Psoas Massage + Bodywork believes that, while there are a multitude of ways that people can run effectively, there is a single, most efficient way for “you” to run. This way is solely based on your physical attributes and limitations.
Our specialists will help you increase your attributes and decrease your limitations in order to produce your most efficient running form. The City 13.1 training program combined with Psoas Sports Massage is a great recipe for a successful half marathon.
Benefits of Sports Massage
-Increases Range of Motion (ROM)
-Decreases injury potential – we catch problems before you feel them
-Knowledge – increased awareness of body
-Removes and prevents adhesions
-Personalized stretching techniques for your body
-Speeds recovery of muscle and tendons after hard exertion
-Increases efficiency of muscle use
-Reduces stiffness and soreness
-Relaxes muscles
-Increases oxygen and nutrient absorption and removes lactic acid
Stay aware of your body and contact a professional as soon as you start to feel something may be out of sorts, abnormally sore, or if you feel lasting pain.
How to use Sports Massage to aid in your training
Professional, collegiate and Olympic athletes can receive bodywork daily. Competitive runners and those that are very motivated can receive sessions weekly. The physical, mental, educational and confidence boosting benefits will be substantial. Sports Massage helps decrease injury occurrence, and the amount of time it takes to heal.
Your Psoas Sports Massage Specialist can help create a unique plan for you. Below are common schedules for a ten week training program such as yours. These 3 plans range from what will be the most helpful and lead to a successful training program, to the least amount of sports massage we suggest for this type of program:
4 Sports Massage Scheduling Possibilities
-Aggressive: Weekly sessions
-Moderate: A session in week 1, 4, 6, 8, 9 and a day or two before the race
-Minimal: A session in week 2, 6 and 9 – leaving possibility for a session in week 10, if needed
-Spot: On an as-needed basis dependent upon physical injury, pain or soreness
A post event massage will help alleviate competitive strain and inflammation, substantially decreasing recovery time. It will also prepare you ready for your next training cycle.
Your massage frequency is a personal decision based on personal factors:
-Length of race and training
-Running experience
-Desire to decrease time (many simply want to finish – and that’s cool)
-Injury history
-Age
-Financial and time constraints
Common Causes of Injury
-Over- or under- stretching
-Poor equipment
-Over-training; signs include decreasing performance, heavy legs, slow recovery, training runs feel harder than expected or past runs, loss of enthusiasm
-Under-training
-Poor hydration
-Change of running terrain or hard terrain like concrete
-Lack of body awareness
-Inadequate warm-up
-Being too cold during run
-Returning from injury to quickly or without proper treatment
Common Running Injuries
-Achilles Tendonitis
-Muscle and Tendon Strain – achilles, calf, hamstring, quadriceps, hip flexor
-Ankle Sprain
-Ilio-tibial Band Syndrome (IT Band)
-Plantar Fasciitis
-Runner’s Knee
-Shin Splints
-Stress Fracture of the heel or long bones of the foot
The first form of treatment for an injury is RICE:
-Rest – eliminate stress to an injury
-Ice – reduces swelling (20 minutes on, 40 minutes off – (2 -4 times daily)
-Compression - reduces swelling
-Elevation – limits fluid buildup
How to Avoid Injury
-Receive regular sports massage during training
-Use correct equipment (be fitted for the right shoes for your feet; orthotics if needed)
-Ice, ice, ice
-Learn how to train properly – don’t over or under-train
-Learn to stretch properly
-Hydrate
Stay aware of your body and contact a professional as soon as you start to feel something may be out of sorts, abnormally sore, or if you feel lasting pain.
For more info or to schedule an appointment contact
Psoas Massage + Bodywork.
www.psoasbodywork.com
info@psoasbodywork.com
415.227.0331
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Saturday(9/5) Run Course Description
Here is a map link to Saturday's run course:
Saturday's Run Course
In short, EVERYONE will head SOUTH towards our favorite hill by the Marina Safeway. We will crest this hill and head down into Aquatic Park. You will continue running through Fisherman's Wharf and onto the Embarcadero. Run along the Embarcadero ALL THE WAY TO THE FERRY BUILDING. This is 3 miles. Feel free to use the restroom inside, grab some water at the fountains inside. Once you've made a pit stop, turn around and head back to the monkey bars.
Upon return to the monkey bars, you will have logged 6 MILES. Again, feel free to grab some water, knock back a gel, etc. before you head NORTH along the Marina towards Crisy Field Center at the intersection of Mason/Halleck. Once you reach Mason/Halleck, you are one mile from the monkey bars. Look for 'FF8' in chalk at this intersection. BEGINNERS will turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 8 MILES!
Everyone else will turn LEFT at the intersection and head up Halleck towards Lincoln (roughly 1/4 of a mile). Turn RIGHT at Lincoln and run along the sidewalk for about another 1/4 of a mile. Right around Lincoln/Taylor you will see chalk markings indicating 'FF 9' in the middle of the sidewalk. Intermediate runners turn around here! Turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 9 MILES!
Everyone else will continue past the 'FF 9' and continue on Lincoln. You will eventually see the cemetery on your left and Lincoln will curve to the left. Lincoln curves around to the left and downhill slightly. You will find yourself at a 4 way stop at the intersection of Lincoln/McDowell. Look for chalk markings indicating 'FF 10'. Advanced runners turn around here.Turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 10 MILES!
Race level runners will continue past the 'FF 4' chalk markings and continue on Lincoln as it curves around to the right. Eventually you will get a spectacular view of the Marina/Crissy Field off to your right near the intersection of Lincoln/Long(there's a stop sign here at the top of Long). There's a stop sign here before Lincoln starts heading uphill.Race level runners will continue running uphill on Lincoln on the right hand shoulder. You will run along the shoulder for about half a mile. This is uphill most of the way.
After you run under an overpass look to your left for a series of small buildings and a street sign indicating 'Ralston'. There are actually '2' instances of 'Ralston'. Run to the 'second' instance of Ralston and you should see 'FF 12' on the ground in chalk. Race level runners will turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 12 MILES!
To get your 8 miles at target half marathon pace, I would recommend seguing into target pace at the Ferry Building (3 miles into the run) and maintaining this pace for the next 8 miles. At Mason/Halleck on the return segue into comfortable pace for your last mile.
Saturday's Run Course
In short, EVERYONE will head SOUTH towards our favorite hill by the Marina Safeway. We will crest this hill and head down into Aquatic Park. You will continue running through Fisherman's Wharf and onto the Embarcadero. Run along the Embarcadero ALL THE WAY TO THE FERRY BUILDING. This is 3 miles. Feel free to use the restroom inside, grab some water at the fountains inside. Once you've made a pit stop, turn around and head back to the monkey bars.
Upon return to the monkey bars, you will have logged 6 MILES. Again, feel free to grab some water, knock back a gel, etc. before you head NORTH along the Marina towards Crisy Field Center at the intersection of Mason/Halleck. Once you reach Mason/Halleck, you are one mile from the monkey bars. Look for 'FF8' in chalk at this intersection. BEGINNERS will turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 8 MILES!
Everyone else will turn LEFT at the intersection and head up Halleck towards Lincoln (roughly 1/4 of a mile). Turn RIGHT at Lincoln and run along the sidewalk for about another 1/4 of a mile. Right around Lincoln/Taylor you will see chalk markings indicating 'FF 9' in the middle of the sidewalk. Intermediate runners turn around here! Turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 9 MILES!
Everyone else will continue past the 'FF 9' and continue on Lincoln. You will eventually see the cemetery on your left and Lincoln will curve to the left. Lincoln curves around to the left and downhill slightly. You will find yourself at a 4 way stop at the intersection of Lincoln/McDowell. Look for chalk markings indicating 'FF 10'. Advanced runners turn around here.Turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 10 MILES!
Race level runners will continue past the 'FF 4' chalk markings and continue on Lincoln as it curves around to the right. Eventually you will get a spectacular view of the Marina/Crissy Field off to your right near the intersection of Lincoln/Long(there's a stop sign here at the top of Long). There's a stop sign here before Lincoln starts heading uphill.Race level runners will continue running uphill on Lincoln on the right hand shoulder. You will run along the shoulder for about half a mile. This is uphill most of the way.
After you run under an overpass look to your left for a series of small buildings and a street sign indicating 'Ralston'. There are actually '2' instances of 'Ralston'. Run to the 'second' instance of Ralston and you should see 'FF 12' on the ground in chalk. Race level runners will turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 12 MILES!
To get your 8 miles at target half marathon pace, I would recommend seguing into target pace at the Ferry Building (3 miles into the run) and maintaining this pace for the next 8 miles. At Mason/Halleck on the return segue into comfortable pace for your last mile.
Everybody Hurts, Part Deux..
Last week I talked about a few ways to assess whether or not some discomfort/pain you're feeling is truly an injury/aggravation and introduced a couple common running related injuries/aggravations.
Not to dwell on the negative, but injuries/aggravations do come up sometimes (and we're at a point in the season where they have a tendency to rear their ugly heads) and at the very least I'd like to empower you guys with the ability to identify some of the more common things that can come up.
Below is 'part deux' of my injury/aggravation summary:
Shin Splints- I've had a few of you complain of shin pain and more often than not what you're suffering from is shin splints. Shin splints is often characterized by tenderness over the inside of the shin, lower leg pain, some swelling, lumps/bumps over the bone, pain when the toes or feet are bent downwards, and/or redness over the inside of the shin. It's caused by an overload on the shinbone and the connective tissues that attach your muscles to the bone. Definitely not fun, but it can be treated!
A few ways to address/treat:
1)ICE- The virtual panacea for just about all soft tissue running aggravations is also effective for shin splints as well...particularly in the early stages.
2)REST- Again, no big surprise here. Substituting some running for crosstraining and/or resting entirely will give your body some time to heal.
3)DO A SHOE CHECK- If you've been running in your shoes for a long time, it may be the case that they're not doing the best job absorbing the jarring/impact associated with running. It's possible a new pair of shoes will help your cause.
4)HEEL RAISES- Doing some simple heel raises periodically throughout the week will help strengthen your calves and help stave off/address shin splints.
Plantar Fasciitis- This one was the bane of my existence in 2006! Truly, plantar fasciitis can become a REAL hassle. In short, you've got this soft tissue on the bottom of your foot(fascia) that connects your heel bone to the base of your toes and when it becomes inflamed, you can get plantar fasciitis. This happens because of overtraining and/or poor biomechanics primarily. If your first steps out of bed in the morning are characterized by severe pain in the heel of your foot, you may be developing plantar fasciitis. This one can become CHRONIC, so being aggressive and proactive in treating it is KEY!
A few ways to address/treat:
1)REST- Try to keep weight off your foot. Granted, this is easier said than done for most of us. In lieu of staying off your feet entirely, put some sorbothane heel cushions in your shoes to reduce impact/jarring to the fascia.
2)ICE- Yes...it does work for just about everything! Applying some ice for 20 min. 3-4 times/day will help relieve pain and inflammation. A little ibuprofen can help here too.
3)STRETCHING- Stretching the achilles tendon and the fascia is also important. One such stretch involves leaning forward against a wall with one knee straight and the heel on the ground. Your other knee is bent. Your heel cord and foot arch stretch as you lean. Hold this for 10 seconds, relax, and straighten up. Repeat 20 times for each sore heel.
4)MASSAGE- You can seek out a sports massage therapist or simply do a bit of self massage. You can do the latter with a tennis ball, golf ball, or a foot roller (which can be found at Fleet Feet). Use any of the aforementioned to roll underneath your foot and loosen/relax the fascia and surrounding muscles/tissues.
The underlying message here regardless of what may (or hopefully not!) be ailing you is to act AGGRESSIVELY and PROACTIVELY in addressing it! Most of the garden variety running related aggravations can be addressed in a relatively short period of time if you follow the direction I've provided.
Not to dwell on the negative, but injuries/aggravations do come up sometimes (and we're at a point in the season where they have a tendency to rear their ugly heads) and at the very least I'd like to empower you guys with the ability to identify some of the more common things that can come up.
