a race.

Goal setting is best done with your coach or someone close to you who will be supportive AND objective about your endeavors. Sharing your intentions with others who are supportive of your training and racing will cement the bonds your share with them and promote your success in achieving these goals.

Make sure to write down your goals and put them in a place where you can see them. Many athletes will put their short-term declarations in a place where they will see them on a daily basis, like their mirror in the bathroom. From time to time revisit your goals and be comfortable reviewing and revising your list. Goals are not set in stone, and you are not a failure if you modify them. As with anything else, practice makes perfect, and your goal setting will improve the more you work with it.

For a complimentary worksheet to use in your goal setting visit Complete Running Programs at http://www.completerunningprograms.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Goal+Setting.

As always you can visit Sean's site at: http://seancoster.org/runningportland/