Training hard for your big fall goal race is the most important things you can do to increase the odds of success on your big day. Putting in the work may not mean that a challenge or two may yet await when you finally pin on your bib number. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when preparing to greet the morning with a resilient mind.
Create quantitative and qualitative goals
Your primary goal may be to finish, or to hit a certain time, and that may be the guiding light in your training thus far. However, consider all that you have learned or are learning about yourself along this journey. Having goals that take into consideration this gained knowledge and experience, as well as the memorable nature of the accomplishment can be important in case the primary goal appears far off or doubtful during a rough part of the race. Intermediary time goals, goals to keep a certain attitude or pace through various distance markers, goals to consume certain amounts of fuel or fluid at certain times, even goals to promise to smile and enjoy the last few miles or to take a selfie at the finish line can occupy your brain and keep you on track to your ultimate quantitative goal.
Break down the race into smaller pieces
A half marathon or marathon can seem quite daunting when considering the full length. If intimidated or feeling nervous, concentrate on one part of the race at a time. Focus on making it through each 5K or 10K, to the top of the hill ahead, the tree around the bend, or even just to the next mile post. Building a pile of small “wins” along the way can build a growing confidence that will form a crashing wave of certainty once the finish line is closer than the start.
Plan your focus for when a rough patch occurs
Rough patches are common for almost all marathoners and half marathoners. These periods might mean a mile or a few where the progress seems much more hard fought than anticipated. Oftentimes, these patches dissipate and a second wind of confidence follows. Experienced racers can look back and use previous experiences to remind them of the temporary nature of the difficult stretch, but first timers must also be armed with a quiver of motivation when the going seems unexpectedly difficult for a time. Perhaps you had a personal motivation for starting your training, a charitable goal, a family member to which you’d like to pay tribute with a great effort, or other talismanic aspect that served as a catalyst for this entire endeavor. Plan to remember your primary motivation and the reasons why you embarked from the starting line, and even remind yourself with a piece of clothing, or even a note written on your hand or arm.
Wear your heart on your sleeve (or better yet, your name on your chest)!
Spectators love to have something to yell besides “Yay!” “Go!” and “Great job!” Savvy racers looking for a bit of encouragement label themselves to give the crowd something to shout. Even if they aren’t truly your personal cheering section, an enthusiastic spectator yelling for you individually can be an irresistible attraction to carry on.
Station your supporters at strategic points on the course
If you do have the luxury of a bit of a cheering section, consider where you will likely have a tougher time. Certainly between miles 18 and 22, vocal support can help temporarily delay or distract you from the final challenge of a marathon’s last few miles. Knowing where you will see family and friends can also provide the intermediate goals mentioned above, as well as the visual representation of the motivation you need to be strong and maximize the benefits of the training you have done all these weeks. Some racers are fine as solo competitors, but oftentimes the trip to the starting line has taken a bit of a village of support. Enjoying that village’s encouragement along the way can help make the far side of the finish line even that much sweeter.
What a crazy year this has been. We’ve gone through a pandemic of the century, lost loved ones, observed the pain & suffering of so many, and seen our running industry turned upside down.
I’ve read countless inspirational stories from many across the U.S. and around the world. As I’m hopeful that we may be through the worst, I thought it might be helpful for me to share my experience of the last six months with our wonderful Runcoach customers and anyone else that might find my perspective helpful.
This is a bit selfishly cathartic for me but I’m hopeful my experience and some advice may be beneficial.
This will be a 6-Part Series with the following topics:
Running with Bad Air Quality
Recovery from Injury (My Knee Surgery)
Alternatives to Running with Current Restrictions
Some Perspective on Black, Indigeneous and People of Color from a Running Lense
Running After Coronavirus Symptoms
Our Path Forward to Road Races & What We Can Do Now
Running with Bad Air Quality
Many of us in the northwest part of the country and now with extensions to the midwest, have experienced extremely poor air quality from the tragic fires in California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada.