Below is 'part deux' of my injury/aggravation summary:
Shin Splints- I've had a few of you complain of shin pain and more often than not what you're suffering from is shin splints. Shin splints is often characterized by tenderness over the inside of the shin, lower leg pain, some swelling, lumps/bumps over the bone, pain when the toes or feet are bent downwards, and/or redness over the inside of the shin. It's caused by an overload on the shinbone and the connective tissues that attach your muscles to the bone. Definitely not fun, but it can be treated!
A few ways to address/treat:
1)ICE- The virtual panacea for just about all soft tissue running aggravations is also effective for shin splints as well...particularly in the early stages.
2)REST- Again, no big surprise here. Substituting some running for crosstraining and/or resting entirely will give your body some time to heal.
3)DO A SHOE CHECK- If you've been running in your shoes for a long time, it may be the case that they're not doing the best job absorbing the jarring/impact associated with running. It's possible a new pair of shoes will help your cause.
4)HEEL RAISES- Doing some simple heel raises periodically throughout the week will help strengthen your calves and help stave off/address shin splints.
Plantar Fasciitis- This one was the bane of my existence in 2006! Truly, plantar fasciitis can become a REAL hassle. In short, you've got this soft tissue on the bottom of your foot(fascia) that connects your heel bone to the base of your toes and when it becomes inflamed, you can get plantar fasciitis. This happens because of overtraining and/or poor biomechanics primarily. If your first steps out of bed in the morning are characterized by severe pain in the heel of your foot, you may be developing plantar fasciitis. This one can become CHRONIC, so being aggressive and proactive in treating it is KEY!
A few ways to address/treat:
1)REST- Try to keep weight off your foot. Granted, this is easier said than done for most of us. In lieu of staying off your feet entirely, put some sorbothane heel cushions in your shoes to reduce impact/jarring to the fascia.
2)ICE- Yes...it does work for just about everything! Applying some ice for 20 min. 3-4 times/day will help relieve pain and inflammation. A little ibuprofen can help here too.
3)STRETCHING- Stretching the achilles tendon and the fascia is also important. One such stretch involves leaning forward against a wall with one knee straight and the heel on the ground. Your other knee is bent. Your heel cord and foot arch stretch as you lean. Hold this for 10 seconds, relax, and straighten up. Repeat 20 times for each sore heel.
4)MASSAGE- You can seek out a sports massage therapist or simply do a bit of self massage. You can do the latter with a tennis ball, golf ball, or a foot roller (which can be found at Fleet Feet). Use any of the aforementioned to roll underneath your foot and loosen/relax the fascia and surrounding muscles/tissues.
The underlying message here regardless of what may (or hopefully not!) be ailing you is to act AGGRESSIVELY and PROACTIVELY in addressing it! Most of the garden variety running related aggravations can be addressed in a relatively short period of time if you follow the direction I've provided.
Saturday(9/22) Run Course Description
Here is a link to Saturday's course map-
Saturday's Course Map
Here's a verbal description as well:
Everyone will head NORTH along the Marina towards the Warming Hut. Upon reaching the Warming Hut (roughly 2 miles), you will run past the Warming Hut and take an IMMEDIATE left to head towards LONG AVENUE. Long Avenue is effectively a short hill that heads up towards Lincoln.
Everyone will head uphill on Long Avenue along the shoulder until you reach a stop sign. This is LINCOLN. Take a right on to the paved cyclist/pedestrian path and follow this path to your right. Stick to this path as it heads towards the Golden Gate Bridge. Make sure that you are on this path and NOT on Lincoln. You do not want to be running on Lincoln for this course.
You will follow the path for roughly 1/2-3/4 of a mile. There will be a few points at which the path may fork, but stick to the MAIN path. You will soon see the Golden Gate Bridge approaching.
You will reach a point where you can continue running and run underneath the bridge or take a hairpin LEFT and wind your way up to the pedestrian side of the bridge. You want to do the LATTER and turn left and head onto the pedestrian side of the bridge. PLEASE BE CAREFUL! THERE ARE TYPICALLY A REASONABLE NUMBER OF TOURISTS WHO AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION. BE SMART AND BE POLITE IF YOU NEED TO GET AROUND SOMEONE.
Continue running on the pedestrian side of the bridge for roughly half a mile. As you approach the first tower/tier of the bridge keep your eyes peeled for a ‘MM 7’ in chalk in the middle of the sidewalk. This is 3.5 MILES. Beginners turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 7 MILES!
Everyone else continues running along the pedestrian side of the Golden Gate Bridge until you reach the SECOND PILLAR/TIER OF THE BRIDGE. This is 4 MILES! Intermediate runners will turn around here and head back to the Monkey bars for 8 MILES!
Everyone else will continue to the end of the bridge to the Visitor Center. This is 4.5 MILES. Stop here to grab some water, use the restroom, and/or take a gel, clif shot, etc. Everyone will turn around here and return to the monkey bars. Advanced runners will stop upon return to the monkey bars for 9 MILES!
Upon returning to the monkey bars, Race level runners will continue running SOUTH along the Marina towards our favorite hill by the Marina Safeway. You will crest the hill and continue running down into Aquatic Park. Run right to the edge of Fisherman’s Wharf where the cul-de-sac and water fountain resides. This is 10 MILES. Turn around here and return to the monkey bars for 11 MILES!
Race level runners need to get 6 miles of 'target half marathon pace in as well. I suggest starting your target pace once you reach the second tier/pillar of the Golden Gate Bridge (4 miles) and maintaining this pace to the end of Aquatic Park/edge of Fisherman's Wharf. Take the last mile back to the monkey bars easy.
Saturday's Course Map
Here's a verbal description as well:
Everyone will head NORTH along the Marina towards the Warming Hut. Upon reaching the Warming Hut (roughly 2 miles), you will run past the Warming Hut and take an IMMEDIATE left to head towards LONG AVENUE. Long Avenue is effectively a short hill that heads up towards Lincoln.
Everyone will head uphill on Long Avenue along the shoulder until you reach a stop sign. This is LINCOLN. Take a right on to the paved cyclist/pedestrian path and follow this path to your right. Stick to this path as it heads towards the Golden Gate Bridge. Make sure that you are on this path and NOT on Lincoln. You do not want to be running on Lincoln for this course.
You will follow the path for roughly 1/2-3/4 of a mile. There will be a few points at which the path may fork, but stick to the MAIN path. You will soon see the Golden Gate Bridge approaching.
You will reach a point where you can continue running and run underneath the bridge or take a hairpin LEFT and wind your way up to the pedestrian side of the bridge. You want to do the LATTER and turn left and head onto the pedestrian side of the bridge. PLEASE BE CAREFUL! THERE ARE TYPICALLY A REASONABLE NUMBER OF TOURISTS WHO AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION. BE SMART AND BE POLITE IF YOU NEED TO GET AROUND SOMEONE.
Continue running on the pedestrian side of the bridge for roughly half a mile. As you approach the first tower/tier of the bridge keep your eyes peeled for a ‘MM 7’ in chalk in the middle of the sidewalk. This is 3.5 MILES. Beginners turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 7 MILES!
Everyone else continues running along the pedestrian side of the Golden Gate Bridge until you reach the SECOND PILLAR/TIER OF THE BRIDGE. This is 4 MILES! Intermediate runners will turn around here and head back to the Monkey bars for 8 MILES!
Everyone else will continue to the end of the bridge to the Visitor Center. This is 4.5 MILES. Stop here to grab some water, use the restroom, and/or take a gel, clif shot, etc. Everyone will turn around here and return to the monkey bars. Advanced runners will stop upon return to the monkey bars for 9 MILES!
Upon returning to the monkey bars, Race level runners will continue running SOUTH along the Marina towards our favorite hill by the Marina Safeway. You will crest the hill and continue running down into Aquatic Park. Run right to the edge of Fisherman’s Wharf where the cul-de-sac and water fountain resides. This is 10 MILES. Turn around here and return to the monkey bars for 11 MILES!
Race level runners need to get 6 miles of 'target half marathon pace in as well. I suggest starting your target pace once you reach the second tier/pillar of the Golden Gate Bridge (4 miles) and maintaining this pace to the end of Aquatic Park/edge of Fisherman's Wharf. Take the last mile back to the monkey bars easy.
Tuesday (3/16) Running Route Description
On Tuesday, you will be logging between 3-6 miles depending upon your training level. The link below should give you a relatively clear sense of where we're going. I've also included a verbal description beneath it:
TUESDAY'S RUN COURSE!
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TUESDAY'S RUN-
We will head north along the Marina to the intersection of Mason/Halleck. This is right next to Crissy Field Center and is 1 mile into our run. Everyone follow the pedestrian crosswalk and turn LEFT on Halleck.
You will be running uphill for about a block until you reach a controlled intersection with a stop sign. This is the intersection of Halleck/Lincoln. Turn RIGHT onto Lincoln and run along the sidewalk. Stick to the sidewalk on the right and follow Lincoln.
Right around Lincoln/Taylor you will see chalk markings indicating 'FF 3' in the middle of the sidewalk. Beginner runners turn around here! Turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 3 MILES!
Everyone else will continue past the 'FF 3' and continue on Lincoln. You will eventually see the cemetery on your left and Lincoln will curve to the left. Lincoln curves around to the left and downhill slightly. You will find yourself at a 4 way stop at the intersection of Lincoln/McDowell. Look for chalk markings indicating 'FF 4'. Intermediate runners turn around here.Turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 4 MILES!
Advanced and Race level runners will continue past the 'FF 4' chalk markings and continue on Lincoln as it curves around to the right. Eventually you will get a spectacular view of the Marina/Crissy Field off to your right near the intersection of Lincoln/Long(there's a stop sign here at the top of Long). There's a stop sign here and you will see an 'FF 5' in chalk right before Lincoln starts heading uphill.Advanced runners turn around here. Head back to the monkey bars for 5 MILES!
Race level runners will continue running uphill on Lincoln on the right hand shoulder. You will run along the shoulder for about half a mile. This is uphill most of the way.
After you run under an overpass look to your left for a series of small buildings and a street sign indicating 'Ralston'. There are actually '2' instances of 'Ralston'. Run to the 'second' instance of Ralston and you should see 'FF 6' on the ground in chalk. Race level runners will turn around here. Make sure to get seven minutes of tempo running in on your return to the monkey bars. When you get back you will have logged 6 MILES!
TUESDAY'S RUN COURSE!
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TUESDAY'S RUN-
We will head north along the Marina to the intersection of Mason/Halleck. This is right next to Crissy Field Center and is 1 mile into our run. Everyone follow the pedestrian crosswalk and turn LEFT on Halleck.
You will be running uphill for about a block until you reach a controlled intersection with a stop sign. This is the intersection of Halleck/Lincoln. Turn RIGHT onto Lincoln and run along the sidewalk. Stick to the sidewalk on the right and follow Lincoln.
Right around Lincoln/Taylor you will see chalk markings indicating 'FF 3' in the middle of the sidewalk. Beginner runners turn around here! Turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 3 MILES!
Everyone else will continue past the 'FF 3' and continue on Lincoln. You will eventually see the cemetery on your left and Lincoln will curve to the left. Lincoln curves around to the left and downhill slightly. You will find yourself at a 4 way stop at the intersection of Lincoln/McDowell. Look for chalk markings indicating 'FF 4'. Intermediate runners turn around here.Turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 4 MILES!
Advanced and Race level runners will continue past the 'FF 4' chalk markings and continue on Lincoln as it curves around to the right. Eventually you will get a spectacular view of the Marina/Crissy Field off to your right near the intersection of Lincoln/Long(there's a stop sign here at the top of Long). There's a stop sign here and you will see an 'FF 5' in chalk right before Lincoln starts heading uphill.Advanced runners turn around here. Head back to the monkey bars for 5 MILES!
Race level runners will continue running uphill on Lincoln on the right hand shoulder. You will run along the shoulder for about half a mile. This is uphill most of the way.
