Training With Al

Mercedes Over? Now What?

2016-02-15T05:42:00.000-08:00

"The thirst you feel in your throat and lungs will be gone minutes after the race is over. The pain in your legs within days, but the glory of your finish will last forever." - Unknown

Well, first of all, I want to congratulate all runners and walkers who did the Mercedes Marathon and Half Marathon yesterday. What a fantastic day we had. Just to think about running or walking miles and miles is enough to make most folks go lie down. I always say it's not doing the race that makes the marathoner, it's getting through the 5 months of training! When I first began running marathons in the late 70's (No, not the 1870's!) the recommended training period was 6 months if you ran but didn't have a solid base. Now, folks come out because you got a flyer in the mail, decide you would skip all that Base stuff, set a goal of a Half or Full Marathon out there and you hang in for 20 weeks. The next thing you know is that you have a medal around your neck. Finishing a marathon is something you can NEVER explain to anyone, and it's something that, no matter whatever you do from here on out, anyone can EVER take away from you. If you did this with The Bell Center, TNT, or any other charity, your rewards were even bigger. YOU are saving and changing lives. Through being a TNT Coach for so many years, I know the power of fund-raising and I know what you've been through to get there, but more importantly, I know what it means to children and adults you will never know. That's the best kind of giving, isn't it?

So, what do you do if you did Mercedes? After the soreness wears off - and you're sure it never will - you're all jacked up and despite whatever you said late in the race, you'll start thinking about your next race. Give yourself a break and enjoy what you've just done. Only one-tenth of 1% of the US population has ever finished a marathon - that's pretty select company. You'll start to feel better long before your muscles are ready to go through that again, and don't be surprised if you get a cold in the next week or so. I think that while you train, your immune system takes a tumble and some other forces are at work to ward off the evil germs, but then when you eventually complete your event, your body says "OK, are you through with that for a while? I'm not fighting Mother Nature for a little bit, so you're on your own!". You should take a few days off from running, but try to do some walking, biking, easy elliptical, etc. to keep the blood flowing to help the damaged muscles repair. Try not to take anti-inflammatories (Advil, Aleve) for a few days as inflammation is actually part of the healing process, so stick to Tylenol to control the soreness. Your first few runs will immediately remind you of how you felt at the end of the race, but that will pass. Your best bet for the next two weeks is to just do your taper in reverse. The danger lies in if you try to race too soon. Then you may be setting yourself for an injury. No racing for at least 3-4 weeks and then try to keep it short and/or easy. There are alot of 5K's in the area, so you might want to look at one towards the middle of March. Anyway, go easy on yourself as you recover - easy runs, stretch, ice sore muscles for the first couple of days and keep your medal close at all times so absolutely nobody you encounter misses the chance to see it! If you want to see a funny, very short video from the London Marathon about what runners look like the day after the marathon, go to here.

So, this volume of Training With Al has come to a close. I hope it's been of help to some of you training for Mercedes or your own marathon. Then in September, we'll blow the dust off these posts and recycle them to the next batch of Mercedes runners. To them, the posts will be new, and the rest of you new veterans will review slightly revamped episodes of Training With Al. If at any time you have any questions about training, don't hesitate to contact me.

If you have any ideas for this blog, have a comment about how next year it might be better, or anything else, just email me at trainingwithal@gmail.com

So, again congratulations and I'll see you when I see you on the roads - AL

Here We Go...It's Mercedes Showtime

2016-02-09T06:37:00.001-08:00

So, here we go. It's Mercedes week and everybody's freaking out! Well, all I can say is just relax and just work on the things you can control. If this is your first marathon or half marathon, I thought I would just pass along some tips about this weekend.

When you go to the expo to pickup your number at Boutwell, be careful if there is free food out there. You don't want to be loading up on Metamucil samples the day before the race! Tasting is fine, but keep it to a minimum.

