How to re-build your training base
Now that the weather is starting to get warmer and there's more hours of daylight in the evening, you may be itching to get outside and run. But if you took a bit of a running break during the winter, don't expect to be running at the same level as you did in the fall.
Here are some tips to keep in mind as you head outside to take advantage of the nicer weather and ease back into running:
Make slow increases.
If you haven't run consistently all winter, start your spring training with short, easy runs -- no more than 3 or 4 miles at a time. Don't run two days in a row. One of the easiest ways to get injured is to increase your mileage too soon, before you've established a good running base. Don't bump up your mileage by more than 10 percent per week.
Watch your intensity.
Be patient with your running -- it could take as long as 4-6 weeks to re-build your running base. Don't introduce hill running or speed training until you have a solid base. And make sure you give yourself enough recovery time in between hard workouts.
Pick a race.
A great way to stay motivated through your spring training is to pick a race that's a few months away. It will give you a goal to work toward. Just be realistic and allow yourself the proper time to get ready.
Follow a training schedule.
If you decide to train for a late spring or summer race, find a training schedule that works for your race distance and running level. Following a training schedule will help keep you on track and prevent you from doing too much too soon.
Track your progress.
As you're building (or re-building) up your fitness, it's helpful to keep a training log. You'll be able to see your progress at a glance, which will help boost your motivation.
Get used to running outside again.
If you didn't run or trained on the treadmill during the winter, you may have forgotten some important safety precautions for running outdoors.
Be prepared for rain.
You should expect to deal with some wet weather during spring training.
Look ahead, don't look back.
If you took some time off from running, you may be frustrated thinking about your previous fitness level. Don’t beat yourself up and put pressure on yourself to get back into shape quickly. You'll have plenty of time to train and improve your fitness before the summer and fall racing season. Just enjoy running as you work on building up your fitness level gradually and safely.
August 29, 2011
July 22, 2011
Come Back Strong
Simple steps to regain your fitness after a layoff
By Ed EyestoneImage by Thomas Kuhlenbeck
As a college coach, I get a new crop of talented athletes every year. But after seeing them develop in their first year of college, I go through an unusual experience. At Brigham Young University, where I coach, these students leave college and suspend extracurricular activities for two years while they go on a mission for their church. Very few of these athletes run regularly while they're away. They often return two years later, 15 to 25 pounds heavier, or occasionally 10 to 15 pounds lighter and suffering from some kind of amoebic dysentery. Neither scenario is exactly ideal for racing 10,000 meters!
Since a new group of detrained athletes returns every year, I've had access to a unique laboratory in which to test protocols for regaining fitness. The following training principles yield the best results for making a strong comeback.
START SLOW Runners returning to action often carry extra weight, which puts more stress on the body. To avoid injury caused by that stress, run no more than 20 consecutive minutes for several weeks.
JOIN A GROUP Athletes respond best when they return to a team setting. For my runners, their teammates may be running longer and faster, but many have made their own comebacks. Even spending the first few minutes of the workout with the group helps returning runners realize that they, too, will eventually regain their fitness.
GO AEROBIC Think of aerobic easy running as the foundation of your ultimate fitness. The more fit you want to be, the greater the foundation you must build. Just as Rome was not built in a day, reestablishing your base after a long break can take months. As you advance from 20 minutes a day, increase your runs by no more than one mile per workout.
RECOVER WELL Run every other day for the first few weeks. Rest days reduce the risk of injuries.
CROSS-TRAIN After a month, gradually change your recovery days from rest only to cross-training days. It will help build your aerobic development without increasing your injury risk. For 30 to 60 minutes ride a bicycle, use an elliptical, or do pool running in deep water.
RACE SPARINGLY And only when the result will be encouraging. You don't have to be ready to run a new PR, but you don't want to end up being discouraged by your performance, either. Avoid comparing your results with those from before your layoff. Say to yourself: "That's the fastest I've run since I made my comeback!"
When and How to Rediscover Speed
After building a solid fitness base, add quality workouts to your schedule to reactivate dormant fast-twitch muscle fibers and increase your ability to run fast.
Introduce STRIDES
When: After two weeks easy running
How: Do eight to ten 100-meter strides twice a week at the end of your easy run. Build speed to 80 to 90 percent effort for 40 meters, maintain it for 30 meters, and diminish it through the final 30.
Introduce TEMPO RUNS
When: After three weeks easy running
How: Do a short six-minute surge in the middle of a 30-minute easy run once a week. Increase the duration by two minutes every time you do a tempo run.
Introduce INTERVALS
When: After six weeks easy running
How: Once a week, run speed sessions of 5-4-3-2-1 minutes of hard running followed by equal amounts easy running. Gradually increase the duration until you can run 10-5-3-2-1 comfortably
By Ed EyestoneImage by Thomas Kuhlenbeck
As a college coach, I get a new crop of talented athletes every year. But after seeing them develop in their first year of college, I go through an unusual experience. At Brigham Young University, where I coach, these students leave college and suspend extracurricular activities for two years while they go on a mission for their church. Very few of these athletes run regularly while they're away. They often return two years later, 15 to 25 pounds heavier, or occasionally 10 to 15 pounds lighter and suffering from some kind of amoebic dysentery. Neither scenario is exactly ideal for racing 10,000 meters!
Since a new group of detrained athletes returns every year, I've had access to a unique laboratory in which to test protocols for regaining fitness. The following training principles yield the best results for making a strong comeback.
START SLOW Runners returning to action often carry extra weight, which puts more stress on the body. To avoid injury caused by that stress, run no more than 20 consecutive minutes for several weeks.
JOIN A GROUP Athletes respond best when they return to a team setting. For my runners, their teammates may be running longer and faster, but many have made their own comebacks. Even spending the first few minutes of the workout with the group helps returning runners realize that they, too, will eventually regain their fitness.
GO AEROBIC Think of aerobic easy running as the foundation of your ultimate fitness. The more fit you want to be, the greater the foundation you must build. Just as Rome was not built in a day, reestablishing your base after a long break can take months. As you advance from 20 minutes a day, increase your runs by no more than one mile per workout.
RECOVER WELL Run every other day for the first few weeks. Rest days reduce the risk of injuries.
CROSS-TRAIN After a month, gradually change your recovery days from rest only to cross-training days. It will help build your aerobic development without increasing your injury risk. For 30 to 60 minutes ride a bicycle, use an elliptical, or do pool running in deep water.
RACE SPARINGLY And only when the result will be encouraging. You don't have to be ready to run a new PR, but you don't want to end up being discouraged by your performance, either. Avoid comparing your results with those from before your layoff. Say to yourself: "That's the fastest I've run since I made my comeback!"
When and How to Rediscover Speed
After building a solid fitness base, add quality workouts to your schedule to reactivate dormant fast-twitch muscle fibers and increase your ability to run fast.
Introduce STRIDES
When: After two weeks easy running
How: Do eight to ten 100-meter strides twice a week at the end of your easy run. Build speed to 80 to 90 percent effort for 40 meters, maintain it for 30 meters, and diminish it through the final 30.
Introduce TEMPO RUNS
When: After three weeks easy running
How: Do a short six-minute surge in the middle of a 30-minute easy run once a week. Increase the duration by two minutes every time you do a tempo run.
Introduce INTERVALS
When: After six weeks easy running
How: Once a week, run speed sessions of 5-4-3-2-1 minutes of hard running followed by equal amounts easy running. Gradually increase the duration until you can run 10-5-3-2-1 comfortably
June 6, 2011
Keep fit in Winter
As the cold nights draw in, bleak morning jogs give way to extra duvet snuggling while we indulge in lie-ins and comfort food.
Lawrence Booth on how to avoid the descent into seasonal sloth
If it was hard enough keeping fit during the summer, you might just have noticed that Mother Nature is starting to up the ante. The days are getting shorter, the evenings colder, and the nights wetter. Your sofa has adopted an alarming, come-hither countenance, and the only reason you're braving the evening chill is to hustle for the warmth of the pub. So how, as the no-prisoners-taken British winter approaches, are you supposed to get up, get moving and get into shape?
