Women’s Running Tips: Top 40 tips for women over 40 runners

Being a runner over 40 has presented new areas of interest (and concern) for me on the road and more importantly in my training and recovery off the road.  I love to run and it's great to see research being done on older runners…the Yale study that shows that older marathon runners (women in particular) are improving their running times more than younger runners.

I would like to share some insights and tips that I have learned along the way.  Many of these women's running tips can apply to all runners, but they definitely take on a new perspective as the years go on and we get older, wiser, and perhaps, faster…  (due to format restrictions, many links have been removed, to see full text with links, go to aboldpace.com)

Training Tips:

1. Adding Miles: SLOWLY! Use the 10% rule.   Add no more than 10% increase of the mileage each week. Here's more detailed explanation and chart from FitSugar.

2. Warmup: As we get older, the body needs time to get going and giving it that time will help avoid injuries.  See "The Perfect Warmup" from Runner's World.

3.Cross-Training:  Is a must for any runner, but as you age the relationship between cross-training and running becomes even more important.  For a different, low impact, cross-training option, see our recent post on Aqua Running (or Pool Running).  Core exercises have become another essential, here's some good ones from Runners World.  Running Planet has done a nice job w/ laying out “The 8 rules of Strength Training".   We have some good videos on our Resources page.

5.Stretching/Yoga: Another must for the aging runner (and this has certainly been debated by many).  Dara Torres proved this in her Olympic effort that stunned us all.  She adhered to a strict resistance stretching regime (see previous post – “Doing the Home Stretch with Dara Torres”).  I am not a huge fan of yoga, but here's a good article by Runners World about a runner w/ a ITB injury who didn't like yoga at the beginning, then became a convert.  My always injury free LDF ("Long Distance Friend") swears by power yoga!

6.Rest: This has become one of the most important parts of my training. If I don't get enough rest, my body begins to break down.  Listen (very closely) to your body.

7.Massage: Another Dara Torres staple and one of my personal favorites.  It does not matter if you have a fabulous husband like I do or get from a pro, it works to relieve the stress of training and tired muscles.  You can even do it yourself w/ some videos by Rich Poley who wrote "Self Massage for Athletes".

8.Set a Goal: Having a goal or a race to strive for makes the training have a purpose and keep me focused.

9.Training Programs: A little planning goes a long way.  If possible, try to plan your training to run more often on softer surfaces like trails, dirt roads, grassy parks, or even the track.  A few good programs are on our resource page.  There are many good ones out there–find one that suits you.

10.The Track:  Most marathon training programs will include track work as it helps develop the fast twitch muscles to build speed and lung power during a race…getting older does not mean getting less competitive:) If I am training for a marathon, it really makes a difference for me especially in the later miles of the race.  Good article from Runner's World called "Running in Circles".

11.Injury/Recovery: This one is hard for me as I have had many… at 46, I still like to run fast.   There are several common injuries to running and I think I have had them all.  See “Coming back from an injury" posts.  I have learned to recognize my body's warning signs and back off.  Many of these tips (see Rest, Diet, Stretching/Yoga, Massage, Weight/BMI, Orthotics, and more) are meant to help avoid injuries or help w/ recovery.

12.Running with Music: Running with music can help motivation and provide a needed distraction.  I have also learned about the importance of  BPM (beats per minute) and ensuring that if you are listening to a song, be sure it is not too slow and unconsciously slowing your pace.  Find 70's, 80's, and 90's music along w/ best bands of today and learn more about BPMs in this post:  “Best Running Music Ever”

13.Weight/BMI: It seems that fast marathoners have a low Body Mass Index (BMI). Marathon Guide has a quick tool to calculate your BMI.  Knowing yours can help to find the "right" BMI for your best running performance.  See also post: “What's the 'right' BMI for a woman marathoner?"

14.Running in Different types of Weather: I am not a treadmill runner, so I will run in anything short of a blizzard.  With the right layers of clothing this is possible.  However, if you are training in summer for a fall race, beware of weather differences.  The weather during your race may be very different then when you are training. Don't be discouraged if you are not able to run 17 miles the way you think you should when you are in 80-90 degree heat and high humidity.

15.Travel Running: Always bring the running shoes along!  Some of my best runs have been among the monuments of parks, cityscapes and beaches of sand.  Hotels (see this post that mentions WestinRun) now will provide maps (and sometimes runners) to guide you.  With the help of MapMyRun you can find a route from anywhere.  Take a look at some of our Travel running posts.

16.Running and Sex: Here's an interesting article by Running Times that quotes an Israeli scientist who declared "Women compete better after orgasm, especially high-jumpers and runners"…who am I to argue w/ Israeli scientists?

17. Fartlek Training: Sports Fitness Advisor has some good tips on how to incorporate fartlek into your training  (psst…if you don't know what fartlek is, check out 10Ktruth.com's "Runnerspeak – Dictionary of Running Jargon and Other Sport Terms" ).

Nutrition and Hydration Tips:

18. Type of Diet: Adhering to a well-balanced, low-fat, wholegrain diet that is higher in carbs has always been the best route for me.  I love a good smoothie (see post “Smoothie Operator –quick nutritional training meal") while training.  Here's an interesting article w/ good tips on eating from Cool Running called “The Runner's Diet".

19.Hydration: It used to be all water and Gatorade for me, but now as I get older I don't want the same amount of calories.  I opt for the lower calorie alternatives like electrolyte powder mixes (see post: “Water log: Hydration and road recovery options for runners").

20. Eating after Running: The window for eating after running is small, but important.  See post “Refuel 'Right' after a Run"

Gear Tips:

21. Running Clothes/Bra: I like my running clothes sporty–not funky, but this is obviously personal preference.  A good running bra will go a long way…avoid cotton at all cost.  I have learned that running skirts are the most polarizing of all apparel items.  However, if you love wearing a skirt, check out the Skirtchaser Race Series…looks like fun!