As runners, we always want to push through adverse conditions. I haven’t been running (more to come on that topic) and I’m acutely aware of the detriments of inactivity. However I believe that poor air quality has long-term bad effects. So what can we run in and what can’t we?
Here are my thoughts:
AQI readings above 100 are a non-starter - please find alternatives (see below)
AQI readings in the 80-100 range may have an effect and should be considered with caution
AQ below 80 is probably safe but you should still listen to your personal biometric feedback in this range
Personal biometric feedback is your breathing within and after a run. There is a difference between wheezing and heavy breathing. Think of wheezing as strained breaths where you can feel it down deep in the lungs. You will feel wheezing from asthma and unhealthy air during and after your run. We don’t want to run through wheezing as the lungs are remodeling to transport necessary oxygen and some tissue could be dying.
On the other hand, heavy breathing is normal and we experience this through heavy exertion. A great marker to distinguish between the two is how you feel after a run. You should not have labored breathing or any wheezing within an hour of workout completion.
Here are my favorite sites/apps to check the air quality.
Purple Air - this site uses a community of personal air sensors at residences and businesses to provide a view of your area’s AQI
AirVisual - this is an app available for iPhone and Android users; it uses 10,000 locations to evaluate, predict, and report on current and future air quality
So what to do if the air quality is poor?
Wear a mask?
I’ve been walking in an N-95 mask which seems to keep out many particulates; there are many varieties to choose from
I haven’t experienced the new Under Armour sports mask but heard it is comfortable for runners
Run on a treadmill if possible
Consider an alternative workout indoors such as the Peloton (more on this in an upcoming post), Elliptical, pool for swimming or deep water running, or any of the HIIT or other at-home workouts with a cardio focus
Adjust your plan - ask your coach or look at the forecast and pick a better day to run
The bad air quality won’t be here forever. In these times, it is important to remember those who have lost lives, homes, pets and much worse in the fires. Still the loss of your workout is personal and not to be diminished. I like to think of how much I appreciate running in these times and the hope that I will have the opportunity to run in clean air soon.
Technology has improved our lives in myriad ways. GPS devices have allowed us to track our endurance efforts, recording our pace, distance, heart rate, and many more metrics besides. While providing a wealth of information, our relationship with the technology can become complicated and far more entangled than we could have possibly imagined. These devices are best as a tool to help us train effectively and analyze where we have gone. While possible that your GPS device can provide some accountability, take this quiz and see where you are on the spectrum of maintaining a healthy balance and perspective with your wrist-born tech.
Do you always round off your runs or walks to an exactly even number (5.00 miles, 3.50 miles exactly, 40 miles precisely for the week, etc), even if you are doing a lap around the parking lot or go up and down your driveway three times?
If your answer is yes, you probably enjoy order over chaos, and completion of your goals. You might also like to look at tidy numbers on the screen. None of that is bad in and of itself, but it is always good to remember that training has a purpose and shuffling in circles for 27 meters to make a full mile doesn’t really make you any more prepared for the race. Consider spending a week where you purposely don’t end on an even number in any run. Encourage yourself that your achievement of the total includes the experience of the effort along the way and that your training need not be 100% perfect 100% of the time to be in a position to achieve your goals on race day!
Do you have a floor or ceiling pace under or over which you never go on training run / walk days?
If your answer is yes, you probably are trying to faithfully complete your training efforts at the paces prescribed by your runcoach pace chart. However, always make sure that you listen to your body. If you have a sore / tight muscle, feel tired from the prior day’s workout, are sick, or have another legitimate reason to be in true recovery mode, it is fine to slow dow. Occasionally what felt like your easy pace turns out to be 30 seconds per mile or more. Recovery is key to being prepared for the next hard day. Sometimes, that requires doing a little less and easing off a bit (and being ok with that when you look at your watch).
Now that you have a GPS device on your wrist or in the palm of your hand, do you find yourself checking your pace almost reflexively every 50 meters along your route?