After you run under an overpass look to your left for a series of small buildings and a street sign indicating 'Ralston'. There are actually '2' instances of 'Ralston'. Run to the 'second' instance of Ralston and you should see 'FF 6' on the ground in chalk. Race level runners will turn around here. Make sure to get seven minutes of tempo running in on your return to the monkey bars. When you get back you will have logged 6 MILES!
Everybody Hurts, Part One..
In addition to being a popular REM song, this phrase should strike a chord for just about EVERYONE who runs.
I've talked before about some GREAT ways to stave off running related injuries/aggravations. BUT, running is a high impact sport involving a ton of repetitive motion. Despite our BEST efforts, aches and pains do come up sometimes!
This is part of the reason why our training doesn't include consecutive days of running. The days in which you are resting or engaging in cross-training are providing your body an opportunity to heal/recover from the impact associated with the previous run.
I've spoken with a number of you over the past few weeks about various issues, but want to provide some tools for you to do a little self diagnosis of your own.
Bear in mind, I'm NOT a doctor, but I'm pretty familiar with the myriad running related injuries/aggravations that can happen....I've endured most of them myself!
First a few questions you should ask yourself in assessing what's bothering you:
1)Is it a sharp/intense/radiating pain or dull/aching pain? If it's the former, this is something you should likely NOT run through and probably get checked out by a specialist. I would also add that if the nature of the pain is 'constant', it also probably needs some attention from a specialist. If the pain you're feeling is more dull/aching, it's likely you can address the issue with some REST, ICE, COMPRESSION, and ELEVATION (RICE). I've given a number of you this kind of direction.
2)Does the pain occur at beginning of the run and become less pronounced after the first few miles? If it's the former, you may be looking at some tight muscle groups that simply need some additional rest in combination with some additional stretching/bodywork.
3)How long has this pain been bothering you? When did it first manifest? In asking these kinds of questions, I'm trying to determine if there were any significant changes that might correlate with the discomfort you're feeling. Maybe you started running in a different kind of shoe when the pain first appeared. Maybe you started doing more 'tempo' around the time the pain first appeared. Maybe you've been running in a worn out pair of shoes too long.
So, now that we've got a better idea of what 'kind' of pain/discomfort you're feeling, let's take a look at a few common issues in a few different areas:
1)Runners Knee- This is kind of a generic term for knee pain/discomfort that occurs with a lot of beginner/intermediate runner's. This pain typically shows up around and sometimes behind the kneecap. While the pain manifests in the knee, the reality is that the problem may in fact be tied to your legs and feet. Your knee should move up and down in a narrow little groove in your thigh bone. But, if the knee is not tracking properly, you're looking at a kneecap that rubs up against and irritates surrounding cartilage. It's not uncommonly the case that this 'poor tracking' is due to weak thigh muscles.
2)ITB Syndrome-You know that funky stretch we do where we cross one leg over and squat? This is a pose that is designed to help stretch the IT (illiotibial band) band that runs along the outside of your leg. The IT band runs along your knee and hip bone. Sometimes you can develop excess friction between the IT band and the hip bone or knee bone. Some of you have complained about some minor hip pain or pain along the outside of your knee. In most cases, it's probably due to some IT band issues. As stretching the IT band can be a little tough, a 'Stick' or a foam roller can be a handy tool to loosen up a tight IT band and/or the surrounding muscles.
These are two of the big issues that I commonly see. With both of the aforementioned issues, you ideally should be reducing your mileage/training and treating the affected area with ice and anti-inflammatories. Once the pain subsides, doing some exercises to strengthen your quads/thighs should help stave off runner's knee.
Similarly for staving off IT Band issues, you want to strengthen your quads, hamstrings, and gluts.
Next week, I'll provide some info. about two other commonly encountered issues: plantar fascitis (my personal favorite! UGH!) and shin splints.
Until then, LISTEN to the messages your body is sending you and DO NOT run through sharp/intense pain!
I've talked before about some GREAT ways to stave off running related injuries/aggravations. BUT, running is a high impact sport involving a ton of repetitive motion. Despite our BEST efforts, aches and pains do come up sometimes!
This is part of the reason why our training doesn't include consecutive days of running. The days in which you are resting or engaging in cross-training are providing your body an opportunity to heal/recover from the impact associated with the previous run.
I've spoken with a number of you over the past few weeks about various issues, but want to provide some tools for you to do a little self diagnosis of your own.
Bear in mind, I'm NOT a doctor, but I'm pretty familiar with the myriad running related injuries/aggravations that can happen....I've endured most of them myself!
First a few questions you should ask yourself in assessing what's bothering you:
1)Is it a sharp/intense/radiating pain or dull/aching pain? If it's the former, this is something you should likely NOT run through and probably get checked out by a specialist. I would also add that if the nature of the pain is 'constant', it also probably needs some attention from a specialist. If the pain you're feeling is more dull/aching, it's likely you can address the issue with some REST, ICE, COMPRESSION, and ELEVATION (RICE). I've given a number of you this kind of direction.
2)Does the pain occur at beginning of the run and become less pronounced after the first few miles? If it's the former, you may be looking at some tight muscle groups that simply need some additional rest in combination with some additional stretching/bodywork.
3)How long has this pain been bothering you? When did it first manifest? In asking these kinds of questions, I'm trying to determine if there were any significant changes that might correlate with the discomfort you're feeling. Maybe you started running in a different kind of shoe when the pain first appeared. Maybe you started doing more 'tempo' around the time the pain first appeared. Maybe you've been running in a worn out pair of shoes too long.
So, now that we've got a better idea of what 'kind' of pain/discomfort you're feeling, let's take a look at a few common issues in a few different areas:
1)Runners Knee- This is kind of a generic term for knee pain/discomfort that occurs with a lot of beginner/intermediate runner's. This pain typically shows up around and sometimes behind the kneecap. While the pain manifests in the knee, the reality is that the problem may in fact be tied to your legs and feet. Your knee should move up and down in a narrow little groove in your thigh bone. But, if the knee is not tracking properly, you're looking at a kneecap that rubs up against and irritates surrounding cartilage. It's not uncommonly the case that this 'poor tracking' is due to weak thigh muscles.
2)ITB Syndrome-You know that funky stretch we do where we cross one leg over and squat? This is a pose that is designed to help stretch the IT (illiotibial band) band that runs along the outside of your leg. The IT band runs along your knee and hip bone. Sometimes you can develop excess friction between the IT band and the hip bone or knee bone. Some of you have complained about some minor hip pain or pain along the outside of your knee. In most cases, it's probably due to some IT band issues. As stretching the IT band can be a little tough, a 'Stick' or a foam roller can be a handy tool to loosen up a tight IT band and/or the surrounding muscles.
These are two of the big issues that I commonly see. With both of the aforementioned issues, you ideally should be reducing your mileage/training and treating the affected area with ice and anti-inflammatories. Once the pain subsides, doing some exercises to strengthen your quads/thighs should help stave off runner's knee.
Similarly for staving off IT Band issues, you want to strengthen your quads, hamstrings, and gluts.
Next week, I'll provide some info. about two other commonly encountered issues: plantar fascitis (my personal favorite! UGH!) and shin splints.
Until then, LISTEN to the messages your body is sending you and DO NOT run through sharp/intense pain!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Saturday(8/22) Run Course Description
Here’s a map link for tomorrow’s course:
Saturday's Golden Gate Park Run!
Below is a description of the route:
B-6 MILES.
Beginners will head NORTH from the Beach Chalet and promptly take a right turn to get onto JFK. You will run along the dirt path for about a quarter of a mile until you come to a stop sign. Turn LEFT at this stop sign at the pedestrian crosswalk onto the dirt path running along JFK.
You will continue running along this path for some time. As you close in on the first mile you will see the 'Bison Paddock' on your left. Shortly after you pass the paddock, you will see Lake Spreckles on the left. If you need water, cross the pedestrian crosswalk over to Lake Spreckles and you will see the water fountain on your left.
Continue running on the dirt path for close to a mile and you will eventually come to a 4 way stop at the intersection of JFK/Transverse. This is roughly 2 miles. If you cross over to the LEFT side of JFK, you will find another water fountain. *NOTE-IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU STAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PATH FOR THIS RUN! IT IS OK TO CROSS OVER TO THE LEFT FOR H20, BUT GET BACK OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE TO CONTINUE YOUR RUN!
Continue running on the RIGHT side of the dirt path past JFK/Transverse for roughly a mile. You will see a stop sign and traffic joining JFK from 'Conservatory Way'. (this is just prior to the Flower Observatory) There is a pedestrian crosswalk here. THIS IS 3 MILES! LOOK FOR A 'FF 6' IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PATH (The path is paved at this juncture). Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 6 MILES!!
I-7 MILES.
Same course as beginners, BUT CROSS OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE OF JFK AT THE 'FF 6' MARK. Run past the Flower Observatory and follow JFK all the way to STANYAN. This is a controlled intersection with traffic lights. Once you get to JFK/Stanyan, this is 3.5 miles. Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 7 MILES!
A-8 MILES.
Advanced runners will run through the intersection of JFK/Stanyan and onto the panhandle (the strip of land that runs between Oak/Fell). Run on the RIGHT side of the Panhandle! You will run along the panhandle for roughly half a mile along OAK. One block PAST Oak & Masonic (again, this is a controlled intersection with stoplights), keep your eyes peeled for OAK and CENTRAL. There will be a 'FF 8' in chalk in the middle of the road. Turn around and head back to the Beach Chalet for 8 MILES!
R-10 MILES W/6 MILES @ TARGET PACE.
Race level runners follow the same course as Advanced runners, BUT when you get back to the Beach Chalet continue SOUTH along the paved path towards the Zoo. You will run South for a mile until you reach GREAT HIGHWAY and LAWTON. This is a controlled intersection with traffic lights and a big 'Lawton' sign. Thusly, there will be no chalk markings to look for. Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 10 MILES! The best time to get your 6 miles of target pace is when you turn around at Oak and Central. You will maintain target pace for the balance of the run for a total of six miles at target pace.
Saturday's Golden Gate Park Run!
Below is a description of the route:
B-6 MILES.
Beginners will head NORTH from the Beach Chalet and promptly take a right turn to get onto JFK. You will run along the dirt path for about a quarter of a mile until you come to a stop sign. Turn LEFT at this stop sign at the pedestrian crosswalk onto the dirt path running along JFK.
You will continue running along this path for some time. As you close in on the first mile you will see the 'Bison Paddock' on your left. Shortly after you pass the paddock, you will see Lake Spreckles on the left. If you need water, cross the pedestrian crosswalk over to Lake Spreckles and you will see the water fountain on your left.
Continue running on the dirt path for close to a mile and you will eventually come to a 4 way stop at the intersection of JFK/Transverse. This is roughly 2 miles. If you cross over to the LEFT side of JFK, you will find another water fountain. *NOTE-IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU STAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PATH FOR THIS RUN! IT IS OK TO CROSS OVER TO THE LEFT FOR H20, BUT GET BACK OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE TO CONTINUE YOUR RUN!
Continue running on the RIGHT side of the dirt path past JFK/Transverse for roughly a mile. You will see a stop sign and traffic joining JFK from 'Conservatory Way'. (this is just prior to the Flower Observatory) There is a pedestrian crosswalk here. THIS IS 3 MILES! LOOK FOR A 'FF 6' IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PATH (The path is paved at this juncture). Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 6 MILES!!
I-7 MILES.
Same course as beginners, BUT CROSS OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE OF JFK AT THE 'FF 6' MARK. Run past the Flower Observatory and follow JFK all the way to STANYAN. This is a controlled intersection with traffic lights. Once you get to JFK/Stanyan, this is 3.5 miles. Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 7 MILES!
A-8 MILES.
Advanced runners will run through the intersection of JFK/Stanyan and onto the panhandle (the strip of land that runs between Oak/Fell). Run on the RIGHT side of the Panhandle! You will run along the panhandle for roughly half a mile along OAK. One block PAST Oak & Masonic (again, this is a controlled intersection with stoplights), keep your eyes peeled for OAK and CENTRAL. There will be a 'FF 8' in chalk in the middle of the road. Turn around and head back to the Beach Chalet for 8 MILES!
