3 Ways to Benefit from a Cancelled Spring or Summer Race

Lower volume and race-specific training and increase speed

If your goal race was 4-6 weeks out when it was canceled, you were probably doing a lot of race-specific training and high mileage. For example, if you were training for the Boston Marathon, you probably had a lot of runs at or near marathon pace and several 18-20 mile runs.   Now you can benefit from that training and increase your speed.  First, gradually lower overall weekly mileage, cut back the long run and start introducing some faster running.  Depending on your experience, start by adding some minutes or miles at threshold (close to 10K pace) with short rest between hard bouts of running.  You can also add some strides (4-6 gradual pickups of 15-30 seconds at an effort somewhere between your mile and 5k race pace) to an easy run.  Improve your running form and build leg strength by adding in some hill sprints (start by running  10-20 seconds fast up a moderate hill a few times).  Make sure to take a couple of easy days between harder run days to fully recover.    

Work on your weak areas

Use this time you are not running high milage to work on your weaknesses.  In the build-up to an important race, we often skip ancillary work like running drills, foam rolling, and functional strength exercises.  Skipping drills like the A skip and B skip increase mobility and foam rolling helps release tight muscles and speeds recovery.  Bodyweight exercises are great for helping you remain injury-free.  Get out your bands and try monster walks, bird-dog, and glute bridge.  Use a band above your knees for an added challenge.   Side plank and front plank have lots of variations.  Google these exercises and you will find new ways to challenge yourself.  Walking lunges (forward and backward) are excellent functional movements.  A description of how to perform these exercises correctly can be found in my recent blog @ coach-karen.com. 

Map out some goal races this fall and winter 

It’s a great time to think about your next race or challenge.  Consider running a virtual race in the near-term that is close to your original race distance or run your own race by mapping out a course.   If you have a solid running base and some experience racing, consider this field test to assess your 5K fitness:

Warmup at least 2 miles with an easy jog and include dynamic exercises such as leg swings, high knees, butt kicks, sky reaches, and heel walks.  Then run 4 x 1 mile (four one-mile repeats) with 1:30 minutes rest between. Cooldown well.  Average the miles and that is an estimate of your 5K race pace. 

You can plug the result of your 5k into an online running calculator to determine your training paces.  Be sure to test every 6-8 weeks as your fitness increases.


 








Ten Tips to a Faster Marathon Time

  1. Include Two Long Runs in Your Weekly Schedule

    Long runs are any run longer than 2 hours or 16 miles, whichever comes first. They build endurance and grit, both of which are necessary to run a faster marathon.  Add some quality running in the middle of one of these longer efforts if you want to practice running harder on tired legs.  

  2. Consider Losing or Reducing True “Speed Work” 

     The bread and butter of marathon training are the long runs and running miles at planned marathon pace. Speedwork in marathon training involves a cost-benefit analysis. If you run too fast in training, there is a low positive effect on your marathon training compared to the likelihood of injury. Be judicious when adding it. Instead of speed work,  add strides to your easy runs. Strides are short bouts of running at 1 mile to 3k race pace and help with running economy and form.

  3. Increase Your Mileage (Gradually)

    Elite athletes run lots of miles because racing performance improves with increased mileage. To avoid injury, make sure your build-up is gradual.  Pay close attention to how you feel and take extra recovery days if you need to. Increasing your mileage is one way to increase aerobic capacity, but not everyone can handle a bigger training load without succumbing to injury, burnout, etc.

  4. Be Specific in Your Training.

    Limit the number of quality run workouts you do each week. Be careful how you incorporate harder workouts into your training plan.  As a general rule of thumb, most athletes can tackle 2-3 quality workouts every 7-10 days depending on their age, injury history and susceptibility, and running background.  Space the hard runs 2-3 days apart to allow yourself adequate recovery between hard bouts of training.