The first hurdle to confront your creaking limbs is that of motivation, which is easier said than done when your alarm clock goes off while the streetlights are still on. "I usually ask my clients to write down between three and five goals," says Amelia Watts, a holistic exercise specialist. "Looking good for the Christmas party is a classic aim, or going on a skiing holiday, or heading somewhere warm. I might get them to stick notes on to their mirror at home to remind them.
"On a more immediate note, you can try keeping your gym shoes or kit by the front door. Often it's the hassle of having to think about it that puts people off. Or block some time off at the start of the week for exercise, so you can't use the excuse later on that you're seeing your friend down the pub."
The fitness and diet expert Joanna Hall recommends a lateral approach. "It helps if you look at exercise as you do your wardrobe: try to adopt a sense of seasonality. If you're fed up with jogging, for example, then think of November as a very good month for cardiovascular activity and weight loss because December is the month for parties. In other words, it's good to get some cardio in the bag. Then, in December, you might look to do more posture-orientated work - quick-fix stuff, without neglecting your daily walk."
"Posture can make people look leaner. Pilates can help, plus some abdominal work. January is another good month to look at posture and in February you're back to weight loss. In a sense, it's getting away with as little as possible where people don't have much time, but without neglecting the health aspect."
A spokeswoman for the National Register of Personal Trainers confirms that the last three weeks have seen a big increase in the number of clients signing up, a trend she puts down to the fact that parents have been freed from the constraints of the school holidays. And Watts, whose company - Benefit Personal Training - offers home-based assistance, agrees that November is the time that business starts to take off. August, she says, is the quietest month of the year.
It seems, then, that we are aware that the potential food-and-drink excesses of the pre-Christmas months require decisive and pre-emptive action. Research suggests that the winter months require most of us to up the level of our activity, simply because the cold persuades us to cut back on a whole raft of simple-but-effective calorie-burning activities, such as walking to the shops or doing the gardening. A recent study by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that heart attacks in the US were 53% more likely during the winter, but there are good psychological reasons for staying fit as well. "SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is the most common form of depression and it affects many people at this time of year," says Claire Smith of Leisure Connection health clubs. "Regular moderate exercise releases essential endorphins to keep the blues at bay."
Jogging remains popular, but the weather means you have to plan more carefully than you did during the summer months. Warm up before you head out, take three layers - one to absorb sweat, one for insulation, and one to protect you from the elements - and if the wind is up, run into it on the way out and with it on the way back. But there are problems. Slippery pavements can be especially hazardous in the dark, and not everyone feels safe jogging alone. There is also the risk of coming down with a cold if you sweat and are not insulated properly.
The gym and the swimming pool present obvious indoor solutions, but unless you live in a five-star hotel or have a regular exercise partner who will make you feel bad about letting them down, the chances are you're going to have to brave the winter evening by yourself to get there in the first place. It can be enough to put anyone off - even those of us who don't regard the gym as Dante's 10th circle of hell.
"The best place to start is with easy exercises that you can do in your bedroom or a small, confined area," says Dale Naylor, the clinical director of Physiotherapy Network and physiotherapist for Surrey cricket club. "I'd suggest five or six exercises to do for 30 minutes, three times a week. There are abdominal exercises such as the plank, where you lie on your forearms, raise your body off the ground and hold the position. Then there are star jumps, which give great mobility through the spine - although it's important to make sure you have had no back pain before.
"Hamstring exercises are also important, such as lying on your back and lifting your hips up towards the ceiling with your knees bent at about 30 degrees. Then there's the exercise I call the Superman, where you are lying on your stomach and you raise alternate arms and legs, about 10 times on each side. The push-up is very important too. Once you've got into the process of exercising it becomes self-motivating."
Enjoyment is crucial, says Watts, "as you are more likely to push yourself to do something you find fun. And you can try keeping a record of all the positive effects from your exercise routine - if you have lost a pound, for example, or you are waking up more refreshed." As well as floor-based exercises, she also recommends walking up and down the stairs and skipping.
But outdoor activity in the winter need not be considered a last resort. In fact, it is probably a necessity - it's just that we might be doing it at the wrong time of day. "You miss out on sunshine and vitamin D during the winter," says Watts, "so get out of the office and do some exercise during your lunch break." A brisk half-hour walk ought to get the circulation moving.
So, you've got the motivation, you've got the variety, you've got the exercises. You know exercise is better when you're having a laugh and you're doing it with a friend. The last, crucial, piece in the jigsaw is to avoid the old trap of easing off completely in December before sticking a little too obsessively to your new year's resolution. "How many people drop off over Christmas, then reach January and overdo it?" asks Dale Naylor. "They kill themselves, sometimes literally." Boring though it sounds, steady and constant will almost certainly win the race
Lawrence Booth on how to avoid the descent into seasonal sloth
If it was hard enough keeping fit during the summer, you might just have noticed that Mother Nature is starting to up the ante. The days are getting shorter, the evenings colder, and the nights wetter. Your sofa has adopted an alarming, come-hither countenance, and the only reason you're braving the evening chill is to hustle for the warmth of the pub. So how, as the no-prisoners-taken British winter approaches, are you supposed to get up, get moving and get into shape?
The first hurdle to confront your creaking limbs is that of motivation, which is easier said than done when your alarm clock goes off while the streetlights are still on. "I usually ask my clients to write down between three and five goals," says Amelia Watts, a holistic exercise specialist. "Looking good for the Christmas party is a classic aim, or going on a skiing holiday, or heading somewhere warm. I might get them to stick notes on to their mirror at home to remind them.
"On a more immediate note, you can try keeping your gym shoes or kit by the front door. Often it's the hassle of having to think about it that puts people off. Or block some time off at the start of the week for exercise, so you can't use the excuse later on that you're seeing your friend down the pub."
The fitness and diet expert Joanna Hall recommends a lateral approach. "It helps if you look at exercise as you do your wardrobe: try to adopt a sense of seasonality. If you're fed up with jogging, for example, then think of November as a very good month for cardiovascular activity and weight loss because December is the month for parties. In other words, it's good to get some cardio in the bag. Then, in December, you might look to do more posture-orientated work - quick-fix stuff, without neglecting your daily walk."
"Posture can make people look leaner. Pilates can help, plus some abdominal work. January is another good month to look at posture and in February you're back to weight loss. In a sense, it's getting away with as little as possible where people don't have much time, but without neglecting the health aspect."
A spokeswoman for the National Register of Personal Trainers confirms that the last three weeks have seen a big increase in the number of clients signing up, a trend she puts down to the fact that parents have been freed from the constraints of the school holidays. And Watts, whose company - Benefit Personal Training - offers home-based assistance, agrees that November is the time that business starts to take off. August, she says, is the quietest month of the year.
It seems, then, that we are aware that the potential food-and-drink excesses of the pre-Christmas months require decisive and pre-emptive action. Research suggests that the winter months require most of us to up the level of our activity, simply because the cold persuades us to cut back on a whole raft of simple-but-effective calorie-burning activities, such as walking to the shops or doing the gardening. A recent study by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that heart attacks in the US were 53% more likely during the winter, but there are good psychological reasons for staying fit as well. "SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is the most common form of depression and it affects many people at this time of year," says Claire Smith of Leisure Connection health clubs. "Regular moderate exercise releases essential endorphins to keep the blues at bay."
Jogging remains popular, but the weather means you have to plan more carefully than you did during the summer months. Warm up before you head out, take three layers - one to absorb sweat, one for insulation, and one to protect you from the elements - and if the wind is up, run into it on the way out and with it on the way back. But there are problems. Slippery pavements can be especially hazardous in the dark, and not everyone feels safe jogging alone. There is also the risk of coming down with a cold if you sweat and are not insulated properly.
The gym and the swimming pool present obvious indoor solutions, but unless you live in a five-star hotel or have a regular exercise partner who will make you feel bad about letting them down, the chances are you're going to have to brave the winter evening by yourself to get there in the first place. It can be enough to put anyone off - even those of us who don't regard the gym as Dante's 10th circle of hell.
"The best place to start is with easy exercises that you can do in your bedroom or a small, confined area," says Dale Naylor, the clinical director of Physiotherapy Network and physiotherapist for Surrey cricket club. "I'd suggest five or six exercises to do for 30 minutes, three times a week. There are abdominal exercises such as the plank, where you lie on your forearms, raise your body off the ground and hold the position. Then there are star jumps, which give great mobility through the spine - although it's important to make sure you have had no back pain before.
