Weekend Outlook

What better way to start off the new year than with a 5k?! There are a couple races going on-- R.I.T.N.Y. (Cary at midnight on the 31st) and the Running of the Lights (Clemmons at midnight on the 31st). Other than that, enjoy the new year!

New Year's Resolutions

It's that time of year again... the gyms will soon be packed, and fitness classes that never filled will have a line out the door. Why? Because "lose weight" and "get fit" make a lot of American's top 12 resolutions list. After reviewing what the government had to say on the matter (I had no idea that they kept track of that), I realized that only about half of them applied to runners (most of us don't smoke and have no plans to consume less alcohol... we're already getting fit and reducing stress by running... and a lot of us travel to at least one race a year). So I decided to look up what the top New Year's resolutions were among runners... definitely a lot more entertaining!

Find a Race

Now that you've reviewed your training log and decided on some goals for the new year... it's time to put a name to those races! Here are 12 race websites to check out:

1. active.com
2. runnc.com
3. FS Series
4. Precision Race
5. NC Races
6. Big Foot Running
7. Running in the USA
8. Runner's World Race Finder
9. Cool Running
10. Road ID Event Calendar
11. MarathonGuide.com
12. USA Track & Field

What Worked... What Didn't

Yup, it's getting to be the end of another year... which means it's time to start making goals for the next! But, before you do that, it might be a good idea to see what you can learn from your training this year (aka time to break out your training log and do some analysis). The easiest thing to look at is mileage. Two metrics to consider are total mileage and average weekly and/or monthly mileage. I also like to look at how my mileage compared week-to-week and month-to-month (the later being a low-pass filtered version of the former). For example, even though a runner might average ~40-miles a week, they might never run this weekly mileage. Looking back at our schedule this past year, many of us trained for longer stuff in the earlier and later part of the year, and kept it shorter in the summer.

The next thing to consider is racing... did you meet your goals or did you not? Some things to look at are the number of races you ran, the frequency and distance of these events, and what you were doing in terms of training when you raced. This helps to gauge "expected performance", and might point to how you can tweak your training for next year to peak more effectively. Also, note when you were "feeling good" (or injured), and see what you were doing for training for the few weeks proceeding these events.

Bring it 2012!

Coooookies

Are those holiday cookies with their delicious frosting and colorful sprinkles looking extra special good to anyone else? While most of us aren't dieting, I did find this article interesting. I don't know about anyone else, but when I'm hungry, I don't have visions of steak and potatoes dancing through my head. Rather, I have actually tried to figure out on long runs how many different forms of funfetti I could incorporate into one desert (in case you're wondering, I settled on a funfetti cookie icecream sandwich with funfetti icing on the top... mmmmmm). And, after reading the first page of that article (the second page is rather obvious... math never lies), I think I might have figured out why:

"But cookie monster problems arise when time-deprived or dieting athletes consume inadequate fuel..."

Ok, while I (and I'm presuming everyone else) does eat something before doing a long run, 2+ hrs of steady exercise is definitely going to throw you into a temporary calorie deficit. And, while energy gels help, you would have to be eating 1 approximately every mile after a while to break even (going off of the old rule of thumb that you burn ~100 calories/mile... this obviously must be adjusted based on weight and pace, but it's good enough to make my point). So, in addition to craving salt (which is a sign that you're electrolytes might be out of whack), it makes sense that endurance athletes crave sweets.

Weekend Outlook

I didn't find much on the local racing scene (and by much, I mean any), and I didn't hear anyone mention that they were racing... SO ENJOY THE HOLIDAY! In conclusion of our 3-week series, I looked up what Runner's World thought runners wanted. I was very sad that tie-dye Zensah compression socks did not make their list... and very disappointed that Hello Kitty arm warmers did! Oh well, I'll leave you with this (guess two of those people didn't get the memo):

Dear Santa,

Could you please bring Raleigh a public-access track? Lights would be extra cool too... we've been good this year! Thanks.

:-) Raleigh-area Runners

12 Drummers Drumming

Drumming = music = headphones! So, which are the best for running? Well, it depends upon where you're running. If you're outside (be careful when you're listening to music while running), opt for clip-on, earbud, or behind-the-neck styles to better hear your surroundings. If you're inside, in-the-ear styles are better for blocking out noise. And, unless you're going to sing to yourself with headphones in (which might earn you a weird look), you probably need something to plug them into, so here's a list of the best mp3 players for runners (a slightly older review by Runner's World... and here's their advice on how to choose one). And, if you care what "the elites" are listening to, check out some of these playlists (guess that's another thing the separates me from them).

11 Pipers Piping

The first thought that came to my mind was lung capacity (I played flute in middle school... I was awful). So, who has the best lung capacity- swimmers, cyclists, or runners? My initial thought was swimmers, but apparently running is a higher-intensity aerobic sport compared to swimming and cycling (note: this is not to say that you can't do a swimming or cycling workout that is higher-intensity compared to running). On the other hand, swimming is specifically recommended for building lung capacity, as are some yoga exercises.

I started to try and look up the lung capacities of various athletes to get a quantitative comparison... but I couldn't figure out a good way to factor in that Michael Phelps is a lot taller than most marathon runners (by nature, taller people have a greater lung capacity). And, it doesn't matter how big your lungs are if you can't process oxygen effectively, which is more related to VO2.

10 Lords A-Leaping

Leaping reminds me of Superman... and of plyometrics, which help to build strength and power. While perhaps more critical for sprinters and jumpers, distance runners can still benefit from incorporating plyometric drills into their routine. Plyometric exercises teach your body to recruit muscle fibers more effectively, which improves running economy  If you have some time, this article contains a list of 20 exercises that would be beneficial. However, if you're more pressed for time (or know that you're not that likely to jump around your apartment by yourself), try incorporating these three drills at the beginning/end of a workout.

9 Ladies Dancing

Ballerinas are flexible... so what stretches do they do that runners don't? To begin with, they do actually stretch and not just talk about how they should (I always have such good intentions, but the only time I actually stretch is when I go to yoga). For some "beginning ballet stretches" check out this site... never thought about having to stretch my torso before! Being that I am impatient, I honestly can't see myself spending this much time stretching... so to save time, here are some basic leg stretches for ballerinas. But, do we even really need to stretch (please say no please say no)? Well... yeah... just make sure you're warmed up and practice dynamic stretching whenever possible.

