Cycling (and Spinning)
In my opinion this is the ultimate form of cross training for the runner. First, it is far less pounding on the body that running so helps keep injuries at bay. Second, it is easier to do longer durations so ultimately this will help your endurance base as let’s admit, the marathon is a long event!
I prefer riding outdoors to inside (ie spin class), but spinning is fine if weather is a concern or if time is an issue. Riding indoors can help,you acclimate to humid conditions like you might encounter during your runs.
Swimming
For you non-triathletes, swimming is perhaps the perfect crossing training exercise. Swimming is low impact, works parts of the body not necessarily used while running or cycling, and requires a good amount of ‘core’ strength. Swimming also has the advantage of building the cardiovascular system, and promotes improved range of motion and flexibility. Ever seen just how flexible the ankles of Olympic caliber swimmers are? Add that sort of flexibility to your lower leg can only improve your running and cycling efficiency!
Deep Water Running
Have access to a pool with a deep end? Then take a look into deep water running. Deep water running (DWR) is an exercise not just for the silver haired set or the injured marathoner who is desperately trying to maintain form and fitness in the waning weeks leading up to their marathon (which is a huge draw for deep water running in New York City come October). While getting my own feet wet as a triathlete many years ago under the tutelage of fabled New York based swim guru Doug Stern (who is no longer with us, but none the less left a huge mark on so many in the sport), I was asked to join a deep water running study he was doing to help promote the benefits not only to injury runners trying to maintain fitness, but also runners looking to improve their overall running ability. Doug gathered a group of runners who were running 4 or more times a week and massing 25 miles a week or more in training. The group was broken into two, with one group asked to drop one of their weekly runs in favor of 45 minutes of deep water running (DWR). Both groups ran a test 5k and were measured for range of motion. Now this was perhaps too small a sample (14 runners) to be statistically important, the results were quite interesting. On average, those who substituted one of their training run with a deep water run saw a greater improvement not only their 5k times (29 seconds on average verses a slight increase in average times for the group that did not participate in DWR), but also their range of motion (hip flexibility).
Yoga
I was one who was late to the whole Yoga game. Never had the time to fit in into a busy cycling and triathlon-training regimen. That all changed once I turned 40 and finding more useful keys to speed up my recovery became paramount and among those was to make the most out of my recovery time and regain some of the flexibility I had lost with age. As a triathlete, you get the benefit of having to work in a couple swim sessions during the week, which goes a long way toward resting tired muscles from the pounding of running or even hard cycling. A runner or cyclist who is not swimming as a cross training alternative should really consider adding something like Yoga to their routine and not just during the off-season.
Besides improved flexibility, core strength, muscular balance, yoga does wonders for the mind and body in terms of relaxation. I know many A-type personalities who have a hard time shutting it down at the end of a long training session and that stress carries over into their sleep and relaxation patterns. In addition to looking for a local yoga class to jump into, there are many great Yoga titles to seek out such as ‘The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga’ by Sage Roundtree (who has written numerous books on yoga is and is a leading expert in this area) and “Iron Yoga”, by fellow New Yorker Anthony Carillo.
Strength
Gym, cross-fit and strength work in general is another option for you non-running days but word of caution- avoid do too much leg work as marathon training is ALL LEGS on your running days so extra strength work here will be too much! Focus on core, abs, and upper body to make you more balanced and this will help reduce injuries.
Distance running thoughts
by Mikael Hanson
Why do we run? It’s a simple question for a fairly straight forward sport. We run to lose weight, to reduce stress, to stay in shape, to take in nature’s scenery, or because we love the thrill of competition. My own reason for running stems from the latter excuse – the intense addiction to competition and perhaps secretly a deep desire to starve off father time as I move through middle age. In that respect, I live for the PR (personal record), and thankfully I have managed to achieve a running PR at some distance for six consecutive years. This is a streak I would love to continue for eternity, but as my age creeps up, I find the need to become more creative in my training to keep the results coming.
One can literally spend a lifetime sifting through the endless sea of training options just to steal a precious few seconds on your next 5 or 10km race, but what if you want success at something slightly longer in distance? What if your goal was to perform well at the half marathon or even marathon distance? How would you go about achieving that? Do we simply log the long training miles?
Part 1 – The Long Run
The long run is the corner stone to any runner’s (or triathlete’s) training program and is of even greater importance when we move up from the 5 or 10km distance to the half or full marathon. While no longer competing at the highest level of the sport, American running legend Alberto Salazar spends a great deal of time coaching young talent (Galen Rupp for instance). Alberto’s own training philosophy has changed since his competitive days and he know preaches that one must train SLOWER to run FASTER, admitting that he is now taking a page out of Lance Armstrong’s training (who is famous for putting in long hours in the saddle at low to moderate speeds). Is there empirical evidence to support the idea of running at slower speeds? Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise recently published a study highlighting the benefits of increased training at lower intensities. The study followed a group of elite Spanish runners as they prepared for a large international competition. The researchers keep track on how much training time was spent in three intensity zones (Zone 1 – low: average HR below 140 beats, Zone 2 – moderate: average HR between 140 and 171 beats, and Zone 3 – high: average HR above 171 beats). Those who spent most of their training in Zone 1 performed the best in the targeted race, with the group as a whole averaging just over 70% of their training in Zone 1 (while roughly 20% of their training was spent in Zone 2, and less than 10% in Zone 3).