"Hamstring exercises are also important, such as lying on your back and lifting your hips up towards the ceiling with your knees bent at about 30 degrees. Then there's the exercise I call the Superman, where you are lying on your stomach and you raise alternate arms and legs, about 10 times on each side. The push-up is very important too. Once you've got into the process of exercising it becomes self-motivating."
Enjoyment is crucial, says Watts, "as you are more likely to push yourself to do something you find fun. And you can try keeping a record of all the positive effects from your exercise routine - if you have lost a pound, for example, or you are waking up more refreshed." As well as floor-based exercises, she also recommends walking up and down the stairs and skipping.
But outdoor activity in the winter need not be considered a last resort. In fact, it is probably a necessity - it's just that we might be doing it at the wrong time of day. "You miss out on sunshine and vitamin D during the winter," says Watts, "so get out of the office and do some exercise during your lunch break." A brisk half-hour walk ought to get the circulation moving.
So, you've got the motivation, you've got the variety, you've got the exercises. You know exercise is better when you're having a laugh and you're doing it with a friend. The last, crucial, piece in the jigsaw is to avoid the old trap of easing off completely in December before sticking a little too obsessively to your new year's resolution. "How many people drop off over Christmas, then reach January and overdo it?" asks Dale Naylor. "They kill themselves, sometimes literally." Boring though it sounds, steady and constant will almost certainly win the race
May 16, 2011
Comrades History
The Comrades was run for the first time on 24 May 1921 (Empire Day), and with the exception of a break during World War II, has been run every year since. The 2010 event was the 85th race. To date, over 300,000 runners have completed the race.[1]
The race was the idea of World War I veteran Vic Clapham, to commemorate the South African soldiers killed during the war. Clapham, who had endured a 2,700-kilometre route march through sweltering German East Africa, wanted the memorial to be a unique test of the physical endurance of the entrants. The constitution of the race states that one of its primary aims is to "celebrate mankind's spirit over adversity".
From 1962 to 1994 the race was run on Republic Day, 31 May. After this public holiday was scrapped in 1995 by the post-apartheid South African government, the race date was changed to Youth Day on 16 June. In 2007, the race organisers (controversially) bowed to political pressure from the ANC Youth League, who felt that the race diverted attention from the significance of Youth Day, and changed the race date to Sunday 17 June for 2007 and 15 June for 2008. In 2009 and 2010 the date was changed (to 24 May and 30 May respectively) to accommodate football's Confederations Cup (2009) and World Cup (2010) in South Africa.
1920s
Forty-eight runners entered the first race in 1921, but only thirty-four elected to start. The course at the time was tarred only for the final few kilometres into Durban. A time limit of 12 hours was set and Bill Rowan became the inaugural winner, clocking 08:59 to win by 41 minutes ahead of Harry Phillips. Of the 34 starters, only 16 completed the race.
Arthur Newton entered and won the race for the first time in 1922. He went on to win the race five times and emerge as the dominant Comrades runner of the 1920s. When he completed the down run in 06:56 in 1923, there were only a handful of spectators on hand to witness the finish because so few thought it possible that the race could be run so quickly. The first woman to run the race was Frances Hayward in 1923,[2] but her entry was refused, so she was an unofficial entrant.[1] She completed the event in 11:35[1] and although she was not awarded a Comrades medal, the other runners and spectators presented her with a silver tea service and a rose bowl. In 1924 the Comrades had its fewest starters ever, just 24. Four years later, in 1928, the time limit for the race was reduced by an hour to 11 hours.
1930s
In the 1930s, Hardy Ballington emerged as the dominant runner, recording four victories in 1933, 1934, 1936 and 1938. The winner of the 1930 race, Wally Hayward, became one of the greatest legends of the Comrades Marathon, winning a further four times in the fifties, and becoming the oldest man to complete the race in 1989. In 1932 Geraldine Watson, an unofficial entrant, became the first woman to complete both the up run and the down run.
1940s
After Ballington's domination of the 1930s, Comrades was stopped during the war years from 1941 to 1945. In 1948 a Comrades tradition was born when race official Max Trimborn, instead of firing the customary starter's gun, gave a loud imitation of a cock's crow. That tradition continues to the present day with Trimborn's recorded voice played over loudspeakers at the starting line.
1950s
In the 1950s, a full twenty years after he won the race for the first time, Wally Hayward recorded his second victory and followed that up with wins in 1951, 1953 and 1954. He represented South Africa at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, where he finished tenth in the marathon. Hayward retired from the Comrades after establishing new records for both the up and down runs and equaling the five wins of Newton and Ballington. In 1958, the race was won for the first time by Jackie Mekler, who went on to win the race five times, finishing second twice and third twice.
1960s
In the 1960s, Comrades grew considerably, from 104 starters in 1960 to 703 starters in 1969. Due to the bigger fields, cut-off points were introduced for the first time at Drummond and Cato Ridge. Mekler became the first man to break the six-hour barrier in 1960, finishing in 5:56:32.
In 1962, the race attracted foreign entries for the first time as the Road Runners Club of England sent over four of the best long-distance runners in Britain. English runner John Smith won the race, an up run, in under six hours, missing out on the course record by 33 seconds. Watching the stragglers come in hours later, Smith commented to former winner Bill Cochrane that the other people completing the race were getting as much applause as he had received. "You are now witnessing the spirit of the Comrades," replied Cochrane.
In 1965, English runner Bernard Gomersall broke Mekler's down run record with a time of 5:51:09.
In 1967, Manie Kuhn and Tommy Malone were involved in the closest finish in the history of the race. Malone appeared to be on his way to a comfortable win and was handed the traditional message from the Mayor of Pietermaritzburg to the Mayor of Durban at Tollgate with a lead of two minutes over Kuhn. He entered the stadium in the lead with only 80 metres left to go. Suddenly Kuhn appeared only 15 metres behind and closed in quickly. Malone put in a burst for the line, but with only 15 metres left he fell to the ground with cramps. He attempted to get up again, but with the line within reach Kuhn flew past to grab victory. The mayoral message was forgotten as both runners embraced.
1970s
The Comrades had over 1,000 starters for the first time in 1971, with over 3,000 in 1979. The race was widely broadcast on both radio and television. The race was opened to all athletes for the first time in 1975, allowing blacks and women to take part officially. In 1975, the Golden Jubilee of the Comrades, Vincent Rakabele finished 20th to become the first black runner to officially win a medal. Elizabeth Cavanaugh became the first women's winner in a shade over 10 hours.
1976 saw the emergence of Alan Robb, who won the first of his four Comrades titles. Robb repeated his win in 1977, 1978 and 1980, including breaking the tape in Durban in 1978 in a record 5:29:14, almost 20 minutes and four kilometres ahead of runner-up Dave Wright.
1980s
During the 1980s the Comrades began with a field of 4,207 in 1980 and topped 5,000 for the first time in 1983.
In 1981, University of the Witwatersrand student Bruce Fordyce won the first of his eventual nine Comrades titles. An outspoken critic ofapartheid, Fordyce and a number of other athletes initially decided to boycott the 1981 event when organisers announced that they would associate it with the 20th anniversary of the Republic of South Africa. Fordyce ultimately competed wearing a black armband to signal his protest. He repeated his victories in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 (a record 5:24:07 down run), 1987, 1988 (a record 5:27:42 for the up run), and 1990.
In 1989, Sam Tshabalala became the first black winner of the Comrades.
Schoolteacher Frith van der Merwe won the woman's race in 1988 in a time of 6:32:56. In 1989, Van der Merwe ran 5:54:43, obliterating the women's record and finishing fifteenth overall.[3]
In the same year Wally Hayward entered the race at the age of 79 and finished in 9:44:15. He repeated the feat in the 1989 Comrades, where he completed the race with only two minutes to spare and at the age of 80 became the oldest man to complete the Comrades.
1990s
During the 1990s the size of the starting fields was in the region of 12,000 to 14,000 runners. In 1995 prize money was introduced for the first time, attracting more foreign competitors. The traditional race day of May 31, formerly Republic Day, was changed to June 16, the anniversary of the Soweto uprising.