22. Running Shoes/Socks: Running shoes are so personal the only way to really find a pair is to go to a running store and keep trying them on until you find one that feels comfortable.  There are tons of shoe guides for different types of feet that are helpful in narrowing it all down.  Learning about pronation and choosing a shoe that fits whether you have normal pronation, underpronation (or supination), or overpronation (or hyper-pronation) is key.  Runner's World has a good article along with videos on pronation. I have changed my shoe once.  I alternate pairs of three for marathon training (it used to be two but with my foot issues, it's now three).   Here's Runner's World's "Spring 2009 Running Shoe Guide".  The Asics Gel Kayano 15's are the "Editor's Choice" winners and also the shoes I use. A few other quick tips:

               Measure your feet: As you age, your foot size may gradually change.  Make sure salesperson measures your foot while you are standing up

              Shop later in day: As the day goes on, you feet get slightly larger.

              Orthotics and socks: Wear socks you use and bring orthotics to store when trying out shoes.  Find "dry-wick" type of socks instead of cotton.

              Check wear: Most shoes give you between 300 – 500 miles of running.  Keep track of the miles (see #24- Running Log).  Replacing shoes can avoid unnecessary injuries.  Check for wear on soles and inside the shoe as well.  Once you've found the shoes that work for you, you may be able to find the shoes again on-line at places like Runners Warehouse (a bold pace readers get 15% off), Overstock, or Holabird Sports.

              Break in the shoe: Don't wear a new shoe to a marathon, be sure you have had time to break it in.  However, when buying a new shoe, it should feel good when you are trying it on.

              Thumb-width: Have a thumb width between the end of your longest toe and the end of the shoe.  I wear a 1/2 size bigger to make sure I have room in the toe box.

              Get medical advice: If you have a persistent problem with your feet, get the advice of a medical professional.   Believe me, waiting for a foot to heal can be agonizing.  Don't make it take any longer by waiting to get help.

Here's a great video from Howcast that covers many of these tips: “How to Choose a Running Shoe"

23. Orthotics: I overpronate and could not live without these.  If you have foot issues (plantar fasciitis, heal spurs, significant overpronation or underpronation, etc.), I'd recommend seeing a sports doc to consider orthotics as your new sole-mates:)

24.Running Log: Memory is not one of my strongest assets, so having a log to record my training keeps track of: weekly mileage, meals, shoe purchases (so I know when to retire shoes), favorite routes/runs, etc.

25. Running Watch/GPS: At heart, I am more of a zen runner (would rather not wear a watch or calculate each mile's pace…just run), but the NYC marathon last year changed that for me.  I went out too fast and had a hard time at the end.  I now wear one again.  There are great watches and GPS devices (see article from NY Times) that make it easy to calculate pace/time/distance.   Another option in a marathon is to make use of "pacers" at a race…here's Clif Bar's Marathon Pace Team info.

26. Running Bag: See “What's in your Running Bag?  10 Essential Items for Taking your Run on the Road"

27. Chaffing: Avoid blisters, use BodyGlide, Vaseline or new Asics Chafe Free.  Apply anywhere that rubs…feet, nipples, etc.  For more on Asics, see “The End of Run Chaffing?"

28. ipods: The must have for runners (even if you need to borrow from your child).  I understand why a lot of runners do not like to use during races , but if you love music, this can be a great way to relax and keep going (ipods are now allowed at some races, see post “Music to my ears").  Be sure to choose songs that work w/ your pace/BPM.

29. Reading about Running: There are so many fabulous books out there on running that are fun to read.  They can motivate and excite  you.  We have a few posted on our Amazon Store.

Racing Tips:

 30.Finding a Race: Marathon guide or Racevine can help you find a marathons and other shorter races.  These sites not only list races, they rate them.

31. Racing for a Charity: Millions of dollars a year are raised by runners for charity.  It can make the race more meaningful if you have someone in mind as you run the miles.  Supporting a good cause can also be a way into a sold-out race.

32. Women only Races: More magazine's Marathon/Half-Marathon (they have the best expo), Zooma Women's Race Series, Nike Women's Marathon and See Jane Run are just a few of the women only races out there.  They are fun, lively and a bit more polite then the co-ed races:)

33. Pace your Race: It is helpful to know your race goal and have the mile split times easily accessible.  PaceTat is a durable, lightweight (actually weightless), and unobtrusive way to keep track of your pace while racing.  These are simple transfers that you apply before you race and shows your mile split goals in clear large font.  Brilliant idea, and only $2.00 – $2.99 per transfer.  Or go the simple and FREE route w/ this tool from Clif Bar.

34.Speed at 40/Beating your PR:There have been numerous articles about how women are older women are getting faster and staying there (see ABC News article on Yale University Study).  As we gain experience, we become more efficient runners.  We know to run the tangents, prepare properly, and read tips like many we have listed here.  We also have more time to train as our children get older.

35.Qualifying for Boston/The Boston Times: Boston is a great, tough race.  It is an honor to run it.  This is not one to be missed if you qualify.   See some of our posts about the Boston Marathon.  Check out the Boston Marathon Qualifying Times.

