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Marathon Life Lessons

Dorothy Beal — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:48:44 +0000

It was mile 11 of my 22^nd marathon and the sign ahead would get me through the next 15.2 miles. Everything you ever wanted to know about yourself you can learn during a marathon.Marathon 21 had been 13 days before. My heart was ready to run another 26.2 but my legs had another idea. The pain, much like my determination to finish, was more immense than the previous race. I needed to prove to myself that even though I have conquered the distance many times before, that I could do it again. It wasn’t a race for chasing PR’s – it was a race to emotionally prove to myself that I have the strength to live the life I dream of. Here are some of the things I learned over those remaining 15.2 miles:

Starting and finishing something is important in life. If you quit when the going gets tough it only gets easier to keep quitting.
It’s going to hurt - life hurts. There are lows and highs and the highs feel higher when you know what the lowest of lows feel like.
You will feel good for a period but no matter how much you want to bottle up that feeling, you can’t. Enjoy it while it lasts.
The marathon does not care what you look like. It does not judge you. Make friends in life who are like the marathon. Ones that accept you for who you are.
Find something that makes you happy-really, really happy. Running makes me happy.
The mind is a powerful tool. When your body hurts make your mind run your body–this is true in life and in running.
You have a choice whether or not to have a smile on your face–even when you are in pain. Happiness is a state of mind you choose, not a destination you are looking for.
I can do anything I put my mind to. Anything.
Do not fear the inevitable pain that may come. The only thing to truly fear is fear itself. Pain is something that one must go through at times, in order to grow, it isn’t always bad.
The simple things in life are some of the most enjoyable: wind blowing through your hair; the warm sun on your skin on a fall day; the beautiful colors of the leaves falling by the riverside; a stranger cheering you on.
The things that mean the most in life are often the hardest.
I am strong. VERY STRONG.

What has a marathon taught you about yourself?

When Is It Too Late To Start Training For A Marathon?

Run Smart Project — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:02:18 +0000

By Ann Alyanak
Run S.M.A.R.T. Project

Spring marathon season is right around the corner! Many runners are in the middle of their training but there are always those who wait until the last minute to get started. For those wondering if there is still enough time to properly prepare, the answer depends on a few things: your running experience, current fitness, and goals. Addressing each of these should help you determine whether it’s smart to start marathon training this late in the game …

1) How much running experience do you have?
Are you a beginner runner or have you been running for years? If you are a beginner and have yet to begin serious training, you should not plan on running a marathon this spring. Someone who is just getting into running should take their time training for a marathon. For a beginner and first time marathoner it takes 20-24 weeks to prepare properly in order to minimize risk of injuries and increase your chances for a successful experience. If you have been running for years and have run previous marathons you could safely add some long runs and marathon-specific workouts and be ready in about 8 weeks. You may not run your best time but you should be able to complete the race and stay healthy. If you fall somewhere in between, meaning you’ve run a marathon but aren’t in great shape starting the build-up, I recommend being more cautious and taking 12-16 weeks to prepare safely.

2) What is your current fitness level?
Be honest with yourself. Have you been training pretty hard this winter? Have you run some 5k or 10k races? If this is the case you should be able to take your current fitness level and add some longer runs and workouts and be ready to run a marathon in 8-10 weeks. If you have only been running a few times a week and are not in very good shape, you should not try to ramp up training too fast. Always give yourself a solid four weeks before you introduce another big bump in training. I recommend giving yourself at least 16 weeks to prepare and that is only if you have previous running experience.

3) What is your goal for the marathon?
Are you training to finish the race or do you want to set a new personal best? Depending on which of these you want to accomplish it will most likely take different amounts of training. If you’ve run marathons in the past and are in decent shape, you could train for 6-8 weeks and go finish the race. If you want to try and run your fastest time and are starting out in good shape, you should be able to do this in 12-16 weeks. I would stick to the shorter time frame if you have already logged at least 20-30 miles per week for several weeks and the longer time frame if this is one of your first marathons and you do not have as much of a base. If you are a beginner though and your goal is just to finish you still want to take 20-24 weeks to properly prepare for the reasons I’ve outlined above.

If you are still thinking about running a marathon this spring season ask yourself the above questions and see how many weeks of preparation are necessary to be ready to toe the line. Don’t worry if you need more time, there are great marathons all year ’round, so pick one in the summer or fall and start training!

Ann Alyanak is a private coach for The Run SMART Project. She was 7th overall at the 2008 Olympic Trials where she ran her PR of 2:34.

