Saucony Blog » training

Into the Spring of it

Sharon Barbano — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 19:42:50 +0000

Jack Frost has a fever: The snow has turned to slush, the trails are mush and his sister’s got a crush. “It’s spring fever,” said Mark Twain. “That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!”

With longer days, warmer temps and restless legs, it seems the only antidote for Jack’s fever is to go for a run—outside. A warm dose of sunshine and fresh air can be transformative after a long winter on the couch or in a stuffy gym. So before the first buds bloom, here are five tips to help work yourself back into another endorphin-filled running season.

Gear Check

Just as you check your tires seasonally, so should you check your running shoes. Spring is a great time to purchase a new pair of shoes—for both the physical and motivational benefits. Training in old or worn-out shoes is one of the most common causes of running injuries. Check the outsole for signs of wear. Take them out for a short test run: Your body and feet will let you know if the shoe is no longer providing the cushion and support you need. New shoes will help protect an early season runner just beginning to hit their stride. Putting your best foot forward with the newest technologies, not to mention colors, will keep you inspired.

A quality running shoe should last you between 300 and 500 miles or about six months. In order to know when it’s time to replace those new shoes, write the date of your first wearing on the inside of the tongue with a permanent marker. Replace your shoes approximately six months from that date.

If you store your running shorts and lightweight tops in an attic or some other inconvenient place during the winter, now’s the time to pull out a few of those pieces to wear on those especially warm spring days that surprise us early in the season. There’s nothing worse than heading out on a balmy spring day in black winter tights and a heavy fleece top—the runner’s definition of claustrophobia.

The 10% Rule

If you’ve taken most of the winter off, be sure to ease back into your training. Forget how fit you were after that fall half marathon. It’s about where you are now. Rather than running every day, mix up your program with cross-training, walking and rest days. Most coaches follow the 10% guideline, a reasonable rule of thumb for adding mileage to your weekly total. Ignoring this time-tested concept can result in early season burn-out or injury.

Set a Goal

In 2012, there were 23,000 road running events in the U.S. With those odds, there’s just got to be one with your name on it. Setting a goal to run a late spring 5K can keep you on track despite April showers. Choose a race and plan your weekly training schedule backwards from race day to the beginning of your program. A six week plan with three days of running along with a supportive program of cross-training should get you ready for the season’s first 5K. Just don’t forget the 10% rule (see above) when planning your schedule.

Buddy-Up

Jack’s sister may be on to something with her spring fling, especially if the happy couple is running together. Recent studies show that working out with a friend releases more endorphins than going it alone, increasing your ability to go longer and harder. Besides pushing yourself more than you would on your own, a buddy system has the added benefit of keeping you both accountable to a plan. You know that 5K you’ve set your sights on? A little friendly competition with your pal will guarantee missed workouts a thing of the past.

Lighten-Up

A winter staple of comfort food adds a number of pounds to the average American from November through March. If you’ve mac and cheesed your way through winter’s dark days, it’s time to lighten up your nutritional choices. Switching over to fresh foods—fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains—will give you the energy to train and recover more efficiently. At the same time, dropping a few of those “comfort” pounds will give your joints a break as you ramp-up your mileage on the roads and trails (of course, following the 10% rule!).

What’s your antidote to Spring Fever? Share your spring running tips here!

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.

Training During the Holidays

Jack Daniels, PhD — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:35:36 +0000

Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years; lots of holiday time, but is there enough time to train like we need to or like we want to? For some people it depends on where you spend this time of the year. If you live in the south and go north for the holidays you may have to deal with some rough winter weather, but if you live in the north and go south for the holidays, you most likely will be greeted with pretty nice training weather. One nice thing about running is that, with proper clothing (or lack thereof), a person can deal with just about any type of weather, so if going south, enjoy some warm days, but if going north, bring along some extra layers of clothing, a nice wool hat and some gloves or mittens. Another issue, associated with the holidays is being very busy preparing for, and spending time with, friends and family. You don’t want to ignore others who may have traveled a long way to visit, and this, along with being faced with a snow storm or two, may lead to missing some regular sessions of training. On the one hand, some runners may be visited by other runners and you can visit while going for a run, but in some cases, going out to train may make certain guests feel neglected or that they are not of much importance. So, let’s look at a situation where you have to cut back some on the time you have available for training. I believe I have mentioned at another time or two that the human body does a pretty good job of maintaining any level of fitness that it has achieved, and that you can go about 5 days without training at all without losing any fitness. Don’t panic if your training time is cut from 7 days a week to only 4 or 5, or even fewer for a week or two. Not to worry. First of all, a little break from training may benefit you, especially if you have been training pretty hard for some weeks or months. Also, consider getting in a little longer training session on some particular days when you do have time to run. Maybe an evening run one day followed by an early morning run the next day will give you two runs in about one 12 or 13 hour period of time, leaving a lot of time during both of those days for visiting or getting out for buying presents. If you really feel you must keep up a normal amount of running during the holidays, maybe you have to adjust your time schedule a little so you are available for visiting with others. Heck, I coached a guy a couple years ago who ran over 100 miles per week for 14 consecutive weeks and it was all done between 2 and 5 AM. I guess if you try that, however, you will be sleeping rather than getting chores done during the day. The point is, however, that schedules can be changed some and time of training can be lessened some without your body losing any fitness whatsoever. Maybe the holidays are the right time for you to concentrate on good nutrition. In fact, maybe you can be a good influence on visitors who need someone to look up to; someone just like you, who is serious about health and fitness. The more people you can convince of the benefits of regular exercise and proper nutrition, the greater we will all be. I’d give up a week or two of training, anytime, to help some others get interested in trying a little running, or nicer nutrition. Be a model for friends and family to want to copy. How do you balance your training with the holidays?

Flip My Workout – Cat Morrison

Cat Morrison — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:33:58 +0000

“Musical Games”

Cat Morrison is an elite triathlete, Ironman champion, and former world champion at the 70.3 distance, so it stands to reason that she’s knows a thing or two about enduring through a grueling race. Cat believes mental strength has been a key component to success, and she uses her “Musical Games” workout to bolster that mental toughness.

After a short warm-up, Cat sets her iPod to “shuffle” and allows it to create her workout.

Start with a pick up for the duration of the first music track, then take it down to a jog during the next track. Continue to repeat this pattern. The beauty is in not knowing what lies ahead: how hard can you push yourself without knowing exactly how long the faster interval will last, or how much time you’ll get to rest. Essentially, we end up with something that might look like this:

Warm-up for 5 minutes with a light jog, then hit “Shuffle” on your iPod
4 minutes ON
2.5 rest
3:10 minutes ON
5 rest
7 minutes ON
2 rest

And you can continue this as long as you’d like!

“This workout will prepare you for the unexpected, a reality an athlete often encounters on race day when it could be windy or hot and you must adjust your expectations,” says Cat. “It will also prepare you mentally to push your body beyond the limits in your mind, and achieve more than you ever thought possible.”

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?