36. The Race Day Survival Kit: You don't want any last minute surprises on race day.  Having a race day kit can help you to know you are prepared and keep you focused on the race.  Assuming you already are wearing your clothes, shoes, have your watch, etc…there are still some items you need.   There are two options… you can use a "check-in bag" where you have to wait in-line to get a claim ticket or use a "disposable bag" that has just the essentials and can be tossed.  Here are checklists for both:

   Check-in Bag:

 ____Extra Clothes: Nice to have a spare top, shorts, and socks to change into after the race.

____Sunglasses and sunscreen: If it's a hot and sunny day, you'll be glad you have these.

____Towel: There may be a shower at the end of the race, but even if not, nice to have to towel off.

____Phone: To contact friends after race

____Money: For any emergency needs

____Pre-race food and fluids

____Post-race food and fluids

____Race Number (if already have) and safety pins: Bring a few extra and you'll make lots of friends:)

____Race Chip (if already have)

____Course map/Race instructions

____Band-aids/Athletic Tape/First aid

____BodyGlide/Vaseline/Chafe Free

____Deodorant

____Large garbage bag: Helpful if windy or raining before the race or just to sit on.

____Wipes: Useful for nasty porta-potty

____Magazine: Nice to catch up on Vanity Fair while waiting in line for race to start:)

____Extra Goo packets: Use safety pin to keep a couple with you for during the race.

      Disposable Bag:

 ____Pre-race food and fluids

____Wipes: Useful for nasty porta-potty

____Throwaway old clothes: Sweatshirt or long-sleeve shirt.  Most races donate discarded clothes to charity.

____Race Number (if already have) and safety pins: Bring a few extra and you'll make lots of friends:)

____Race Chip (if already have)

____Magazine: Nice to catch up on Vanity Fair while waiting in line for start:)   Put in garbage before start.

____Large garbage bag: Helpful if windy or raining before the race or just to sit on.

____Extra Goo packets: Use safety pin to keep a couple with you for during the race.

The Running Psyche Tips:

 37. Making time for yourself: Running =  sanity.  Alone or with friends it has fantastic therapeutic results that last all day.  I find doing it early in the morning is best as I know I'll get my run in and "life stuff" during the day will not get in the way.

38.The Running Group: One of my LDFs and I always joke how we are going to write a book about the nuances of our running group.  Finding friends to share running with is a wonderful thing and helps you to stay motivated and enjoy the company along with the run.

39. Running Websites/Blogs: There is so much on the web now that you can tap into for running advice, training, support…see our blogroll.  It's a great time to be a runner.  If you're not getting automatic e-mail updates from <b>a bold pace</b>, don't miss out!  Or if you prefer, get our RSS feed.

40. Going beyond your limits: I have to add this because it is the reason I give my son every time he asks why I run…"running for me is about going beyond the limits I have of myself in my mind".  He's very logical and always answers…"limits are definitive–you can't go beyond them"…I keep trying to prove him wrong.

Perhaps it is the fresh air or the hours of laboring over one subject with LDFs but from running has come some profound realizations.  My LDF Heidi and I have decided that everything our children need to know about life we can relate to running.  A life manual in the making perhaps?  There is always "One for the THE Book…" decided on a run.

 

 

Monica Anderson is the founder, owner and creator of Remanents. She is a mother of three and avid marathon runner. She launched a new line of running themed tees and notecards along with a new running blog for women called: a bold pace-running for our lives. The high-quality papers, witty wordplay, clean design, and innovative packaging have made Remanents a favorite of discerning customers. Remanents has been sold in many exclusive stores including, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Henri Bendel, Nordstrom and Anthropologie-and in hundreds of paper and lifestyle stores across the US. Also sold internationally in Japan, Australia, U.K. and directly at www.remanents.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/track-and-field-articles/womens-running-tips-top-40-tips-for-women-over-40-runners-1149401.html

Psychology of Running a Marathon

For most participants, finishing a marathon is not easy. It requires physical as well as mental toughness. You will need to practice reaffirming your motivation, have some self-discipline, and use effective time-management to get through it. "A marathon challenges me on every level of my being: It’s as much an emotional/mental battle with myself as it is physical. Just getting to the starting line healthy is difficult. Making it to the finish line, can sometimes see impossible," said Bob Wischnia, Austin Runner Magazine Editor in the January 2008 issue of Austin Runner Magazine.

Bend Like a Reed in the Wind – Too few portable toilets, people who push and shove to get a space in front of you, you sleep late, you can’t find your favorite socks, your iPod batteries ran out and on and on creates stress. The point is to remain calm and work with the changes.

Control the Things Under Your Control – Make a list of what you’ll wear for the race. Plan for extra clothing if it’s colder and if it’s warmer than expected, layers you can shed along the way. Check your shoes to make sure they’re in good condition.

Visualize the Day – Relax in a comfortable chair and try to visualize what arriving at the starting line will look like and feel like. Go through the race and imagine what you will see, how good you’ll feel and crossing the finish line. If you’re going for a specific time goal, visualize the time on the clock at the finish line.

Be Confident in Your Training Plan – Hopefully you didn’t wake up the week before the race and decide to run a marathon. Like most, you selected a group to train with or a plan outlined by experts and followed it for 16 weeks or more. Be confident in the plan you undertook and don’t doubt it.

Be Your Own Cheerleader – self talk can reaffirm positive feelings and a positive mental outlook. Have ready things to say to yourself when the times get difficult.

Helpful Tips During the Hours Immediately Before the Marathon

• Plan on some traffic, especially for the larger races. Fifteen thousand cars trying to get into a certain area of downtown will be like a normal work day which means traffic.
• If you’re planning on meeting family members on the course, use online mapping services to plot them out. This also goes for finish line gatherings.
• Take a look at the local weather forecasts to get an idea of what to expect. Check at least two to verify.
• While the marathon expo can be fun and informative, it’s important to stay off your feet as much as possible prior to the race.
• Drink fluids up to the start of the race.
• The runners gather in a chute called a corral. Look for signs and line up according to your expected finish time.
• Go over your goal one more time. Is it to finish or is it to finish under four hours? Have a goal and execute the plan to achieve the goal.

