Training Trends

Distance running training philosophy has changed throughout the years. Well, really, it goes back and forth between two "schools"- more distance vs. more intensity.

• Late 1800's [time on your feet]: long walks with the occasional bout of sprinting for a short distance
• Early 1900's [distance]: long runs + walks and a little bit of short, high intensity intervals
• 40's and 50's [intensity]: lots and lots of shorter intervals (i.e., 80x200m) or lots of longer intervals at a higher intensity (i.e., 10x400m run in a descending fashion)... the latest and greatest school of thought was to get your heart rate up to 180bpm during the intervals (basically max out) and recover around 120bpm
• 60's and 70's [hard/easy cycles]: the "base mileage phase" was emphasized again, but interval workouts still had their place in most training schedules. While weekly mileage remained pretty high (owing to a lot of long, easy runs), interval workouts were incorporated to help athletes get used to running at their goal race pace.
• 80's and 90's [science]: the hard/easy philosophy was maintained, except instead of an entire cycle being long, easy miles followed by another cycle of hard, tempo miles, both workouts were incorporated into the weekly training schedule. "Science" made its debut in training, and finding your VO2max became all the rage, which popularized Zone Training (hence hard/easy workouts happily co-existing in the same week!).    
• 2000's [very yes]: a little mix of everything depending upon the athlete, what they're training for, how much time they have, injuries... training has got "all crazy" and even begun incorporating hard/easy paces into the same workout [known as The Progression Run - i.e., the runs from hell that coach has us do sometimes where we start off at marathon pace and descend to 10k pace].

7/28-29 Race Reports

Jennifer C. was 3rd female overall, and Jonathan W. (4th OA) and Mike C. (8th OA) both placed 1st in their age groups at the Run with Heart 5k (results)! Kari M. was 2nd female at the Battle at the Buckhorn Tri, with the fastest run split of the day (results)! CONGRATS EVERYONE!

And we had fun at the Galloway Maple Syrup (I mean pancake breakfast) run at Raleigh Running Outfitters on Sat.! Good weekend... made even better by the fact that the Olympics have started... now there's actually something good to watch on TV!

Gold - Top 5 Lists

Winning one gold medal is a huge accomplishment. Winning multiple gold medals is a wicked huge accomplishment!

• All-Time: Michael Phelps- 14; Larisa Latynina- 9; Paano Nurmi- 9; Mark Spitz- 9; Carl Lewis- 9
• Male: Michael Phelps- 14; Paano Nurmi- 9; Mark Spitz- 9; Carl Lewis- 9; Bjorn Daehlie- 8
• Female: Larisa Latynina- 9; Birgit Fischer- 8; Jenny Thompson- 8; Vera Caslavska- 7; Lyubov Yegorova- 6
• Country (looked at top the 25): US: 56; USSR: 30; Norway: 14; Germany: 14; Japan: 14
• Sport (looked at the top 25): Gymnastics: 57; Swimming: 39; Track & Field: 26; Cross Country Skiing: 14; Canoeing: 14

*** Ties were broken by looking at silver medal count, then bronze medal count.

Weekend Outlook

Three local races to choose from this weekend- Run With HEART 5k (Morrisville, Sat. @ 8AM), Battle at Buckhorn Tri (Wilson, Sat. @ 8AM), and UNC Wellness Super Sprint Triathlon (Chapel Hill, Sun. @ 7AM). We also have a couple of E3 events coming up, so spread the word!

• Beer Run (Sat. 8/4 @ 7PM)
• Golf Tournament (Fri. 8/17 @ 8AM)

AND AND AND... OLYMPIC TIME!!!

Olympic TV Coverage

So is anyone else sick of watching re-runs of the shows that were on this spring, but don't start with new episodes until the fall? I know I am! The trials were a nice break, but I'm ready for the "real thing". Sooo... opening ceremonies are tomorrow night, and NBC will be covering the Olympics (full schedule). Track starts up a week from tomorrow (event schedule), but swimming and cycling are on in Week 1 (schedule by sport)!