Weekend Outlook

The Chasin' The Challenge 5K is on Sunday at WakeMed at 2PM... but I couldn't find much else on the local racing scene... guess it's time to get some training miles in! And, for the picture of the week... wonder if Jim and Sam saw these at The Running Show last week in Austin?

Seriously... I didn't think there could be something worse than ShapeUps... but, alas, Chanel has proven me wrong. Three questions: (1) what runner in their right mind would actually buy these?, (2) which elite athlete will be the first to wear them (this has GoRun potential if they switch their "direction" from high top to minimalist), and (3) who is Karl?

8 Maids A-Milking

I know, I know... you were thinking I was going to post something about how chocolate milk is a good recovery drink... but, expect the unexpected my friends! Turns out, milk is NOT the best source of calcium (please say funfetti cake please say funfetti cake). What's better?

• Spinach: in addition to Ca++, spinach is also high in vitamins A and K, which protects against inflammation, oxidative stress-related issues, bone problems, and can work as an antioxidant.  
• Kale: this is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables, and has been found to lower the risk of many cancers as well as cholesterol. 
• Turnip Greens: another nutrient-dense vegetable that aids in cardiovascular and digestive system health, offers detox support, and has known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.  Oh, and I highly recommend steaming this vegetable like they suggest... eating raw turnip greens is pretty disgusting... bitter is a kind adjective!
• Sesame Seeds: in addition to Ca++, sesame seeds are a great source of magnesium, iron and zinc, which promotes respiratory system and bone health and lowers cholesterol.
• Chia Seeds: in addition to Ca++, chia seeds are rich in Omega-3s, protein, fiber, and potassium.

... usually, I glance at the article that I pull a particular picture from... this one was worth a shout-out: Would it be possible for a cow to produce chocolate milk?

7 Swans A-Swimming

Last week's "training" post focused on cycling, so this week we'll explore swimming. Just like running, form is important, and making some simple fixes can make you a whole lot quicker in the water (that and just swimming more). So, as many of us have very little need to swim anything other than freestyle, the remainder of this post will focus on that stroke.

We'll start with breathing because if you can't breathe, you can't swim (or run) very effectively.  First off, DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH... EVER! You don't hold your breath when you run, so don't do it when you swim. Rather, begin exhaling as soon as you finish inhaling, altering the rate depending upon how many strokes you take between breaths. For more tips on breathing, I highly recommend reading that article. In addition to oxygen debt never being a good thing, breathing inefficiently can increase drag. I was taught to breathe on an odd number of strokes so that you stay straighter in the water (i.e., because your constantly alternating the side you breathe on).

Onto improving stroke technique, which can be done before you even step foot in a pool. Visualizing good form helps create the sensory feedback to do it "in real life", so check out some videos of people who know what they're doing. Some common mistakes are crossing your hand over the mid-line of your body as it enters the water, putting your hand in the water too early or trying to over-extend your stroke too much (usually this results in slapping the water with your hand), dropping  your elbow as your hand enters the water, or not rotating enough from side-to-side (which has the effect of reducing your stroke length). For "fixes" to these, I recommend reading this article.   

However, if you really want to be a better swimmer, go to Marty's Master's workouts.

6 Geese A-Laying

Sleep is important, especially for athletes. Have you ever had a good workout when you're really tired? Personally speaking, I have not, which may be partially due to the fact that I can't even run in a straight line when I don't get enough sleep. But, even if you're not a spaz, you still need your zzz's, as this is when growth hormone is released, which stimulates muscle growth/repair and builds bone mass. The experts say you should get between 7-9hrs... basically, if you can fall asleep right away and don't need an alarm clock to wake up, you're doing good (seriously, is that even possible?!). As little as 20hrs in the hole can serious impact on athletic competition, and the military notes that sleep deprivation results in immediate and rapid degradation of performance. The elite athletes have known this for years... guess that's another thing to add to the list of what separates us! So, what do they do? Nothing special really, they just try and keep their sleep pattern regular (making sure to account for jet lag) and try and clear their mind before going to sleep (easier said than done). For some other tips on sleep hygiene, check out this site.

12/10-11 Race Report

Team Raleigh Running Outfitters / FASTcoaching hit the ground running again this weekend:

• Kimberlie Fowler was the 2nd female overall at the Kiawah Island Marathon, running a new PR of 2:51 (that's 3 marathons in 3 months under 3 hours... insane!). David Meeker was 2nd in his age group for the half marathon. WOW WOW WOW! (results)
• Tim G. was 3rd overall at the Jolly Elf Trail Run, and I was 3rd female, exactly 3-min behind him! Marty was 2nd in his age group (by 1sec... but that was only because he let me win because Bri was yelling "Go Meghan, don't let Marty pass you") and Crit was 5th in her age group. Thank you Oyler, John G., Sean, and Bri for cheering us on... WAHOOO! (results)

Awesome job everyone! Oh, and thank you Crit for saving me some bells so that I could alternate pitches!

5 Golden Rings

Ok... well, they're multi-colored rings... but hopefully the USA Track and Field athletes will be bringing home lots of gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics. The track and field Olympic team trials will be held in late June / early July at the University of Oregon (schedule). However, the marathon trials are a lot sooner, with both the men's and women's races being held on the same day (January 14, 2012) at the same site (Houston). NBC will broadcast the event from 3-5PM on the very same day. The course was designed to mimic "London conditions", with a 2.2-mile inner loop and an 8-mile outer loop (run 3 times). A list of athletes meeting the qualification standards can be found here... not sure if this will have been updated to reflect anyone qualifying on the last possible day. So, who are the top athletes? On the men's side: Ryan Hall (2:04:58), Meb Keflezighi (2:09:13), and Dathan Ritzenhein (2:10:00) have the fastest times. On the women's side: Desiree Davila (2:22:38), Kara Goucher (2:24:52), and Magdalena Lewy Boulet (2:26:22) are at the top of the field.

Weekend Outlook

What's on the radar for this weekend? On Saturday, the Jolly Elf Trail Run is at Bond Park @ 9AM (this is the last race in the Fall Second Empire Series) and the Reindeer Run 5K is in Pittsboro @ 8AM. Not sure if anything else is going on...