Helpful Tips During the Race

• Run at your pace. You’ve trained for a certain pace and you may feel stronger than you expected. Stick to the plan. It’s always better to start slow and speed up later in the race than to burn out at the beginning.
• Loosen your arms and shoulders to prevent shoulder stress and other upper body tightness.
• Tell another runner some encouraging words. We all like to hear that we’re doing good, even if we’re not. It also makes us feel good that we’ve helped someone else.
• Socialize if you feel like it. Talking with others during a run makes the time go by quicker. It also makes you feel like your not the only one having difficulties.
• Pain comes and goes in various places. Know that it’ll end in time. To pass the time and get your mind off of the pain, repeat a short mantra or count to 20, over and over. You could say the ABCs over and over. This may be when you turn on your iPod and play music.
• Be cognizant of the spectators, the bands and the scenery. Enjoy the experience.
• Don’t let negative thoughts snowball into a problem. Repeat positive affirmations over and over. "The legs feel strong" or "I’m going to finish strong" or "keep moving"

Life After the Marathon

Congratulations! You finished. Now what? The body is severely stressed. You should not engage in any running activity for a few days. Cross training to loosen up the muscles is encouraged. Some people experience a let down after a big event such as a marathon. They’ve trained 16 weeks to a year for the big day and it came and went.

Before the marathon race day, think about what training would look like once you recover. Plan out how fast you should jump back into it. Maybe the season changes and you have another type of race in mind. Training for a 10K is different in some ways than training for a marathon. Give it some thought and come up with a plan.

Maybe you had such a great time running the marathon you want to do another one. Although Dean Karnazes ran 50 marathons in 50 cities in 50 days, most humans can only undertake two per year, spaced six months apart.

 

Training in Your 40s, 50s, and Beyond

Running Through the Ages: Tips on Top Performance in Your 40s, 50s and Beyond

By Scott Douglas

Runners in their 40s and older are a varied lot-someone in her mid 40s who started running in high school might have more than 80,000 miles on her odometer, while her running partner might have started just a few years earlier. Nonetheless, because of what happens to our bodies as we age, there are some common elements that all older runners should include in their training. Here are some approaches to keeping your running rewarding and enjoyable once you're in the masters ranks.

 

Don't Get Injured

Of course no runner wants to get injured, but what can be a minor setback for someone in his 20s can mean the end of a season for someone in his 40s. Because your body's repair processes slow with age, little niggles can stay around for weeks, and minor strains can deteriorate into major problems. Some ways to keep injuries at bay:

Make your easy days really easy. Even if doing so impedes their performance, younger runners can get away with going too fast on days between hard and long runs. Older runners who are always pushing the pace just get hurt. On your easy days, you should feel as if you're storing up, rather than slowly leaking energy. A heart rate monitor can help you stay at a slow enough effort level (less than 70% of your max heart rate).

Keep your body like it used to be. With age, we lose muscle mass, and our connective tissues lose some of their elasticity. Those changes are made worse by how many older runners spend the bulk of their time-driving to and from work, sitting at a desk and rarely moving outside of a small range of motion. For your weakest and tightest spots, pick a few exercises to do a few times per week so that your body can function more like it did in your mid 20s. Yoga, core strengthening and weight training are great for older runners.

Wear the right shoes.As with not training intelligently, younger runners can get away with being in the wrong shoes without necessarily getting injured. Older runners need to be sure that their shoes match their gait and biomechanical needs to minimize compensatory injuries.

Always Stay In Touch with Your Speed

As noted, we lose muscle mass with age. Especially quick to deteriorate are fast-twitch muscle fibers, which power quick, explosive movements. It's crucial for older runners who want to do more than shuffle for the rest of their running lives to place more, not less emphasis on speed as they age.

Do Striders at least twice a week. Even during your base training phases-in fact, even if you're never going to race again-include relaxed, fast runs of about 100 meters at the end of at least two easy runs each week. Don't strain; instead, think about moving quickly across the ground while concentrating on one aspect of good running form. Do 6 to 8 striders, all on a flat, level surface.

Maintain your max heart rate. Maximum heart rate also declines with age, but that decline can be greatly slowed if you regularly work near your maximum. Doing so doesn't necessarily mean weekly gut-busting track sessions. On runs when you're feeling good and fluid, finish up the last 5 to 10 minutes at a "comfortably fast" pace, about the pace you could maintain for 30 to 60 minutes.

Do hills and drills. One aspect of maintaining your speed is preserving good running mechanics. Short hill repeats a few times a month will help your stride length, muscular strength and ankle flexibility. Doing drills once or twice a week that emphasize aspects of good running form, such as high knees, fast feet and lunges, will keep your stride more open and flowing. For more on hills and drills, see our article on Kenyan training.

Don't Get Fat

If you were at a healthy weight in your mid 20s, there's no real reason not to be at that weight later in life. Because our metabolism slows as we age, the food aspect of the calories-in/calories-out equation becomes more important with age.

Concentrate on nutrient-dense foods. Because you'll probably need to eat less than in your 20s to maintain a healthy weight, every calorie needs to count. The right food choices will also help you recover quicker from training, which we've seen is an issue for older runners. See our article on good recovery foods.

Add crosstraining if necessary. If you can't run enough to maintain your weight without risking injury, add other forms of aerobic exercise to your program. Cycling, water running, cross country skiing and using an elliptical trainer burn decent amounts of calories without the pounding of running. Although crosstraining probably won't directly improve your running performance, it will help you to maintain a high degree of cardiovascular fitness that might not otherwise be possible through running alone.

Scott Douglas is a former editor of Running Times , and the co-author of four books on running. Visit him online at www.scottdouglas.biz.

Trade Secrets of the Kenyans

Simple strategies to train like the world's best runners.

By Scott Douglas

Wouldn't it be great to run like a Kenyan?

Okay, so you're probably not going to move to 8,000 feet of altitude and devote yourself entirely to your athletics. One hundred twenty-mile weeks might not be on next week's agenda. And, yes, it's a little late to pick your parents with an eye toward getting dealt the best genetic hand. But that doesn't mean you can't still train like a Kenyan.

I spent December 2004 in Iten, Kenya, the country's unofficial running capital, where Olympic medalists, world champions and international marathon winners train. For a month, I ran with and talked with all types of runners-road racers, track specialists, cross country aces-to see what common elements ran through their training. Below is what I learned that all runners, regardless of race distance, experience, talent level and setting, can easily add to their programs.