The Dollar Menu

You know what I like about the dollar menu? You can get a pretty filling meal for like $2 as long as you don't mind drinking water. You know what I don't like about the dollar menu? The "healthier" options are a total rip off. I mean, I am not playing $1 for like three pieces of lettuce and a pale looking tomato wedge... there's more vegetables on the hamburger! So, what can you eat for a dollar or less? Found this. Unfortunately, it's not as convenient as some fast food options, but there's usually a grocery store within a few miles...

Q: Age on race day or age you were when you ran that time?

Km: This question was asked in reference to qualifying for the Boston Marathon. Basically, you can qualify for the race 13 months before you actually run it (i.e., for 2014, the qualification period begins on Sept. 22, 2012). So, what happens if you qualify in 2012, don't run to 2014, and manage to hop up an age group in that time? You only have to worry about hitting the qualifying time for the age that you'll be on race day, so run fast while you're still young!

Mud Runs

Mud / Obstacle Runs are the new "thing" to do on the racing scene (good... maybe they'll leave marathon running alone for a bit and registration for major races will calm down!). In any event, not all of these types of runs are created equal. The distances vary... as well as the types of obstacles... so which should you choose?

• Travel- do you want to make the race into a mini-vacation or stay close to home?
• Friends- make things more fun... especially mud runs
• Assess your fitness level- consider the obstacles and race distance and make sure your training is up to par

7/21-22 Race Report

Heat... humidity... bring it!

• Chris G. was 2nd AG (5th overall) at the Triangle Expressway Trot, and our friend Lisa G. was first in hers! (results)
• Keith F. and Mike C. braved the heat at the Beat the Heat 5k. It was a strong showing for local runners, with Bobby M. grabbing 1st and Devin S. finishing 4th (3rd in the NC championships)! (results)

Weekend Outlook

Beat the Heat (Winston-Salem, Sat. @ 7pm) is probably the "big race" of the weekend... it's the NC USATF Championship, so it should be pretty quick too! Also on the books is Beaufort Road Race (Beaufort, Sat. @ 8AM) and the Triangle Expressway Trot (Cary, Sat. @ 8am). Here's a video from the Triangle Expressway Trot (staring Jim and his son):

Dehydration... not just an "exercise" problem

Bet you never considered how flying affects your level of hydration. I know I never really thought about it much... I just thought that I was thirsty when I landed because the 6oz of water that they give you didn't cut it. However, the air in a plane is 55% less humid than normal air. In order to combat dehydration, drink more water (30-50% more), avoid salty foods, and try to eat foods with a high water content. Other liquids, such as herbal tea and coconut water, have minerals and electrolytes that help with water absorption. Eye drops and nose spray can also alleviate dryness and combat infection.

ASoTV Update

With the Olympics just around the corner, I decided how to see how the folks from As Seen on TV have been helping athletes prepare for the challenges of the games. You may remember my week-long series from last year, so here's an updated list (listen to the commercials):

• Free Flexor (think ShakeWeight w/ flexible connector)- for only $39.95, you can apparently solve all of the world's energy problems by creating unlimited torque and tension, but don't take my word for it, you should listen to what Jerrod and Gerard have to say
• SweatFire T-Shirt (sweat hyper-color shirt)- inspiration by perspiration... aim for the flame... let everyone know just how disgusting you are for only $34.95
• The Belly Sauna (cousin to Sauna Pants)- for $19.99, you can show up to business meetings or a date with a sweaty stomach... I mean, who wouldn't want to do that?
• Slim Away (basically a zip-up corset)- for only $9.95, you can once again fit into any outfit, or your pants

The real question is, why didn't Nike incorporate the SweatFire technology into Team USA's track and field uniforms? I mean, I think we all need to know just how hard they are really working, in case there was ever any question. And, if anyone got a size too small, they could just use the Slim Away, or Belly Sauna if they had some time to "work" on their abs. Hope the Free Flexor can fit in their carry-on...

Strength Training

While most of us might want to strength train on our easy days, it turns out that we should actually be doing it on our hard days. Why? Well, it's important to keep your easy days easy (and your hard days hard). As strength training will leave you fatigued, which may compromise your running (which is really the key focus of your training), opt for strength training after you run. This will prevent you from trying to lift more than you should, which will help prevent you from getting injured (as long as you are not overly-fatigued and can perform the exercises correctly). Also of benefit, strength training apparently burns more calories and speeds recovery (it gets the blood pumping through your muscles again, which flushes out lactic acid).