It's supposed to be cool out this weekend, so I figured that a couple snowmen-related records might be appropriate (note: it's NOT supposed to snow in Raleigh). The tallest snowman ever built measured 122' 1" tall, while the smallest snowman measured 10 micrometres (guess it was a slow day in the National Physical Laboratory). And, while I was looking for a non-cartoon picture of a snowman running (ok, that's a little esoteric), and kept coming across posts related to how a bus-driver got fired for running over a snowman. Intrigued, I read on. The video is great... just make sure you wear plenty of reflective clothing (which is conveniently available at Raleigh Running Outfitters) so you don't end up like the snowman... running downtown or on North Hills can get pretty dicey:

4 Calling Birds

We're up to 10 birds... this is ridiculous. My first thought was alarm clocks... benefits of morning training... blah blah blah... but then I remembered that I had kind or already done that. So, what else has to with calling? Calling your friends... benefits of group training... dang, Sean already posted something about that. I know... calling out someone's name (better known as cheering)... does it really help, or is it in my head that I run faster? This brings us to the Home Team Advantage phenomenon.

Turns out, it is for real, with the home team winning 52-66% of the time depending upon the sport. But why? Well, it's not because of the crowd cheering you on (so I was wrong), or that the home team is better rested because they don't have to travel, or that they know the field better. Rather, there is evidence to suggest that there is a general referee bias to the home team. The authors attributed this, in part, to pressure from the crowd.

This is all well and great, but there are no referees in road races. And, even though we've all had our quibbles with various timing companies (I want my 2 seconds!), local runners are no less susceptible to the finish line receiver not reading their chip compared to those visiting from out of town. There is also something to be said for not having to wake up at the crack of dawn to make it to a race and knowing the course. And, even though baseball, football, basketball, and soccer players might be immune to cheering... runners can't seem to get enough of it... I'm guessing it's because we're are a lot closer to our "fans" :-) .

3 French Hens

Three = tri(athlon)... forget the French Hens... was this person seriously starting an aviary?! Ok, while the majority of us are more familiar with training for the last leg of a tri, the first two legs are a different story. Plus, it's always nice to throw in some "cross training", although I guess it's considered training training if you're a triathlete. As a post later in this series will focus on swimming, we'll concentrate on cycling for the remainder of this post. And, because it's getting cooler out... trainer workouts! Trainer workouts provide a good opportunity to work on raising your LT level and improve pedal stroke because, lets face it, no one wants to do a "long ride" and not go anywhere (think of trying to do your long run on a treadmill... except worse because it would take longer!). Here are some example workouts... happy riding:

• Workout Series 1
• Workout Series 2
• Workout Series 3

2 Turtle Doves

I'm going to focus on the number 2 for this blog post because other than seeing turtle doves while running or cycling, there is no connection. So... two-a-days... but not just any double workout... after a long run or race?! I must admit, when I saw the titles of both these articles, I did a double take.

We'll start with the long run. Typically, after a long run, I make sure I eat something within a half hour, drink some coffee so I can stay awake long enough to take a shower, and then take a nap or watch TV... I'm pretty useless for the rest of the day. Inevitably, my legs stiffen up, making latter trips to the refrigerator a bit more painful, and the following day sucks. However, the article in Running Times suggests going for a run later in the day after you've already knocked out 15+ miles to prevent this from happening. This helps to flush out lactic acid and other metabolic by-products that have been sitting in your muscles since finishing your previous workout (compression stockings help, but they can't do everything), making your legs feel fresher the next day. The only rules... try and limit the run to 20-30min (don't use this to pad your weekly mileage) and keep the pace slow. Ok... makes sense... I've tried this 24hrs after a long and usually felt better that night for our normal 5-6 miler... so I might actually try this.

Now to the race-day double. Ok, I've done an "extended cooldown" to get some extra miles in, but never have I knocked out a speed workout after a race. In fact, I can't even contemplate doing so. I read the article, and apparently the "guinea pig athletes" thought the same thing, so maybe... oh wait, I'm not Kara Goucher. However, I won't say it's impossible until I try it (which may be never), so here are the guidelines: (1) only attempt this after running a 5K or shorter race, (2) allow adequate time to recover after the race + workout, and (3) the workout should be a "switch" from what you've been doing in your training (like repeat 400's if you've been doing a lot of tempo / longer intervals). Oh, and if you're injury-prone, coming back from an injury, or feeling the onset of one... be happy with your race and leave the speed work for another day!

12/3-4 Race Reports

Looks like Team RRO / FASTcoaching started December off on the right foot:

• Tim G. was 2nd AG (12th overall) and David Oyler was 1st AG (16th overall) at the Run at the Rock 14-miler... NICE JOB (results).
• The Jingle Bell 5K also saw some fast times. Nick Meeker was 1st AG (7th overall), Mark Newton was also 1st AG (15th overall), Tom K. was 3rd AG, and Kim Bowler was 3rd female! Our friend Pauline was 3rd AG and John Tate was 4th AG... CONGRATS (results). And thank you Newt for recycling jingle bells!
• Anthony G. was 3rd AG at the Mistletoe Half Marathon, running CRAZY FAST (results).
• Devin finished in the top 20 at the Las Vegas Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon... WAHOOO (results).

AWESOME job everyone and CONGRATS if you raced!

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Theme 3 weeks time! Yes, even though we are more than 12 days out from 12/25, I only write "content blog posts" 4 days of the week, so I need to start three weeks out. And, I promise, all of these will be related to training, nutrition, gear, or something random... just like our "regular" Monday - Thursday posts.

Ok, so pears... turns out, they're in season! Pears are a good source of vitamins A, C, K, B2, B3, B6, B9 (folate), boron, copper, and dietary fiber. Both Vitamin C and copper are powerful antioxidants. Vitamin C also boosts immunity, while copper protects the body from free radical damage (it is a component of superoxide dismutase, which helps eliminate superoxide radicals). Pears also contain a healthy dose of fiber, which helps lower high cholesterol levels and binds to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon to help prevent cellular damage. Coincidentally, copper also mitigates some of the risk factors associated with colon cancer.  Boron helps with calcium absorption, keeping bones healthy and helping to prevent osteoporosis.