However, it seemed to be controversy that would dog the race during the 1990's.
In 1992 Charl Mattheus crossed the finish line first, but was later disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance. He claimed it was in medicine he had taken for a sore throat, but Jetman Msutu was elevated to the winner, thus becoming the second black winner of the Comrades. In a sad twist for Mattheus, the substance for which he was banned was later removed from the IAAF's banned substance list since all evidence pointed to it having no performance enhancing properties. Mattheus also suffered much negativity in the public eye but later managed to redeem his clean image with an emphatic faultless win in the 1997 down run beating a strong local and international field.
A year later in 1993, Herman Mathee (who unfortunately bore a similar surname to Mattheus and was often publicly mistaken as the same person) finished amongst the top ten gold medal winners but was later stripped of his gold medal after video evidence found that he had caught a taxi along the route cutting out almost 40km of the 90km race. In a Comrades first, the 11th place finisher, Simon Williamson, was months later officially elevated to tenth place and awarded the last gold medal by then South African president FW de Klerk. In an ultimate reflection of Comrades spirit, Williamson on race day had passed another runner, Ephraim Sekothlong, in the last 100 metres to claim 11th spot and unknowingly a gold medal.
In 1999, the Motsoeneng brothers, who strongly resembled one another, performed a memorable act of cheating during the race. By exchanging places with his brother at toilet stops and aided by car lifts at various stages, Sergio Motsoeneng finished ninth. This came as a surprise to those behind him, who could not recall being overtaken by the Zimbabwean runner. The brothers were exposed when television footage revealed them to be wearing watches on different arms.
2000s
The 75th anniversary of the Comrades Marathon in 2000 was the largest ever staged, with a massive field of 23,961. An extra hour was allowed for bronze medal finishers to celebrate the milestone. Identical twin sisters Oelysa and Elena Nurgileva won a combined seven Comrades titles from 2003-2010, while two-time champion Stephen Muzhingi became the first non-South African winner from Africa in 2009.[4] Russian runner Leonid Shvetsov set both down and up course records in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
The race was the idea of World War I veteran Vic Clapham, to commemorate the South African soldiers killed during the war. Clapham, who had endured a 2,700-kilometre route march through sweltering German East Africa, wanted the memorial to be a unique test of the physical endurance of the entrants. The constitution of the race states that one of its primary aims is to "celebrate mankind's spirit over adversity".
From 1962 to 1994 the race was run on Republic Day, 31 May. After this public holiday was scrapped in 1995 by the post-apartheid South African government, the race date was changed to Youth Day on 16 June. In 2007, the race organisers (controversially) bowed to political pressure from the ANC Youth League, who felt that the race diverted attention from the significance of Youth Day, and changed the race date to Sunday 17 June for 2007 and 15 June for 2008. In 2009 and 2010 the date was changed (to 24 May and 30 May respectively) to accommodate football's Confederations Cup (2009) and World Cup (2010) in South Africa.
1920s
Forty-eight runners entered the first race in 1921, but only thirty-four elected to start. The course at the time was tarred only for the final few kilometres into Durban. A time limit of 12 hours was set and Bill Rowan became the inaugural winner, clocking 08:59 to win by 41 minutes ahead of Harry Phillips. Of the 34 starters, only 16 completed the race.
Arthur Newton entered and won the race for the first time in 1922. He went on to win the race five times and emerge as the dominant Comrades runner of the 1920s. When he completed the down run in 06:56 in 1923, there were only a handful of spectators on hand to witness the finish because so few thought it possible that the race could be run so quickly. The first woman to run the race was Frances Hayward in 1923,[2] but her entry was refused, so she was an unofficial entrant.[1] She completed the event in 11:35[1] and although she was not awarded a Comrades medal, the other runners and spectators presented her with a silver tea service and a rose bowl. In 1924 the Comrades had its fewest starters ever, just 24. Four years later, in 1928, the time limit for the race was reduced by an hour to 11 hours.
1930s
In the 1930s, Hardy Ballington emerged as the dominant runner, recording four victories in 1933, 1934, 1936 and 1938. The winner of the 1930 race, Wally Hayward, became one of the greatest legends of the Comrades Marathon, winning a further four times in the fifties, and becoming the oldest man to complete the race in 1989. In 1932 Geraldine Watson, an unofficial entrant, became the first woman to complete both the up run and the down run.
1940s
After Ballington's domination of the 1930s, Comrades was stopped during the war years from 1941 to 1945. In 1948 a Comrades tradition was born when race official Max Trimborn, instead of firing the customary starter's gun, gave a loud imitation of a cock's crow. That tradition continues to the present day with Trimborn's recorded voice played over loudspeakers at the starting line.
1950s
In the 1950s, a full twenty years after he won the race for the first time, Wally Hayward recorded his second victory and followed that up with wins in 1951, 1953 and 1954. He represented South Africa at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, where he finished tenth in the marathon. Hayward retired from the Comrades after establishing new records for both the up and down runs and equaling the five wins of Newton and Ballington. In 1958, the race was won for the first time by Jackie Mekler, who went on to win the race five times, finishing second twice and third twice.
1960s
In the 1960s, Comrades grew considerably, from 104 starters in 1960 to 703 starters in 1969. Due to the bigger fields, cut-off points were introduced for the first time at Drummond and Cato Ridge. Mekler became the first man to break the six-hour barrier in 1960, finishing in 5:56:32.
In 1962, the race attracted foreign entries for the first time as the Road Runners Club of England sent over four of the best long-distance runners in Britain. English runner John Smith won the race, an up run, in under six hours, missing out on the course record by 33 seconds. Watching the stragglers come in hours later, Smith commented to former winner Bill Cochrane that the other people completing the race were getting as much applause as he had received. "You are now witnessing the spirit of the Comrades," replied Cochrane.
In 1965, English runner Bernard Gomersall broke Mekler's down run record with a time of 5:51:09.
In 1967, Manie Kuhn and Tommy Malone were involved in the closest finish in the history of the race. Malone appeared to be on his way to a comfortable win and was handed the traditional message from the Mayor of Pietermaritzburg to the Mayor of Durban at Tollgate with a lead of two minutes over Kuhn. He entered the stadium in the lead with only 80 metres left to go. Suddenly Kuhn appeared only 15 metres behind and closed in quickly. Malone put in a burst for the line, but with only 15 metres left he fell to the ground with cramps. He attempted to get up again, but with the line within reach Kuhn flew past to grab victory. The mayoral message was forgotten as both runners embraced.
1970s
The Comrades had over 1,000 starters for the first time in 1971, with over 3,000 in 1979. The race was widely broadcast on both radio and television. The race was opened to all athletes for the first time in 1975, allowing blacks and women to take part officially. In 1975, the Golden Jubilee of the Comrades, Vincent Rakabele finished 20th to become the first black runner to officially win a medal. Elizabeth Cavanaugh became the first women's winner in a shade over 10 hours.
1976 saw the emergence of Alan Robb, who won the first of his four Comrades titles. Robb repeated his win in 1977, 1978 and 1980, including breaking the tape in Durban in 1978 in a record 5:29:14, almost 20 minutes and four kilometres ahead of runner-up Dave Wright.
1980s
During the 1980s the Comrades began with a field of 4,207 in 1980 and topped 5,000 for the first time in 1983.
In 1981, University of the Witwatersrand student Bruce Fordyce won the first of his eventual nine Comrades titles. An outspoken critic ofapartheid, Fordyce and a number of other athletes initially decided to boycott the 1981 event when organisers announced that they would associate it with the 20th anniversary of the Republic of South Africa. Fordyce ultimately competed wearing a black armband to signal his protest. He repeated his victories in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 (a record 5:24:07 down run), 1987, 1988 (a record 5:27:42 for the up run), and 1990.
In 1989, Sam Tshabalala became the first black winner of the Comrades.
Schoolteacher Frith van der Merwe won the woman's race in 1988 in a time of 6:32:56. In 1989, Van der Merwe ran 5:54:43, obliterating the women's record and finishing fifteenth overall.[3]
In the same year Wally Hayward entered the race at the age of 79 and finished in 9:44:15. He repeated the feat in the 1989 Comrades, where he completed the race with only two minutes to spare and at the age of 80 became the oldest man to complete the Comrades.