  5. Make Easy Runs Easy and Hard Runs Hard.

    When I write “easy run” into a training plan, you would be amazed at how many times an athlete runs this workout only about 30-45 seconds slower than their race pace.  I call this “training in no man’s land.” If you fall into this no man’s land of running your easy runs a little too hard, you will utilize too much energy and prolong recovery. You will be too tired to hit your pace on the next hard workout, or you will have to work too hard, resulting in fatigue for your subsequent workout. Make sure your easy runs are an easy effort, so hard sessions goals can be met.

  6. Limit Races That are Longer Than a 15K.

    Racing longer distances takes away valuable training time, even if your taper is short.  You still have to recover from the hard effort, and there is always a risk of injury. Be careful when populating your schedule with races during your marathon buildup. This is especially true of those longer than a 15k unless you plan on running them as training races in lieu of a workout.    

  7. Pick a Race That Allows You to Train on Terrain Similar to What You Will See on Race Day.

    Although it’s important to mix up the on surfaces you run on, you should spend the bulk of your training runs on the surface and terrain you will be racing on.  For example, if you train on flat surfaces in mild weather, it might be inadvisable to choose a hilly race in a humid climate. 

  8. Avoid Destination Races for Your Qualifying Marathon.

    It’s fun to fly cross country and race a marathon, but there is a lot of money (and time) invested if, say, the weather is unfavorable or you get sick a week before. I encourage my athletes to target a few marathons that are drivable, and as race day approaches, we watch the weather and make the decision to race about 2 weeks out.     

  9. Invest Some Time in Strength Training and Cross Training.

    Everyone’s running can benefit from a strong core, but masters athletes should be keenly aware that the risk of injury goes up as they age. If you aren't sure what strength moves to add, hire a personal trainer with a background in running or follow me on Instagram @coachkaren30a for some options.  Include movements like the single-leg deadlift to increase your range of motion and improve ankle strength. Also, invest some time cross-training to build endurance while limiting the risk of injury. Cycling, swimming, and hiking are all great ways to increase your endurance without much, if any, impact. I have found that adding a solid 3-month block of bike and swim training to my athlete’s training plan leading into a marathon buildup produces strong marathon results.

  10. Prioritize Recovery Time.

    Fitness gains occur during the recovery phase. Your muscles need time to grow back stronger; help them by investing in massage, ancillary work, and baths with Epsom salts. Training adaptations occur during rest or active recovery. It takes about two weeks for the body to realize fitness gains, which is why marathon taper plans typically start 14-21 days out from your last hard effort.   Value your rest days and easy recovery workouts.  






No Gym? No Problem!

Here are a few of the best bodyweight exercises you can do to strengthen your stride, prevent common running injuries, and maintain better posture.  

Here’s how to use the list:  

  1. Try incorporating the exercises below after an easy run when you are already warm at least two times a week.  

  2. Do 8 to 12 reps of each exercise for one to three sets. Once you can easily finish 12 reps, consider adding lightweights. 

  3. If new to strength training, proceed gradually and consider watching yourself in a mirror.

 Mountain Climber

 Why Do it?  Mountain climbers are a full-body exercise building strength in your legs, core, and arms.

 How to do it?  Begin in a high plank, keeping your core engaged and body straight from shoulders to hips to heels.  Pull one knee toward chest, then quickly step it back to plank position. Repeat on the other side. 

Walking Lunges

 Why Do it?  Walking lunges are a dynamic movement that actively stretches the hip flexors while strengthing the core and lower leg muscles.

 How to do it?  Stand with feet hip-width apart. Step forward with right foot, bending both knees to 90 degrees. Drive through right heel to stand, while stepping left foot forward and dropping into a lunge on the left side. Repeat by stepping backward.

Squat

Why Do it?  The squat strengthens quadriceps, hamstrings, and the glutes. 

How to do it?  Stand with feet a little more than hip-width apart, toes pointed slightly out.  Push your hips back keeping your weight on your heels as if sitting in a chair. Keep your back straight as you lift through your heels to stand.

Bridge

Why Do it?  The bridge isolates and strengthens your gluteus muscles and hamstrings and enhances core stability.