Pears are also considered to be a hypoallergenic fruit and are less likely to "produce adverse responses" than other fruits (aka not a lot of people are allergic to them). And, to top it all off, people who eat pears (or any fruit really) are less likely to suffer from breast cancer or macular degeneration. Quercetin, which is found in the skin of some fruits, also helps prevent artery damage and may protect against Alzheimer's.

Weekend Outlook

My favorite Raleigh-area 5k is this weekend... the Jingle Bell 5k (St. Mary's at 10:30AM)! Why is it my favorite? Not because of the course, which was a bit too long two years ago (at least they kept it to a simple out-and-back last year)... or the fact that it's been freezing cold and/or raining both times I've run it... rather

THEY GIVE YOU JINGLE BELLS TO TIE TO YOUR SHOES DURING THE RACE! 

Yes, I kept mine on until Feb. 14th one year, and only took them off because I figured people might get annoyed during the Valentine's Massacre Relay. Unfortunately, I can't make it this year, but we have plenty of teammates who are racing. So, if anyone isn't as enamored with jingle bells as I am, feel free to "donate" them... I promise not to wear them on Sunday's long run until after we finish. Also on Saturday, the Get Fit NC Road Race is in Wake Forest (9AM) and the Reindeer Romp 5k is at the WakeMed Soccer complex (10AM).

In the holiday spirit, GU came out with a new flavor- Peppermint Stick. It is amazing... tastes like liquified candy canes... I highly recommend it. They've also come out with a Peanut Butter one, which I have yet to try, but heard is really good... they are one step closer to my "2-part epoxy concept" of combining two different flavors (like, I don't know, Jet Blackberry and Peanut Butter) to make the ultimate energy gel.

And, because they started playing Christmas music on the radio on Nov. 1st, I feel the need to revisit Thanksgiving... so, the record for the largest gathering of people dressed as turkeys was broken last Thursday at the 44th Annual Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot. 661 people dressed in a costume that included a MINIMUM of a turkey beak, a turkey colored bodysuit with plumes on the back, AND webbed turkey feet (yes, the rules are that specific)... gobble gobble! And, here's a new take on the Running of the Bulls:

The Story of the 8mm Sneaker

Once upon a time, there was a runner.  He tried on a "traditional" running shoe, but it was too high in the heel. Then, he tried on a "zero-drop" shoe, but it was too low in the heel. Finally, he put on one of Saucony's new 8mm shoes and it was just right. Yes, thanks to the most ridiculous(ly awesome) product promo shirt ever, we've all heard about Saucony's "new 8mm concept". So, what's this all about? Traditional running shoes have ~12mm drop from heel-to-toe. Minimalist shoes have a 0-4mm drop and very little cushioning. However, there are also "zero-drop" shoes (that aren't necessarily minimal), but still use a 0-4mm platform (like the Kinvaras and the PureProject line... there are others too). And, to further complicate things, there are shoes that don't have a lot of cushioning, but still feature a 10+ mm  heal-to-toe drop. And... just kidding :-)

Ok, 8mm, why is this so special? Well, lets start off with why all sneakers aren't 8mm. Turns out, there's really no good reason. Back in the 80's, sneaker manufacturers started making more cushioned, supportive shoes. This was in response to an increase in the number of running related injuries... specifically Achilles tendinitis, metatarsal fractures, and tibial stress syndrome. In order to reduce these numbers, manufacturers built up the heels of sneakers to reduce some of the stress on the lower leg. Additionally, the number of people suffering from plantar fasciitis and runner's knee was also on the rise, which was attributed to the need for increased support. So, manufactures started making the medial sides of running shoes stiffer to prevent pronation. Makes sense... unless you consider that these injuries weren't the result of how the shoe was made, but rather the result of poor running form (I believe heel-striking was still recommended at this point). How they settled on 12mm exactly is anyone's guess.

However, due to the recent barefoot running trend, manufactures have begun to take a second look at how they construct sneakers. Basically, after reading Born to Run, a whole bunch of people started running in minimalist shoes because the Tarahumara did, and they're pretty awesome. Then, a whole bunch of people got injured from trying to jump right from traditional sneakers to no sneakers too quickly. So, "the experts" started looking at why, and found it wasn't so much the lack of cushioning, but rather the heel-to-toe offset. Then, manufacturers made the first round of "kind of minimal but not really" sneakers... namely a 0-4mm drop with cushioning. However, people still complained, so they went back to the labs and averaged the drops (I have no idea if they really did this, but (12+4)/2 = 8). People found the 8mm platform to be ideal in terms of "stride smoothness"... I'm guessing by chopping 4mm off the heel, it encourages mid-foot striking just enough without putting excessive stress on your calf/Achilles.

Chip Timing > Manual Timing

Or is it? Obviously, it be impossible to manually time large races, but chip timing is not flawless. We've all been frustrated by "results reporting"... how hard can it be? The way I figure it, they know your starting and ending time as soon as you cross both mats, so subtract them... one, simple equation. Anyways, here are the links to the timing systems used by many of the local companies. In theory, they all should work!

• Precision Racing uses the Jaguar Timing System.
• Young & Associates uses ChampionChip (now MYLAPS). This timing system was used in the 2011 Boston Marathon and the IRONMAN World Championships.
• FS Series uses the Winning Time System.
• On The Mark Sports uses ChronoTrack and IPICO.
• ChronoTrack (B-tag and D-tag) systems are also popular.

Short Runs Part 2

Yes... I love track workouts... so I am more likely to read articles about them. The schedule that Coach has laid out for us incorporates a variety of track workouts. Longer repeats to work on pacing... shorter to work on turnover... sometimes the intervals are all the same length... other times, the distance varies... you get the point. The workouts that I have the most difficulty with are the ones that require us to change pace. Whether it's dropping to 10k pace after 5+ miles at marathon pace or 3-5k pace for shorter repeats at the end of a track workout, I usually start off too fast and then bonk halfway through the repeat. But, as luck would have it, these workouts are "good for you"... guess what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

According to the article from running times, "combo workouts" are those that mix together speed, VO2-max intervals / tempo (not sure the exact distinction... but I'm guessing the former is 1000m-3000m intervals at 10k pace and the later is 30+ min at closer to half marathon pace), and progression workouts. Combo workouts are good for you because the combine multiple, different stresses into one training session (aka I would describe the pain associated with running a half marathon as more fatigue related whereas 400m is more lung-burning / quad-shaking). By sticking them all in the same workout, you simulate "race" conditions (surging to pass someone with 200m to go after running however many miles before that) without having to actually run the race itself. Also, the variety keeps the workout interesting, and sometimes more manageable because it give logical "break" points. The second page of the article gives some example workouts and explanations of what they target / when to do them.

