Running Advice

Training Basics For Every Runner

Listed below are training basics that every runner should incorporate into his/her workout program regardless of whether they are just beginning or have completed several marathons.

Warm up/Cool Down

Warming up and cooling down are two of the oldest and most routine running training techniques.

Warming up should consist of light jogging, massaging, and gentle stretching. The optimum time to stretch is during the cooldown period after your run when the muscles are warm and loose. The goal for warming up is to loosen up your legs as well as the rest of your body. Once the warmup is completed, you will feel an increase in energy and your body will be ready to perform at maximum efficiency.

Cooling down takes place after your run and should consist of light jogging/walking in order to decrease body temperature and remove waste products from the working muscles. Static stretching exercises should also be included in order to decrease body temperature, remove waste products from the working muscles and to increase range of movement.

The key to the cool down is to just do it. Many runners skip this step and pay for it later with muscle soreness and tightness. Cooling down helps the body to recover and regenerate for the next run.

Walk/Run

Want to increase your endurance but just can't seem to cover the distance while running continously?

Take some walk breaks during your training runs.

Runners and non-runners alike often believe that if you stop to walk during training or a race that you are not a real runner. Nothing is further from the truth!

By alternating walking and running during your training, there is virtually no limit to the distance you can cover. The benefits of short walk breaks when taken early and regularly include:

# Helps beginners to increase their endurance to 5K, 10K, or even a marathon in as little as six months
# Allows those who can run only 2 miles to increase their distance from 50% to 100%
# Reduces the chance of injury and over-training to virtually nil
# Helps your legs to keep their resiliency and bounce as resources are conserved

The Hard/Easy Principle

The hard-easy principle states that if you run faster or longer than usual on one day, you should follow that day with a run that is slower or shorter than usual. It also follows that if you know you are going to have a hard training day coming up, your preceding training run should be easy.

The benefits of incorporating the hard/easy principle include:

# Reserves your strength for your hard training days (running longer or faster than usual)
# Enables you to push yourself more
# Allows your body to recover, rebuild, and progress
# Helps you avoid both injury and burnout

Remember, plan an easy day the day before a hard workout as well as one or possibly two easy days after. Your body will love you for it!

Build A Base

Looking to add endurance and run longer? Base building is the answer for you!

Without a doubt, distance running is the best way to build endurance and to improve as a runner. But as key as building mileage may be to your performance, it's also a primary cause of injury if done improperly.

Some general guidelines while base building are:

# Use the 10 percent rule as your upper limit to safely increase your weekly mileage week-to-week.
# Learn to stretch consistently (AFTER your run) while very gradually adding mileage, but not necessarily intensity.
# Build a longer mileage run into your routine every other week. Make the distance anywhere up to 150 percent of your regular midweek runs and run at your normal training pace.
# Build miles gradually. Give your body a chance to adjust to the pounding of extra miles.
# Take a rest day after your long run. Additionally, approximately every three weeks, reduce your total mileage by 10 to 20 percent during the next week thereby giving your legs another chance to rest, recover, and rebuild. Resume your normal mileage the following week.
# Don't forget, build mileage slowly and very gradually with plenty of rest mixed in between.

Striders

Want to let loose and just run fast sometimes? Striders are a great way to introduce some fast running into your training program.

Striders are 20 seconds or so of relaxed running at close to top speed. You should do striders on a smooth, flat surface at the end or near the end of your normal run. A great day to do striders would be the day before a hard workout since they don't really qualify as tough training.

The benefits of striders include:

# Teaching the muscles and the nervous system to run smoothly at a fast pace
# Short enough distances to not tire you out completely
# Improving your running form. Running smoothly at top speed will enable you to do so at all speeds

Now get out there and......Hit your stride!