If this sounds like you, you might be just excited to have a cool toy to consult. But, with constant reliance on the watch or app (which is not always 100% accurate due to trees, weather, and other factors), you might also be at risk for missing a chance to understand and gain a feel for what your race pace or other paces might be. While you might want to keep careful track of your mileage, occasionally pick a route you of which you already know the distance, and run it without your watch, gauging your effort based on what you perceive to be the pace. You can log the miles accurately as you have measured it previously and using your total time, can figure the pace. However, you have taken an opportunity during the run to stay in touch with your instincts and listen to your body.
Do you avoid certain routes because of spotty satellite reception (and the shorter distances/ slower paces you might be given credit for on your device as a result)?
If your answer is yes to this one, you are human! We all like to see our best selves recorded and the greatest return on our efforts. However, if the preoccupation with the numbers is causing you to miss out on tree covered paths, excellent trail running, and safe routes on bike paths that travel through tunnels, consider mapping these on the computer and manually entering in the distances, or just noting your estimated differences when uploading your info.
Data is helpful, but we should not become overly reliant on it. As humans, we can use machines and technology to help us to our goals, but nothing replaces the individual effort and commitment we all need to achieve our goals on the day. Continue to trust in your ability and instincts. Let your GPS devices and apps be tools, but only one of many, in your arsenal.
Congratulations to all those who have completed their goal virtual races over the last few weekends! Whether you are basking in the afterglow of a milestone reached, or still awaiting the joy of the finish line, it is important to consider the crucial training period of recovery.
Previously on the blog, we’ve covered a variety of topics related to recovery that are worth a quick read or re-read. These include:
Throughout each of these, the main thread is the message is to take recovery seriously. One of the ways runcoach differs from template training plans or social training groups that focus solely on the one goal race is the inclusion of a recovery cycle into your plan. As runners ourselves, we know that running is an ongoing pursuit for many, marked brightly with the signposts of big goals along the way, but more importantly, something we enjoy doing every day.
When you take recovery seriously you can enjoy your daily running without the inconveince of the world of injury or illness.
I know "recovery" doesn't win medals, or get the awe from your friends the way a hard workout or race does. Think of it this way, if you don't recover forget about the next finish line, a new start line maybe further away than you'd like.
Breathing on the Run
Originally written by Dena Evans
Updated by Hiruni Wijayaratne
This is a popular question from our athletes - "How do I breathe while running?
Breathing is important because we feel awful when it is ragged and shallow. Conversly, we feel better when we are running easily enough that we hardly notice it at all.
The faster you run, the quicker you will reach a point where you will have to concentrate on breathing to continue at that pace. That is because the additional strain of the pace over time has caused your muscles to demand more oxygen on a quicker schedule.
So how do you breathe better?
1) Relax
Breathing is an art. Stay as relaxed as possible in your upper body. Drop your shoulder, extend your torso and neck, and drop your mouth.
During hard efforts, your body craves oxygen. So, you will need both your nose and mouth to intake oxygen.
2) Focus on Form
Running posture often falls apart when we get tired – the shoulders hunch over, arms get tense, neck and jaw almost lock.
Remind yourself to draw your shoulders away from your ears and straighten up nice and tall. This allows for your lungs to have the maximum room to pack in more air and may be able to help ease symptoms of a side stitch by stretching out the afflicted area.
3) Breathe deeply
You can practice breathing properly even when not running. Start by sitting in a chair or lie down on a yoga mat. Place you hand over your belly.
Inhale with your nose and feel your stomach/ diaphragm fill with air. You should feel the hand on your belly button rising. Exhale through the mouth. A deeper breath is like sticking your water bottle directly under the faucet stream vs panting is like splashing it with droplets of water. Fill up those lungs so they can do what they do best – get air to your screaming muscles!
4) Find a rhythm
Start by doing this on easy runs/ walks. Count your footsteps. Your breathing pattern may be 2-2 or 3-3, that is, it takes two footfalls (one landing of either foot) to inhale and two footfalls to exhale, etc.