Do not confuse "carbo-loading" with "carbo-stuffing". Don't wait till Saturday night and try to stuff a pound of Rigatoni into your gut. During the week this week, you should try to eat some healthy carbs (pasta, rice, veggies, you know the routine), and don't force feed. You're going to be cutting down your miles run so the body will have no trouble storing the "extra" carbs for fuel. Be sure to drink often during the week. I try to be sure to have a bottle of water on my desk all the time AND during race week, I you might want to try to drink at least one energy drink a day (gatorade or powerade, NOT RED BULL!!).

On the day before the race, lay out all your race clothes, pin on your race number, and if we have a race chip this year, tie it on your shoe so you don't forget it. The chip might be part of your race bib, so then it's one less thing to screw up!

Arrive at Boutwell Auditorium early. You're going to be nervous enough - why add to it by getting to the start late? The race starts at 7AM and parking can be a little tricky if you get there late.

Right now (like that carries a lot of weight) it looks like it might be pretty cool (mid 20's). "Cold" at the start might become "pretty doggone warm" by mile 20. WEAR LESS THAN YOU THINK YOU NEED. Now go back and read that last sentence again! OK, one more time...I'll wait. Wearing a 55 gallon garbage bag waiting at the start may be your best running gear purchase (sorry, Val). It's waterproof, it's windproof, BUT IT IS NOT BREATHABLE, so don't run too far in it. You can just rip it off at the start and be sure to toss it on the sidewalk, NOT on the course where some slightly aging runner (me) might trip over it! Dress in layers, so you can shed some clothes if needed. If it's cold, use HotHands in your gloves. They'll stay toasty warm for several hours. Also, a trick I've been using on the trails this year is that if you carry a water bottle, fill it with warm water at the start instead of cold!

Be sure to position yourself at the start based on your pace. If you're walking, don't get in the front, because you'll get run over by some guy trying to win the race in the first 50 yards. There shoud be pacing signs at the start so you have an idea where to begin. I think there will be pace groups up to 5 hours (about 11:30/mile). Now, these are for the full marathon, but the course is a two loop course, so you can do the math for the half marathon.

Before the race, be sure to try to learn the course so you have an idea what's up ahead. There are some hills on this course, but this is Birmingham and we're only going to worry about the things we can control. Knowing your opponent (the course) is the first step in winning (finishing).

Thank all the volunteers and Police out there. They don't get big bucks to keep you safe and happy, and they're there for a long time. And if it's cold, they're not running to stay warm.

Try to have a great time, and remember, when you cross the finish line, they will be taking your picture, so smile, hands up, and for goodness sake, DON'T BE HITTING YOUR WATCH - it makes a lousy 1st marathon finishing photo!

If you have any concerns, email me at runningwithal@yahoo.com

Almost Showtime For Mercedes. ONE WEEK TO GO!!

2016-02-04T13:58:00.002-08:00

"There will be days when you don't know if you can run a marathon. There will be a lifetime of knowing that you have"

Hi guys - Holy Crow! What a huge crowd we had down at Boutwell last week for our "on-the-course" training run. There had to be close to 150 folks there! A big thanks to Val from The Trak Shak for putting out all the water & Gu, opening up Boutwell, and having coffee and Do-nut holes at the finish (Man, they were good). And a big Thank You to the Cahaba Cyclists that accompanied us to prevent cars from running us over. They were great to have out there. With so many folks out then, and with the huge crowds I saw running the streets this weekend, I know this is going to be one fantastic Mercedes.

All of you training for the Mercedes Marathon or Half Marathon, pay attention. THE RACE IS A LITTLE OVER ONE WEEK AWAY!!! Now, if any of you are surprised by that, call me immediately...we need to talk! Now, about the next week! From here on out, I want you all to just relax and believe you can do this. Visualize the course EVERY day, EVERY night! Learn the turns, learn where the hills are, know where the aid stations are, know where to get gel...it's all on the Mercedes Marathon website. In other words, get the race in your head so you literally know what's coming all the time. You know how that drive to work in the morning just kind of goes by? Some mornings I wonder how I got to point B from point A, because I sure don't remember going by anything in between A & B (OK, I know there's nothing between A & B, but you get the idea). The running and walking will not exactly be automatic, but you are trained and your body won't let you down as long as you stay positive. Keep negative thoughts out of your head. Again, stay as relaxed as you can. It will take you a couple of miles to get comfortable, so take that time to just let your body unwind and the miles will click by. The middle will let you know that you are working your engines, and then in the final third of the run you may have to start digging down deep, but as they say (whoever "they" are), the marathon is easy until it gets hard!