Start Slow, Finish Fast

Every run I did with Kenyans started at a stumble, and most finished substantially faster. Contrast that with most recreational runners' practice of starting out the door at the pace they think they should be running that day, and maintaining roughly the same pace throughout the run.

Think of a pot of water coming to a boil-there's no one instant where you can pinpoint when it started to get hot, but the end result is undeniable. The same thing happens when you allow your muscles and cardiovascular system to ease into action-as you gradually warm up, you'll up your pace without really noticing it. Toward the end of your run, you'll be moving quickly and comfortably, and will be teaching yourself how to run fast but relaxed. Finishing faster than you start is also good practice for running negative splits in races.

Vary Very Much

One day I joined 12:52 5K man Isaac Songok and world junior cross country champ Augustine Choge for their morning run. We did a roughly 10K loop in 49 minutes. For their next run, Songok and Choge covered the same loop in just under 31 minutes-about three minutes per mile faster!

This great disparity in intensity level from run to run is common. To Kenyans, every run has a specific purpose, usually expressed in terms of "easy," "average" or "high" speed. When it's time to go easy, such as the run before or after a "high" session, Kenyans have no qualms about doing nothing more than a glorified trot. This low-intensity, active recovery allows them to still get in volume while leaving them ready to really nail the next hard workout. Most recreational runners, in contrast, run too hard on their easy days and carry around too much residual fatigue to hit the times they're capable of in quality sessions. To reach your racing potential, follow the Kenyans-easy runs easier, harder runs faster.

Get With a Group

One of the rarest sights in Kenya is a runner training alone. Nearly every Kenyan does nearly every run with at least one, and usually several other runners. Every runner I asked about the subject stated simply that she or he wouldn't be able to train as hard if forced to do so solo.

Regularly running with others of similar ability has several benefits. For starters, you're much more likely to stick with your plans if others are present and counting on you. Also, on days when you're not feeling great, you'll get pulled along to better performances than you could achieve on your own. Mentally, consistent training is less of a burden when you're often with others instead of always having to will yourself out the door and down the road.

Tread Softly

After more than 25 years of running, my body has its share of aches and pains. While I was in Kenya-despite the altitude, hills, speedy company and upping my mileage by more than a third-those niggles disappeared. Three days after getting home, my usual problems reappeared.

That's largely because at home I'm forced to do most of my running on asphalt, while in Kenya every step of every run was on dirt. If you don't believe that regularly running on soft surfaces will do your body a world of good, try this test: Bounce a golf ball on asphalt or concrete. Now try to bounce it on dirt. The same factors that cause the ball to shoot into the air off of asphalt and to barely rise from dirt are at play when you run; consider that, with every running step, you land with three to four times your body weight. Running on dirt and grass as much as possible not only feels better, but will lessen your risk of injury and, therefore, allow you to better reach your potential.

Hit the Hills

Iten is located in the highlands of the Great Rift Valley, so hills are unavoidable. It's rare to go for more than a half mile without having to climb or descend something significant, and doing this regularly has obvious cardiovascular and muscular benefits. Most of us, however, don't live amid such terrain. Does that mean there's nothing to learn from Kenyans on this matter?

Not at all. Because in addition to regular runs over hilly courses, Kenyans place great emphasis on specific hill workouts, usually done once a week. Marathoners, milers and everyone in between does them. Most concentrate on several repeats-15 or more-on short hills that take 30 to 60 seconds to climb, with a rest jog down the hill. These workouts improve your aerobic capacity, leg strength, explosive power and range of motion, among other benefits, even if you never race on hilly courses.

Don't worry that your area might not have Iten-style hills. Kenyan Henry Rono, who in 1978 set four world records in less than three months, was once asked on what type of hills he did repeats. How steep, how long, how constant a grade, the inquirer wanted to know. "The hill," Rono replied. "Any hill."

Run Diagonally

Another year-round staple, regardless of race distance, is what are known as diagonals. This session consists of running quickly from one corner of a playing field to another, jogging along the goal line to the opposite corner, striding from corner to corner, jogging the straight, and repeating. On the fast sections, the emphasis is on quick, graceful turnover and running relaxed while near top speed. These workouts improve your running form at all speeds and greatly enhance your finishing kick in races.

Most Kenyans do at least 30 minutes of diagonals, and some do as much as an hour. If that seems too much for you at first, shoot for at least 15 minutes, preceded by 10 or 15 minutes of jogging. Never strain while doing diagonals; instead, try to run as fast as possible while staying under control and with good form.

Do Drills

You might think that all Kenyans were born with perfect running technique. I did, until I saw nearly every run being followed by 10 or more minutes of flexibility, range-of-motion and form drills. Working daily on various aspects of the running motion helps Kenyans keep that long, flowing, seemingly effortless stride they're so often envied for.

To easily incorporate this practice into your routine, pick a handful of drills to do most days after your run. Key examples are high knees, quick feet, butt kicks and skipping. In just five minutes, you can do two sets of each, 30 to 50 meters at a time, and greatly improve your running style. You might not be as fast as a Kenyan, but you can at least look like one.

Scott Douglas is a former editor of Running Times and co-author of four running books, including Advanced Marathoning. His Web site is located at www.scottdouglas.biz.

Distance Running – Common Problems and Possible Solutions

By: Scott Douglas

 

Problem: Whenever I run with others, it nearly turns into a race.

Solution: Running with training partners can give your training a boost, but if you try to ñwinî your daily training sessions, you will have a few great workouts and then just wear yourself out. Also, if you don't play nice, your training partners won't want to run with you any more. The best solution is to discuss your training plan with your training partners so that you all know the objectives of each run you do together.