1990s
During the 1990s the size of the starting fields was in the region of 12,000 to 14,000 runners. In 1995 prize money was introduced for the first time, attracting more foreign competitors. The traditional race day of May 31, formerly Republic Day, was changed to June 16, the anniversary of the Soweto uprising.
However, it seemed to be controversy that would dog the race during the 1990's.
In 1992 Charl Mattheus crossed the finish line first, but was later disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance. He claimed it was in medicine he had taken for a sore throat, but Jetman Msutu was elevated to the winner, thus becoming the second black winner of the Comrades. In a sad twist for Mattheus, the substance for which he was banned was later removed from the IAAF's banned substance list since all evidence pointed to it having no performance enhancing properties. Mattheus also suffered much negativity in the public eye but later managed to redeem his clean image with an emphatic faultless win in the 1997 down run beating a strong local and international field.
A year later in 1993, Herman Mathee (who unfortunately bore a similar surname to Mattheus and was often publicly mistaken as the same person) finished amongst the top ten gold medal winners but was later stripped of his gold medal after video evidence found that he had caught a taxi along the route cutting out almost 40km of the 90km race. In a Comrades first, the 11th place finisher, Simon Williamson, was months later officially elevated to tenth place and awarded the last gold medal by then South African president FW de Klerk. In an ultimate reflection of Comrades spirit, Williamson on race day had passed another runner, Ephraim Sekothlong, in the last 100 metres to claim 11th spot and unknowingly a gold medal.
In 1999, the Motsoeneng brothers, who strongly resembled one another, performed a memorable act of cheating during the race. By exchanging places with his brother at toilet stops and aided by car lifts at various stages, Sergio Motsoeneng finished ninth. This came as a surprise to those behind him, who could not recall being overtaken by the Zimbabwean runner. The brothers were exposed when television footage revealed them to be wearing watches on different arms.
2000s
The 75th anniversary of the Comrades Marathon in 2000 was the largest ever staged, with a massive field of 23,961. An extra hour was allowed for bronze medal finishers to celebrate the milestone. Identical twin sisters Oelysa and Elena Nurgileva won a combined seven Comrades titles from 2003-2010, while two-time champion Stephen Muzhingi became the first non-South African winner from Africa in 2009.[4] Russian runner Leonid Shvetsov set both down and up course records in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
April 3, 2011
Top 10 tips for the Comrades
It is not too late to read this. One, or all of them, might just make the difference on race day.
The stage is set:
• You've been training for weeks.
• You’ve gradually increased the distance of your long runs.
• You’ve paid special attention to recovery days.
• You’ve monitored your fluid balance on an almost hourly basis.
What more can you do to make sure you're fully prepared for that upcoming marathon?
Well, quite a few things actually. A long marathon distance is way too vast to master with just a few basics. You need sophisticated strategies and a few marathon secrets from marathon veterans with years of experience.
To help you enjoy your best possible marathon a group of marathon experts were consulted to share their marathon wisdom.
See what you think:
The Top 10
These are the strategies that our experts agreed are the most crucial to marathon success. Make them the foundation of your marathon preparation.
1. Train, train, train
You don't get to test yourself at the ultra-marathon distance as often as you do at for instance a 10 km race. But you can do plenty of homework. Make sure you log five or six to 3-4 hour runs (one every other weekend, at most) in the three or four months before your race. And schedule your last long run at least two weeks before the big day.
2. Do your course work.
It is important to study the race and do your homework. If possible, order a video of the race. Talk to people who've run it. When you’re in Durban, drive the course. Cover every metre, from start to finish, at least once, noting landmarks and difficult sections so you can visualise your race in detail before you start the race.
3. Balance your fluid intake
Specialists recommend drinking lots of fluids before and during a race. They maintain, however, that thirst should be your guide. This usually means you should drink between 400-800 ml per hour, depending on the conditions of the day. Remember that overhydration can be just as dangerous as dehydration. It is interesting to note that a greater fluid intake doesn't necessarily translate into better performance. In a study conducted by the University of Cape Town it was found that top Ironman athletes were the most dehydrated participants.
4. Taper your to-do list.
Of course you're training less the week before the race, but that doesn't mean you should fill your free time with other daily chores. Don't clean the garage. Don't even arrange your books. Just sit back, relax and focus on the only task that counts: replacing your heavy training with some very heavy rest.
5. Race in your training shoes.
Your body learns what you teach it: no more, no less. So, if you wear training shoes during your long runs, your body grows accustomed to running for hours on end in those training shoes. Bottom line: If you wear trainers to train, wear them in the marathon. At most, you can gamble with lightweight trainers, but only if you've worn them on several long runs without a problem.
6. Avoid the shock of the new.
You want to be "in a rut" on race day. That means wearing not just the same shoes, but also the same socks, shorts and shirt you've worn without a hitch on your long runs. (Obviously out of the wash!) And it means eating the same foods and drinking the same fluids you did prior to and during your most successful long runs.
7. Prime the sponge.
That is, drink two 225 ml glasses of water or sports drink exactly 2 hours before the gun. The water will have passed through your system by that time and, even better, your body will be primed to accept the fluids you drink during the race.
8. Eat before you run.
Take in at least 300 calories, preferably a full breakfast, an hour before the start. It doesn't matter what you eat (yoghurt, an energy bar, eggs) as long as you've practised eating the same foods an hour before your long training runs, and you know your stomach can handle them. This pre-race meal will prevent your blood sugar from dropping and will fend off hunger later in the race.
9. Warm up - but don't wear yourself out.
Be a minimalist. At most, jog very easily for about 15 minutes, then stretch your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and lower back for another quarter of an hour. With about 15 minutes to go before the start, do a few strides if you want. But no more! You'll warm up enough in the early stages of the race.
10. Find your pace-then pull back.
You know how 8:30s feel in training. But do you know how they feel when your heart's pounding louder than the enthusiastic crowd along the road. In fact, thanks to race-day adrenaline rush, any pace will feel far easier than normal, which could mean you'll go out too fast. So make a conscious effort to pull back until you hit the 10-mile mark. Remember, any seconds you lose early on are minutes you save later in the race.
The stage is set:
• You've been training for weeks.
• You’ve gradually increased the distance of your long runs.
• You’ve paid special attention to recovery days.
• You’ve monitored your fluid balance on an almost hourly basis.
What more can you do to make sure you're fully prepared for that upcoming marathon?
Well, quite a few things actually. A long marathon distance is way too vast to master with just a few basics. You need sophisticated strategies and a few marathon secrets from marathon veterans with years of experience.
To help you enjoy your best possible marathon a group of marathon experts were consulted to share their marathon wisdom.
See what you think:
The Top 10
These are the strategies that our experts agreed are the most crucial to marathon success. Make them the foundation of your marathon preparation.
1. Train, train, train
You don't get to test yourself at the ultra-marathon distance as often as you do at for instance a 10 km race. But you can do plenty of homework. Make sure you log five or six to 3-4 hour runs (one every other weekend, at most) in the three or four months before your race. And schedule your last long run at least two weeks before the big day.
2. Do your course work.
It is important to study the race and do your homework. If possible, order a video of the race. Talk to people who've run it. When you’re in Durban, drive the course. Cover every metre, from start to finish, at least once, noting landmarks and difficult sections so you can visualise your race in detail before you start the race.
3. Balance your fluid intake
Specialists recommend drinking lots of fluids before and during a race. They maintain, however, that thirst should be your guide. This usually means you should drink between 400-800 ml per hour, depending on the conditions of the day. Remember that overhydration can be just as dangerous as dehydration. It is interesting to note that a greater fluid intake doesn't necessarily translate into better performance. In a study conducted by the University of Cape Town it was found that top Ironman athletes were the most dehydrated participants.
4. Taper your to-do list.
Of course you're training less the week before the race, but that doesn't mean you should fill your free time with other daily chores. Don't clean the garage. Don't even arrange your books. Just sit back, relax and focus on the only task that counts: replacing your heavy training with some very heavy rest.
5. Race in your training shoes.
Your body learns what you teach it: no more, no less. So, if you wear training shoes during your long runs, your body grows accustomed to running for hours on end in those training shoes. Bottom line: If you wear trainers to train, wear them in the marathon. At most, you can gamble with lightweight trainers, but only if you've worn them on several long runs without a problem.