Turkey Trot Race Report

Lots of orange singlets at the front of the Ridgewood Turkey Trot last Thursday. John Royal was 1st master's (11th overall) and Walt was 4th in his age group. Rita Beard was 5th female overall (1st AG) and our friend Susan was 5th in her age group. Teammates Jonathan Wood (3rd overall) and Roger Wood (1st AG) also ran great. CONGRATS EVERYONE! (results)

The Gobbler's Run 5K also saw some great results from Team RRO / FASTcoaching. Carolyn Micheels was 1st in her age group, Erica and Crit were 2nd and 4th in their age group respectively, and Laura Frey's daughter Isabella was 2nd in her age group (and I'm guessing Laura was pacing her). NICE JOB! (results)

And thank you Mike for taking pictures... this is easily my favorite... and I agree with Rita, that turkey is creepy!

Mmmmmm... Protein

What to do with all that leftover turkey... how about make a sandwich?! We concentrated on fat and carbs in last week's nutrition post, so on to protein. The amino acids in protein helps rebuild muscle tissue, fight off infection, and acts as a steady-release energy source. If you don't take in enough protein, your body will simply "borrow" it from your muscles, which detracts from all the hard work you've done during training. However, because they get digested slowly, foods that have a high protein content are not good pre-race options (they can cause cramping and "GI distress").

So, what should you eat to make sure you're getting enough? Meat is the most obvious answer (lean cuts are better than Big Macs), but dairy products (again, low-fat is better) and some plants are also good options. However, most of the "non-animal" options are "incomplete" (they lack key amino acids), although they can be combined with other foods to make them "complete" (like adding rice to beans). This can also increase the glycemic index of whatever you're eating, making you feel fuller for longer and suppressing large oscillations in blood sugar. In addition to completeness, proteins are absorbed at different rates. For example, whey is absorbed quickly whereas casein is absorbed slowly (both proteins are found in milk, making it the ideal recovery drink). Energy bars usually try to combine different types of protein in order to reap the benefits of each. However, "non-synthetic" protein sources are best, and also contain other valuable nutrients (such as vitamin B12, zinc, and iron).

Black Friday

I had to laugh at the game plan proposed in this article... are they shopping or running a race?!?

• Make a checklist to know what you're looking for = make a training plan
• Get a sneak peak at the bargains that the stores will be offering = pre-run the course
• Find out when the stores will open = know when the race starts
• Map out a shopping route = know how to get from where you park to the start/end of the race
• Have someone who's not interested in shopping assume "bag duty" for the day = recruit a friend who's not racing to hold your gear
• Wear comfy, cushioned shoes = okay, racing shoes are the opposite of cushioned, but the idea of have the right shoes for the event is the same
• Eat a good breakfast and drink something caffeinated = eat a good breakfast and drink something caffeinated (and some water since you actually want to be hydrated)
• Don't have an attitude = be sure to say thank you to at least one volunteer
• Treat yourself = post-race meals are the best!

Happy Thanksgiving!

And good luck if you're racing!

Turkey Trot Outlook

What?! A "race outlook" post on Wednesday?! Yup... because there's no better way to start off Thanksgiving than running:

• Ridgewood Turkey Trot @ 8:30 in Raleigh
• Inside-Out Sports Turkey Trot @ 9:00 in Cary
• Cross Roads Turkey Trot @ 9:00 in Cary
• Gobbler's Run @ 8:00 in Wake Forest

I tried to find out what the fastest marathon dressed as a turkey was (or if anyone had ever tried). I had to settle for the fastest marathon dressed as a bird... which was achieved at, you guessed it, the London Marathon. Martin Indge ran a 3:04 dressed as an ostrich. What motivated him to run so fast? To quote Mr. Indge, "I believe there's a panda out there I've got to go head to head with"... AWESOME!

Turkey Tendons

Tendons are the shock absorbers of the body. Their elastic nature allows them to dissipate some of the initial impact force to protect the leg muscles from damage. In order to learn more about this muscle-tendon interaction, researchers at Brown studied turkeys, whose leg structure and manner of walking are very similar to ours. The broke the gait cycle down into two phases: (1) force rise (when the turkey first lands) and (2) force decay (following the initial jolt of landing). During the rise phase, the muscle fascicles remained a constant length, which means that tendons are absorbing the force by stretching like a spring. In fact, the muscle "pre-activates", becoming stiffer to resist forcible stretching. During the decay phase, the tendon recoils to its original length, transmitting the energy it stored during landing to the fascicles. Because of this delay, the fascicles have enough time lengthen by an appropriate amount to safely absorb the energy from landing. So, what does that mean for runners (whose knees can absorb up to 8x our body weight with each step)? Keep your tendons healthy!

11/19-20 Race Reports

Three time's a charm? Apparently because this is the third week in a row that Team RRO / FASTcoaching has posted some FANTASTIC results:

• David Oyler was 1st overall in the Raven Rock Rumble 5-miler, posting a PR for the course too... CONGRATS! (5-mile results, 10-mile results)
• Rita was the 1st female at the Goose River Creek 10-miler, Sean was 3rd overall, and Mike was 3rd in his age group... WAHOOO! Sean also overheard a little boy say that someday he wanted to race for Raleigh Running Outfitters... awesome! (10-mile results, 7k results)
• David Kirby ran a PR at the North Carolina Marathon, placing 2nd overall... GREAT JOB! (results)
• Cody Crutchley finished in the top 25 in the JFK 50-miler in his first attempt at this distance... 8:21 pace for 50 miles, are you insane?!? WOW WOW WOW (results)
• Jim and his brother (first marathon) ran in the Philadelphia Marathon this Sunday and ROCKED! (results)

Thanksgiving Dinner Revisited

In my opinion, the traditional Thanksgiving dinner is probably one of the healthiest of all the holidays: turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, green beans, squash, cranberry sauce... all washed down with a nice slice of pumpkin pie! I mean, I'm seriously not seeing how Thanksgiving gets tied into all of the "holiday weight gain" nonsense... even desert counts as a vegetable!