R-10 MILES W/6 MILES @ TARGET PACE.
Race level runners follow the same course as Advanced runners, BUT when you get back to the Beach Chalet continue SOUTH along the paved path towards the Zoo. You will run South for a mile until you reach GREAT HIGHWAY and LAWTON. This is a controlled intersection with traffic lights and a big 'Lawton' sign. Thusly, there will be no chalk markings to look for. Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 10 MILES! The best time to get your 6 miles of target pace is when you turn around at Oak and Central. You will maintain target pace for the balance of the run for a total of six miles at target pace.
Injury Prevention 101
Many people approach me and say they want to get into great shape for a half marathon or full marathon and not get injured. I always have a difficult time responding to this statement because the reality is that you can have the perfect shoes, the perfect biomechanics/form, the perfect training schedule, and STILL get injured!
The best that we can do is be smart about how we train/take care of ourselves, listen to what our body tells us, and respond accordingly.
Below are a few items that can help reduce the chances of injury/aggravation:
Stretch Daily (30 sec.-1 min. per side every day)
Strengthen running muscles and stabilize the core.
Change shoes often.
The rule of thumb around is 300-500 miles. But, I know only a handful of people who truly track their mileage in any kind of substantive way. If you've been running regularly in your shoes 3 months (or longer), they need to be replaced. If you can fold the front of your shoe in half easily, your midsole is likely compressed and your risk of injury is higher. If you see a lot of creases, folds, or wrinkles in the midsoles (the white portion) of your shoes, you likely need to replace your shoes. Also bear in mind that if you've had a pair of running shoes for a year or two (even if you haven't logged a TON of miles in them), they probably need to be replaced.
Rotate shoes every day or so.
For the budget-conscious this may not be possible. But, there's a reason why you see me wearing about six different pairs of shoes when I run. If I'm doing a faster workout, I tend to like a shoe that is lighter and provides less guidance/support. If I'm doing an easy, shorter run, I like wearing Nike Frees b/c they strengthen my feet/lower legs. For LONG runs (10+ miles), I prefer a shoe that provides a reasonable amount of cushioning, stability, and support. In short, mixing up my running shoes has a variety of benefits, most of which revolve around staying healthy and injury-free!
Increase distance slowly/appropriately.
If you're following the schedule for the most part, you're doing just fine. But, if you miss a bunch of runs and try to 'make up' mileage, you're putting yourself at risk. You can't CRAM for a half marathon or a marathon. You can't FORCE your body to adapt. That's why it takes roughly 9-12 weeks to train for a half marathon and 18-24 weeks for a full marathon. This is 'roughly' how much time it takes an 'average' person to prepare.
Hydrate well before and after runs
Urine should be clear/copious before a run. This is an indication that you're hydrated. Similarly, you want to hydrate after your run enough such that urine returns to being clear and copious. This make take a few glasses of water/gatorade/accelerate/etc. before the yellow color disappears.
Stand on one foot while brushing your teeth.
Maybe not one foot the ENTIRE time as it may take a few minutes to brush. BUT, this will help you with balance AND foot strengthening.
Massage any muscle you want, anytime.
I believe I introduced most of you to the stick and/or foam roller. Owning one or both of these devices is a GREAT idea. They aren't terribly expensive either. You can own both for about $40. You can use either to work on ALL of the muscles indicated in the 'Stretch' portion of this article. Massage (whether done by a professional or yourself) is a wonderful way to increase circulation/stimulate bloodflow, help flush lactic acid and other toxins out of your muscles, clear tightness/adhesions in your muscles, and reduce the chances of injury. Massage ALL YOU WANT!
If you're looking for a sportsmassage (I recommend one every 2-4 weeks of training AT LEAST), I HIGHLY recommend PSOAS Bodywork. They are a FANTASTIC place for sports massage. If you mention you're a 'Marathon Matt' runner, they'll give you 10% off to boot!
The best that we can do is be smart about how we train/take care of ourselves, listen to what our body tells us, and respond accordingly.
Below are a few items that can help reduce the chances of injury/aggravation:
Stretch Daily (30 sec.-1 min. per side every day)
- Calves-There are a few different ways of doing this. But, one quick/dirty way is to prop your foot against a curb and lean forward. This will stretch your calf and achilles.
- Piriformis-Bend your knees and cross one leg over the opposite knee. This stretches the IT Band and the piriformis
- Hip Flexors-Check out this link to get an idea of what this stretch looks like: Hip Flexor Stretch.
- IT Band-Bend your knees and cross one leg over the opposite knee. This stretches the IT Band and the piriformis
- Hamstrings-Put one leg in front at a 30-45 degree angle and lean forward. This stretches the hamstrings
- Quads-Stand with your feet shoulder with apart and bring one foot up flush against your butt. Hold the leg for 30 seconds. Switch legs. This one stretches the Quads.
- Soles of feet-If you have a tennis ball, golf ball, or something similar you can use this to stretch/massage the soles of you feet.
- CHIPS-At a minimum aim to stretch the Calves, Hip Flexors, IT Band, Piriformis, and Soles of the feet.
Strengthen running muscles and stabilize the core.
- Quads (1 set of 20 reps, 3 times/week). Wall Squats-Sitting squats are effectively the same motion/exercise, but you're sitting against the wall when you're doing them.
- Hips (1 set of 20 reps, 3 times/week). A)Hip Bridges-This is one that is probably new to you, but here's an excellent link illustrating how it's done-Hip Bridge Illustration.
- Trunk(Stomach) (planks up to 1 min., crunches until exhaustion-3 times/week).
A)Planks- Basically, you're lying down on your stomach. Your forearms should be used to support your weight. Engage your abs and hold your upper body above the ground using your forearms to brace yourself. Keep your back straight and the abs engaged. Count to 30-60 seconds for each plank.
B)Crunches-This one shouldn't require any explanation.
Change shoes often.
The rule of thumb around is 300-500 miles. But, I know only a handful of people who truly track their mileage in any kind of substantive way. If you've been running regularly in your shoes 3 months (or longer), they need to be replaced. If you can fold the front of your shoe in half easily, your midsole is likely compressed and your risk of injury is higher. If you see a lot of creases, folds, or wrinkles in the midsoles (the white portion) of your shoes, you likely need to replace your shoes. Also bear in mind that if you've had a pair of running shoes for a year or two (even if you haven't logged a TON of miles in them), they probably need to be replaced.
Rotate shoes every day or so.
For the budget-conscious this may not be possible. But, there's a reason why you see me wearing about six different pairs of shoes when I run. If I'm doing a faster workout, I tend to like a shoe that is lighter and provides less guidance/support. If I'm doing an easy, shorter run, I like wearing Nike Frees b/c they strengthen my feet/lower legs. For LONG runs (10+ miles), I prefer a shoe that provides a reasonable amount of cushioning, stability, and support. In short, mixing up my running shoes has a variety of benefits, most of which revolve around staying healthy and injury-free!
Increase distance slowly/appropriately.
If you're following the schedule for the most part, you're doing just fine. But, if you miss a bunch of runs and try to 'make up' mileage, you're putting yourself at risk. You can't CRAM for a half marathon or a marathon. You can't FORCE your body to adapt. That's why it takes roughly 9-12 weeks to train for a half marathon and 18-24 weeks for a full marathon. This is 'roughly' how much time it takes an 'average' person to prepare.
Hydrate well before and after runs
Urine should be clear/copious before a run. This is an indication that you're hydrated. Similarly, you want to hydrate after your run enough such that urine returns to being clear and copious. This make take a few glasses of water/gatorade/accelerate/etc. before the yellow color disappears.
Stand on one foot while brushing your teeth.
Maybe not one foot the ENTIRE time as it may take a few minutes to brush. BUT, this will help you with balance AND foot strengthening.
Massage any muscle you want, anytime.
I believe I introduced most of you to the stick and/or foam roller. Owning one or both of these devices is a GREAT idea. They aren't terribly expensive either. You can own both for about $40. You can use either to work on ALL of the muscles indicated in the 'Stretch' portion of this article. Massage (whether done by a professional or yourself) is a wonderful way to increase circulation/stimulate bloodflow, help flush lactic acid and other toxins out of your muscles, clear tightness/adhesions in your muscles, and reduce the chances of injury. Massage ALL YOU WANT!
If you're looking for a sportsmassage (I recommend one every 2-4 weeks of training AT LEAST), I HIGHLY recommend PSOAS Bodywork. They are a FANTASTIC place for sports massage. If you mention you're a 'Marathon Matt' runner, they'll give you 10% off to boot!
Tuesday (8/25/15) Marina Route Description
On Tuesday, you will be logging between 2-5 miles depending upon your training level. The link below should give you a relatively clear sense of where we're going. I've also included a verbal description beneath it:
TUESDAY RUN COURSE!
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TUESDAY'S RUN-
We will head SOUTH along the Marina towards the hill adjacent to the Marina Safeway. Crest this hill and head down into Aquatic Park. Run along the waterfront into towards Fisherman's Wharf. BEGINNER runners will hit the 1 mile mark right at the end of Aquatic Park at the edge of Fisherman's Wharf. There is a big cul-de-sac for your visual cue. Turn around here and head back to monkey bars for 2 MILES.
Everyone else will continue on into Fisherman's Wharf. Please keep a watchful eye for tourists, cyclists, and other traffic in Fisherman's Wharf. Continue running to the intersection of Jefferson/Powell. This is a controlled intersection with stop lights. This is 1.5 miles. Intermediate runners turn around here! Head back to the monkey bars for 3 MILES!
Everyone else will running along Jefferson which will eventually turn into the Embarcadero. At the intersection of Embarcadero & Bay there is a Hillstone (formerly Houston's) restaurant on the right. This is 2 MILES. Advanced runners turn around here. Head back to the monkey bars for 4 MILES!
Race level runners will continue past Embarcadero & Bay. 1/2 a mile later you will encounter the intersection of Embarcadero/Green. This is 2.5 MILES. Race level runners turn around here. Head back to the monkey bars for 5 MILES!
TUESDAY RUN COURSE!
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TUESDAY'S RUN-
We will head SOUTH along the Marina towards the hill adjacent to the Marina Safeway. Crest this hill and head down into Aquatic Park. Run along the waterfront into towards Fisherman's Wharf. BEGINNER runners will hit the 1 mile mark right at the end of Aquatic Park at the edge of Fisherman's Wharf. There is a big cul-de-sac for your visual cue. Turn around here and head back to monkey bars for 2 MILES.
Everyone else will continue on into Fisherman's Wharf. Please keep a watchful eye for tourists, cyclists, and other traffic in Fisherman's Wharf. Continue running to the intersection of Jefferson/Powell. This is a controlled intersection with stop lights. This is 1.5 miles. Intermediate runners turn around here! Head back to the monkey bars for 3 MILES!
Everyone else will running along Jefferson which will eventually turn into the Embarcadero. At the intersection of Embarcadero & Bay there is a Hillstone (formerly Houston's) restaurant on the right. This is 2 MILES. Advanced runners turn around here. Head back to the monkey bars for 4 MILES!
Race level runners will continue past Embarcadero & Bay. 1/2 a mile later you will encounter the intersection of Embarcadero/Green. This is 2.5 MILES. Race level runners turn around here. Head back to the monkey bars for 5 MILES!
Preparing for the next phase of training
There are a few key things to keep in mind as we enter a more challenging phase of training :
-Hydration. The best way to gauge whether or not you're well hydrated is to take a look at your urine. Is it clear and 'copious'? If so, you're well hydrated. However, if it's a darker, yellow color, you likely need to consume more fluids. Make sure to hydrate well in the days leading up to your long run. During the run, aim for roughly 6-8 ounces every 15-20 minutes. Many of the courses we run have water fountains every mile or so, but not ALL of the courses do. So, if you're prone to heavy sweating/fluid loss, now may be the time to consider bringing a water bottle with you during your long runs. Bear in mind, you don't just lose water! You lose sodium, potassium, magnesium, and other critical electrolytes. So, consider bringing Gatorade, Accelerade, or some other sports drink with you as well.