6. Avoid the shock of the new.
You want to be "in a rut" on race day. That means wearing not just the same shoes, but also the same socks, shorts and shirt you've worn without a hitch on your long runs. (Obviously out of the wash!) And it means eating the same foods and drinking the same fluids you did prior to and during your most successful long runs.
7. Prime the sponge.
That is, drink two 225 ml glasses of water or sports drink exactly 2 hours before the gun. The water will have passed through your system by that time and, even better, your body will be primed to accept the fluids you drink during the race.
8. Eat before you run.
Take in at least 300 calories, preferably a full breakfast, an hour before the start. It doesn't matter what you eat (yoghurt, an energy bar, eggs) as long as you've practised eating the same foods an hour before your long training runs, and you know your stomach can handle them. This pre-race meal will prevent your blood sugar from dropping and will fend off hunger later in the race.
9. Warm up - but don't wear yourself out.
Be a minimalist. At most, jog very easily for about 15 minutes, then stretch your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and lower back for another quarter of an hour. With about 15 minutes to go before the start, do a few strides if you want. But no more! You'll warm up enough in the early stages of the race.
10. Find your pace-then pull back.
You know how 8:30s feel in training. But do you know how they feel when your heart's pounding louder than the enthusiastic crowd along the road. In fact, thanks to race-day adrenaline rush, any pace will feel far easier than normal, which could mean you'll go out too fast. So make a conscious effort to pull back until you hit the 10-mile mark. Remember, any seconds you lose early on are minutes you save later in the race.
Walk your way to fitness
Walking really is a painless and effective way of getting some good, daily exercise.
Don't dismiss walking. It can provide enormous health benefits such as improving your circulation and cardiovascular function, strengthening your bones, helping to build and maintain muscle mass, easing stress and anxiety, improving your sense of well-being and, if done regularly and at a high enough intensity, it can help to shed unwanted kilos.
To maximise the benefits you get from it, make sure that your walking technique is up to scratch. Perhaps get a friend to assess your body positioning and style.
Here's how to do it for maximum benefit
1. Keep your head up, eyes looking forward and focused ahead.
2. Ensure your back is straight, but relaxed.
3. “Zip up” your abdominals and squeeze in your gluteal (butt) muscles - this will help you to maintain a straight back. The deepest layer of abdominals acts as an important stabiliser for your lower back, and is very important when walking.
4. Keep your chest out, and your shoulders back, down and relaxed.
5. Let your arms, which are bent at the elbows, swing naturally from the shoulders. As you speed up, you might find it easier to bend your arms at 90º and use a stronger arm movement.
6. Your foot strike action is important. After you land on the outer side of your heel, your foot rolls inwards, which is essential for adequate shock absorption and the final phase is a push off with your toes.
7. Beware of pounding your heels down when walking briskly; this generates unnecessary forces on your joints.
8. Dorsiflex your foot (bend the top part of your foot back) adequately, rather than just shuffling along. The foot needs 10º to 15º of dorsiflexion in order to walk correctly. Otherwise, to compensate, your foot will roll inwards excessively, which might lead to problems such as shin splints and plantar fasciitis. Stretching your calf muscles daily should help you to achieve adequate dorsiflexion.
9. Stride length is an individual feature of your walking technique. Most walkers take steps of the kind of length that promotes their walking efficiency.
10. Breathe rhythmically. For example inhale for three steps and exhale for the next three, or at a rate that feels right.
Walking is not as simple as it looks. Different techniques must be used for walking uphill and for downhill.
Tips for walking uphill
1. Since walking uphill is quite demanding, make sure you warm up by walking on the flat first for about 5 minutes.
2. Shorten your steps.
3. If you are fit, you can quicken your step rate with shorter steps, or if you are less fit, then at least try to maintain your step rate.
4. Lean very slightly forward into the hill. Leaning backwards will unbalance you.
5. Because hills are hard work, you should experience an increase in your heart rate and breathing rate. However, make sure that you can still conduct a conversation, even if it is somewhat breathless.
Tips for walking downhill
1. Relax and let your steps flow.
2. Going downhill, your stride will naturally lengthen. Whilst overstriding when walking on a flat surface is bad, when going downhill it will actually help you to brake slightly as gravity keeps you moving faster.
3. If you feel like your pace is out of control, shorten your stride and slow down your step rate.
4. Stay upright and don't lean back in an attempt to slow down.
5. If it is a very steep downhill, then you might want to lean forward a little for greater stability; keep your knees slightly bent at all times.
Well done on a great exercise choice – enjoy the benefits!
Don't dismiss walking. It can provide enormous health benefits such as improving your circulation and cardiovascular function, strengthening your bones, helping to build and maintain muscle mass, easing stress and anxiety, improving your sense of well-being and, if done regularly and at a high enough intensity, it can help to shed unwanted kilos.
To maximise the benefits you get from it, make sure that your walking technique is up to scratch. Perhaps get a friend to assess your body positioning and style.
Here's how to do it for maximum benefit
1. Keep your head up, eyes looking forward and focused ahead.
2. Ensure your back is straight, but relaxed.
3. “Zip up” your abdominals and squeeze in your gluteal (butt) muscles - this will help you to maintain a straight back. The deepest layer of abdominals acts as an important stabiliser for your lower back, and is very important when walking.
4. Keep your chest out, and your shoulders back, down and relaxed.
5. Let your arms, which are bent at the elbows, swing naturally from the shoulders. As you speed up, you might find it easier to bend your arms at 90º and use a stronger arm movement.
6. Your foot strike action is important. After you land on the outer side of your heel, your foot rolls inwards, which is essential for adequate shock absorption and the final phase is a push off with your toes.
7. Beware of pounding your heels down when walking briskly; this generates unnecessary forces on your joints.
8. Dorsiflex your foot (bend the top part of your foot back) adequately, rather than just shuffling along. The foot needs 10º to 15º of dorsiflexion in order to walk correctly. Otherwise, to compensate, your foot will roll inwards excessively, which might lead to problems such as shin splints and plantar fasciitis. Stretching your calf muscles daily should help you to achieve adequate dorsiflexion.
9. Stride length is an individual feature of your walking technique. Most walkers take steps of the kind of length that promotes their walking efficiency.
10. Breathe rhythmically. For example inhale for three steps and exhale for the next three, or at a rate that feels right.
Walking is not as simple as it looks. Different techniques must be used for walking uphill and for downhill.
Tips for walking uphill
1. Since walking uphill is quite demanding, make sure you warm up by walking on the flat first for about 5 minutes.
2. Shorten your steps.
3. If you are fit, you can quicken your step rate with shorter steps, or if you are less fit, then at least try to maintain your step rate.
4. Lean very slightly forward into the hill. Leaning backwards will unbalance you.
5. Because hills are hard work, you should experience an increase in your heart rate and breathing rate. However, make sure that you can still conduct a conversation, even if it is somewhat breathless.
Tips for walking downhill
1. Relax and let your steps flow.
2. Going downhill, your stride will naturally lengthen. Whilst overstriding when walking on a flat surface is bad, when going downhill it will actually help you to brake slightly as gravity keeps you moving faster.
3. If you feel like your pace is out of control, shorten your stride and slow down your step rate.
4. Stay upright and don't lean back in an attempt to slow down.
5. If it is a very steep downhill, then you might want to lean forward a little for greater stability; keep your knees slightly bent at all times.
Well done on a great exercise choice – enjoy the benefits!
February 27, 2011
Up Your Training
A good place to start is running regularly for fitness, since the most important building block of running is consistency.
A better approach, once you have a solid base, is to add one “quality” workout per week to increase your fitness. But to take your running to your highest level, it’s best to follow a training plan skewed to your strengths. For instance, if endurance is your strong suit, find a plan that focuses more on mileage and tempo runs and less on interval training. If speed is on your side, focus on interval training and less on mileage.
Applying the principles of good, better, and best to your workouts will help you improve your fitness, avoid plateaus, and get closer to where you want to go wherever that is.
Key Workout: Tempo Runs
“Tempo training raises your lactate threshold velocity, the running speed above which fatigue sets in quickly,” says varsity lecturer of health and science, Paul Greer.