If your training partners are roughly as fit as you and have similar goals, then it should be relatively easy to align your training schedules so that you're running hard on the same days, and can all agree on when to run easy. Setting a heart monitor to beep when you are out of your recovery zone can help to ensure that you don't get carried away and run too fast on planned recovery days. If your training partners continue to turn each run into a race, then you'll need to be more selective about which sessions you do with them.

If you train with runners who are faster or stronger than you, then you need to be careful not to get burned out by training with them too often. You might want to plan to do your two or three hardest runs of the week with these faster runners, but to make sure to do your other runs either alone or with slower company.

On the other hand, if you're a better runner than your training partners, you shouldn't train with them every day, or you won't obtain enough training stimulus to improve your running performance. You may want to arrange to do the first hour or so of your long runs with these slower runners and then to pick up the pace for the rest of your run. Another option is to do your recovery runs with these runners, and either find faster runners for your harder sessions or do those workouts alone.

 

Problem: Sometimes when I'm doing a hard workout, my times are significantly slower than they should be. Should I persevere or cut the workout short?

Solution: There are several reasons why a track workout might not go as well as expected. You could be overly tired, out of shape, sick or injured, or the weather could be terrible. The most likely reason is that you're overly tired; the least likely reason is that you're out of shape.

If you're sick or injured, then you should definitely cut your track workout short„persevering will only make your condition worse, and you'll end up being sick or injured longer. Runners often make this mistake in their desire to get back running quickly after illness or injury. (Better yet, of course, is not starting the workout when you know you're not ready to complete a workout.)

If you're otherwise healthy, but having trouble hitting your planned times during a track workout, then you have the following four options:

1. Slow the intervals to a pace that you can maintain for the rest of the workout. 2. Increase the amount of rest between intervals. 3. Shorten the length of the intervals. 4. Cut the workout short.

The option that is best depends on several factors. If you're just a bit tired that day, then select options 1 and/or 2. For example, say you had planned on doing six 800-meter repeats in 2:50 with a two-minute jog between efforts, and did the first three intervals in 2:54, 2:56 and 2:58. You could change your goal for the remaining intervals to 2:58, and either maintain your recovery jogs at two minutes or increase them to two-and-a-half minutes. If, on the other hand, you've been feeling tired all week, then continuing the workout will just increase the number of recovery days you'll need to feel good again, so it's best to cut the workout short.

If you have a race later in the week, then choose option 3 or 4 to help your body recover for the race. For example, if you're doing the above workout on a Wednesday, and have a race that Sunday, then you could either shorten the last three intervals to 600 meters at the planned 800-meter pace, or end the workout. Which option you choose will depend on whether you feel that you would benefit from continuing or will just wear yourself out for the upcoming race.

If the weather is bad, then gut it out, but slow your expectations for the workout accordingly. Nothing builds character quite as well as a bit of rain and wind during a track workout. If the weather is truly terrible, however, then cut the workout short, because you'll just get tired (and possibly sick) by persevering, and you won't be able to run fast enough to improve your speed. Examples of truly terribly weather include blizzards, gale-force winds, dangerously high combinations of heat and humidity, and any time your running surface is dangerously slippery from ice and snow. If you cut a workout short (or miss it altogether) because of weather conditions, then you may be able to do it the next day, but only if the weather has significantly improved and you won't be trying to cram too many hard days together.

If you have to cut a workout short because of ongoing fatigue, injury or illness, then don't try to make up for it the next day. That strategy almost never works, and will just hinder your progress in recovering. Cross the unfinished workout off your schedule and focus on your upcoming workouts. Mentally, you have to learn to accept that the optimal course of action was to cut back your training and to have confidence that you made the correct decision.

 

Problem: I can't get my long run past 90 minutes.

Solution: If you have trouble completing long runs of more than 90 minutes, then it's likely that you're either increasing the distance of your long runs too quickly, or aren't preparing well enough for your long runs.

It's fairly common for runners to try to increase the distance of their long runs by a mile or two every week, particularly when building up for a marathon. The problem with this approach is that, for many runners, their bodies can't adapt rapidly enough to this rate of increase, and they end up injured or worn out. If you increase your long run distance more gradually (e.g., by one mile every second week), then your body will have more time to adapt, and you should be able to get your long runs comfortably past 90 minutes.

Another common reason for not being able to handle long runs is not putting enough emphasis on the long run in your weekly training schedule. If you try to squeeze too much hard training into your week, then you'll go into your long run already somewhat fatigued. By starting your long run tired, you obviously reduce the likelihood of feeling strong towards the end of your run. This is especially true of runners who spend much of their weekend running errands, attending child-related events, etc., and then rise early on Sunday morning for their long run. Try allowing two recovery days prior to your weekly long run, and you should find that, over several months, you can increase the distance of your long runs well past 90 minutes.

Similarly, not eating enough carbohydrates during the two days leading up to your long run can mean that your glycogen (the body's storage form of carbohydrate) stores aren't adequately filled so, you become carbohydrate-depleted when you get 90 minutes into your long run. Another common cause for feeling tired during long runs is not starting the long runs well-hydrated or not taking fluids during your long runs. One or more of these strategies should help you to safely increase the distance of your long runs.

 

Problem: always slow by at least 20 seconds a mile in the last mile of a 5K.

Solution: The three most likely reasons for slowing towards the end of a 5K race are:

You don't have the basic aerobic fitness to maintain a solid pace throughout the race.

You haven't done enough long intervals to be able to maintain a fast pace.

You went out too hard.

Reason number 1 applies if you train less than 25 miles per week or your longest training run is less than six miles. By increasing your weekly mileage and the distance of your long run, you'll improve your basic aerobic fitness, and this will help you to maintain your pace throughout a 5K race.