-Fuel Properly.Recently you received some general nutrition/hydration guidelines which will become important for future long runs. You will likely be out on the road next Saturday at least 45-60 min. Make sure you're properly fueled in the days leading up to Saturday's run AND make sure to grab a gel, gu, powergel, or some other form of simple carbohydrates (gummy bears, jolly ranchers, etc.) you can consume while out on the run. Remember you want to ingest something every 45-60 minutes. Ideally, you want to use WATER to wash down your gel, gu, or powergel.
-Recover FAST! Upon finishing your long run, walk around for a few minutes to help increase circulation and flush lactic acid and other toxins out of your legs. STRETCH LIBERALLY! Start rehydrating as soon as possible. Additionally, try to ingest something with a 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. Chocoloate milk (believe it or not) is a GREAT option as it has the magical 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. Chocolate soymilk will work as well.
-Ice Bath. OK...it's not TOTALLY necessary for the kind of distance you're running, but filling your bathtub full of cold water (or wading into the bay) and soaking your lower torso/legs for 10-15 min. is yet another GREAT way to help heal microtears in muscle fiber, reduce inflammation, increase blood circulation, and expedite recovery! It sounds awful, but I SWEAR BY IT!
-Hydration. The best way to gauge whether or not you're well hydrated is to take a look at your urine. Is it clear and 'copious'? If so, you're well hydrated. However, if it's a darker, yellow color, you likely need to consume more fluids. Make sure to hydrate well in the days leading up to your long run. During the run, aim for roughly 6-8 ounces every 15-20 minutes. Many of the courses we run have water fountains every mile or so, but not ALL of the courses do. So, if you're prone to heavy sweating/fluid loss, now may be the time to consider bringing a water bottle with you during your long runs. Bear in mind, you don't just lose water! You lose sodium, potassium, magnesium, and other critical electrolytes. So, consider bringing Gatorade, Accelerade, or some other sports drink with you as well.
-Fuel Properly.Recently you received some general nutrition/hydration guidelines which will become important for future long runs. You will likely be out on the road next Saturday at least 45-60 min. Make sure you're properly fueled in the days leading up to Saturday's run AND make sure to grab a gel, gu, powergel, or some other form of simple carbohydrates (gummy bears, jolly ranchers, etc.) you can consume while out on the run. Remember you want to ingest something every 45-60 minutes. Ideally, you want to use WATER to wash down your gel, gu, or powergel.
-Recover FAST! Upon finishing your long run, walk around for a few minutes to help increase circulation and flush lactic acid and other toxins out of your legs. STRETCH LIBERALLY! Start rehydrating as soon as possible. Additionally, try to ingest something with a 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. Chocoloate milk (believe it or not) is a GREAT option as it has the magical 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. Chocolate soymilk will work as well.
-Ice Bath. OK...it's not TOTALLY necessary for the kind of distance you're running, but filling your bathtub full of cold water (or wading into the bay) and soaking your lower torso/legs for 10-15 min. is yet another GREAT way to help heal microtears in muscle fiber, reduce inflammation, increase blood circulation, and expedite recovery! It sounds awful, but I SWEAR BY IT!
Tuesday's Satellite Run Course Description/Map (9/11/12)
Tuesday's satellite run launches from outside 333 3rd Street between Folsom/Harrison.
If you need to use the restroom, change, and/or store some personal items, head up to PSOAS in Suite 205.
Here's a link to the course map-
Tuesday's Run Course Map.
Here is a brief description of the course:
We will cross Folsom from 3rd Street onto the sidewalk and take a right. We will run along Folsom all the way to the Embarcadero. We will cross the street and take a left onto the Embarcadero.
Run along the Embarcadero past the Ferry Building. Beginner runners will run to the intersection of Embarcadero/Green. Look for the street sign for ‘GREEN’. This is a hair over 1.5 miles. Turn around and head back to PSOAS for 3 MILES!
Everyone else will continue running along the Embarcadero. Intermediate runners will run to the intersection of Embarcadero/Bay. Look for the Houston's Restaurant on the LEFT side of the Embarcadero. This is 2 miles Turn around and head back to PSOAS for 4 MILES!
Advanced and Race level runners will continue running along the Embarcadero until it turns into ‘Jefferson’. Run along Jefferson to the intersection of Jefferson/Powell. Look for the Gap Store on the left. This is 2.5 miles. Advanced level runners will turn around here and head back to PSOAS for 5 MILES!
Race level runners will running through Fisherman’s Wharf right to the edge of Aquatic Park. Once you reach the cul-de-sac at the edge of Fisherman’s Wharf/Aquatic Park, you’ve logged 3 miles. Turn around and head back to PSOAS for 6 MILES!
If you need to use the restroom, change, and/or store some personal items, head up to PSOAS in Suite 205.
Here's a link to the course map-
Tuesday's Run Course Map.
Here is a brief description of the course:
We will cross Folsom from 3rd Street onto the sidewalk and take a right. We will run along Folsom all the way to the Embarcadero. We will cross the street and take a left onto the Embarcadero.
Run along the Embarcadero past the Ferry Building. Beginner runners will run to the intersection of Embarcadero/Green. Look for the street sign for ‘GREEN’. This is a hair over 1.5 miles. Turn around and head back to PSOAS for 3 MILES!
Everyone else will continue running along the Embarcadero. Intermediate runners will run to the intersection of Embarcadero/Bay. Look for the Houston's Restaurant on the LEFT side of the Embarcadero. This is 2 miles Turn around and head back to PSOAS for 4 MILES!
Advanced and Race level runners will continue running along the Embarcadero until it turns into ‘Jefferson’. Run along Jefferson to the intersection of Jefferson/Powell. Look for the Gap Store on the left. This is 2.5 miles. Advanced level runners will turn around here and head back to PSOAS for 5 MILES!
Race level runners will running through Fisherman’s Wharf right to the edge of Aquatic Park. Once you reach the cul-de-sac at the edge of Fisherman’s Wharf/Aquatic Park, you’ve logged 3 miles. Turn around and head back to PSOAS for 6 MILES!
Wednesday (3/27) Running Route Description
WEDNESDAY EVENING'S RUN COURSE!
In short, we will head NORTH from the Marina Green Monkey Bars on along Marina Boulevard until we reach the intersection of Mason/Halleck . This is 1 MILE! Beginners will turn around here and head back to the Marina Green Monkey Bars for 2 MILES!
The rest of us will continue running on the paved path along Mason past SportsBasement. Shortly after we pass SportsBasement, there is a lengthy straight stretch and a funny looking metal power box on your RIGHT. I will also put some chalk marking on the ground here as this is 1.5 MILES! Intermediate runners will turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 3 MILES!
Advanced and Race level runners will continue past the 1.5 mile mark along the paved path. Eventually the path curves over to the right and merges with a dirt/fire road that heads towards the Warming Hut (for the uninitiated, the Warming Hut is A BIG WHITE BUILDING WITH TABLES AND BENCHES IN FRONT OF IT. Hopefully, it will be hard to miss). The Warming Hut is 2 MILES! Advanced level runners will turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 4 MILES!
Race level runners will continue past the Warming Hut onto a paved road that goes past a series of buildings (including some restrooms). You will pass these buildings and continue running along this path next to the water towards the base of the bridge. The path curves around and dead ends at 'Hoppers Hands'. This is 2.5 MILES. Turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 5 MILES!
In short, we will head NORTH from the Marina Green Monkey Bars on along Marina Boulevard until we reach the intersection of Mason/Halleck . This is 1 MILE! Beginners will turn around here and head back to the Marina Green Monkey Bars for 2 MILES!
The rest of us will continue running on the paved path along Mason past SportsBasement. Shortly after we pass SportsBasement, there is a lengthy straight stretch and a funny looking metal power box on your RIGHT. I will also put some chalk marking on the ground here as this is 1.5 MILES! Intermediate runners will turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 3 MILES!
Advanced and Race level runners will continue past the 1.5 mile mark along the paved path. Eventually the path curves over to the right and merges with a dirt/fire road that heads towards the Warming Hut (for the uninitiated, the Warming Hut is A BIG WHITE BUILDING WITH TABLES AND BENCHES IN FRONT OF IT. Hopefully, it will be hard to miss). The Warming Hut is 2 MILES! Advanced level runners will turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 4 MILES!
Race level runners will continue past the Warming Hut onto a paved road that goes past a series of buildings (including some restrooms). You will pass these buildings and continue running along this path next to the water towards the base of the bridge. The path curves around and dead ends at 'Hoppers Hands'. This is 2.5 MILES. Turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 5 MILES!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Saturday(8/8/2009) Run Course Description
Here's a link to the course map:
Saturday’s Golden Gate Park Run!
OK, folks. I think we’re ready for a change of scenery and this Saturday's run will hopefully please a number of you. We'll be running through Golden Gate Park. a few things to keep in mind before I dive into the details:
1)You will be running gradually uphill for the first half of your run! This course isn't terribly steep, but there is a GRADUAL uphill for much of the first half of the run. Keep this in mind as you may need to dial back your pacing a bit when you head out.
2)Watch your footing! There's a reasonable amount of this run that will take place on a dirt path/fire road. This means small rocks, tree roots (sometimes), and uneven ground at times. I don't want to see anyone take a tumble. Stay tuned in! This is particularly important for those of you who wear MP3 PLAYERS! Stay particularly alert on the RETURN when you will likely be a bit fatigued and traveling gradually DOWNHILL!
3)Water Stops. Roughly a mile into the run (not too far after you pass the Bison Paddocks on the left) there is water fountain on the LEFT adjacent to Lake Spreckles. Also there is a water fountain at the intersection of JFK/Transverse on the LEFT side of JFK. These descriptions will make more sense once you read my course description below.
Ok, enough of the preamble. Let's get down to it!
B-5 MILES. Beginners will head NORTH from the Beach Chalet and promptly take a right turn to get onto JFK. You will run along the dirt path for about a quarter of a mile until you come to a stop sign. Turn LEFT at this stop sign at the pedestrian crosswalk onto the dirt path running along JFK.
You will continue running along this path for some time. As you close in on the first mile you will see the 'Bison Paddock' on your left. Shortly after you pass the paddock, you will see Lake Spreckles on the left. If you need water, cross the pedestrian crosswalk over to Lake Spreckles and you will see the water fountain on your left.
Continue running on the dirt path for close to a mile and you will eventually come to a 4 way stop at the intersection of JFK/Transverse. This is roughly 2 miles. If you cross over to the LEFT side of JFK, you will find another water fountain. *NOTE-IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU STAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PATH FOR THIS RUN! IT IS OK TO CROSS OVER TO THE LEFT FOR H20, BUT GET BACK OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE TO CONTINUE YOUR RUN!
Continue running on the RIGHT side of the dirt path past JFK/Transverse for roughly half a mile. You will see a large funky looking building approaching on the right. This is DeYoung Museum. Additionally, you should see a crosswalk cutting across JFK. Keep your eyes peeled for a ‘FF 5’ in the middle of the paved path you’re on. This is the 2.5 miles! Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 5 MILES!!
I-6 MILES. Same course as beginners, but continue running on the RIGHT side of the dirt path past the ‘FF 5’ for roughly half a mile. You will see a stop sign and traffic joining JFK from 'Conservatory Way'. (this is just prior to the Flower Conservatory) here is a pedestrian crosswalk here. THIS IS 3 MILES! LOOK FOR A 'FF 6' IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PATH (The path is paved at this juncture). Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 6 MILES!!
A-7 MILES. Same course as the Intermediate runners, BUT CROSS OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE OF JFK AT THE 'FF 6' MARK. Run past the Flower Observatory and follow JFK all the way to STANYAN. This is a controlled intersection with traffic lights. Once you get to JFK/Stanyan, this is 3.5 miles. Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 7 MILES!