 How to do it?  Lie on your back with bent knees and lift your hips up keeping a straight line from shoulders to knees with feet at a 90-degree angle directly below hips.  Squeeze glutes and hold briefly before lowering hips. For a more advanced more, extend one leg out. Drive through the heel and lift and lower the extended leg. Switch sides.

Monster walks

Why do it? Monster walks strengthen the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus, and helps to stabilize your knees and hips.

How to do it?  Stand with knees slightly bent with a band around mid-calf or above the knees and walk side to side while keeping constant tension on the band.  

Step-ups

Why do it?   Step-ups help strengthen legs for improved hill running and they are great for hip stability.

How to do it?  Stand facing a box, bench, or step.   Place your right foot on top of the box, so that your hip, knee, and ankle all form 90-degree angles.  Press your right foot into the box and push your body up until your right leg is straight. Bring your left foot onto the bench at the top or for a more advanced move try to hold it in the air.  Step back down to the floor then switch sides.

Single-Leg deadlift

Why do it?   The single-leg deadlift strengthens your posterior chain, develops balance, and improves mobility.

How to do it?  Stand on one leg with a slight bend in the knee. While maintaining a flat back with squared hips and shoulders, inhale a breath and begin to slowly hinge at the hips extending the opposite leg behind you until fully extended.  The extended leg, hips, shoulders, and head should be in a straight line. Pause at the top of each repetition. Slowly return to a standing position by pressing hard into the ground. Perform the desired number of reps then switch sides.

Swimmers

Why do it?   This exercise strengthens your lower back and core muscles. 

How to do it?  Lie on your stomach with arms and legs extended.   Squeeze glutes, lift arms and legs and while elevated, quickly move your arms and legs up and down.  Continue alternating legs and arms for as long as you can while maintaining good form.

Bird Dog

Why do it?   The bird dog improves stability and strengthens the core and lower back.  

How to do it?  With your hands and knees on the ground, raise your opposite arm and leg, keeping knees under hips and shoulders under wrists.   Focus on keeping your back flat, and hips and shoulders square. Draw right elbow and left knee toward each other, hovering just above the floor. Repeat for the desired number of reps then switch sides.

Leg Lift

Why do it?   The leg raise targets the iliopsoas and also strengthen the rectus abdominis muscle and the internal and external obliques.

How to do it?  Lie faceup, legs straight, hands under low back for support. Keeping low back flat against the mat, lift legs up toward the ceiling, keeping knees as straight as possible.  Slowly lower legs back down toward the floor. Continue to press low back into the mat. When legs hover just an inch off the floor, lift back up and repeat.

4 Things Every Runner & Marathoner Should Know 

o   Stay Consistent

Many of us miss a workout or two due to illness or travel or just life.  Consistency is the number one ingredient to success.  Take it one day at a time and try to get something in most days.  Even if you have move runs around, running in the evening or doing a double workout and taking the next day as rest, that is better than missing a runIt’s all about just getting most of the runs in most of the time.  If you don’t have much time, or desire to run, try to go out for just 30 minutes.  Thirty minutes of running allows many physiological and psychological adaptations to occur, and running twice as long is not necessarily twice the benefit.

 

o    Run hills to improve running economy and build sports specific strength

If you have a history of injury, try running uphill fast to get the same training adaptation as reps on the track at 5k race pace or just faster.  You simply can’t run uphill as fast as you can on the flat terrain, so you have less chance of getting injured.  Uphill running also builds sport specific strength and works on proper running form, but watch running downhill.  There is a lot of force, many times your body weight, when you run downhill as each step triggers muscle-damaging eccentric contractions in the quadriceps and lower legs.   Consider walking downhill or pick gentle surfaces like grass to run on when you do your hill work.    

 

o    Limit the duration of the “long run” 

Runners come in all shapes, sizes and ability.  A faster runner can run 20 miles or longer in 2:30, a slower runner may only log 14 miles.  Coaching legend Jack Daniels draws the line at 2:30 hours for any one bout of running.  I attended a conference with Jack and he told a story of how he once asked a fellow running coach what was so magical about the number 20 (miles).  The coach said, it has a “2” in it to which Coach Jack replied, “so does 12”.