As I have been preaching since about October - don't do anything in the race you haven't done in training!! How can I be clearer? How about don't do anything stupid!! Remember, don't overdress. You should feel a little chilly at the start, but protect your hands and your head if it's cold. This week, your runs should be short, but done at the same pace you have been doing your training runs. After this weekend's long run, I recommend 2-4 short sessions of 20-40 minutes...no more! On the morning of the race, be sure to get some calories in you before the race. It doesn't matter if it's liquid, solid, or something in between (a Denny's Gland Slam Breakfast is probably not a good idea - unless of course, you've been doing this in training). It's amazing to me how many folks try to do a marathon or half marathon on an empty stomach. I mean, c'mon people, you're going to be out there for hours and there's no smart reason to begin empty after a 12 hour fast!! For those of you with finicky stomachs, there is something out there that will help your energy supplies...Boost, toast & jelly, oatmeal, soft energy bar...SOMETHING! If you have any questions or concerns, NOW would be a good time to contact me. I'm here for you. This weekend, plan on wearing most of what you plan to wear on race day, and just for good measure try to eat before this weekend's run whatever you're planning to eat pre-run on race day. Better to upchuck this week someplace in Homewood instead of mile 3 at Mercedes next week!

Next week's TWA will be a little more specific about the expo, the night and the morning before the race and a few specifics about Mercedes itself. Be smart!

I'll see you all on the roads - AL

"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"

Oh Yeah! Two Weeks Till Showtime!

2016-01-28T17:29:00.000-08:00

"Tapering is to the marathon what sleep is to life"

What??? Two weeks??? You've got to be kidding. Guess we better start training pretty hard, don't you think? If you answered yes, go to the back of the class. This is the TAPERING PHASE - that wonderful part of training only surpassed by the totally unnecessary tradition of carboloading.

Tapering. It might be one of the most feared words in a runner’s vocabulary, right next to patience and rest. After months of long miles, finding the right balance of sharpening and rest to hit race day firing on all cylinders can be a nerve-wracking process. Even more daunting is that the taper isn’t an exact science. Ask any ten coaches and researchers what the optimal taper would be and you’ll get several different answers. However, coaches and scientists do agree on a few principles that are constant in the perfect taper. Unfortunately, these universal elements are also the most frequent aspects most runners botch in the last two weeks of their training.

Our mileage is drastically down, causing the body to say "whew", but also knowing that this is one big trick and it better store all the carbos it can in those little, resting muscles in case you pull a fast one and try to do something stupid like...well, you figure it out. You can do a lot more harm these next two weeks than you can do things to help your performance, so calm down, realize the cow's almost in the barn, and pat yourself on the back for getting through months of training. I've always felt that you earn your marathoner badge in training, not the day of the race.

It'll always seem impossible until you cross under that finish line banner. That's not an original quote, but one I've always used it with new marathoners. These next two weeks are pretty much to keep from getting hurt. You can do a lot more harm than good. During this taper period, you cut down your mileage to roughly 50% of your normal mileage and take a deep physical breath. You just want to recharge, heal, and get mentally ready. Get a map of the course (including elevation!) at the Mercedes Marathon web site, and memorize it. Picture yourself going through the different stages of the race and smoothly going up and down the hills - I didn't say FAST, I said smoothly. Visualization is so important and to do this, you have to know what's coming up (or down). During a quiet moment, try to recall the course in your head without the help of the map. Where the mind goes, the body will follow. You can't go in with a bunch of negative thoughts, and you can't hang around people who do have them. Don't let anyone doubt that you can do the race. You know you can do this. Just stay calm and approach it like you do for every long run on Saturday or Sunday mornings - OK, maybe a LITTLE more awake!