R-8 MILES. Race level runners will run through the intersection of JFK/Stanyan and onto the panhandle (the strip of land that runs between Oak/Fell). Run on the RIGHT side of the Panhandle! You will run along the panhandle for
roughly half a mile along OAK. One block PAST Oak & Masonic (again, this is a controlled intersection with stoplights), keep your eyes peeled for OAK and CENTRAL. This is 4 miles. Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 8 MILES!
Saturday’s Golden Gate Park Run!
OK, folks. I think we’re ready for a change of scenery and this Saturday's run will hopefully please a number of you. We'll be running through Golden Gate Park. a few things to keep in mind before I dive into the details:
1)You will be running gradually uphill for the first half of your run! This course isn't terribly steep, but there is a GRADUAL uphill for much of the first half of the run. Keep this in mind as you may need to dial back your pacing a bit when you head out.
2)Watch your footing! There's a reasonable amount of this run that will take place on a dirt path/fire road. This means small rocks, tree roots (sometimes), and uneven ground at times. I don't want to see anyone take a tumble. Stay tuned in! This is particularly important for those of you who wear MP3 PLAYERS! Stay particularly alert on the RETURN when you will likely be a bit fatigued and traveling gradually DOWNHILL!
3)Water Stops. Roughly a mile into the run (not too far after you pass the Bison Paddocks on the left) there is water fountain on the LEFT adjacent to Lake Spreckles. Also there is a water fountain at the intersection of JFK/Transverse on the LEFT side of JFK. These descriptions will make more sense once you read my course description below.
Ok, enough of the preamble. Let's get down to it!
B-5 MILES. Beginners will head NORTH from the Beach Chalet and promptly take a right turn to get onto JFK. You will run along the dirt path for about a quarter of a mile until you come to a stop sign. Turn LEFT at this stop sign at the pedestrian crosswalk onto the dirt path running along JFK.
You will continue running along this path for some time. As you close in on the first mile you will see the 'Bison Paddock' on your left. Shortly after you pass the paddock, you will see Lake Spreckles on the left. If you need water, cross the pedestrian crosswalk over to Lake Spreckles and you will see the water fountain on your left.
Continue running on the dirt path for close to a mile and you will eventually come to a 4 way stop at the intersection of JFK/Transverse. This is roughly 2 miles. If you cross over to the LEFT side of JFK, you will find another water fountain. *NOTE-IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU STAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PATH FOR THIS RUN! IT IS OK TO CROSS OVER TO THE LEFT FOR H20, BUT GET BACK OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE TO CONTINUE YOUR RUN!
Continue running on the RIGHT side of the dirt path past JFK/Transverse for roughly half a mile. You will see a large funky looking building approaching on the right. This is DeYoung Museum. Additionally, you should see a crosswalk cutting across JFK. Keep your eyes peeled for a ‘FF 5’ in the middle of the paved path you’re on. This is the 2.5 miles! Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 5 MILES!!
I-6 MILES. Same course as beginners, but continue running on the RIGHT side of the dirt path past the ‘FF 5’ for roughly half a mile. You will see a stop sign and traffic joining JFK from 'Conservatory Way'. (this is just prior to the Flower Conservatory) here is a pedestrian crosswalk here. THIS IS 3 MILES! LOOK FOR A 'FF 6' IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PATH (The path is paved at this juncture). Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 6 MILES!!
A-7 MILES. Same course as the Intermediate runners, BUT CROSS OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE OF JFK AT THE 'FF 6' MARK. Run past the Flower Observatory and follow JFK all the way to STANYAN. This is a controlled intersection with traffic lights. Once you get to JFK/Stanyan, this is 3.5 miles. Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 7 MILES!
R-8 MILES. Race level runners will run through the intersection of JFK/Stanyan and onto the panhandle (the strip of land that runs between Oak/Fell). Run on the RIGHT side of the Panhandle! You will run along the panhandle for
roughly half a mile along OAK. One block PAST Oak & Masonic (again, this is a controlled intersection with stoplights), keep your eyes peeled for OAK and CENTRAL. This is 4 miles. Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 8 MILES!
Tuesday (5/19) Running Route Description
Tuesday Course Map!
Here's a description for you as well:
B-2 MILES- We will head North along the Marina to the intersection of Mason/Halleck. Look for the stop sign immediately before the intersection. This is 1 mile. Turn around here and head back for 2 miles!
I-3 MILES-Intermediate runners will also go to the aforementioned stop sign, but run about 50 feet further and turn left into the pedestrian crosswalk and head up Halleck street.
You will be running uphill for about a block until you reach a controlled intersection with a stop sign. This is the intersection of Halleck/Lincoln. Turn RIGHT onto Lincoln and run along the sidewalk. Stick to the sidewalk on the right and follow Lincoln.
Right around Lincoln/Taylor you will see chalk markings indicating 'FF 3' in the middle of the sidewalk. This is your turn around point. Turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 3 MILES!
A-4 MILES-Same course as intermediate folks, but continue past the 'FF 3' chalk markings and continue on Lincoln. You will eventually see the cemetary on your left and Lincoln will curve to the left. Lincoln curves around to the left and downhill slightly. You will find yourself at a 4 way stop at the intersection of Lincoln/McDowell. Look for chalk markings indicating 'FF 4'. You will turn around and head back to the monkey
bars for 4 MILES!
R-5 MILES W/5 MIN. TEMPO-Race level runners continue past the 'FF 4' chalk markings and continue on Lincoln as it curves around to the right. Eventually you will get a spectacular view of the Marina/Crissy Field off to your right near the intersection of Lincoln/Long(there's a stop sign here at the top of Long). This is 2.5 MILES!
Here's a description for you as well:
B-2 MILES- We will head North along the Marina to the intersection of Mason/Halleck. Look for the stop sign immediately before the intersection. This is 1 mile. Turn around here and head back for 2 miles!
I-3 MILES-Intermediate runners will also go to the aforementioned stop sign, but run about 50 feet further and turn left into the pedestrian crosswalk and head up Halleck street.
You will be running uphill for about a block until you reach a controlled intersection with a stop sign. This is the intersection of Halleck/Lincoln. Turn RIGHT onto Lincoln and run along the sidewalk. Stick to the sidewalk on the right and follow Lincoln.
Right around Lincoln/Taylor you will see chalk markings indicating 'FF 3' in the middle of the sidewalk. This is your turn around point. Turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 3 MILES!
A-4 MILES-Same course as intermediate folks, but continue past the 'FF 3' chalk markings and continue on Lincoln. You will eventually see the cemetary on your left and Lincoln will curve to the left. Lincoln curves around to the left and downhill slightly. You will find yourself at a 4 way stop at the intersection of Lincoln/McDowell. Look for chalk markings indicating 'FF 4'. You will turn around and head back to the monkey
bars for 4 MILES!
R-5 MILES W/5 MIN. TEMPO-Race level runners continue past the 'FF 4' chalk markings and continue on Lincoln as it curves around to the right. Eventually you will get a spectacular view of the Marina/Crissy Field off to your right near the intersection of Lincoln/Long(there's a stop sign here at the top of Long). This is 2.5 MILES!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Nutrition & Hydration 101
Nutrition & Hydration 101
Nutrition
I haven't talked about nutrition much yet because the length of your runs are generally not long enough to warrant spending a TREMENDOUS amount of time worrying about it.
But, once we get into a space where we're logging runs in excess of 45-60 minutes (which will happen soon!), then we need to start thinking about fueling before, during, and after runs for optimal performance and recovery!
Below are some general guidelines around nutrition/hydration that you should keep in mind. Please take EVERYTHING below with a grain of salt as EVERYONE is a bit different and what works for me (or you) may not necessarily work for someone else. If you don’t follow the guidelines below, nothing terrible will happen. What’s outlined below is what is recommended for OPTIMAL performance. It’s not even necessarily the case that ELITE level runners follow this perfectly.
Part of what you will need to do during the course of your training is a little experimentation. Maybe having a bagel and some gatorade a couple hours before your long run will work just fine or maybe your GI system won't respond well to this. There's no silver bullet, so you will likely need to try a few different approaches before you find what works best for you.
BUT, it's important to do SOME kind of pre-run fueling before long runs. Not fueling properly for your long runs (or challenging workouts) can negatively impact your performance.
Pre-exercise
guidelines:
(Primarily > or equal to 90 minutes of exercise)As most of you are likely eating breakfast (for Saturday long runs) within 1 hour of exercise. You need to aim for 1 gram of carbohydrate/kg of their body weight or in other terms 0.5 grams/lb of body weight plus 8-10 grams of protein.
So, for example someone who weighs 140# needs ~60 grams of carbohydrate which looks like: 1 English muffin, 1 Tbsp jelly, 1 cup non fat milk or 1 cup oatmeal, 1 Tbsp honey, 6 ounces plain-non-fat yogurt.
The reason for pre-exercise carbohydrates is to maximize endurance potential by "topping off" muscle and liver glycogen stores.
Tips for pre-exercise meals:
- Find something that works for you- everyone is different
- Practice with different meal ideas BEFORE race day
- Avoid high fiber, high fat before a long run
- Find the carbohydrate sources that work best for you.
Experiment during training with eating some carbohydrate-based snacks within a few minutes to four hours before a long run.
Carbohydrates are found in fruits, starchy veggies, grains and starches such as pasta, rice, lentils and oatmeal, sugars such as honey, and milk and yogurt.
Please bear in mind that what is outlined above are 'general guidelines' and everyone is a little bit different in what their stomach can handle in the hour(s) leading up to a run! This is why experimentation is 'key' and should be done in the next few weeks so you can identify a formula that works best for you.
Nutrition while exercising/running
In addition to 'pre-run' fueling, it's important to remember to ingest something DURING your run every 45-60 minutes. Experiment with Clif Shots, Gus, PowerGels, etc. There are TONS of products out there designed for consumption during your workouts and NOW is the time to experiment and find out which product works best for you.
Post Exercise Nutrition
I should also mention that consuming something AFTER you run is VERY important to speed recovery. Ideally, you should consume something with a 4:1 carbohydrate/protein ratio. Chocolate milk is a beverage that has the magical 4:1 formula.
You could also have a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with vegetables, condiments, etc. This 'roughly' has the 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio.
Hydration
On the hydration front, ideally your urine should be clear/copious prior to your run. You can insure this by drinking water throughout the day prior to your run. If the color of your urine is a darker yellow, chances are you need to drink more fluids.
To stay hydrated during a run, there are a few different approaches you can employ. You can knock back water or a sports drink (Gatorade, Accelerade, etc.) every 15-20 min. OR use thirst to dictate when you have something to drink.
Some of you may have heard that once you’re thirsty you’re already dehydrated and your performance will suffer. The latest research tends to indicate that this may not have a huge impact on performance. Elite level marathoners (who can average 5:00/mile or faster for 26.2 miles), typically do not drink nearly enough fluids to replenish what they lose during a marathon. It would pretty much be impossible for them to do so. Yet, they are still able to perform at a VERY high level. Many medical directors at races are now encouraging runners to use ‘thirst’ to dictate fluid consumption.
With this in mind, I would say knocking back water or sports drink every 15-20 min. is a good practice or using thirst is fine as well. Experiment with both approaches if you like and see what works best for you. As you will find, there are rarely any ‘easy answers or ‘hard/fast’ rules when it comes to nutrition/hydration.
Nutrition
I haven't talked about nutrition much yet because the length of your runs are generally not long enough to warrant spending a TREMENDOUS amount of time worrying about it.
But, once we get into a space where we're logging runs in excess of 45-60 minutes (which will happen soon!), then we need to start thinking about fueling before, during, and after runs for optimal performance and recovery!
Below are some general guidelines around nutrition/hydration that you should keep in mind. Please take EVERYTHING below with a grain of salt as EVERYONE is a bit different and what works for me (or you) may not necessarily work for someone else. If you don’t follow the guidelines below, nothing terrible will happen. What’s outlined below is what is recommended for OPTIMAL performance. It’s not even necessarily the case that ELITE level runners follow this perfectly.