However, when you are tired and air is at a premium, try to spend a bit more time on each inhale than you do on each exhale, for what might end up as a 3-2 rhythm or a 4-3 rhythm. The most important thing you can do is to fill your lungs with each inhale. Take your time, try to relax yourself generally by the almost meditative counting of your breathing rhythm, and / or let a favorite song guide your brain through the pattern. All of a sudden, you’ll be at the next mile marker or water station.
Breathing is different for everyone. All of us from novice to experienced runners, need to practice techniques in low stress situations before taking them to the streets in the big race. Listen to your breathing on easy runs to find out what your natural patterns are. Try to maintain a tall posture and open your chest when the running is easy before forcing yourself to find that position when the running is tough. Test out a 3-2 pattern or a 4-3 pattern on your next interval or tough workout and see what feels right.
It is amazing how rumors or wives tales can be passed among friends or down through the ages, affecting the behavior of thousands without any basis on solid ground. Even an experienced runner or walker can be operating off of a faulty or outdated instruction manual now and again. Although we bring up these topics periodically in the blog, they are always worthwhile to review.
More mileage is always better
False. Training allows you to prepare for the race task, and extended periods of significant volume could allow you to be prepared for very challenging tasks. It also could leave you injured and unable to do any challenging tasks. Your runcoach schedule is calibrated to consider what you have done in the past and will help you safely progress, prioritizing the goal of arriving at race day ready to do your best. This means planned and regular recovery. Every week will not necessarily include more mileage than the last. Consistent training over time is the best way to gradually increase your volume, but in many cases other aspects of your schedule can make an even bigger difference than merely just mileage alone.
You must carbo-load before every race
False. Race-organized pasta feeds and a sincere effort to prepare as well as possible often lead participants down a road of excessive consumption the night before a race. There is scant evidence that loading up in this fashion can effect shorter races such as a 5K or 10K, and even in longer efforts, fueling effectively during the race can often have a bigger say in the final analysis. Consider also how much a body can process in 12 hours. Consuming 3 or 4 times your typical size dinner must be dealt with, and that process might interrupt your morning more than any lack of energy you were worried about to begin with.
You can train at your current fitness and still progress
True! Hundreds of thousands of workouts for thousands of plans has reinforced our conviction that a training plan based on paces associated with your current fitness level can allow you to adapt and perform at a progressively higher level. Training specifically for goal pace sounds like a great idea, but you might not have figured out exactly how far you can progress in the time between the current day and your goal race day. What if you were actually in better shape than you thought? What if you didn’t progress as far as you hoped? Would you still embark upon that pace? Of course not. We provide the tools you need to make successful race efforts with confidence, knowing you have done the work to support your plan. This doesn’t mean that you never have workouts that include paces faster than what might be your goal pace - your 5K pace will always be faster than your marathon pace, but the data is based on you and your current fitness.
Exercise is bad for you as you age
False. A widely cited and encouraging Stanford University study reinforced what avid runners have felt for years - that running actually has a positive effect on most aging athletes. Senior citizen runners tracked for over 25 years have no increased incidence of osteoarthritis issues in their knees, have lower mortality rates, and generally have delayed onset of mobility and other issues related to aging. Certainly older runners need to take good care of themselves, adjusting their schedule as needed, but sensible running actually appears to benefit a person as they hit the silver years.
Studies have found similar benefits from walking: http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/research-points-to-even-more-health-benefits-of-walking
You aren’t a real runner if you don’t run fast
False. One of the great things about our sport is that it provides an unlimited amount of access points, from walkers to Olympic sprinters and everyone in between. Some of us are triathletes and some of us don’t have time to train for longer distances, sticking with 5Ks. Some of us enjoy track workouts, and others stick mainly to the trails. As the ranks of adult runners and walkers increases, so has the definition of “athlete” broadened as well. Any arbitrary cut off for what constitutes a “real” athlete could be just as nonsensical as saying that if we can’t match Usain Bolt or Meb, why try. Count us among those who are glad the sport is inclusive, and we look forward to supporting you as you achieve your personal bests on the road ahead.