Stride Rate When Running

Jack Daniels, PhD — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 21:11:56 +0000

I often wonder how many runners pay attention to the rate at which they turnover when running. In about 20 years of teaching (non-runner) college students about running, I never had a beginner who took as many as 180 steps per minute. When my wife and I counted stride rates among male and female distance runners at the Olympics one year, only one of the 46 we studied took fewer than 180 steps per minute (176). It seems that runners learn to turnover a little faster as they spend time running. Interestingly, of those we studied at the Olympics, the 800 and 1500 runners definitely used a faster leg turnover than did those in the races from 5k to the marathon. In fact, the 800 runners may not be using the most economical rate, but they are more interested in getting from point A to point B as fast as possible rather than using the most economical stride rate, and if they were to slow down to 180 they may not get there fast enough. On the other hand, a longer-distance runner I tested during 5k, 10k and marathon-paced runs used stride rates of 186, 186 and 184 for those 3 different race speeds. This resulted in a 10% difference in speed of running and only a 1% change in stride rate. Seems a particular rate is most comfortable to good runners and they stick with that rate even when changing the speed at which they are running (with a more powerful and longer stride length as they race at shorter distances). A few studies we did in the lab indicated that the aerobic demand of running tends to be a little less when using a stride rate of 90 per minute with each foot, than when using a slower rate, like 85 or so, or when using a much faster rate. I should point out that if timing your own stride rate, no need to count every step; rather just count right-foot falls and assume you take as many steps with the left as you do with the right. Something to consider is that the slower the stride rate, the more time you are spending in the air, and the longer in the air usually means elevating the body a little higher, which means coming down harder with each landing. No doubt landing impact is responsible for some injuries, so I try to tell my runners to roll over the ground, not bound over the ground. Imagine you are running over a field of raw eggs and you don’t want to break any of them; be light and quick with your leg turnover. A great place to practice different stride rates is on a treadmill because you can try different rates without changing the speed of running, and it is often the case that when I ask a runner to try a faster turnover, they run faster rather than just keeping the same speed and a quicker turnover. Try checking your stride rate during some different runs and see how changing rate (faster or slower) feels. Hopefully you will find what works best for you.

8 Things Not To Do On Race Day

Randy Accetta, Ph.D. — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:35:18 +0000

Ditch the pity pose; Skip the drama There are a ton of articles out there telling us what to do on race day: eat this, drink that, wear this, think that. But there’s not much written about what not to do when the big day rolls around. Sometimes focusing on the “no-no’s” allows the “to-do’s” to rise to the top. So here are eight things NOT to do if you want to happily complete a goal race: Don’t get psyched out Instead of being afraid about what you haven’t done, concentrate on what you have done well. Remember all those miles you’ve put in. Think about your consistent long runs. Recall how you crushed those speed workouts. Think back to how you dragged yourself out of bed for early morning runs instead of sleeping in. Replace negative thoughts with positive recollections, and then let your training get you through the race. Don’t eat fried food or chips & salsa In the days leading up to your race, don’t give in to your taste buds or the happy-hour menu. Be sure to eat complex carbohydrates like breads and bagels, rice, pasta, potatoes and other “starchy” foods. A donut here and there won’t hurt – well, unless it is on race morning. And drink more water, sports drinks and fruit drinks than ususal – but less soda, coffee … and tequila. Don’t give up when you get tired Don’t get discouraged when the going gets tough. Once you commit yourself to competing, you owe it to yourself to finish—even if things don’t go your way. Use landmarks to help you: Focus on a tree in the distance and run fast to it, then run fast to that next mile marker. Catch the person in front of you, then the next one. Get over the hill and enjoy the downhill. Soon you’ll feel better and be on your way again. Don’t give in to the “pity form” I’m sure you’ve seen the “pity form”─head back, mouth open, arms carried high, breaths coming in short, high-pitched gasps: “Oh, the world is falling, I can’t do this.” Instead of giving in to the pity pose, simply take a deeper series of breaths, open your chest a bit, lean forward and drive your arms. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to run faster when you concentrate on keeping a strong and positive form. Don’t start like a wild dog Don’t let the excitement of race day take control of your. It’s easy to run too fast early in a race: you’re fresh and chipper. Instead, you need to harness your energy and use it when you need it. Be patient in the beginning, relax through the middle miles, and have fun in the final miles. Don’t run too far There’s no need to run farther than the measured course, so try to cut the tangents of every course. It’s legal and depending on the distance of the race, you can trim seconds or even minutes off your time. Don’t wear new clothes on race day Race day is not the time to bust out anything new, including shorts, tops and sports bras. Always wear what you’ve previously trained or raced in. Don’t make the mistake of toeing the line in a brand new pair of lightweight racing shoes. Wear the shoes and socks you’ve worn over your long runs. It’s hard enough to run fast, but unwanted chafing makes it that much harder. Reduce friction with Vaseline, BodyGlide or some other anti-chafe product to protect your armpit area, your toes, nipples and elsewhere. Don’t finish like a wild dog If you come to the end of your race and find that you have enough left for a mad dash to the finish line, perhaps don’t do it. Of course, if you’ve been racing hard all morning and a final sprint can get you your goal time or can help you out-kick your arch-rival, by all means, sprint your heart out. But if you haven’t raced 100% until now, there’s no reason to sprint like crazy, elbowing your way past other runners. Instead, skip the drama and just relax, enjoying the finishing steps while smiling for the camera. What other “no-no’s” would you add to the list?