These runs should feel comfortably hard: For recreational runners (those who run fewer than 30km per week), that means a pace 5 to 10 seconds per kilometer slower than 5-K race pace; for speedy racers (those who run faster than 20 minutes for a 5-K), it’s about 15 to 20 seconds per kilometer slower.
Good Run 5km over rolling terrain, changing your pace from slightly faster than easy, to comfortably hard, too hard. Mixing it up teaches novices how to run at different speeds. Experienced runners coming back after injury or a layoff will relearn what a comfortably hard tempo feels like, without overdoing it.
Better Do 4 to 5 x 1500m on flat terrain at tempo pace with a one-minute recovery jog between each effort. This will improve your ability to hold a hard pace.
Best Run six to eight km’s at tempo pace. “Continuous tempo runs are excellent for developing stamina, confidence, and sense of pace,” says Greer. Keep the pace consistent. “Don’t allow your pace to fluctuate,” says Veronique Billat, director of the Exercise Physiology Lab at the University of Evry-Val d’Essonne in France.
Key Workout: Intervals
Of all training runs, interval workouts are the most potent for improving your fitness. Short, hard efforts beef up your cardiovascular system by increasing the volume of oxygen-rich blood your heart pumps with each beat. With more oxygen feeding muscles, they can work harder.
Good Run repeats by time, rather than distance, and do them hard (it should be difficult to talk); for example, 4 x 3 minutes hard with two minutes easy running between each effort.
Better Run 4 to 6 by 800 meters at 5-K race pace. More formal workouts help you practice running at race pace.
Best Match the speed of the hard efforts with the purpose of the workout. To enhance endurance, run 800- to 1,000- meter repeats at slightly faster than your 5-K pace, says Billat. To increase speed, run 8 x 400 meters fast with a two-minute recovery jog, or 5 x 400 meters very fast with a three-minute recovery jog.
Key Workout: Long Runs
Running long drains your muscles’ supply of carbohydrates (glycogen). Nearing empty signals your body to stock even more glycogen, so you have more fuel to draw on in the future. “Long runs also develop your ability to transport and use oxygen, which allows you to run longer before becoming fatigued,” says Billat.
Good Run one and a half to twice as long as your average run at an easy pace. When it comes to improving endurance, time on your feet is more important than the number of kilometers you run.
Better Log 15km at marathon pace (or moderate pace). For intermediate runners, endurance isn’t just about running longer it’s about being able to hold a slightly faster pace.
Best Complete 25 to 27km, with the first 19km at an easy pace and the last six to eight km’s at tempo pace (about 10-K race pace or slightly faster). Marathoners with a history of going long should make the long run more specific to the demands of the marathon.
Just Enough
Know when to add quality and how much to your schedule.
Novice runners should follow the recommendations below for at least two months before adding additional workouts to their weekly routine. Intermediate and advanced runners may add more sessions as their bodies adapt.
Novice
Tempo Run: Once a week
Intervals: Every other week
Long Runs: Once a week
Intermediate
Tempo Run: Once a week
Intervals: Once a week
Long Runs: Once a week
Advanced
Tempo Run: Twice a week
Intervals: Once or twice a week
Long Runs: Once a week
A better approach, once you have a solid base, is to add one “quality” workout per week to increase your fitness. But to take your running to your highest level, it’s best to follow a training plan skewed to your strengths. For instance, if endurance is your strong suit, find a plan that focuses more on mileage and tempo runs and less on interval training. If speed is on your side, focus on interval training and less on mileage.
Applying the principles of good, better, and best to your workouts will help you improve your fitness, avoid plateaus, and get closer to where you want to go wherever that is.
Key Workout: Tempo Runs
“Tempo training raises your lactate threshold velocity, the running speed above which fatigue sets in quickly,” says varsity lecturer of health and science, Paul Greer.
These runs should feel comfortably hard: For recreational runners (those who run fewer than 30km per week), that means a pace 5 to 10 seconds per kilometer slower than 5-K race pace; for speedy racers (those who run faster than 20 minutes for a 5-K), it’s about 15 to 20 seconds per kilometer slower.
Good Run 5km over rolling terrain, changing your pace from slightly faster than easy, to comfortably hard, too hard. Mixing it up teaches novices how to run at different speeds. Experienced runners coming back after injury or a layoff will relearn what a comfortably hard tempo feels like, without overdoing it.
Better Do 4 to 5 x 1500m on flat terrain at tempo pace with a one-minute recovery jog between each effort. This will improve your ability to hold a hard pace.
Best Run six to eight km’s at tempo pace. “Continuous tempo runs are excellent for developing stamina, confidence, and sense of pace,” says Greer. Keep the pace consistent. “Don’t allow your pace to fluctuate,” says Veronique Billat, director of the Exercise Physiology Lab at the University of Evry-Val d’Essonne in France.
Key Workout: Intervals
Of all training runs, interval workouts are the most potent for improving your fitness. Short, hard efforts beef up your cardiovascular system by increasing the volume of oxygen-rich blood your heart pumps with each beat. With more oxygen feeding muscles, they can work harder.
Good Run repeats by time, rather than distance, and do them hard (it should be difficult to talk); for example, 4 x 3 minutes hard with two minutes easy running between each effort.
Better Run 4 to 6 by 800 meters at 5-K race pace. More formal workouts help you practice running at race pace.
Best Match the speed of the hard efforts with the purpose of the workout. To enhance endurance, run 800- to 1,000- meter repeats at slightly faster than your 5-K pace, says Billat. To increase speed, run 8 x 400 meters fast with a two-minute recovery jog, or 5 x 400 meters very fast with a three-minute recovery jog.
Key Workout: Long Runs
Running long drains your muscles’ supply of carbohydrates (glycogen). Nearing empty signals your body to stock even more glycogen, so you have more fuel to draw on in the future. “Long runs also develop your ability to transport and use oxygen, which allows you to run longer before becoming fatigued,” says Billat.
Good Run one and a half to twice as long as your average run at an easy pace. When it comes to improving endurance, time on your feet is more important than the number of kilometers you run.
Better Log 15km at marathon pace (or moderate pace). For intermediate runners, endurance isn’t just about running longer it’s about being able to hold a slightly faster pace.
Best Complete 25 to 27km, with the first 19km at an easy pace and the last six to eight km’s at tempo pace (about 10-K race pace or slightly faster). Marathoners with a history of going long should make the long run more specific to the demands of the marathon.
Just Enough
Know when to add quality and how much to your schedule.
Novice runners should follow the recommendations below for at least two months before adding additional workouts to their weekly routine. Intermediate and advanced runners may add more sessions as their bodies adapt.
Novice
Tempo Run: Once a week
Intervals: Every other week
Long Runs: Once a week
Intermediate
Tempo Run: Once a week
Intervals: Once a week
Long Runs: Once a week
Advanced
Tempo Run: Twice a week
Intervals: Once or twice a week
Long Runs: Once a week
January 30, 2011
Motivational quotes
Runners, especially long-distance runners, have a lot of time to think about why they run. At some point, you may question why you run and wonder if you should continue to get out there. When that happens, remember one of these motivational running quotes.
"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
- Steve Prefontaine
"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."
-Jesse Owens
"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare."
-Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner
"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder
"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it."
-Oprah Winfrey
"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
-PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian
"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'"
- Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner
"We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves...The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable."
-Sir Roger Bannister, first runner to run a sub-4 minute mile
"Ask yourself: 'Can I give more?'. The answer is usually: 'Yes'."
-Paul Tergat, Kenyan professional marathoner
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
-John Bingham, running speaker and writer
"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
- Steve Prefontaine
"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."
-Jesse Owens
"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare."
-Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner
"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder
"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it."
-Oprah Winfrey
"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
-PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian
"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'"
- Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner
"We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves...The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable."
-Sir Roger Bannister, first runner to run a sub-4 minute mile
"Ask yourself: 'Can I give more?'. The answer is usually: 'Yes'."
-Paul Tergat, Kenyan professional marathoner
"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
-John Bingham, running speaker and writer
January 14, 2011
Eating during Long Runs
From Runners World
You’ll burn roughly 400 to 600 calories per hour during your run, but your body can absorb only 240 to 280 calories per hour. That’s a difference of around 140 to 300 calories! You’ll never dig out of this deficit, but eating early and often will keep you from bonking.