1. Tap the Three Lines (on top left corner of your phone screen).
2. Select "Device Sync"
3. Tap "Sync with Google Fit."
From the web, on a computer:
1. Login.
2. Select drop down on the top right of the page
3. Select "Device Sync" from the upper Right-hand corner of the screen.
4. Select "Google Fit" as the service option.
This action will take you to the Google Fit website. Log in and follow the instructions.
*Remember: Your workouts are uploaded from the server of each syncing service, not the device that you wear. In order to upload your activity to your Movecoach or Runcoach training log, you must regularly sync your device to Google Fit's web platform.
FOR MOVECOACH USERS
1. Tap the Me icon (on the bottom-left corner of your phone screen).
2. Select "More."
3. Select "Sync A Service."
4. Tap "Sync with Google Fit."
From the web, on a computer:
1. Login.
2. Select "Training" from the top of the screen.
3. Select "Sync a Service" from the upper left-hand corner of the screen.
4. Select "Google Fit" as the service option.
This action will take you to the Google Fit website. Log in and follow the instructions.
*Remember: Your workouts are uploaded from the server of each syncing service, not the device that you wear. In order to upload your activity to your Movecoach or Runcoach training log, you must regularly sync your device to Google Fit's web platform.
Must Have's in the Car
Even if your runs primarily depart from home or office, running or racing will likely take you to points best accessed by car at some point or another. Sure, you may not want to have everything in the car at all times, but a few key items left in the car (rather than trying to remember them each time out) can make a runner’s life a bit easier.
Sanitizer/ Mask
No longer just a suggestion.
There are bacteria killing hand sanitizers and sanitizing wipes easy to use and dispose. A little bit goes a long way after an outdoor bathroom stop, opening a cattle gate, high-five given to a friend or stranger, endless scenarios.
Maybe you are going to run some errands right before or after your run. Keep a clean mask in the car to use when entering an indoor public space like a grocery store. Keep your face covering clean and dry using these clean masks tips.
Blanket / towel (or more than one)
One of these items can provide protection and warmth after a surprise cold rainstorm on a November morning, or a layer between you and the driver’s seat when the air is thick with humidity. Having a towel or blanket can also make it more likely you will take a moment to stretch or roll, or spend 5-10 minutes adding some core work to the end of your run when you have a spare few moments. A saved space blanket from the end of a long race can also be an easy to store, useful item as a layer between a gross, sweaty, or wet you and your car.
Fuel
Fueling directly after a hard workout or long run is key to regulating your blood sugar and quickening recovery. Take a moment to stack a few of your favorite bars and some gels for mid run replenishment in the glove box or in a Ziploc in the trunk. This will ensure you can top off the tank at the end of your run and avoid a midday bonk or rash meal decision due to the sharp pang of hunger + fatigue. Sometimes, you are coming from a location where you can’t select or prepare a snack to bring with you for before, during, or after. If you have a snack readily accessible, your chances of success in that workout or run will increase.
Water
Even one spare 16 ounce bottle can be of great help if you exhaust your fluids on the run and arrive back at a trailhead with no facilities and a lengthy drive to the nearest gas station or store. Water can also wash dirt or blood away as needed due to mid-run mishaps. Pack a dissolveable tablet or two of your favorite electrolyte replacement fluid with your fuel stash, and you will be in even better shape.
First Aid Kit
A must. Even if it includes only some bandaids, Neosporin, and some basic gauze, tape, and perhaps an anti inflammatory, the chance to tend to a mishap directly after it occurs makes a huge difference compared to how that same injury might react hours later.
A charger or an adapter
When in remote areas, having a phone charger that works with the car can be of significant help in a tough spot, and with the proliferation of chargers with USB ports, charging a GPS device with the car’s power is now easily possible as well.