Weekend Outlook

Trail races are the event of choice this weekend... we have teammates competing at The Raven Rock Rumble, The Goose Creek Trail Races, and the JFK 50-Miler. And, because some people haven't had enough of the 26.2-mile distance, the Philadelphia Marathon is also this weekend. GOOD LUCK if you're racing! And, in case anyone hasn't seen this yet, it's pretty cool:

 

A Well-Balanced Diet Is Optimal

On to Section 3 of that very long article - nutrition for marathon training. I'm going to leave "Part A" alone for now because I'm not sure I completely agree with starting a long run with nothing in the tank (aka I need to do additional research to figure out (1) how long a run they're talking about and (2) if there are any contradictory studies).

After years of research it's been conclusively proven that a diet containing a blend of carbohydrates, protein, and fat is best for endurance athletes. For a while, many believed that athletes should eat a high-carb diet in order to build up their glycogen stores. Unfortunately, eating a whole bunch of carbs often comes at the expense of eating adequate amounts of fat and protein, which reduces fat metabolism and increases fatigue (lots of sugar spikes insulin levels for 8+ hrs). So, in order to increase fat metabolism and draw on a more sustained energy source, you should eat a diet high in fat... right? While eating a high fat (60+ % of calories from fat) does increase fat-metabolism and endurance at low-intensity efforts, these benefits did not carry over to race-pace. Basically, at higher effort levels, you can never eliminate the need for carbohydrates... you will need to draw on your glycogen stores to sustain a "pace" for an extended period of time (i.e., the difference between running a marathon vs. surviving 26.2 miles). So, most sports nutritionists still recommend the standard 50:30:20 diet, with slightly more carbohydrates after longer/harder training sessions (or when carbo-loading).

Cryotherapy

Like Han Solo?! Well, sort of, although not for quite as long. Cryotherapy is like an ice bath on steroids. Instead of just icing you legs, athletes stand in a cylindrical chamber for ~2.5min while hyper-cold air is released all around their body. How cold is "hyper-cold"? Well, like -300 degrees (not sure if it's Fahrenheit for Celsius, but either way, that's cold). Why would you want to do this? Cryotherapy drops the skin-surface temperature to 30 degrees in less than a minute. Because this occurs so rapidly, the body's regulatory systems don't have time to kick in, and blood is immediately shunted to the core as a protective mechanism. Here, the blood picks up oxygen and nutrients.Then, when the frigid air stops, the body figures out where the blood "needs" to go (namely fatigued and damaged muscles). At least, this is the theory that the companies that make the $20,000 - $40,000 units are trying to sell their clients on. In reality, there hasn't been a whole ton of peer-reviewed research, and some say that there's not much difference between this treatment and a traditional ice bath.

Short Runs

Track workouts are my favorite days... particularly when we get to run 400's... which I know is weird for someone training for a marathon... but when you look up normal in the dictionary, my picture won't be there. I do sometimes wonder though if my time wouldn't be better spent doing longer tempo or pace runs. Being that I hate these workouts (but know that I see the greatest improvements when I do them correctly), I decided to look it up. 

Turns out, the addition of speed workouts separates elite athletes from those just trying to survive a marathon. After all, running faster makes your race pace seem easier, in addition to improving arm drive, speed, and stamina. And and and... one of the greatest marathon coaches ever has his athletes run 200's, 400's, 800's... like normal track workout stuff! Because the focus of many marathon programs is distance, strength (tempo + hills), and more distance... speed is often the limiting factor between a "good" marathon and a "great" marathon. In fact, speed is traditionally reserved to the last phase of training. The "new" method, however, places speed in the middle of base and tempo/strength training. And, actually, the "new" method follows more "traditional" training programs for every distance EXCEPT the marathon - build a good base, get stronger, and then focus on "race-specific" training. In the case of shorter races (5K's/10K's), this means speed work... but in the case of marathons, this means more LT runs. The last article presents more theory, advice, and example workouts... it's a pretty good read.

Dinosaur vs Human

Could you outrun one? I mean, I know this is everyone's #1 concern when they wake up in the morning. I can't tell you how many times I have thought about what I would do if I walked outside and there was a T. rex standing in the parking lot (I would run zig-zags because I've heard this is the best way to outrun an alligator and I don't think playing dead would work just in case y'all were wondering). Ok ok... back to the topic at hand. In order to answer this question, paleontologists from the University of Manchester simulated the top speed of 5 different carnivorous dinosaurs: Compsognathus, Velociraptor, Dilophosaurus, Allosaurus and T. rex. Among there findings... the smaller dinosaurs were faster... but, unfortunately, we would likely make a good meal for any of these candidates. On a positive note, Usain Bolt could outrun Allosaurus and T. rex an for 100m at least!

11/12-13 Race Reports

Crazy fast times again this weekend, with plenty of orange singlets in the top of the field:

• At Richmond, Jarett was 11th (2:36:25) and Brandon 12th (2:36:55) in the marathon, both with new PR's. Brad B. also ran a huge PR (2:52:22) for 32nd, and Ben Hannas also made it into the top 100! Crit ran a PR too, and Brian (1:15:07, 22nd) and Keith (1:21:06, 38th) killed the half, both with new PR's. WAHOOO!!! (results)
• Tim Surface won the OBX Marathon a week after finishing 2nd at the City of Oaks Marathon (that's insane!). Jennifer Curtin was the 1st master's female in the marathon, and 6th overall. NICE JOB! (results)

CONGRATS CONGRATS CONGRATS... y'all rock!

Weekend Outlook

The Richmond Half and Full Marathon is on Saturday, and the OBX Half and Full Marathon is on Sunday... and I believe we have teammates competing in each... GOOD LUCK Y'ALL! In the triangle-area, there's a Fun Run from Raleigh Running Outfitters (the Raleigh store) on Saturday at 8AM with coffee, hot chocolate, and bagels to follow.