Reason number 2 applies if your mileage and long run are solid, but if you haven't regularly incorporated long interval workouts into your training. If all you do in training is slow mileage„or even if you occasionally do speedwork but seldom include intervals longer than 400 meters„then you won't have the ability to maintain a fast pace for 5K. You may be able to go out fast for the first mile, and you might even be able to hang in there reasonably for the second mile. But the lactate levels in your muscles will rapidly rise during the race, and you'll have to slow dramatically in the third mile. Include one or two sessions of long intervals (600 to 1600 meters) at your goal 5K pace per week for at least five weeks before your 5K race. These workouts will prepare you to maintain a hard pace throughout the 5K.

Reason number 3 applies if you're well prepared but "blow up" towards the end of a 5K. You're simply going out unrealistically fast. The 5K is run at such a high intensity that there's little room for error in judging your pace. You need to develop the confidence that if you run the first mile more slowly, then your finishing time will improve. If you have a good idea of how fast you can currently race a 5K, then plan to run the first mile at that pace. If you don't have a reasonable idea of how fast you can race a 5K at the moment, then do this workout: four repetitions of 1600 meters with a one-minute jog between. Your average time for the 1600-meter repeats is a good indicator of how fast to run your first mile in the 5K.

 

Problem: I've always been more of a short-distance/fast-twitch type of athlete than an endurance athlete. But I'd like to run a marathon. How much can I overcome my genetic make-up with the right training?

Solution: Regardless of your genetic make-up, you can improve your ability in the marathon with the right training and a long-term approach. Although you can't change your genetic make-up, with increased endurance training your fast-twitch muscle fibers gain more of the characteristics of a natural marathoner's slow-twitch muscle fibers. As a rule, it's easier to move up successfully in distance than to turn a natural marathoner into a sprinter.

Your genetics also determine how quickly you adapt to various types of training, and you may find that you can't increase your endurance training as quickly as some other runners. With patience and determination, however, you can become a marathoner, although it may not be as easy for you as for a natural endurance athlete (if marathon training can ever be considered "easy").

An important component of your transition to marathon training will be to increase both the distance of your long runs and your overall mileage. You'll need to become adept at detecting your body's warning signals so that you increase your training without getting injured. An experienced coach or, at least experienced training partners, can help guide your training, but ultimately only you can assess when you need to cut back and when you can handle more. With time, you'll be able to handle the same types of training that all successful marathoners do.

 

Problem: I'm unsure what nagging injuries are okay to try to train through and when I should cut back significantly.

Solution: Although it's difficult to come up with an answer that covers all of the types of injuries that afflict runners, here are guidelines to help you decide when to keep running, when to cut back and when to seek professional treatment.

If your injury hurts when you start to run, but the pain eases or disappears during the first ten minutes of running, then it's usually safe to train through the injury. In this situation, continuing to run may slow your recovery from the injury, but it shouldn't make the injury any worse. (Only you can decide whether your reasons for training through the injury„you have an important race in the near future, you have a psychological need to run most days, etc.„justify postponing overcoming the injury.) Examples of injuries that may allow you to continue to run moderately are mild muscle strains or mild tendonitis. Typically, these injuries will continue to improve if you cut back your training volume and run relatively easily. Speedwork is likely to aggravate almost any running injury, and should be avoided until the injury is fully recovered.

If your injury is painful when you start to run and the pain stays the same or increases with each step, then running is probably aggravating the injury, and you should stop running until it heals. By taking some time completely off from running, you'll allow the healing process to progress so that you can get back to running more quickly. Many runners make the mistake of trying to run too much or too fast when their injury is only partly healed, and end up prolonging the injury unnecessarily. During your recovery from injury, you should crosstrain so that you maintain your fitness without further aggravating your injury.

 

Problem: In the winter, I often feel lethargic and have trouble doing long runs. I don't drink nearly as much as in the summer. Could I be dehydrated?

Solution: There's a good chance that you're dehydrated; it's typical for runners to drink too little during the winter. During the summer, it's obvious that you lose large amounts of fluid through sweating, and drinking cold fluids helps keep you cool. In the winter, you still lose fluid while running, but it's less noticeable. You also may not feel like drinking cold beverages when it's 10 degrees outside, and may therefore consume less than you need to stay well hydrated.

Fortunately, this is an easily corrected problem. Make sure that you have fluids available during the day. Be sure to drink water or sports drink during and immediately after running to minimize your fluid deficit after each run. If possible, arrange to have a water bottle available during the day. If cold drinks aren't appealing during the winter, then herbal tea, warm apple cider or liquid soups are good options. (Coffee and tea aren't, because they'll only further dehydrate you.)

 

Problem: When the weather is bad, I have a hard time getting out the door.

Solution: Whether this is a real problem depends on whether you're preparing for an important race. Missing training because of bad weather may simply be a reasonable compromise that keeps you healthy and saves your mental energy for better conditions. In extreme winter weather, it may make more sense to skip the occasional day of running than to risk illness or injury. If, on the other hand, your lack of motivation for bad-weather running is interfering with your ability to reach your racing goals, you may need to select goal races for a time of year when extreme weather isn't an issue.

If your overall motivation level is okay, but you simply don't like training in extreme heat, cold, ice, wind, heavy rain, or some combination of the above, then arranging indoor training options may help you to achieve your running goals with less discomfort. Treadmill running can be a useful option for moderate distance runs at a moderate pace, but aren't a particularly safe option for speedwork, and are extremely tedious (which is counterproductive for motivation) for long runs. Indoor tracks are excellent for speedwork, but pose a high injury risk for long runs.

Bad weather can also be an opportunity to add variety to your training. If you're a bit bored with your running routine, adding crosstraining such as cycling, swimming, water running, and cross country skiing will maintain your fitness level, and the novelty of these activities may actually increase your motivation for running. Core conditioning and weight training can also add useful variety to your training.

If you live somewhere like northern Minnesota and plan to run the Boston Marathon in April, however, then you do have a problem, in that to be prepared for your marathon you need to either train through some extreme weather, get used to training indoors, or find another goal race. If you can get on a treadmill on the toughest days, then you may actually get through the winter in better shape than other runners who push themselves through extreme weather conditions.

