Crazy Legs,
How do you deal with the aging process? Especially the part that includes running slower? It depresses me.
kara
Kara,
First a few facts. It would appear that the body reaches peak efficiency at the age 30 and then declines in many ways. Using age 30 as reflective of 100% performance, we see the following: (a) pumping efficiency of the heart is reduced about 20% when a person reaches 55, (b) kidney function is reduced about 25% at 55 years of age, (c) maximum breathing capacity declines about 40% by 55 and 60% by 75 years , (d) basal metabolism rate goes down about 10%. (Resource: http://www.therubins.com/aging/process1.htm)
Sorry for depressing you more but you can not stop father time. But performing endurance exercises, like walking, running or swimming, improves the health of your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. They may also delay or prevent diseases such as diabetes, colon cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and stroke.
As we age we will also lose speed while running but your endurance is still there. Maybe it is time to try ultra marathons (i.e. 50k, 50 and 100 milers) where speed is not important instead finishing becomes your goal.
Crazy Legs,
I’m training for a half marathon in 3 weeks. Unfortunately, I just found out that there are 2 significant hills on the course!!!!
What should I do??? Any last-minute training hints?
Carrie
Carrie,
Here some tips for uphill and downhill running:
When running uphill, increase stride rate and shorten your stride slightly, which will keep your center of gravity over or slightly ahead of your lead foot, and lift your knees a little more than usual on the flats. Also, increase your arm swing slightly. Driving the arms a little harder will help to overcome the pull of gravity.
When running downhill, lengthen your stride a little and pay attention to your footstrike. Avoid hard heel strikes, which indicates that you are leaning back and overstriding with your knees too straight or locked and a lot of shock transmitted to your legs, knees, and hips. Try to land midfoot or forefoot with your knees flexed. A gentle heel strike followed by a quick roll onto the forefoot is OK if “forcing” a midfoot landing isn’t comfortable. Unlike running uphill, an exaggerated arm swing is counter-productive when running downhill. Gravity provides the power going downhill. The arms are used mostly to maintain balance and rhythm
Hey Crazy Legs,
Training for my first half-marathon has been sidetracked. I had to take a month off and pretty much lost my base.The race is in 2 weeks, and I haven’t put all the time and the miles in for preparation. In order to avoid injuring myself I’ve been doing a longer run on sundays (between 6 and 8 miles so far) and one or two 4-5 mile runs during the week.Am I screwed? I’m not looking break any records–I just want to finish it without injury.
Harv
Harv,
As a running coach, I would recommend not running the race. I tend to see people who did not properly train try to “wing it” in a half or full marathon. Many of these runners end up with serious injuries that sideline them for months. You should get your training back on track and find another half-marathon that you can do properly trained.
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Regardless, when I do see them, there is no shortage of questions I want to ask them. I wonder if this is a good run for them. If not, what is keeping them going? What made them start running? Are they training for a race or running just for fitness? Have they always been a runner or did other sports call their name first? What sort of watch is that? Does the trail we are on have good footing?
If I am running, I curse silently to myself if they are going the other direction. If I overtake them, I wonder if they mind if I would stop and chat Sometimes, it is all I can do to not stop them and ask them some if not all of the questions I have in my mind. I obviously resist, as I would not want my workout interfered with by some nosy stranger.
However, I do often shout words of encouragement. Sometimes it appears to be appreciated. Sometimes it falls on deaf ears that are plugged with earphones. And there are even a few times where I get a look as if it is none of my business how good or not there run is.
Nevertheless, even when I never exchange so much as a head nod, I silently wish them well. I am no great runner to be “proud” of people I do not know, but I am nonetheless. I am proud regardless of their pace, present physical shape or grace in running. They are not on couch. They are running.
If you want to talk to me too, you can find me on Twitter, and at my Blog.