In other news, the New York City Marathon was last weekend... Mutai won, becoming one of only a handful of people to win both Boston and New York in the same year (and I believe the first person ever to break both records in the same year). The women's race was crazy... Keitany shot out of the blocks, running well under course-record pace, only to be chased down by Dado and Deba in the last few miles of the race. Firehiwot Dado was the eventual winner, running far better than expected. And Meb Keflezighi finished 6th overall, with a 2sec PR (wahooo)... in Sketchers GoRun (noooooo)... but he was wearing compression socks (yayyyyyy), so maybe if he switches to the Adios like the rest of the fast marathoners... And, for the most exciting news of the week (yes, I did start jumping up and down), thank you Zensah:

Medium Runs

Okay, back to our "what makes elites elites" discussion from last week, and on to "section 2" of the article. Moving on from base training, the largest gains in terms of fat-burning efficiency can be realized when running close to the highest speed you can run without going anaerobic. For "experienced" runners, this equates to an effort level of 70-75%. While many of us would initially find this pace hard to maintain for 90+ minutes, practice makes perfect, and the author of the article assures us that it will get easier. Personally speaking, while I don't find our "long tempo runs" to be easy, they are getting less horrible (aka I'm not dying quite as quickly and I am recovering a little bit faster). Tempo runs are also the quickest way to raise your lactate / anaerobic threshold, which translates into faster times.   

However, not every run should be done at this pace. There is still the need for "easy runs". If you run every run at a tempo pace, you'll begin slipping anaerobic and undoing all of your hard work. Furthermore, lactic acid and other waste products begin to accumulate in your muscles, prolonging recovery. So, bottom line, "it's better to run a little too slow than a little too fast."

Neon Makes You Faster

Although I don't have the "science" to back this up, I'd like to present some pretty convincing evidence:

1. The lighter-weight the shoe, the brighter it is.... spikes / racing flats always incorporate at least one shade of neon, and often go for the "clashing" look.
2. Team RRO / FASTcoaching wears neon orange singlets (or bright green/yellow)... and we are fast.

Personally speaking, I have run some of my better races in multiple shades of neon (because if you're not going to match, you might as well not match all the way). I remember when Brooks came out with the neon yellow Launches, I felt like every female who finished in the top 10 was wearing a pair (the Carolina blue color just wasn't as "fast", and everyone switched to different sneakers... y'all know I'm only half joking). This is my theory on the neon = speed theory... you're motivated to run fast when you're wearing neon because you don't want to stick out even more. You can blend into the crowd in a nice, tranquil shade of blue or black... but try that in bright orange and yellow and you're out of luck.  I did decide to look up the psychology of colors to see if this could shade any light on my theory.

We'll start with orange... "there is nothing even remotely calm associated with this color". HA! No wonder why I love our uniforms! It's also the color associated with fun times, happy/energetic days, warmth, and ambition. Green is more calming, a better-paced energy color. It's also associated with good luck, peace, and harmony. Yellow is cheerful and optimistic, speeding up metabolism and stimulating the thought process. But, it can also be over-powering, making babies cry and tempers flare. Red is where the eye looks first and is energetic and exciting. It makes the heart beat faster and people feel out of breath... better not wear that one!

Now on to the more "tranquil" colors. Blue is most people's "favorite" color, perhaps because most of the world is blue. This color can cause a calming sensation, but too much can seem cold. However, most people associate blue with dependability and wisdom, and nearly all sports are enhanced in blue surroundings. Purple is also tied to wisdom, as well as royalty, sophistication, and respect. As for the "neutral" colors, black is associated with power, stability, and strength, while white can indicate purity, cleanliness, and safety.

So, in conclusion, bright colors are energetic and catch people's eye (didn't need to read a whole article to figure that one out). Although this does not further the claims of my neon = fast theory, at least y'all will be well prepared for your next "English literature symbolism quiz" (I never understood symbolism... always had to memorize what stuff meant... the Masque of the Red Death was fun as indicated by the fact that I still remember studying for the test ~13.5 years later).

Hello Darkness My Old Friend...

Yup... there's no getting around it...our regularly scheduled weeknight runs will be shroud in a cloud of darkness. However, there are benefits to running when the sun is down, so we might as well take some precautions and keep putting one foot in front of the other. This means high visibility clothing (or at least not dressing like a ninja) and maybe headlamps for poorly lit areas. While the majority of us are familiar with high visibility clothing (neon... reflective materials... ok), but choosing the right head lamp is another story (I highly recommend reading that article if you are in the market for a head lamp). Some things to pay attention to are brightness (measured in lumens versus the more familiar watts), beam distance (how far in front of you the beam projects), and run time / battery life (measured at lowest setting). Here's what Consumer Reports recommends... or just stop by RRO!

Sports Drinks

Not all sports drinks are created equal, but it doesn't seem to matter much, at least according to this article. The original Gatorade contained sodium, potassium, and glucose, and even though sports drinks essentially contain the same thing 45+ years later, the concentrations of each differ. The key seems to be creating an isotonic solution (i.e., one where the dissolved particles in the drink equals that of the blood) as these are theoretically absorbed more rapidly. However, many of the traditional sports drinks err on the side of hypertonicity (greater concentration of dissolved particles compared to blood) because the addition of slightly more carbohydrates yielded performance benefits. However, the increasingly popular "low sugar" sports drinks are actually slightly hypotonic (lower concentration of dissolved particles compared to blood). With regards to performance, all of the sports drinks performed better than water in terms of hydration and energy levels, but there were no significant differences between the three. People did find the hyper/hypotonic solutions slightly more agreeable (at least this is the way I read it), so you might have to play around with the proper sports drink : water ratio to find what mix works best for you.

Interesting Fact: drinking sports drinks before/during/after a workout helps to fight off colds.