 

Problem: I seem to have a very short stride compared to other runners, but when I try to lengthen my stride I get tired quickly.

Solution: Your stride length is primarily determined by your leg length, flexibility, strength and coordination. While you obviously can't change your leg length, you can improve the other three factors. You tire quickly now because your current natural stride length is short, and forcing yourself to run with a longer stride requires more energy. If you have a short stride compared to other runners of your height and build, then you should be able to lengthen your stride over time by doing stretching and strengthening exercises and running drills.

If you stretch your hip flexor and quadriceps muscles, then your leg will be able to extend more fully behind your body, and this will allow your stride to lengthen. Similarly, if you stretch your hamstrings, then your leg will be able to swing forward more easily; this will also help to lengthen your stride.

A short stride length can also be caused by weak muscles that are unable to stabilize your body or push off powerfully. Developing the major propulsive muscles of you legs and hips will help to increase your stride length. Improving your core strength will provide a stable platform for your legs to push off from and will reduce fatigue to help you maintain a longer stride length.

When you have improved your flexibility and strength, you'll need to develop the coordination to handle your naturally longer stride. Running drills, such as accelerations of about 100 meters or running with high knees, can help you to develop the muscular coordination to handle a longer stride. The increases will be small and will be measured in months rather than days, but by working on your flexibility, strength and coordination, you should be able to develop a naturally longer stride.

 

Problem: I don't know how quickly it's safe to increase my mileage.

Solution: As with many aspects of training, the answer to this question depends on a variety of factors, such as how injury-prone you are, how long you've been running, and how much mileage you're currently doing. The challenge is to find a rate of increase in your mileage that satisfies your enthusiasm but also allows your muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones to adapt without injury. When increasing your mileage, pay attention to your body's signals, and back off for a few days if you feel an overuse injury developing. Don't add speedwork to your training at the same time that you increase your mileage, because the combined increase in your training load increases the likelihood of injury.

A guideline that works well for many runners is to increase mileage by 10 percent every second week. For example, if you currently run 30 miles per week, then you would increase to 33 miles the first week, remain at 33 miles the second week, increase to 36 miles the third week and remain at 36 miles the fourth week. If you're not in a rush to boost your mileage, then a more conservative and safer approach would be to increase your mileage by 10 percent every third week. These guidelines should create an appropriate balance between increasing your mileage fairly quickly and giving your body time to adapt positively to the increased training load.

 

Problem: I'm unsure how much, and how intensely, I should run during pregnancy.

Solution: Most women runners can continue to run safely during pregnancy. How much you should reduce your mileage and your pace during pregnancy depends on how much and how quickly you usually train, whether you're having discomfort while running, and how far you are into your pregnancy. During pregnancy, you should adjust your running goals to maintaining a reasonable level of fitness, rather than being racing fit. You should also cut out serious racing and speedwork, which can cause potentially dangerous overheating and put extra stress on your body.

It's not unusual to feel better some days than others, particularly during your first trimester. Your energy level may fluctuate from day to day, and you may experience nausea that makes it difficult to head out for a run. You'll need to be flexible in your training, and adjust your daily runs depending on how you feel. If you feel pain, dizziness, have fluid leakage or any other medical problem, then you should stop running and consult with your doctor or midwife.

Running during pregnancy is generally safe, except in hot and humid conditions. If the temperature is over 75 degrees (or over 70 degrees on a humid day), then it's prudent to skip running until the weather cools off. If you live in a hot weather location such as southern Florida, you may need to miss several months of running during the summer or find a relatively cool indoor option for treadmill running. It's important to stay well-hydrated when running during pregnancy, but frequent urination can be an inconvenience, so think through your options in advance.

As your pregnancy progresses, your risk of injury increases because of your altered biomechanics and increased production of relaxin, which is a hormone that relaxes your ligaments. Although you should expect minor discomfort as your body adjusts to running for two, adjust both your pace and mileage downward if you feel a running-related injury developing. Substituting other types of exercise for a few days will give your body time to recover. Late in pregnancy, if you find that running becomes quite uncomfortable, then swimming and water running are excellent options to stay fit and get through the rest of your pregnancy safely.

 

Problem: I know that I'm past the point in my running where I'll set personal bests. How do I set goals for races?

Solution: The most important aspect of setting racing goals is that they must be meaningful to you. You need to figure out what types of goals will get you excited and motivated. It also helps to make your goals as specific as possible.

Goals for races can be defined in terms of time or place. Although you may not set lifetime personal bests (PBs), you can set motivating goals by working towards age group PBs, past-decade PBs or new millennium PBs. As soon as you enter a new age group, you have a whole new set of PBs to set and re-set. You can also set PBs in distances you may never have raced before, or for a distance in which your current PB is a bit soft. Making a specific age-group qualifying time, such as for the Boston Marathon, can be a particularly motivating goal.

As you get older, place goals remain important as you climb through the age groups, and you may develop strong rivalries with particular runners. Some of the fiercest battles are fought in the final 100 meters in the 50-54 age group.

You may also want to set non-racing goals, such as to train without getting injured or to incorporate core conditioning sessions into your training. Take the time to think through what types of goals you will find most meaningful.

 

Problem: This is my second season of running, and the more I train, the faster I race. I'm frustrated because I want to do more training, but my coach won't let me.

Solution: Your coach is probably doing the right thing in holding you back. One of the greatest challenges in developing training programs is determining how much training to do. It's typical to race better as you increase your training, but as your training volume and intensity increase, your risk of injury and overtraining also increases. If your coach has gradually increased your training and is monitoring your ability to handle training, then stick with the coach's plan despite your impatience to train more. Your coach is trying to find the optimal balance so that you get fitter and fitter without getting injured, and probably has a lot more experience making those decisions than you do.

Scott Douglas is a former editor of Running Times and co-author of four running books, including Advanced Marathoning. His Web site is located at www.scottdouglas.biz.