]]>I had to admit, this little dude had a point. This morning when I got up, my thermometer read -10 and the wind was howling. Welcome to winter training in Caratunk, Maine. It isn’t the coldest I have trained in by any means (last year we had 2 weeks of between -30 and -40), but last week I was running in shorts, so this change was a little shocking to say the least. Since I was working at home, I moved my morning run to my lunch hour, hoping the temperature would creep up to at least zero.
As noon approached, the excuses creeped into my head. “You have too much work to do, you really don’t have time…” and “Run tomorrow (which then turns into run tomorrow…then run tomorrow…),” and “Did you see it was -5 IN THE SUN you moron?”
That excuse demon was trying to work his way into my head, and he isn’t easy to ignore when he speaks what is logic to most people.
As I was starting to give in to the reasons why I shouldn’t run, I reviewed my goals for 2010. Granted, this one 5-mile run won’t make or break my 2010 season, but whether or not I do it does set a precedent for my off season training. I want a solid base going into 2010, with a spring marathon and a late summer half iron man planned as key races, and this is just a piece of the foundation. I do not need the excuse demon to squeeze into any part of my training; I want him to be a spectator who eventually fades into the crowd.
So I bundled up, laced up my sneakers, and stepped outside. My nostrils froze instantly, and the thought slipped through my head, “Most people don’t even ski in this weather, no wonder your neighbors think you are a freak.”
Shrugging off the easy out, the excuse that would send me running back inside diving under a blanket with a big cup of hot cocoa and a good book, I pulled my scarf up over my face, put my head down into the wind, and started running. After 5 minutes, I was comfortable. After the first mile, I was warm and enjoying the view of the icy Kennebec River flowing by, not imagining being anywhere else but right where I was, running in the freezing cold with a big smile on my face. ?
]]>Point to Remember When Strength Training
• Avoid fixed weight machines
• Use exercises that are similar to the functional pattern of running
• Include core strength and stability exercises
• Focus program to improve overall joint strength and power with minimal hypertrophy
When strength training, ultrarunners need to avoid any fixed weight machines. Linear exercise equipment, which only allows uni-axial movement patterns from stable starting positions, discourages the recruitment of synergists and stabilizers. Fixed weight equipment is best used for the initial specific strengthening of an injured muscle but it is important that any strength training performed needs to be designed in a functional pattern. Distance running uses more thigh muscles than the hip girdle muscles: doing resistive quadriceps and hamstring exercises while sitting on a machine only adds to imbalance that sport produces.
Think of your body has a functional unit, with muscles working together to coordinate athletic actions. Ultrarunners need to choose exercises that follow the functional pattern of running as best as possible. New advances in functional strength training equipment include ground base technology plate-loaded machines. This equipment from Hammer Strength allows exercisers to train with both feet on the ground, simulating the total body coordination, core stability training and muscular involvement of many movements for maximum transfer to sports performance while providing a stable environment for overloading muscles. Cable and bands exercises can also simulate the functional pattern of running.
Core strength and stability is vital part of ultrarunner strength training program. The ‘core’ foundation is needed for later dynamic muscular development and to maximize the propulsive forces generated by the leg. All force produced by the upper and lower truck muscles either begins or is transferred through the truck and lower torso, so if the ultrarunner can maintain a solid and efficient core most of the force produced by the legs will move them forward. Without core strength there is a greater risk of injury and, when running, energy is lost through the twisting of the truck region which absorbs and wastes energy. Swiss and medicine ball strength training are good examples of tools that can be used to improve core strength and stability.
As distance runners the enlargement of muscle fibers or hypertrophy should not be the goal of strength training. The goal of the program should be to improvement in muscular endurance or ability of a muscle to avoid fatigue. This is achieve be keeping the repetitions twelve and fifteen with sets of three. Plyometric exercises may also be added to enable the muscle to reach maximal force in the shortest possible time.
The value of strength training on a person’s performance in ultramarathons is significant. Incorporating the ideas presented this article will increase performance and decrease injuries associated with ultra running.
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