Also, you don't have to go crazy with all this "carbo-loading" talk. For Pete's sake, you've been carbo-loading for the past 4 months. The fact that you're cutting down your mileage will automatically carbo-load for you. You'll want to drink a little more, so in the next two weeks, don't pass any water fountains without taking a swig. Getting a little more electrolytes into you is also a good idea, so salt your food a little more (for the sodium), eat a few bananas (for the potassium), and drink some extra Gatorade-like drinks.

Just a reminder, the 2nd of our Mercedes Course preview runs is this Sunday at 6:30 at Boutwell Auditorium downtown.

Again, you have to trust me. The tapering is as important as the past 20 weeks of training. Don't screw it up! Relax.

I'll see you on the roads, hopefully this Sunday - AL

"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"

Holy Cow!!! Only three weeks Till Mercedes!

2016-01-21T07:24:00.003-08:00

"Victory or defeat is not determined at the moment of crisis, but rather in the long and unspectacular period of preparation" - Winston Churchill

OK, so I don't want to surprise anyone, but if you're training for Mercedes, we only have 3 more weeks of training from this Sunday, and two of those weeks are taper weeks.YIKES!!!!

Soooooo, that means that Saturday is your 20 miler. You don't treat it any different than any other training run, just do it slow and steady. Like we'll do in the race itself, just break it down into small segments. Most water stops are about 2-3 miles apart, so that's a good segment. The purpose of the long run is not to see how fast you can get it done, it's just to be on your feet for several hours and build some much needed confidence.

If you can, try to wear the same shoes you plan to wear on race day. Unless you like surprises, it's a good idea to try everything out before race day. Something that feels good for a 5 mile run may turn into clothes from the devil at 16. It always continues to amaze me the things folks come up with as we get closer to marathon day. We all look for the "magic bullet" that will make this a walk in the park. You know what? - It ain't there. Hard work, sweat, and consistency with the whole process (training, clothes, food, fuel, rest, etc) is the ONLY way to assure success. Believe in yourself. If you've trained this far, and done well, then Saturday, or 3 weeks from Sunday, will be no different. You'll finish this long run and say "I couldn't have run any further than that!" Heck, that's what you say after a 5 mile, a 10 mile, or a 15 mile run. You set a mental goal, and your mind doles out the effort (mental and physical) to meet that goal. How many of you actually thought you'd get this far? Oh sure, you had the hope of being here, but the HOPE didn't do it. Hope is the teaser you hold on to until reality sets in. You did it by getting out there on Sundays, or Saturdays, and Mondays, and...all 150 of those days! You learned how to walk, write, read, play basketball, and now how to run marathons. Don't make it something it's not. It's a great physical accomplishment that you trained yourself for. Be confident in yourself. YOU are all you have to answer to. It's almost showtime, so lace up those shoes and I'll see you on the roads.

Now, pay attention: on Sunday, January 31st, we will run our 2nd trial run on the Mercedes Course from Boutwell Auditorium downtown (the Start Line) at 6:30am. If you missed the first Trial Run, try your best to get out there for this one. Many thanks to Monica, Val & Jeff and the Trak Shak staff for opening Boutwell for warmth & restrooms and providing Powerade, water, and Gu on the course. The last one was a real success. A course map can be found at www.mercedesmarathon.com . If you're doing the half marathon, then just return to Boutwell from 5 Points for 8.6 miles.

Hope you all have a good training week and I'll see you on the roads - AL

"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"

Yikes!! Four Weeks Till Mercedes!

2016-01-14T10:08:00.000-08:00

"Sometimes I lie in bed at night and I ask 'Where did I go wrong?'. Then a voice says to me, 'This is going to take more than one night.'" - Charlie Brown

As Mary Engelbrit says "Time flies whether you're having fun or not". Well, time is sure flying for all of us. Just four weeks from Sunday, you Mercedes guys will be lining up for "Showtime in Birmingham". I hope all of you boys and girls are getting excited. Hope you're not saying to yourself "yikes, what have I done. I can't get ready in 4 weeks". You're right, you can't get ready in 4 weeks - you got ready in the months you've put behind you on the road, in the cold, in the rain, in the dark. Calm down. it's going to be fine.