City of Oaks Report

Total RRO / FASTcoaching domination at City of Oaks... lots of PR's and lots of podium spots:

• Laura Berry was the 1st woman in the 10K, and Jennifer Curtin was 1st master's (3rd woman). Matt also finished his first 10K ever! (10k results)
• The half marathon was a sea of orange... literally. James ran a huge PR (top 10 AG), Cody also finished in the top 10 of this age group (glad he's tapering for a 50-miler), Anthony was 1st in his age group, and Roger Wood finished 4th in his (or 1st depending upon if they take out the top 5 overall). On the master's side, Sean, Mike C., and Charlie went 2-3-8 in their age group, Mark Newton (first half marathon), David Oyler, and Walt went 5-6-10 in their age group in their age group, and Roger Wood finished 2nd in his age group. On the women's side, Jennifer Hannen was 4th overall with a new PR! I was 5th in my age group (or 3rd if they take out the top 5 overall) Rita was 3rd in hers (or 2nd if they take out top 5 overall), Heather Davis and our friend Amelia were 1-4 in theirs, and Donna and Jacci turned in great performances on a difficult course. Dave Meyer helped pace the 1:45 group and Kim Bowler helped with the 2:00 group. I know I saw more orange singlets than that, but I'm honestly not sure of everyone's names! (half marathon results)
• In the marathon, Kimberlie Fowler and Kelcie Carlson went 1-2 on the women's side. Tim Surface was 2nd overall, and David Meeker finished in the top 10 with a new PR! Brad and his brother also helped with pace groups. (marathon results)
• Brian F., Win, Keith, and Tim G. were the 2nd relay team! (relay results)

CONGRATS CONGRATS CONGRATS WAHOOO! Despite "not being a PR course", there were lots of PR's. It was also really nice to meet some new teammates, and thank you RRO for putting on such a great race :-)

11/6-7 Race Report

City of Oaks went AWESOME today for Team RRO / FASTcoaching!!! Despite not being a PR course, many PR's were set (James L., Jennifer H., Mark N., Mike C., Walt F., and I'm sure others in the half... and David Meeker in the full). I'm not sure of the official results yet (does anyone have a link?) but Brian-Win-Keith-Tim were the 2nd relay team and Kimberlie F. and Kelcie C. went 1-2 in the full marathon! The finish line was a virtual sea of orange too... it was GREAT to see so many teammates out there! Thanks to everyone who came out and volunteered + cheered... and thanks Jim and Raleigh Running Outfitters for putting on a FANTASTIC race!

... I'll post detailed results when I see them, just wanted to get something up so y'all knew "unofficially" how it went :-)

Weekend Outlook

CITY OF OAKS is the weekend! I think we have teammates in every race: 10K, half marathon, full marathon, and marathon relay. I believe Brad said he was pacing a pacer too... always good to be redundant. Don't forget to set your clocks back! And, in the spirit of marathons and waking up:

Long Runs

In order to not have anything left after you cross the finish line, it would be ideal to make it there in the first place. I mean, one way to "leave it all out on the course" is to run yourself into the ground early on... but SK said that the elites ran a fairly consistent pace throughout, not they went out hard and died (the ones who win at least). Inherent to this is the ability to learn how best to use the energy reserves that your body has available.

The purpose of long runs is to teach your body to burn fat versus glycogen during endurance events. Basically, fat results is a more stable, longer-lasting energy source. By relying on it, you reduce the amount of carbohydrates you use, and save your glycogen stores to the end of the race when you just need to power through the last mile. Coach said that relying on glycogen stores alone will get you an hour. Obviously, taking in fuel like GU and Gatorade will stretch this out a bit, but you can't replace what you're losing fast enough to get you to the end of 26.2-miles. When you run low on carbohydrates, you begin to feel fatigued, and eventually hit the wall.

From a physiological perspective, the body preferentially burns carbohydrates during high effort levels (aka fast races / interval workouts). However, as it is more difficult to break down fat, the body will also burn carbohydrates during longer efforts if it gets stressed. If you always run your long workouts at a fast pace, your body remembers this stressed state, defaulting to it and burning through your glycogen stores. Conversely, if you teach your body to rely on fat stores, it will preferentially burn these. And, being that you can only break down fat in the presence oxygen, this means staying aerobic throughout the run.

During base training, consistency is the key to helping this process along by increasing mitochondrial production (mitochondria are responsible for generating energy). Greater gains are achieved with higher mileage runs (i.e., one 90-min run is better than two 45-min runs), but diminishing returns are seen in terms of the time needed to recover once you hit 3+ hours. For more information, this article is pretty comprehensive (I'll probably come back to some of the later sections in another post, but this is one is already getting pretty long). 

I have always been kind of nervous about running my long runs "too slow". I mean, this isn't the first time coach has commented on our inability to run easy. I thought about what he said throughout the run (which we actually did a good job of running at a reasonable pace... I will never call Turkey Creek easy). Finally, with about a mile to go, a lightbulb went off in my head (aka the Espresso Love GU kicked in). I've never been able to accept the fact that I should run slower than my marathon pace for a long run because, if I can't do it for shorter distances, how am I going to do it for 26.2? Then I realized that when I train for 5K's, 10K's, half marathons, really anything else but a marathon, I don't feel the need to run at those paces for 3, 6, or 13 miles (or really at any time other than track workouts and tempo runs). In fact, I spend the majority of my time running much slower than that, trusting that my training will get me to where I need to be on race day. Why, then, do I treat marathons differently? I couldn't come up with a good answer to this question (and if I do I'll let y'all know). And, being that (1) coach knows more than me, (2) the science backs coach up, and (3) I didn't feel like crap after the long run that day... I think I'll try keeping my long runs easy and aerobic until I can break 1hr for a marathon :-).

What Separates the Elites

Coach asked us what we thought the answer was one Saturday morning before our run. After many "wrong" answers, he finally told us. What separates the elite athletes from everyone else is to not have anything left after they cross the finish line. Elite athletes don't "save" anything. That's not to say that they don't pick it up at the end, but they don't sandbag the beginning to save their energy for a finishing kick. Instead, they run the race at a consistently hard effort, knowing just how hard they can run early on so that they can collapse two feet beyond the finish.

I have thought about this a lot. While I never feel great at the end of a race, and seldom have enough left in me to muster even a half decent kick, I have never collapsed across the finish. In fact, if I were to be perfectly honest, I could keep going. Obviously, I couldn't keep this up forever, but if the finish line were to be pushed a half mile further back at the end of a marathon, I would probably not even notice (mile markers aside of course). I stop because the finish line tells me to, not because my legs are no longer holding me up. While I'm not advocating collapsing at the end of every race, it's just something to think about.

Caroline Kilel - winner of the women's division of the 

2011 Boston Marathon