Tag Archives: Running

The Value of Training Partners

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Why do we train?
To gain physical and mental benefits.
To get stronger.
To get faster.

All this requires something called “progressive overload.” Simply put, we slowly introduce more volume and intensity so that our muscles will respond by getting stronger and more accustomed to our efforts. Then we repeat the cycle, hoping to coax more out of our bodies.

As endurance athletes, the volume of training can get quite significant. Our competitive nature has us bumping up the intensity fairly regularly as well. All this can end with us feeling “wasted.” Since we are often more fit than our average couch potato friends, it is tempting to think we are somehow super-human. I have news…we are not!

The fact that we often lose sight of is that exercise breaks muscle fibres down so that they can be rebuilt to deal with the extra demand we are placing them under. That rebuilding takes place after the exercise is finished. This time should be treated as top priority if we want to realize the gains we’ve worked so hard for. There are three areas I think are important to concentrate on here so that training is not “wasted”:

Rest – Sleep and time away from training need to be a priority. Be honest with yourself and your sleep needs. If you are constantly tired, try to find a way to schedule more rest. You may find you need even more sleep as the volume and intensity increase.

Nutrition – Stay hydrated. We’ve all been guilty of going for coffee when we should be drinking water, juice or sports drink after a workout. The same goes for nutrition. Find out your recommended intake from a nutritionist or knowledgeable coach. In a nutshell, endurance athletes need more carbohydrates than sedentary people, among other nutritional considerations. Try to find quality food that is less processed wherever possible. Start with Canada’s Food Guide (see link on the right).

Self-help – If you are able to, get massage for those sore muscles. There are also self-therapy ideas you can try. Elevating your legs after a bike ride or run. Wearing compression socks after long runs. Ten minutes in a cold water bathtub after a run. These can all help speed recovery and have you feeling ready for your next workout.

I’d like to leave you with a challenge: Get a logbook and each day, rate your rest, nutrition and self-help on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being best). A little awareness will help develop good habits of taking care of yourself.

Footsteps

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Running at its most rudimentary level is pretty simple; put one foot in front of the other, repeat. You don’t need a lot of extra equipment like you do on the bike and you don’t have to wait to breathe like you do in the water.

Painting at its most rudimentary level is pretty simple. You get a brush and some paint; Dip, apply, repeat. Ah, but there’s a difference between throwing a gallon of Benjamin-Moore on the garage walls and creating art.

The same goes for running. The purpose of this article is to look beyond the simple footsteps that go into running and look at running more efficiently, preventing injury and extending your running career.

The run portion of triathlon is at least five kilometers, up to marathon distance, so we are talking about a substantial number of footsteps. It is generally considered favorable to have 180 foot strikes per minute while running longer distances (90 per foot). This will vary from person to person and often requires a conscious change in stride length, but that’s another subject. Assuming 180 foot strikes per minute, a person running five kilometers in 30 minutes will take 5400 steps. A person running a 4 ½ half hour marathon would take 48600 steps. Consider the force of the weight of our body and our momentum and it’s not a wonder that running takes its toll on our bodies.

A great place to start is by running with a “quiet” body. A nice smooth, even stride gets the job done more efficiently than a bouncing or overly long stride. A good time to work on this is during a track workout. The terrain is flat and predictable. Here you can also work on keeping your posture upright with a slight forward tilt. Several other parts of your running form can be honed while enjoying the benefits of a good interval session.

Now that we’re all running efficiently, the next step is to add a longer run to the mix, especially if you are planning on racing Olympic distance and longer. These long runs will amount to between 10000 and 40000 steps depending how far you go. It pays to be aware of where you take those steps. The softer the landing, the better. This can often be difficult while running in the city, but I know several seasoned runners who will choose the grass beside a sidewalk (when it’s flat), even if it’s only for a few steps, to lessen the cumulative impact. Trail running is also popular for similar reasons. Shoes should also be replaced regularly, so that you’re getting the cushioning you need. The lifespan of your running shoe will vary depending upon your running style and the particular shoe, but 600 kilometers is a ballpark figure.

So before the next time you put one foot in front of the other, replace those worn out shoes, plan to come out to track, a pace run, a trail run or a long run and think about running well for years to come. Oh, and try not to run into anything while you’re counting foot strikes.