Diminishing returns and the risk of injury creep up on runs lasting longer than 2:30 hours.  If you have a slower runner, try back-to-backs to get a similar benefit as one long run.  Run 10 miles in the evening and the next morning, run another 10 miles.  You will not be recovered from the previous evening’s run so you will be challenging your body to run “tired” with less risk of injury.

 

 

o   Stay in the moment and Focus on the Task at Hand

Coach Jack Daniels told another story at our conference of an elite runner he once coached who was racing on the track and after a short time he was lagging behind the lead pack and, as he went by his coach, he asked if he could quit.  Jack told him, he could quit when he caught the leaders.  Now that the athletes had a task at hand and by accomplishing it, he could reach his goal of stopping, he raced hard to catch the lead pack.  By the time he caught up, he had less than 1/4 mile left, so he figured he might as well stay in the race and he went on to win.  Try to set several mini goals throughout an event, so that you don’t become overwhelmed.  In a marathon, I like to focus on getting to the next aid station instead of the entire race.  I also like to count down the miles.  When I get into the single digits, I know I am closing in on the race. 

 

Happy Running and good luck!

It's time to start thinking about your fall race schedule  

Prepare For Race Day

Have a plan or hire someone who will build one for you.  Periodizing your training will be something your coach will do for you. A good coach will make sure there is a gradual buildup in milage followed by an adaptation week or recovery week. They will include training blocks with the appropriate training goals based on where you are in the build up to your event. As the race gets closer, your running will be very specific to your race. For example, in the marathon, a workout 6 weeks out from race day might include 12 miles @ planned marathon pace, or maybe it is broken up with 6 miles at marathon pace followed by a short jogging rest, then 6 more miles @ MP before a cool down.

Include Some Quality Runs

If you always run a 9 minute mile then it may be hard to run a race at a 7 minute mile. So, segments of faster running must to be sprinkled into your training plan. How much and what kind depends on your age, injury history, running history and the event for which you are training. That said, I think roughly 80% of your running should be easy. Adding hill work builds leg strength and helps you with your running form. The other benefit of hill work is that it is hard to run so fast uphill that you cause injury - you are more likely to run too fast on a flat surface like a track. So masters runners, or those that are injury prone, may be smart in moving their speed work to the hills as the outcome will be improved power, speed and running form.

Don’t Overdo It

Your coach or training program should include purposeful workouts. There should be a training effect desired on every workout. A “recovery” run is designed to set you up for the next “hard” bout of training. Easy runs strengthen muscles and build a greater aerobic base. Marathon pace runs help you practice you marathon pace and tempo runs help your body clear blood lactate and also help race pace feel easier. Short bouts of very fast running help improve running economy, which is the amount of oxygen you require. Easy run days need to be kept “really” easy so that the hard days can be hard.

Don’t Neglect Strength Work

Be sure to incorporate sufficient core work into your training regime. It will help you maintain good running form and prevent injury over the long term. Start with things like plank, side plank, basic lunges and exercises that strength your hips and glutes like clams, side leg raises, single leg bridge and body weight squats. All of these exercises can be found on Runners World’s website. Be sure to go over proper form with a certified personal trainer or running coach before entering any strength training program. 

Trust Your Training and Stay Relaxed

Once you are at the starting line, the race is “in the bag”. By now, you should have talked to your coach about your race plan and practiced it in the weeks leading up to the event. Remember, the race is simply another training day; but now you are rested and have support on the course from spectators, friends, family and volunteers. Remind yourself the hard work is done. Now, all you have to do is put one foot in front of the other. 

Review the course map. Having a solid plan is great, but you also should know where all the aid stations are, where the climbs are (if any) and what sort of nutrition is offered on the course. All these things should be sorted out well before race day so that you can adapt your training to the specific demands of the course. You also may choose to use the same gels and drink mix that will be provided at the aid stations. A dress rehearsal gives you confidence that you can tackle whatever comes your way on race day!

