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Making a few changes…

Making a few changes…

Published by Patrick Durante on June 30, 2015

Every year I make adjustments to my training.  I do this to see if I can make improvements, or make running even more enjoyable.  This is a list of the recent things I’ve changed to help my training, and overall health.  I’ve listed them here with the reasons for the change.

 

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  • Standing desk
    • Strengthens the hips and makes you more likely to walk around more.  I work at a desk all day near a data center.  When my fitness tracker, the Garmin Fenix 3, tell me I’ve been standing still for too long I take a quick stroll around the data center.
  • Weekly Yoga
    • Running tends to make your body tight and decrease range of motion.  Yoga helps correct some of the muscle imbalances and improve range of motion.  I just feel better when yoga is in my schedule. Works great for balance, which you need for running, since that’s what running is.  The act of balancing over and over again on one foot.
  • Zero Drop
    • This one is tough, twice I’ve had pain in my calf during a race by from zero drop shoes.  I’ve now decided to never race without heal support.  I need more time to adjust to the lack of support, since I’ve had heal support my entire life.  I do believe that you should vary your shoe selection and stimulate the muscles in your foot in different ways.  I’ve also changed my daily sneakers to a very flat, zero drop shoe.  This helped correct a foot pain I’ve had for years.
  • Less grain carbs and more healthy fats and fruits
    •  I’m trying to increase fat burning enzymes and lower inflammation in my body.  Running at a lower HR decrease stress, which also decreases inflammation.  By changing your diet you also teach your body to better use fat as fuel.  The less you eat grain carbs, the more fat burning enzymes you will create.  The body is meant to burn fat as fuel.  If you do this you will run faster, farther, and with less effort than before.
  • 85-90% of your training at the 180 Formula
    • This one is HUGE.  I can go on and on about how much I love this type of training.  I have less stress, recover faster, feel better, and just enjoy training more.  See Phil Maffetone’s 180 Formula to calculate the HR you should run at.  This will take 3 months for your aerobic system to adapt.
  • Slow weights
    • I really hate weight training, but I know it’s important.  I use a kettle bell to do a few quick exercises throughout the day instead of dedicated weight training.  See Phil Maffetone’s slow weights article.
  • Back to back runs
    • Long run on Saturday, and a second effort on Sunday normally in the afternoon for heat acclimation.  This gets you used to running on tired legs, and running when you are uncomfortable.  You need to be VERY careful with this cause it is easy to get injured if you increase mileage too quick.
  • Striders
    • 100 meters at 95% effort.  1 Minute recover x5 or as many as I fit in.  This is to get my body ready for speed, and to increases leg turn over.  This is helpful for being able to run faster on race day.
  • Hill training
    • Works again on leg turn over.  Forces you to run at a faster cadence.
  • Fuel
    • GenuCan or Vitargo for my new pre-race meal.  I may still take sugars on the run, but this leaves the gut faster and gets to muscles quicker.  Still need to take an electrolyte and water during the run.  This is such a good fuel source cause it doesn’t spike your insulin and provides a nice steady burn of fuel.  Your diet needs to be similar to this as well, so don’t make this change until you are less carb dependent.
  • Take a full body inventory when you wake up
    • I forget what podcast I heard this on, but when you wake up in the morning take an immediate inventory of your body.  Are you very stiff or sore?  Do things ache really bad?  Guess what.  You might be over training.  That’s not how your body is supposed to feel when you wake up.  You might need to take a few more easy days, or slow down the pace.  Maybe your not getting enough sleep or have too much other stress in your life.  If you don’t feel near 100% when you wake up you need to take the day off or run very easy.  Trust me, you will not decondition.  If anything you will make yourself stronger/faster.  The benefit from a workout comes in the recovery, not the workout itself.
Trail Runner Nation – Tips for Racing and Running

Trail Runner Nation – Tips for Racing and Running

Published by Patrick Durante on May 1, 2015

My favorite running podcast is Trail Runner Nation.  If you haven’t heard of it stop now and go check it out.  I’ve listened to most of the shows in their library.  There are so many good quotes and tips for training.  Here are just some of the ones I’ve written down, and my thoughts on the different topics.  I’m sorry I don’t know what episode, or who said them, but just go listen and you’ll find out.