Hat with a bill, gloves
A running hat with a bill is compact and crushable, but can help keep water from the eyes in a rainstorm and sun from the face when no clouds are in the sky. Gloves (the cheap throw away kind), can feel like the most precious piece of clothing when they are really needed. Neither takes up very much space.
A Foam Roller or a Massage Stick
Again, if your run is squeezed between other appointments or engagements, or involves a decent length drive to and from, consider keeping a stick in the car. It takes up very little space, and can be used both to loosen up before the run as well as to start the recovery process without some of the stiffness inevitable on the drive back.
Every runner has their particular comfort items, their specific variations of this list that provide peace of mind and care when things haven’t gone well, or even if they have. A bit of forethought to keep some of these items on hand when driving to runs can clutter the trunk, but can also help our bodies handle the rigors of training well, even while in the midst of our complicated lives.
Technology has improved our lives in myriad ways. GPS devices have allowed us to track our endurance efforts, recording our pace, distance, heart rate, and many more metrics besides. While providing a wealth of information, our relationship with the technology can become complicated and far more entangled than we could have possibly imagined. These devices are best as a tool to help us train effectively and analyze where we have gone. While possible that your GPS device can provide some accountability, take this quiz and see where you are on the spectrum of maintaining a healthy balance and perspective with your wrist-born tech.
Do you always round off your runs or walks to an exactly even number (5.00 miles, 3.50 miles exactly, 40 miles precisely for the week, etc), even if you are doing a lap around the parking lot or go up and down your driveway three times?
If your answer is yes, you probably enjoy order over chaos, and completion of your goals. You might also like to look at tidy numbers on the screen. None of that is bad in and of itself, but it is always good to remember that training has a purpose and shuffling in circles for 27 meters to make a full mile doesn’t really make you any more prepared for the race. Consider spending a week where you purposely don’t end on an even number in any run. Encourage yourself that your achievement of the total includes the experience of the effort along the way and that your training need not be 100% perfect 100% of the time to be in a position to achieve your goals on race day!
Do you have a floor or ceiling pace under or over which you never go on training run / walk days?
If your answer is yes, you probably are trying to faithfully complete your training efforts at the paces prescribed by your runcoach pace chart. However, always make sure that you listen to your body. If you have a sore / tight muscle, feel tired from the prior day’s workout, are sick, or have another legitimate reason to be in true recovery mode, it is fine to slow dow. Occasionally what felt like your easy pace turns out to be 30 seconds per mile or more. Recovery is key to being prepared for the next hard day. Sometimes, that requires doing a little less and easing off a bit (and being ok with that when you look at your watch).
Now that you have a GPS device on your wrist or in the palm of your hand, do you find yourself checking your pace almost reflexively every 50 meters along your route?
If this sounds like you, you might be just excited to have a cool toy to consult. But, with constant reliance on the watch or app (which is not always 100% accurate due to trees, weather, and other factors), you might also be at risk for missing a chance to understand and gain a feel for what your race pace or other paces might be. While you might want to keep careful track of your mileage, occasionally pick a route you of which you already know the distance, and run it without your watch, gauging your effort based on what you perceive to be the pace. You can log the miles accurately as you have measured it previously and using your total time, can figure the pace. However, you have taken an opportunity during the run to stay in touch with your instincts and listen to your body.
Do you avoid certain routes because of spotty satellite reception (and the shorter distances/ slower paces you might be given credit for on your device as a result)?
If your answer is yes to this one, you are human! We all like to see our best selves recorded and the greatest return on our efforts. However, if the preoccupation with the numbers is causing you to miss out on tree covered paths, excellent trail running, and safe routes on bike paths that travel through tunnels, consider mapping these on the computer and manually entering in the distances, or just noting your estimated differences when uploading your info.
Data is helpful, but we should not become overly reliant on it. As humans, we can use machines and technology to help us to our goals, but nothing replaces the individual effort and commitment we all need to achieve our goals on the day. Continue to trust in your ability and instincts. Let your GPS devices and apps be tools, but only one of many, in your arsenal.