Don’t Let The Heat Get You Down!

Summertime is here and all of us are struggling out there, even the fastest runners are slowing down, here’s why:

For every 10-degree increase in air temperature above 55 degrees, there’s a 1.5 percent to 3 percent increase in average finishing time for a marathon.  We are slowing down because heat impacts runners at a physiological level through increased dehydration and heart rate and reduced blood flow (and subsequently oxygen) to the working muscles used for running.

Some ways to minimize the negative effects that summer heat has on your run performance are:

1)  Continue to train in hot conditions because this will result in higher blood plasma volume, increased sweat rate, decreased salt in sweat, reduced heart rate at a given pace and temperature, and a quicker onset of sweating.  All of these adaptations will make it easier to run well in the heat, and adaptations will take place after only a week or two of heat exposure.  

2)  Adjust your expectations on particularly hot days.  Modify your workout to reflect the way you are feeling using perceived effort as a guide.  This will mean moving away from a time goal to the equivalent effort.  This is an important lesson for any athlete and one that can be used when conditions are adverse – not just for running in hot weather but also on very hilly terrain or windy days.

3)  Take measures to lesson the effect heat has in your preparation for a race in warm weather by consuming more electrolytes in the days leading up to and during the race.  Be careful not warm up too long especially before shorter events, and stay as cool as you can prior to the race with cooling towels for your neck or sipping on an icy drink.

Before you head out on your next run, check the dew point,  The dew point indicates the amount moisture in the air. The higher the dew point, the higher the moisture content of the air at a given temperature. Therefore, the dew point is more significant to runners than temperature and humidity as it provides a strong indicator of how they will feel while running.  

DEW POINT (°F)

RUNNER’S PERCEPTION

HOW TO HANDLE

50–54

Very comfortable

PR conditions

55–59

Comfortable

Hard efforts likely not affected

60–64

Uncomfortable for some people

Expect race times to be slower than in optimal conditions

65–69

Uncomfortable for most people

Easy training runs might feel OK but difficult to race well or do hard efforts

70–74

Very humid and uncomfortable

Expect pace to suffer greatly

75 or greater

Extremely oppressive

Skip it or dramatically alter goal

{Chart Source: www.runnersworld.com}

The Marathon – Tips to help you taper that last week and pitfalls to avoid

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As I and one of my athletes prepare to run the Boston Marathon in less than two weeks, we are thinking about all those good things we should be doing during the next, crucial 7-10 days.  As an athlete and a coach, I have experienced almost every mistake in tapering for the marathon and so now know what NOT to do.  We all have heard that good marathon-training should include a taper during those final 21 days.  Some of us still feel that they will lose crucial fitness during that time period but it’s the rest that helps your body recover from those hard training weeks you put in during get build up!  Studies have shown that your aerobic capacity doesn’t change during the taper period  As a matter of fact, a review of 50 studies on tapering published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise shows that levels of muscle glycogen, enzymes, antioxidants, and hormones which were all depleted by high mileage  return to optimal ranges during a taper.  Muscle damage that occurs during sustained training is also repaired and immune function and muscle strength improve which reduces the odds you’ll catch a cold or get injured.

Below are 15 tips that we are following on our journey up to Boston and I hope they help some of you before your big day:

  1. Be lazy the 2 weeks leading up to the race – when you can sit, don’t stand, when you can lay down, don’t sit!
  2. Absolutely do not add any extra miles ~ follow your coaches schedule or if you are self coached, stick to your program even though you feel sluggish. Do not “slip in” extra workouts.  Also, eliminate or greatly reduce any strength work that you maintained during your marathon build up.
  3. Continue fueling and hydrating well right up to race day.  Eat extra carbs in the 3-4 days prior to race day to get more reserves stored for use on the big day.
  4. Review the course map – I wrote an article for Runners World on this very subject.  Check out where the water stops are so you can plan where to take your nutrition in case you don’t run with a fuel belt.  Scout out where the hills are so you can remember to run by effort, not pace and you know when the downhill is coming!  A few years ago, I studied the Boston Marathon course so well that I knew at what mile the hills were, and how long they were so I know when I would get relief!
  5. Check the weather and bring extra clothes including clothes that you can discard at the starting line. Staying warm and comfortable is very important – you don’t want to lose precious energy by shivering!  Also, consider a large plastic trash bag that you can wear to protect yourself from rain or wind.
  6. Do not eat or wear anything new!  This is not the time to try out new racing flats!
  7. Remember to “chill out” on the first half of the marathon.  You cannot bank time in the marathon.  Everyone feels great when they are tapered and rested in the first 10 miles.  Treat the marathon like 2 ten mile races followed by a 10K.  Run the first 10 miles @ or slightly below goal pace.  Then assess how you are feeling at the 10 mile mark and again at the 10k mark.  With about 6 miles left to go, you can tighten the screws a little bit if you have anything left in the tank.
  8. If conditions are hot, freezing, or blustery adjust your race plan.   Less-than-ideal conditions mean you have to adjust your time goals. Headwinds can slow your finish time by several minutes, and heat or cold by even more. A survey of marathon finish times suggests that 55 degrees is the ideal temperature, a temperature of 35 or 75 degrees adds 7 percent to your time, and an 85-degree day adds 10 percent.
  9. If you can, try to run the last 2-3 miles of the course the day before the race.  This will help you recognize certain landmarks and help you push through to the finish line knowing how close you are.
  10. Set multiple goals such as an A, B and C goal.  That way, you will feel a stronger sense of accomplishment if, for example, you miss qualifying for Boston or don’t hit that PR you were chasing.  Just finishing a marathon is a major accomplishment.
  11. Check the race Web site for suggestions on how to get to the race (car or public transportation), where the port potties are located, and where you will take your morning clothes bags.  Many larger races will take your things to the finish line for you on a point to point course.
  12. Make sure you arrive at the start early – I recommend at least an hour before you start so you have plenty of time to use the port potty and go through your warmup routine.
  13. Should you get a cramp or a side stitch, remember they usually go away if you slow down and apply pressure to the area where you feel the cramp.
  14. When you arrive at the aid stations on the course, get water or sports drink from the end of the line as it is usually less crowded.
  15. Relax and enjoy your race!  Running is just putting one foot in from of the other and following your well-rehersed race plan.  Smile at the volunteers and high five the children.  It will make the race much easier.

Runners World asks Coach Karen how to nail your next race

Runners World interviewed our very own Coach Karen this summer about how to run smarter, finish faster and have more fun at your next race.

Her first tip: Winding Roads

“If you’re gunning for a PR identify areas where roads twist and turn, and plan to run the shortest route – the tangents – for our fastest possible finish time, said coach Karen Meadows. When a course is measured, it’s done so using a straight line from the beginning to the end of a curve. Deviating from that tangent line increases the ground you cover.

Another tip: Dead Zones

“Look for stretches without entertainment or easy spectator access – and be ready to tackle them with mental games,” said coach. “Plan to think about reeling in the person ahead of you or repeat a mantra to yourself.”

Check out more of Runners World for these and other tips from Coach Karen.

Happy Trails!

The Assault on Mt. Mitchell

The Assault on Mt. Mitchell is considered one of the hardest century bike rides in America. This unique point-to-point race takes you from Spartanburg, S.C., to the top of Mt. Mitchell (just north of Ashville, N.C.) climbing nearly 11,000 feet over the course of 104 miles. Of course, the real killer is the fact that the road rises exponentially as you go… meaning the first 75 miles took us 4.5 hours and the last 30 miles took us another 3.5 hours due to the unending elevation gain.

As it happened, neither Karen nor I ever really considered doing this ride until three months ago when a friend mentioned it. Given that both of us had just finished racing two marathons in the space of two months (hitting our Boston times in both), our legs were already pretty strong. We started cycling like crazy to bump up our endurance as we were warned this race would take all day.