Part of what you will need to do during the course of your training is a little experimentation. Maybe having a bagel and some gatorade a couple hours before your long run will work just fine or maybe your GI system won't respond well to this. There's no silver bullet, so you will likely need to try a few different approaches before you find what works best for you.
BUT, it's important to do SOME kind of pre-run fueling before long runs. Not fueling properly for your long runs (or challenging workouts) can negatively impact your performance.
Pre-exercise
guidelines:
(Primarily > or equal to 90 minutes of exercise)As most of you are likely eating breakfast (for Saturday long runs) within 1 hour of exercise. You need to aim for 1 gram of carbohydrate/kg of their body weight or in other terms 0.5 grams/lb of body weight plus 8-10 grams of protein.
So, for example someone who weighs 140# needs ~60 grams of carbohydrate which looks like: 1 English muffin, 1 Tbsp jelly, 1 cup non fat milk or 1 cup oatmeal, 1 Tbsp honey, 6 ounces plain-non-fat yogurt.
The reason for pre-exercise carbohydrates is to maximize endurance potential by "topping off" muscle and liver glycogen stores.
Tips for pre-exercise meals:
- Find something that works for you- everyone is different
- Practice with different meal ideas BEFORE race day
- Avoid high fiber, high fat before a long run
- Find the carbohydrate sources that work best for you.
Experiment during training with eating some carbohydrate-based snacks within a few minutes to four hours before a long run.
Carbohydrates are found in fruits, starchy veggies, grains and starches such as pasta, rice, lentils and oatmeal, sugars such as honey, and milk and yogurt.
Please bear in mind that what is outlined above are 'general guidelines' and everyone is a little bit different in what their stomach can handle in the hour(s) leading up to a run! This is why experimentation is 'key' and should be done in the next few weeks so you can identify a formula that works best for you.
Nutrition while exercising/running
In addition to 'pre-run' fueling, it's important to remember to ingest something DURING your run every 45-60 minutes. Experiment with Clif Shots, Gus, PowerGels, etc. There are TONS of products out there designed for consumption during your workouts and NOW is the time to experiment and find out which product works best for you.
Post Exercise Nutrition
I should also mention that consuming something AFTER you run is VERY important to speed recovery. Ideally, you should consume something with a 4:1 carbohydrate/protein ratio. Chocolate milk is a beverage that has the magical 4:1 formula.
You could also have a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with vegetables, condiments, etc. This 'roughly' has the 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio.
Hydration
On the hydration front, ideally your urine should be clear/copious prior to your run. You can insure this by drinking water throughout the day prior to your run. If the color of your urine is a darker yellow, chances are you need to drink more fluids.
To stay hydrated during a run, there are a few different approaches you can employ. You can knock back water or a sports drink (Gatorade, Accelerade, etc.) every 15-20 min. OR use thirst to dictate when you have something to drink.
Some of you may have heard that once you’re thirsty you’re already dehydrated and your performance will suffer. The latest research tends to indicate that this may not have a huge impact on performance. Elite level marathoners (who can average 5:00/mile or faster for 26.2 miles), typically do not drink nearly enough fluids to replenish what they lose during a marathon. It would pretty much be impossible for them to do so. Yet, they are still able to perform at a VERY high level. Many medical directors at races are now encouraging runners to use ‘thirst’ to dictate fluid consumption.
With this in mind, I would say knocking back water or sports drink every 15-20 min. is a good practice or using thirst is fine as well. Experiment with both approaches if you like and see what works best for you. As you will find, there are rarely any ‘easy answers or ‘hard/fast’ rules when it comes to nutrition/hydration.
Running Biomechanics & Form 101
It's funny...people characterize 'bungie jumping', 'skydiving', and 'base jumping' as EXTREME sports. BUT, when you run every footstrike can generate 3-5 times your body weight in impact force! Talk about EXTREME!
With this in mind, it's important to have proper biomechanics/form when running to improve running performance and economy, but more importantly to MINIMIZE the chances of injury/aggravation!
Below are a few key concepts/ideas to keep in mind:
Upper Body
Lower Body
The Lean
Something else that I would encourage you to do is some barefoot walking when you get a chance. As I mentioned, your feet tend to land/move a bit differently when you're barefoot versus when you wear shoes.
More specifically, your feet tend to land/move in a more biomechanically efficient way! Doing some barefoot walking periodically will help train your body to move in a more biomechanically efficient way AND help strengthen the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and tissues in your feet that are normally not utilized when wearing shoes. This will help strengthen your feet and help minimize aggravations/injuries!
With this in mind, it's important to have proper biomechanics/form when running to improve running performance and economy, but more importantly to MINIMIZE the chances of injury/aggravation!
Below are a few key concepts/ideas to keep in mind:
Upper Body
- Your shoulders should be relaxed and low. Avoid carrying tension in your shoulders. Sometimes your shoulders creep up towards your ears when you're
feeling fatigued. - Your arms should be held at roughly a 90 degree angle. Avoid swinging your arms across your midsection. Your arms should swing roughly between your waist and your heart. DON'T let your arms swing across your midsection. You want to AVOID this kind
of lateral motion. - Your hands should be nice & relaxed. Don't clench your fists. Think of holding a potato chip or butterfly in your hands. You don't want to crush either!
- Keep your chest forward and fully expanded. This will maximize the amount of oxygen you can take in when you breathe. Your upper body should be slightly
ahead of your hips when you run. - Keep your eyes near the horizon. This helps you maintain all of the aforementioned.
Lower Body
- The ideal leg turnover is roughly 170-180 strides per minute. This comes to 85-90 footstrikes for each leg per minute.
- Avoid landing on your heel! This actually slows down your forward momentum and is in effect a braking motion.
- Try to land with more of a flat foot. Your foot should plant with each stride in such a way that is roughly square underneath your hips with a slightly bent knee.
- Try to focus on a light footstrike. The most efficient runners are those who minimize the amount of impact associated with each stride.
The Lean
- The fastest runners in the world (most Kenyans) utilize a slight forward lean when they run. In utilizing this slight forward lean from the ankles (NOT
THE WAIST!), they are able to accomplish much of what is outlined above. - When you lean, you are using gravity to your advantage. You should feel a 'slight' sensation of falling when you do this. This is OK, but will take some
time to get comfortable with this position. - When the lean is utilized, your upper body naturally extends in front of your hips and essentially forces your foot to land squarely underneath your hips, rather
than landing on your heel and impeding forward momentum. - Visualize the roadrunner cartoon. His wheels (aka-legs) were always behind him moving at a fast pace, pushing him forward as he leaned forward slightly
from the ankles!
Something else that I would encourage you to do is some barefoot walking when you get a chance. As I mentioned, your feet tend to land/move a bit differently when you're barefoot versus when you wear shoes.
More specifically, your feet tend to land/move in a more biomechanically efficient way! Doing some barefoot walking periodically will help train your body to move in a more biomechanically efficient way AND help strengthen the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and tissues in your feet that are normally not utilized when wearing shoes. This will help strengthen your feet and help minimize aggravations/injuries!
Monday, May 04, 2009
Progression Run Route Description (7/2/15)
We'll be covering a total of five miles. But, this is no ordinary five miler!
Here's a link to the course map....
Progression Course Map
You'll be shifting gears several times throughout the course of this run. You'll run easy pace, tempo pace, and 5K race pace multiple times throughout the course of this run.
We will head NORTH from the Marina Green Monkey Bars on along Marina Boulevard at EASY PACE until we reach the intersection of Mason/Halleck. This is 1 MILE! Look for a 'TP' in chalk on the ground. Here you will segue into TEMPO PACE for a mile.
Continue running on the paved path along Mason past Sports Basement. Shortly after we pass Sports Basement, there is a lengthy straight stretch and a funny looking metal power box on your RIGHT. This is 1.5 MILES. Continue running at tempo pace for another half mile until you reach the Warming Hut.
The Warming Hut is 2 MILES into your run. Segue into 5K race pace. Maintain this pace for 1/2 a mile until you reach Hopper Hands at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is 2.5 MILES. Turn around here and segue into EASY PACE for 1/2 a mile to the Warming Hut to recover.
Once you reach the Warming Hut, segue into TEMPO PACE for a mile. Look for a funny looking metal power box on your LEFT and a '5P' on the ground in chalk. Segue into 5K race pace.
Maintain this pace for 1/2 a mile until we reach the intersection of Mason/Halleck. Look for an 'EP' in chalk on the ground and maintain EASY PACE for a mile back to the Marina Green Monkey Bars!
Here's a link to the course map....
Progression Course Map
You'll be shifting gears several times throughout the course of this run. You'll run easy pace, tempo pace, and 5K race pace multiple times throughout the course of this run.
We will head NORTH from the Marina Green Monkey Bars on along Marina Boulevard at EASY PACE until we reach the intersection of Mason/Halleck. This is 1 MILE! Look for a 'TP' in chalk on the ground. Here you will segue into TEMPO PACE for a mile.
Continue running on the paved path along Mason past Sports Basement. Shortly after we pass Sports Basement, there is a lengthy straight stretch and a funny looking metal power box on your RIGHT. This is 1.5 MILES. Continue running at tempo pace for another half mile until you reach the Warming Hut.
The Warming Hut is 2 MILES into your run. Segue into 5K race pace. Maintain this pace for 1/2 a mile until you reach Hopper Hands at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is 2.5 MILES. Turn around here and segue into EASY PACE for 1/2 a mile to the Warming Hut to recover.
Once you reach the Warming Hut, segue into TEMPO PACE for a mile. Look for a funny looking metal power box on your LEFT and a '5P' on the ground in chalk. Segue into 5K race pace.
Maintain this pace for 1/2 a mile until we reach the intersection of Mason/Halleck. Look for an 'EP' in chalk on the ground and maintain EASY PACE for a mile back to the Marina Green Monkey Bars!
Saturday (11/19) 2 Miler Description
In short, we will head NORTH from the Marina Green Monkey Bars on along Marina Boulevard until we reach Baker Street. We will take a right onto the Pedestrian Way running along the grassy, volleyball court area.
We will run past the volleyball courts into the parking lot. You will run through the parking lot and take a LEFT onto the Promenade which is effectively a dirt trail that runs along the waterfront.
You will see a parking area to your left(East Beach parking lot). You will run along this trail just past the end of the parking lot where I will be standing at the 1 MILE MARK. I will be hard to miss as I'll be wearing the fashion forward 'Touchdown 13.1' shirt and rocking some jams for you! You will turn around here and head back the way you came for a total of 2 MILES!
We will run past the volleyball courts into the parking lot. You will run through the parking lot and take a LEFT onto the Promenade which is effectively a dirt trail that runs along the waterfront.
You will see a parking area to your left(East Beach parking lot). You will run along this trail just past the end of the parking lot where I will be standing at the 1 MILE MARK. I will be hard to miss as I'll be wearing the fashion forward 'Touchdown 13.1' shirt and rocking some jams for you! You will turn around here and head back the way you came for a total of 2 MILES!
Training Level Definitions and Crosstraining
B-B signifies a 'Beginner' level workout. You are a beginner runner if you've never run more than a few miles.
I-I signifies an 'Intermediate' level workout. You are an intermediate runner if you've run a 5K (3.1 miles) or a 10K (6.2 miles) previously.
A-A signifies an 'Advanced' level workout. You are an advanced runner is you've run a half marathon or marathon previously.
R-R signifies a 'RACE' level workout. This training level may be most appropriate for you if you're already in shape to 'complete' a half marathon and are looking to run a personal best for 13.1 miles.
Target half Marathon pace-This term is applicable ONLY TO RACE LEVEL RUNNERS. The idea is that you should have in mind what kind of average pace per mile you want to run for the half marathon (8:00/mile, 9:00/mile, etc.) When the schedule indicates 'X' number of miles at target half marathon pace, you want to aim to run CONTINUOUSLY the number of miles indicated at your 'target half marathon pace'. The remainder of the miles should be EASY.