Steroids and Tea

Not a very likely connection... I mean, you don't see many muscle-bound athletes drinking out of dainty little cups... but you might soon! Researchers found that athletes taking testosterone could mask its appearance in a urine test by drinking green or white tea. Unfortunately for some in the cycling community, it can't mask EPO!

7/14-15 Race Reports

Big weekend of racing... CONGRATS everyone!

• Brian F. broke 3hrs to place 3rd overall at the Grandfather Mountain Marathon. Sam B. was 7th, Cody C. was 9th, and I think Natalie T. was 3rd female. Jason P. (first marathon), Gregg J., Mike D., Dwayne P., and Jerry B. ran great, and John P. and Robb H. hung in there through mile 8. Also, congrats to our friend Tim Meigs, who placed 4th overall (strong showing for local runners!). I think Sam and Cody did well in The Bear too. Waiting on the official results to be posted...
• Susan P. was 3rd in her age group at The Scream Half Marathon... looked like a challenging course to say the least! (results) And, on the topic of challenging courses, Crit G. great at the Bryce Canyon Half Marathon in Utah!
• Keith B., Matt C., and Bill C. placed first in their age groups at Denny's Challenge 5k! (results)
• Kari M. was 5th female (4th open) and David O. finished well in his age group at Triangle Tri... heard the swim was a bit long! (results)

Weekend Outlook

So, the big race of the weekend is the Grandfather Mountain Marathon (and Katie 8-miler) up in Boone on Sat. (the Bear 5-mile Run was on Thurs.). Around here, Triangle Tri is at Harris Lake (Sat. 7:30), and Denny's Challenge is at WakeMed (Sat. 8AM).

Time to train like it's November of 2009 (except like 30 degrees warmer)...

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is no joke... it can take you out for months on end... so be careful when hitting the trails this summer. Although Lyme disease is most common in northern CA and the northeast (Lyme, CT is where the name hails from) and north-central parts of the US, it's the fastest growing infectious epidemics. What measures can you take to protect yourself?

• Wear light-colored clothing so you can see ticks easier
• Apply bug-spray with DEET
• Run in the middle of the trail
• Don't lie down or stretch in grassy/wooded areas
• Check yourself and your dog for ticks

Unfortunately, showering won't do anything for ticks if they're already attached. If you're experiencing flu-like symptoms or develop a bull's-eye rash, go to the doctors immediately (aka don't put it off and ignore it hoping that it will go away), as these are symptoms of Lyme-disease. There are two blood tests that can be used to confirm Lyme disease (ELISA and the Western Blot Assay), and the standard course of treatment is 3 weeks of anti-biotics.

Start

 So they publish reaction time in the results... Allyson Felix- 0.188, Jeneba Tarmoh- 0.164. Oddly, the top 3 in that race had some of the slowest reaction times (0.182, 0.187, 0.188). The men's 100m was a bit better, although Justin Gatlin (the winner) had the second slowest reaction time (0.168). Anyways, just found it interesting!

As a side note, lane assignment matters!

Long enough?

 I've seen a few marathon training programs that incorporate an "over distance run", and others that incorporate a "practice marathon" as a long run. As it turns out, this may not be the best option for everyone, most especially first time marathoners. Basically, running for 26.2-miles puts a lot of stress on your body, regardless of pace. Since it takes a bit to recover, you're losing out on quality workouts. Even if you don't feel too bad, your muscles become inflamed from micro-tears, there is some cellular damage, and your immune system takes a hit. In reality, the majority of the training benefits associated with long runs occur between 1.5-2.5hrs in, so there's little point in running over 3hrs.

Standards

So, what's up with this A-standard / B-stardard thing? Well, here they are if you were curious. With respect to the Olympics, countries can enter 3 athletes in each event (as long as all have met the A-standard). If no athletes from a particular country have met the A-standard (but have met the B-standard), then the country can only enter 1 athlete in that event.