It is surprising how quickly your legs can transition from the run to the bike. We both went from riding around 50-100 miles a week to reaching 250-300 miles a week in the space of two months. Granted, our running volume went down and our swimming became non-existent (you do only have 24 hours in a day), but the rides were fantastic. We explored all over north Florida from the beach to the Alabama state line – and climbed every hill we could find, repeatedly.

Race day dawned perfect. Not too cool, hardly any wind, sunshine… the first 75 miles were a cyclists dream. We passed beautiful towns, mountain vistas, lakes and waterfalls. It was gorgeous.

The last 30 miles were tough to say the least. At mile 80 of the ride we hit a 5 mile section of switchbacks up a mountain with an average grade of 8-11% with no relief. It was grueling. Beyond that, the ride continued skyward with average grades of 7-9% until the end. We both geared down until we ran out of gears (which took about two seconds) and then slowed our cadence to help control our power output and heart rate.

We had trained watching our power on climbs and into headwinds, noting that when we hit power outputs close to 80% or more of our FTP, we really drained ourselves. Our goal, therefore, was to keep our power closer to 75% on the climbs. It was a good strategy. Although both of us were pretty tired by the end, we never ended up walking and we stayed strong until we crossed the finish line.

The result: we finished together in the top half of all the riders (of which 80% is male) and in the top 20% of all women. We were happy, tired and ready to celebrate. 

We both loved the ride and strongly recommend it to anyone – even if you live in pancake flat Florida. It just goes to show you that the right training plan – thanks to Coach Karen – and a will to get to the top will take you anywhere.

Happy Riding!

Can’t sleep before the big race?

Should you be worried if you toss and turn all night before your A race?

Worried a bad night’s sleep will ruin your A race?  Worry no more!  All of us know the feeling.  You toss and turn the night before an important race you have been keying on for several months.   Whether it is the lack of white noise in an hotel room, your spouses snoring, other guests making noise in the hallway or just plain apprehension about race day, many of us have that awful feeling haunting us all night that our lack of sleep will negatively impact our performance.

Studies on the impact of sleep and performance have shown that strength, resistance to fatigue and oxygen demand while operating at a variety of speeds on a treadmill were not affected adversely by one night of poor sleep.  Furthermore, even though mental sharpness was shown to have declined somewhat, the markers of endurance performance remained relatively stable with even more than one night of poor sleep.

Even though an athlete is not phyiscally affected by a bad night’s sleep, they still feel like they are negatively affected so what can we do about it?  Our brain is telling us that we are sleep deprived and so naturally even though our legs are ready to go, we still believe that we will be slower and more skuggish on race morning.  So a little mental workout is necessary here!  Even though we may wake up thinking that we will not perform up to our potential come race morning, we can be assured that we will perform AS IF we had a good night’s sleep.  Replacing our negative thinking with positive thoughts and staying ‘mentally strong’ by realizing that our lack of sleep the night or two before the race or the fact that we have to rise at 0 dark thirty will not adversely affect our A race is something we can and should control.

Qualifying for Boston

We took a big group of Coach Karen’s athletes over to Louisiana to run the marathon and half marathon. Three of us were trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon – I had qualified (and ran) the Boston marathon back in my 30s but got it in my head three years ago that I wanted to shoot for going under the BQ qualifying standard by more than 15 minutes.

As a grandmaster (51) I needed a sub 4 hour. I came close three times while trying to achieve this target – once at the Eugene Marathon – but a hamstring injury and foolishly going out a little fast (I know better) resulted in a 3:47. A year later in Boston, I ran a 3:50, not bad for Boston, but the warmish weather prevented me from running any faster. So finally I decided to key on the Louisiana Marathon. I had run the half the previous year as a training race in preparation for Boston that spring but also to support one of my athletes, Amy Stoyles who was trying to qualify for Boston for the first time – she did – with a 3:34.