  • You never know where your last finish line will be. You are lucky to get to do this so enjoy it, smile, and have fun out there.
  • If you plan a quality workout also plan quality recovery. The day following a hard workout needs to be easy. You need more recovery as you age. Listen to the signs your body gives you!
  • Invisible training – it’s getting sleep and everything we need for recovery.  That could be lots of rest, yoga, foam rolling, etc…
  • Road and speed require more “invisible training” than trail.  The trail is not as hard on the body as road running and racing can be.
    • ** This made me think about giving up all road racing next year.  I really agree with this. **
  • Work on leg turnover, it needs to be in your schedule. Try the Yasso track workout.
  • If you put miles in the bank you will pay interest on them later. So go out slow in a race.
    •   Don’t be an idiot first half, and dont be a wimp the second.
    •  “Run with the mayor” at the start of the race. (Run in the back and work your way up through the crowds.)
  • Cramping occurs from dehydration , low electrolytes, or running at an intensity the body can’t sustain.  Train for race and test the pace!!!!!
  • Listen to your body. Take note of what you are doing during training. How much you sweat, pee, and how much food you need. It’s all rehearsal for race day. Adaptations happen over time and you need to know what you were doing when things go right, just as much as when they go wrong.  Have a change log if you modify things with your routines/training.
  • Even if it’s just 5 minutes a day try to start a routine. A body in motion stays in motion.
  • Save music for later in a race when you are not feeling good, or as a reward at a certain mile marker.  It may give you more motivation.
  • As mileage increases so should rest, stretching, good nutrition, and massage. Take care of the body more so it recovers better from the stress.
  • Have an “A” race and “B” race. Focus the effort and training to the more important race.  Have an “A” goal then “B” goal for the race itself.
  • More supportive shoe on race day.
    • You should have many shoes that work the foot in different ways. Race in a shoe with heel support because of added strain. Train in zero drop if you can work it in slowly.
  • Finish fast on long runs. Simulate what happens in a race. In training test running hard while you are dehydrated and have tired legs.  This will help you train for race day.
  • Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement.
  • Drink to thirst.  Don’t be waterlogged and wash out electrolytes come race day. You should not be peeing clear come race day.  Don’t eat too much fiber. Take S caps before the race will prevent the need to pee. You need electrolytes to process fat and food, if you don’t you may have stomach issues. If you don’t have electrolytes then water and food that enters the body will be rejected. Take an s cap or hammer tab so you have the right balance.  (Really applies to longer races).
  • Visualize the race and how it will play out. Do it daily up until race day. See yourself successful and running the course to completion.  A good time to practice this is when you go to bed at night.
  • Race specificity – mimic the next race course and conditions during your training.
  • Don’t let your feet or arms cross over the middle of your body.  Perform an inventory check while running on your form every 10 – 15 minutes.  This is even more important as we start to fatigue.  When we get tired our form starts to suffer.  
  • Your training should be on a cycle.  3 weeks at regular intensity with the 4th week at 20 percent less mileage/intensity. This allows time for the body to adapt to the training.  The benefits from training come when you take a break.  It gives your body a chance to rebuild.  If you’re always going at 100% you never give your body a chance to repair.
  • Mental rehearsal before a big event increases chances of success.
  • Be autonomous!  Know everything there is to know about your body.  Know how much sleep you need, how much recovery, water, and food you need on a run.  You’re an experiment of 1.  Use your training to test different methods of fueling and pacing.  Practice!  This comes back to the idea of rehearsal for success.
  • Slow weights – see Phil Maffetone