What does common sense tell us about these results? Running longer, but at a slower pace will still certainly improve the cardiovascular system and certainly build your core endurance, but the lower intensity will also lessen the onset of injury as less stress is placed on the muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments. Think back to the last time you watched a track and field event on television and how common it is to see a sprinter pull up with a hamstring injury. Not something you see as much with the distance runners.
The duration of the long run will depend largely on what your target race is, but assuming we are jumping to the half marathon, then we will need to get close to mimicking this distance, while gradually increasing our weekly running mileage by 20-30% over what we did for the 10km distance. That does not mean we make the mileage jump all at once, as we will follow the 10 percent rule, which says that your weekly running mileage should not increase by more than 10% at a time (except when you are coming off of a recovery week, but even then your return to full mileage will not be more than 10% of the last full week of training). Also, your weekly long run should be increased by no more than 10% at a time.
As for pacing, your long run should be done be slow enough to allow for a normal conversation over the entire duration of the run, which equates to about 90 to 120 seconds slower than your race pace (ie. a 6-minute miler should target a 7:30-8min pace for their long run). The long run builds that all important aerobic base and will prove to be the key piece in your training foundation. In this regard, the long run is a year-round staple, but holds even greater importance for the pre-season phase of training (notable February thru April).
Part 2 – Tempo ( LT) training
Okay, once you’ve established your base fitness level via the long, slow run, we will add the Tempo Run. The Tempo Run will ultimately be performed once or twice a week with the Tempo sections lasting anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes (with proper warm up and cool down running done around the tempo section). The target pace is roughly 20-30 seconds slower than your race pace, which should put you right under your lactate threshold (LT). The LT is the heart rate at which the blood lactate levels begin to skyrocket. The Tempo or LT run combines elements of pure speed with that of endurance, and is still an important part of training for the half-marathon.
Part 3 – Strength or Speed?
If our focus was a 5 or 10km race, speed/interval workouts would join the long run and tempo run, but our aim is to prepare you for a full marathon. In that vein, we will introduce hill running to add strength to your running. The nice thing about running hills is that it works not only the legs, but also the cardiovascular system. At the same time, hill running leads to less overuse injuries (common with track workouts). Like any workout, hill running should be approached gradually, increasing both the number of repetitions and length of the hill as your fitness level grows. When doing hills, your running form should include a more forceful arm swing to help drive you uphill, a shorter stride length and incorporating a slightly higher lift in the knee. Once you make it to the top of the hill, your recovery will be an easy jog back down as you prepare yourself for the next repeat. Hill repeats should be preceded with a good warm-up and followed by a casual cool down run. As for interval/speed work, we will include some in the intermediate program as we are firm believers that running at faster speeds is the only way to improve your ability – even when doing an event as long as the marathon. Running every workout at the same pace is a sure fire way to reach a stalemate in your running. Remember, variety is the key to keeping it fun and seeing improvement!
Part 4 – Recovery
While the three items discussed above are essential in achieving success at the half marathon distance, there is another factor not to be overlooked – RECOVERY. Recovery is more than just a planned day off (and yes, one should take at least one FULL day off from all forms of training every week). Recovery can also encompass a day of very light training, such as an easy run done at your long, slow distance pace (LSD). This easy run will aid in the recovery process by keeping the muscles loose, while not taxing them any further (think of it as the cool down run after a race, but now it is done mid-week after harder training session). Another way to squeeze in some mid-week rest is to alternate scheduling morning workouts followed by an evening workout the next day. This extends the time between sessions and helps the body recover.
Other items that will only aid in your running include:
· Stretching: Performed for 10-20 minutes and best done AFTER a workout, when the muscles are already loose and warm. Especially important as we get older to aid in injury prevention, and should be done year-round.
· Core Strength: This may be in the form of lifting, yoga, pilates, and abdominal work (and its no longer just for the off-season!)
· Striders: At the end of a couple runs every week throw in a set of 5 to 7 sprints. They should be 60 to 100yds long (perhaps a long city block) and done faster than race pace. These will help reinforce efficient leg turnover and running efficiency. Another option would be adding in some stair climbing (once a week I end my run with a dash up and down the 19 flights of stairs in my apartment building).
· Thoughts on walking: Why not, especially when going thru a water or aid station on race day or even in training (much easier drinking out of those small cups while walking than at full speed).
NEXT WEEK – Training with a Heart Rate Monitor