The morning was cool, but a bit humid. I had my usual cinnamon raisin bagel with peanut butter and a banana and coffee. I was relaxed and excited. I had been working really hard on the mental aspects of racing and I had studied the race course – deciding where to take my gels and salt tabs. I had run the last 3 miles of the course so I had a clear picture of where I was and what I had left to run when I was really tired in those final miles of the marathon. Lindsey, one of my athletes, and the Lululemon showroom manager in Destin Florida, was downstairs and looked a little nervous, so I told her we would jog up to the start as our warmup, check out the starting line and then jog back and do our final preparation before heading out to line up.

Once outside, we started jogging slowly warming up in the darkness following the road that ran along the river carefully watching for pot holes on the road…once we saw the actual start line, we felt better – we got excited, but we both relaxed a little more and jogged back to the hotel. The others were there, including Ron Brahnam who was going to run the marathon as well. At the start, I felt good, relaxed and excited. I took a half a pack of my Power Gel chews with some water and lined up with the pacer. My pacer was pretty good. It turned out he was subbing for the original pacer of the 3:45 group who was sick. He didn’t seem all that excited, but he was a good pacer and gave good cues, to relax our shoulders, run the tangents and pay attention to fueling and drinking water as it was a warmish day for a marathon.

I had my usual low point around mile 14-15 when I thought I was feeling worse that I ought to at this point. I remember thinking I have about another 12 miles to go and wondered whether I could hold this pace – legs were a little tired…I remembered how in the marathon you go in and out of feeling bad – a particular bad spot may not last very long – I took my Power gel with 50 mg of caffeine…after about 10 minutes I felt a bit better and we were turning into the neighborhoods. I ran okay until about 18 when I decided to finally listen to a little music…as soon as I out my headphones in, I noticed there was some discussion from our group about our pacer – I looked around and couldn’t see him. I asked another runner what happened, he said that the pacer felt sick and was out. So I looked at another runner, a marine, and told him (he was carrying the pace sign) that if he kept total time and compared it to the mile markers (GPS watches are almost always off), I would stick with him.

We ran through mile 23 and my legs had never felt so good at his point in the marathon. I attributed this to the high volume plan I had followed – getting up to 55 miles per week at times – which is high volume for me. Even with this high volume, my longest run was only 19 miles.

I told him we were going to get it and with about 2 miles left I started to increase my pace to 8:10-8:15. I felt light as a feather. I saw my friends on the side of the road cheering me in. Lindsey ran a personal record 3:28 and easily qualified for Boston. Ron had a good race and went on to qualify for Boston at the Albany Marathon six weeks later with a sub 3:30.

The four things I attribute to my success in this marathon are: 1) the high base I was able to achieve, 2) I ran my easy days easy, 3) I performed my functional strength work 2-3 per week focusing on the hips and hamstrings (my two week areas) and, 4) the kind of quality tempo running I did that made marathon pace feel manageable and plenty of long marathon pace runs…

Next Up Albany! So right after the Louisiana marathon I went on an easy 8 mile run with one of my athletes, Gina Spease.

Gina in 1 1/2 years went from never doing a marathon, to a 4:50 marathon to a 4:20. She decided after her last marathon that she could have run faster – had she not been sick. We talked and decided she should go for another marathon – and we quickly decided that the Albany marathon would be a good one as it gave her enough time to recover off her previous marathon and re-build and taper for Albany. I decided to try something a little different and gave her a bigger base with lots of easy running, but also include longish tempo runs around 8:15-8:25 pace so 9 pace would feel manageable. I also gave her long runs that were close to marathon pace – the fastest ones around 30 seconds slower than MP.

Gina – responded really well to the training – she missed a few long runs that worried me. At one point in her training she wanted to race a 15k. I dropped all her speed/tempo runs for the week and she ran the 15k as a huge PR. Her 15K race pace was practically the pace she ran her first 5k field test with me 1 1/2 years ago! The 15k predicted a 3:50 marathon which cheered me – because race calculators typically overestimate marathon finish times.

Gina did awesome and nailed a 4 hour marathon no problem… with me running by her side only six weeks after Louisiana. Now, I think it’s time for some much deserved rest. J