7/4-8 Race Report

Nice showing on July 4th for Team RRO/FASTcoaching... not sure if anyone raced over the weekend:

• Marty G. and Keith F. finished 2nd in their age groups, Oyler finished 3rd in his, and Dave D. swam-ran-swam awesome. Bri G. was 1st female, Kari was 1st in her age group, and Meghan H. was 2nd in her's. In the 3-race series, Keith F. finished 5th overall, and I think Kari tied for 2nd or 3rd female! (results)
• Sean K. was 1st in his age group, and Dave M. was 4th in the Patriot 5k... they got a pretty awesome "Sam Adams" hat for their efforts! (results)
• Laura B. was 2nd in her age group at Four on the Fourth! (results)

Weekend Outlook

We just can't get enough racing this week:

• Cary Cross Currents Festival Fun Run (Bond Park, Sat. 8:30)
• Fire on the Track 5000m (Greensboro, Sat. 6PMish)

Tie

By now, we have all heard about the tie between Jeneba Tarmoh and Allyson Felix in the 100m, the debate over how they would settle it (runoff... coin toss...), the decision to break the tie in a runoff... and Tarmoh's ultimate decision to concede her spot before the race. I don't know about y'all, but I was really looking forward to "sudden death track and field". However, I do find it ridiculous that it took this long to reach some type of conclusion! I really don't understand why they didn't do a runoff that night. I mean, the runoff was the most logical way to settle the matter (at least in my opinion)... flipping a coin is just dumb. The only other thing that would make sense to me is giving the spot to (1) the person with the fastest time to date or (2) the person who had run the fastest time over the past 6 weeks (to take into account training, etc.).

What do y'all think? 

Team USA

In honor of July 4th and the Olympics, I decided to take a look back at the track and field uniforms over the games that I can remember:

Atlanta (1996)

Sydney (2000)

Athens (2004)

Beijing (2008)

London (2012)

Guess it could be worse, it could've been white, but wow...

Runner by day...

Bartender by night.

Apparently it works for Nick Roosa, a NYC bartender and low 2:30's marathon runner. So, how does he fit in running when he's up to the crack of dawn? Well, he does his "morning" run at 2PM, takes a quick nap (maybe), and then joins his friends for a run after they get off work... wow, that's a good way to rack up some miles! After a quick shower and something to eat, it's off to the Irish pub. Why not opt for a more "normal" schedule? Well, according to Nick, he never has to take his work home with him, gets an extra day off, and standing for 8hrs helps him recover quicker than sitting at a desk! Anyways, thought it was an interesting story.

6/30 - 7/1 Race Reports

The triple-digit temperatures didn't stop Team RRO/FASTcoaching this weekend:

• Raleigh's Finest 5k was a sea of orange and green. On the men's side, Tim S. was 2nd overall and Brian F. was 4th overall. Mike C. (2nd AG) and Keith B. both finished in the top 10 (with new PR's), Rusty should have been the 1st responder (but they screwed up the results), and Matt C. PR'd as well (although we're not sure exactly how he placed because his time is ~13:15 too slow). On the women's side, Rita B. smashed the previous course record to finish 1st, and Natalie T. and Meghan H. went 2-3 to round out the podium spots. Erica L., Jacci P, and Donna C. also ran great and placed well in their age groups (they didn't take out any of the overall winners, so it makes age groups interesting). Our friends Anthony C. (3rd AG), Shannon J. (2nd AG), and Amelia V. (3rd AG) did awesome, and it was great to have a cheering squad out there! (results)
• The Freedom 5k(ish) Run also went well for the team. Jennifer C. was 2nd female, Linda W. was 1st AG, and our friend Bobby B. was 2nd AG! (results)   
• Jennifer H. decided to be an over-achiever and run twice as far, placing 2nd in her age group in the Greensboro 10k Freedom Run! (results)

 CONGRATS everyone and GOOD LUCK if you're racing on the 4th!

Q: I have to jump, run, and throw?!

Km: Yes, if your an "athlonete". Ok, I just made that term up, but the the decathlon and heptathlon are real track and field events. The decathlon is a two-day competition and consists of the following events: 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1500m. The heptathlon is the women's version, and consists of 7 events: 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin, and 800m. The heptathlon replaced the pentathlon (shot put, high jump, long jump, 60m hurdles, and 800m) in the 1984 Olympics. So, which type of athletes make the best athlonetes? Football players...