Early on, you can survive on gels and other carbs, but after four hours, add one part protein to four parts carbs. This mix can be found in most sports bars.
After 10 gels or energy bars, it’s doubtful you’ll feel like another, so try get your mits on real food. Sandwiches, potatoes, pretzels, nuts, winegums, oranges and bananas will do the trick.
Sip on sports drinks or coke at the water stations.
Remember to keep it small!
And the ever vital rule: test it out before hand! You never know how your belly will react to the combination of certain foods and extreme exercise! Race day isn’t the time to see if a slice of pizza gives you the added oomph…
You’ll burn roughly 400 to 600 calories per hour during your run, but your body can absorb only 240 to 280 calories per hour. That’s a difference of around 140 to 300 calories! You’ll never dig out of this deficit, but eating early and often will keep you from bonking.
Early on, you can survive on gels and other carbs, but after four hours, add one part protein to four parts carbs. This mix can be found in most sports bars.
After 10 gels or energy bars, it’s doubtful you’ll feel like another, so try get your mits on real food. Sandwiches, potatoes, pretzels, nuts, winegums, oranges and bananas will do the trick.
Sip on sports drinks or coke at the water stations.
Remember to keep it small!
And the ever vital rule: test it out before hand! You never know how your belly will react to the combination of certain foods and extreme exercise! Race day isn’t the time to see if a slice of pizza gives you the added oomph…
January 2, 2011
Stick to Your New Year's Resolutions
If you're like the majority of people who make New Year's resolutions, your goals are probably related to health, weight loss, and fitness. And, since you're visiting this site, your resolutions also most likely have something to do with running. Here are some simple strategies to help turn those resolutions into reality.
Choose Realistic Resolutions
Picking New Year's resolutions that are not realistic for you is just setting yourself up for failure. Your chances of achieving your goals are much better if they're realistic. Of course, it's always fun and inspiring to dream, but try breaking your ultimate goal up into more manageable, realistic goals that could lead you to it.
For example, you're not going to run a sub-25:00 5K if your current personal record is 35:00, but you can start taking steps toward getting faster.
Don't Take on Too Much
When choosing your resolutions, don't try to change many different things at once. You'll burn yourself out and won't accomplish any of your goals, leaving you feeling disappointed and defeated. Instead, focus on a few key goals and the steps you need to take to reach them.
Write Down Your Plan
Write out your plan for achieving your goals. Writing down your resolution and the steps you're going to take can be very motivating. It will help you make your goals specific, not vague, and will force you to commit to your resolution.
Set Small, Attainable Goals
If you have a really ambitious New Year's resolution, such as running a marathon, make sure that you have smaller, attainable goals with measurable results along the way. They'll help you track your progress and prevent you from getting bored or discouraged.
For example, if your resolution is to lose 25 pounds, your first goal could be to lose 5 pounds. Or, if your goal is to complete a half-marathon, first try to run a 10K or shoot for a personal record in the 5K. An added benefit of setting smaller, attainable goals is that even if you don't meet your ultimate goal, you'll still have achieved other accomplishments along the way.
Make Your Goals Known
Telling friends and family members about your goals means that people will be holding you accountable and supporting you along the way. Your goals will also seem more real if you talk about them, rather than keeping them to yourself.
Keep a Journal
Tracking your runs in a journal is a great way stay motivated. Even if no one else sees it, it can help hold you accountable. It's also a good place to record your goals. When you hit a rough patch in your training, you can go back and get inspired by how much progress you've made. Reviewing your positive steps will also make it harder to go back to your old habits. You can use a simple notebook to keep a journal or buy a training log that's just for runners.
Use a Schedule and Get Organized
Deciding to go for a run when you feel like it isn't going to work for most people. Look at your weekly schedule and figure out when you're most likely to have the time for running, cross-training, or whatever activities are going to help you reach your goals. Get everything you need to help accomplish your resolutions, so you can't come up with easy excuses. For example, if you only have one pair of comfortable running shorts, buy some more running clothes so you can't use "my shorts are in the wash" as a reason not to run.
Cut Yourself Some Slack
You're going to experiences some setbacks on the road to achieving your resolutions. Don't let one or two slips make you give up. Think of setbacks as opportunities for growth and don't beat yourself for not being perfect. Try to stay positive and get back on track.
Reward Yourself With Each Goal
If you've reached a mini-goal or you're stuck with your resolution for a month, treat yourself to something special. But, try not to use food as a reward. Instead, treat yourself to something non-food related that will benefit your running, like a professional massage or some new running clothes or gear.
Find Support
Sticking to your resolutions is much easier when you have back-up. If you have specific running goals, try to find a running group in your area and meet with them for regular runs. You'll learn more about running and be motivated to run if you know there's a group of people expecting you.
The social aspect will also keep running from getting boring. If you can't find a running group, try to get a friend or family member to be your running buddy, so the two of you can hold each other accountable.
Choose Realistic Resolutions
Picking New Year's resolutions that are not realistic for you is just setting yourself up for failure. Your chances of achieving your goals are much better if they're realistic. Of course, it's always fun and inspiring to dream, but try breaking your ultimate goal up into more manageable, realistic goals that could lead you to it.
For example, you're not going to run a sub-25:00 5K if your current personal record is 35:00, but you can start taking steps toward getting faster.
Don't Take on Too Much
When choosing your resolutions, don't try to change many different things at once. You'll burn yourself out and won't accomplish any of your goals, leaving you feeling disappointed and defeated. Instead, focus on a few key goals and the steps you need to take to reach them.
Write Down Your Plan
Write out your plan for achieving your goals. Writing down your resolution and the steps you're going to take can be very motivating. It will help you make your goals specific, not vague, and will force you to commit to your resolution.
Set Small, Attainable Goals
If you have a really ambitious New Year's resolution, such as running a marathon, make sure that you have smaller, attainable goals with measurable results along the way. They'll help you track your progress and prevent you from getting bored or discouraged.
For example, if your resolution is to lose 25 pounds, your first goal could be to lose 5 pounds. Or, if your goal is to complete a half-marathon, first try to run a 10K or shoot for a personal record in the 5K. An added benefit of setting smaller, attainable goals is that even if you don't meet your ultimate goal, you'll still have achieved other accomplishments along the way.
Make Your Goals Known
Telling friends and family members about your goals means that people will be holding you accountable and supporting you along the way. Your goals will also seem more real if you talk about them, rather than keeping them to yourself.
Keep a Journal
Tracking your runs in a journal is a great way stay motivated. Even if no one else sees it, it can help hold you accountable. It's also a good place to record your goals. When you hit a rough patch in your training, you can go back and get inspired by how much progress you've made. Reviewing your positive steps will also make it harder to go back to your old habits. You can use a simple notebook to keep a journal or buy a training log that's just for runners.
Use a Schedule and Get Organized
Deciding to go for a run when you feel like it isn't going to work for most people. Look at your weekly schedule and figure out when you're most likely to have the time for running, cross-training, or whatever activities are going to help you reach your goals. Get everything you need to help accomplish your resolutions, so you can't come up with easy excuses. For example, if you only have one pair of comfortable running shorts, buy some more running clothes so you can't use "my shorts are in the wash" as a reason not to run.
Cut Yourself Some Slack
You're going to experiences some setbacks on the road to achieving your resolutions. Don't let one or two slips make you give up. Think of setbacks as opportunities for growth and don't beat yourself for not being perfect. Try to stay positive and get back on track.
Reward Yourself With Each Goal
If you've reached a mini-goal or you're stuck with your resolution for a month, treat yourself to something special. But, try not to use food as a reward. Instead, treat yourself to something non-food related that will benefit your running, like a professional massage or some new running clothes or gear.
Find Support
Sticking to your resolutions is much easier when you have back-up. If you have specific running goals, try to find a running group in your area and meet with them for regular runs. You'll learn more about running and be motivated to run if you know there's a group of people expecting you.
The social aspect will also keep running from getting boring. If you can't find a running group, try to get a friend or family member to be your running buddy, so the two of you can hold each other accountable.
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