Cross Train-Cross train days are a day of exercise other than walking or running. Examples are: cycling, elliptical training, or swimming. The idea is to
maintain your current level of fitness while allowing recovery from your previous run workout.
DAY OFF-Rest is a very important part of the training program. You will not improve faster by substituting additional runs in place of rest days.
'T' or 'Tempo'-TEMPO is a pace that is NOT a comfortable conversational
pace, but it is NOT a sprint either. In short, it's the kind of pace you might be able to maintain for a 5K or 10K.
'Fartlek'-Funny name aside, Fartlek is a pace slightly faster than ‘tempo’. The pace should be closer to your 5K race pace. Typical fartlek workouts are indicated as ’10 minutes fartlek’. What this actually means is you run 1 minute hard/1 minute easy for a TOTAL of ’10 minutes’. This is a bit different from tempo where you maintain pace CONSISTENTLY for the entire duration.
I-I signifies an 'Intermediate' level workout. You are an intermediate runner if you've run a 5K (3.1 miles) or a 10K (6.2 miles) previously.
A-A signifies an 'Advanced' level workout. You are an advanced runner is you've run a half marathon or marathon previously.
R-R signifies a 'RACE' level workout. This training level may be most appropriate for you if you're already in shape to 'complete' a half marathon and are looking to run a personal best for 13.1 miles.
Target half Marathon pace-This term is applicable ONLY TO RACE LEVEL RUNNERS. The idea is that you should have in mind what kind of average pace per mile you want to run for the half marathon (8:00/mile, 9:00/mile, etc.) When the schedule indicates 'X' number of miles at target half marathon pace, you want to aim to run CONTINUOUSLY the number of miles indicated at your 'target half marathon pace'. The remainder of the miles should be EASY.
Cross Train-Cross train days are a day of exercise other than walking or running. Examples are: cycling, elliptical training, or swimming. The idea is to
maintain your current level of fitness while allowing recovery from your previous run workout.
DAY OFF-Rest is a very important part of the training program. You will not improve faster by substituting additional runs in place of rest days.
'T' or 'Tempo'-TEMPO is a pace that is NOT a comfortable conversational
pace, but it is NOT a sprint either. In short, it's the kind of pace you might be able to maintain for a 5K or 10K.
'Fartlek'-Funny name aside, Fartlek is a pace slightly faster than ‘tempo’. The pace should be closer to your 5K race pace. Typical fartlek workouts are indicated as ’10 minutes fartlek’. What this actually means is you run 1 minute hard/1 minute easy for a TOTAL of ’10 minutes’. This is a bit different from tempo where you maintain pace CONSISTENTLY for the entire duration.
Spring 13.1 FAQS!
-Do you have any pace groups?
No. BUT, our groups always attract 100+ runners and 'organic' pace groups just naturally form during the course of the season. Something to keep in mind is that your pace will naturally increase over the course of the season. So, you may start out running 10:00/mile and towards the latter stages of training, a more comfortable pace for you might be 9:30/mile.
-What are we doing for the first workout on Saturday, 2/26?
We are doing an EASY 2 MILE RUN (unless you are a 'Race' level runner). You can walk at certain points if you need to, but ideally we'd LOVE for you to cover the entire distance.
-YIKES! 2 Miles sounds like a LOT of running!
We don't expect you to set any landspeed records. Run the 2 miles as slow as you need to. You can take walk breaks if you like. Everyone from our previous program has completed two miles with no problems!
-How do I know which level to train at? The schedule indicates Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Race level. I'm not sure which level makes sense for me.
Great question. If you have never done any kind of substantive running OR you have been away from running for a LONG time OR you are coming back from an injury it's likely you would be a good candidate for the 'Beginner' level training.
If you are relatively active and run periodically and have perhaps completed a 5K or 10K here or there, 'Intermediate' may make the most sense for you.
If you already run 3-5 times/week and have been for some time, 'Advanced' may be a solid training level for you. 'Race' level is for folks who are ALREADY in the kind of shape to run 13.1 miles and are purely interested in becoming FASTER.
Let me emphasize that there are no hard/fast rules and feel free to toggle between the various training levels. Maybe you can only handle 'Beginner' level training the first month, but need something a bit more challenging later on. NO PROBLEM! Try tackling the 'Intermediate' or 'Advanced' level training.
Your body will let you know when you are ready for something more demanding or if you need to dial things back.
-Where do we meet for runs?
We meet at the Marina Green monkey bars (adjacent to the intersection of Marina/Webster) for the majority of our workouts (Tuesdays @ 6:30 PM/6:30AM, every Thursday @ 6:30PM, and Saturdays @ 9:30AM periodically).
Tuesday night 'satellite' runs are hosted downtown at 6:30PM launching from outside PSOAS Massage+Bodywork at 333 3rd Street btwn Folsom/Harrison.
We do change locations most Saturdays for variety. ANY CHANGE OF LOCATION IS COMMUNICATED VIA THE WEEKLY TEAM EMAIL NEWSLETTER!
-How do I get my $25 Fleet Feet Gift Certificate?
What about the technical training shirts?
Brett Lamb (owner of Fleet Feet Sports San Francisco)handles this. You can get your gift certificate at the store-2076 Chestnut Street. Technical shirts are in process and will be provide by me in the next few weeks.
-Do I need to sign up for the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon, and/or the American River Parkway Half Marathon?
If you plan on participating in these events the answer is YES! You have signed up for TRAINING. The actual half marathons are SEPARATE/DISTINCT events. The Santa Barbara Wine Country Half is technically sold out, but the race director has kindly saved some sports for us. Details around signing up will be provided via the email newsletter.
Here's the registration link for the American River Parkway Half Marathon-
American River Parkway Half Marathon Online Registration.
-What should I do between now and program launch?
You could head into Fleet Feet and get fitted for a new pair of shoes (make sure to use that $25 Fleet Feet gift certificate), get a digital watch, a few pairs of good running socks, reflective gear (for our MANY runs taking place at night), a headlight (again, for night running), and/or some running shorts/shirts! Make sure to show up ready to run on Saturday, 2/26!
-What should I do to be safe running in the dark?
Great question. Running in the dark can actually be quite exhilarating, BUT given that your visibility is compromised AND the visibility of other runners, cyclists, pedestrians, and DRIVERS is compromised it is CRITICAL that you be hyper-vigilant, tuned in, and aware of your surroundings while you are out.
Pay attention to what's in front of you, what's behind you, and be proactive. Additionally, it would be VERY wise to invest in a reflective shirt, vest or jacket as well as a safety light and or headlight to help illuminate the path in front of you.
LASTLY, I would STRONGLY discourage you from wearing an Ipod or other MP3 player during runs taking place in the dark! I know this may be tough for some of you, but think about it. Your vision is already compromised. By listening to music, you are compromising your hearing as well. It's up to you ultimately, but generally it's probably not the best idea.
-What if it's raining!? Will we still run?
YES. We may encounter inclement weather on race day and I can pretty much promise you the race will NOT be canceled! So, it's actually a good thing to train during inclement weather as you will be prepared should you encounter it on race day and your friends will think you are REALLY tough! :)
Obviously, if there are 'monsoon' like conditions where this a torrential downpour and 50MPH winds, we will likely err on the side of caution and cancel a run. But, this almost never happens.
-Additional Questions/Concerns?
EMAIL COACH MATT-MARATHONMATT@MARATHONMATT.COM!
No. BUT, our groups always attract 100+ runners and 'organic' pace groups just naturally form during the course of the season. Something to keep in mind is that your pace will naturally increase over the course of the season. So, you may start out running 10:00/mile and towards the latter stages of training, a more comfortable pace for you might be 9:30/mile.
-What are we doing for the first workout on Saturday, 2/26?
We are doing an EASY 2 MILE RUN (unless you are a 'Race' level runner). You can walk at certain points if you need to, but ideally we'd LOVE for you to cover the entire distance.
-YIKES! 2 Miles sounds like a LOT of running!
We don't expect you to set any landspeed records. Run the 2 miles as slow as you need to. You can take walk breaks if you like. Everyone from our previous program has completed two miles with no problems!
-How do I know which level to train at? The schedule indicates Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Race level. I'm not sure which level makes sense for me.
Great question. If you have never done any kind of substantive running OR you have been away from running for a LONG time OR you are coming back from an injury it's likely you would be a good candidate for the 'Beginner' level training.
If you are relatively active and run periodically and have perhaps completed a 5K or 10K here or there, 'Intermediate' may make the most sense for you.
If you already run 3-5 times/week and have been for some time, 'Advanced' may be a solid training level for you. 'Race' level is for folks who are ALREADY in the kind of shape to run 13.1 miles and are purely interested in becoming FASTER.
Let me emphasize that there are no hard/fast rules and feel free to toggle between the various training levels. Maybe you can only handle 'Beginner' level training the first month, but need something a bit more challenging later on. NO PROBLEM! Try tackling the 'Intermediate' or 'Advanced' level training.
Your body will let you know when you are ready for something more demanding or if you need to dial things back.
-Where do we meet for runs?
We meet at the Marina Green monkey bars (adjacent to the intersection of Marina/Webster) for the majority of our workouts (Tuesdays @ 6:30 PM/6:30AM, every Thursday @ 6:30PM, and Saturdays @ 9:30AM periodically).
Tuesday night 'satellite' runs are hosted downtown at 6:30PM launching from outside PSOAS Massage+Bodywork at 333 3rd Street btwn Folsom/Harrison.
We do change locations most Saturdays for variety. ANY CHANGE OF LOCATION IS COMMUNICATED VIA THE WEEKLY TEAM EMAIL NEWSLETTER!
-How do I get my $25 Fleet Feet Gift Certificate?
What about the technical training shirts?
Brett Lamb (owner of Fleet Feet Sports San Francisco)handles this. You can get your gift certificate at the store-2076 Chestnut Street. Technical shirts are in process and will be provide by me in the next few weeks.
-Do I need to sign up for the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon, and/or the American River Parkway Half Marathon?
If you plan on participating in these events the answer is YES! You have signed up for TRAINING. The actual half marathons are SEPARATE/DISTINCT events. The Santa Barbara Wine Country Half is technically sold out, but the race director has kindly saved some sports for us. Details around signing up will be provided via the email newsletter.
Here's the registration link for the American River Parkway Half Marathon-
American River Parkway Half Marathon Online Registration.
-What should I do between now and program launch?
You could head into Fleet Feet and get fitted for a new pair of shoes (make sure to use that $25 Fleet Feet gift certificate), get a digital watch, a few pairs of good running socks, reflective gear (for our MANY runs taking place at night), a headlight (again, for night running), and/or some running shorts/shirts! Make sure to show up ready to run on Saturday, 2/26!
-What should I do to be safe running in the dark?
Great question. Running in the dark can actually be quite exhilarating, BUT given that your visibility is compromised AND the visibility of other runners, cyclists, pedestrians, and DRIVERS is compromised it is CRITICAL that you be hyper-vigilant, tuned in, and aware of your surroundings while you are out.
Pay attention to what's in front of you, what's behind you, and be proactive. Additionally, it would be VERY wise to invest in a reflective shirt, vest or jacket as well as a safety light and or headlight to help illuminate the path in front of you.
LASTLY, I would STRONGLY discourage you from wearing an Ipod or other MP3 player during runs taking place in the dark! I know this may be tough for some of you, but think about it. Your vision is already compromised. By listening to music, you are compromising your hearing as well. It's up to you ultimately, but generally it's probably not the best idea.
-What if it's raining!? Will we still run?
YES. We may encounter inclement weather on race day and I can pretty much promise you the race will NOT be canceled! So, it's actually a good thing to train during inclement weather as you will be prepared should you encounter it on race day and your friends will think you are REALLY tough! :)
Obviously, if there are 'monsoon' like conditions where this a torrential downpour and 50MPH winds, we will likely err on the side of caution and cancel a run. But, this almost never happens.
-Additional Questions/Concerns?
EMAIL COACH MATT-MARATHONMATT@MARATHONMATT.COM!
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