This Sunday is 1st of two trial runs on the Mercedes course (the next is Jan 30th). For one week, Monica doesn't have to come up with a course that finds "The hidden roads of Birmingham". We will leave Boutwell Audtorium @ 6:30AM. Once again, Valerie McLean, the Mercedes Race Director and owner of the Trak Shak (where you should be getting all your running gear) will weave her magic and open the lobby of Boutwell so we can get out of the cold before we run. She and her staff will also provide aid stations and Gu on the course, so be sure to thank her. I understand the course is marked, but it's big M's with arrows on the pavement, so pay attention if you're separated from a big group (not that a big group can't get lost...they definitely can). So, one full loop will be 13.1 miles. You made a commitment, I made a commitment...let's go!!!! Show up!!! If you want to view the course, just go to the Mercedes Website. Man, I love technology!! If you have any concerns, email me.

What you need to do now is to go to the Mercedes Marathon website again and print out two copies of the course and have one at work and one at home. Learn the course's uniqueness - where the miles are, where the hills are, the aid stations, the porta-potties, turns, straightaways, EVERYTHING. Visualize running the race, picture yourself going up those hills, stopping at the aid stations, stopping at the porta-potties (OK, let's not visualize that!), and finally, see yourself getting to the finish line, people cheering, music playing, and a medal being placed around your neck. When you do these things in your mind, you should feel your pulse go up and your breathing getting more rapid. Why does that happen? Because your mind is so entwined with your body that it has trouble distinguishing between what is real or imagined, so it starts reacting like you are running, and it is doing something called "cerebral mapping". It is learning how to react in a situation and the more familiar it is to a situation, the calmer it is and the more it will react like it did in training (physical OR mental). If it knows what to expect, things will go a lot smoother. Getting out every weekend and putting in those long runs are for a reason folks, and one of those reasons is when you're deep in a race, your body will say "we've been here before" instead of "what in the sam-hill are you doing?!!". And when you sit and learn all the aspects of the race course, that mental training will pay off big.

It just slays me when I talk to runners after a marathon and they say "I didn't know it was going to be that hilly" - DID YOU NOT LOOK AT THE COURSE DESCRIPTION BEFORE THE RACE? Sometimes the Race Director will be a little deceiving with his "rolling hill" baloney, but you can usually see an elevation map on the website. I think Mercedes will be using Powerade as their aid station drink and GU products for their gel, so start using that in your training runs.

BTW, if you're thinking of using a Pace Group during your race, you should read this post in my RUNNING WITH AL blog that I wrote a couple of years ago about what goes through the mind of a Pace Leader. I used to write a weekly blog about my running, but sort of got off the track and haven't written in a few months. I really enjoyed writing it, so I need to get back on that horse. Anyway, I think there will be pacers at the trial run Sunday, so hook up and leave your worries to somebody else (well, some of your worries!).

I'll see you on the roads - AL

Five Weeks To Go!! Breaking It Down. Don't Panic!

2016-01-08T06:07:00.001-08:00

"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small steps."--Henry Ford

Hi guys - Henry Ford may not have been a marathoner, but he sure had the idea about endurance performance down pat. When you're at the starting line and you're looking at 26 miles of running, or 100 miles of cycling, or who knows what else, you'll put yourself in a hole if you think of the whole day ahead of you. Little steps - the day broken up into manageable, attainable pieces - is the key to completing an endurance event. With an 19 miler planned for Saturday for our Mercedes marathoners, that above quote should have extra meaning. The training runs get longer. It gets harder to wrap your head around the task. As you train more and more for long distance endurance events, whether it be running, cycling, swimming, whatever, I think the training becomes ingrained as who you are and the event you're training for becomes a measure of how your training is going. I'm always asked "Are you training for anything?", and I answer "I'm ALWAYS training".

You've been training for over 3 months now for Mercedes and each week you tack on a little more. Sneaks up on you, doesn't it? You've trained in heat, cold, rain, wind, a World Series, a whole football season, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and charged right on through Christmas and New Years, and will run past the Super Bowl. WHEW!!! You look back and wonder how you've lasted that long. Well, you've lasted the same way you do the long run each week - by breaking it down into small, manageable pieces and only focus on the portion at hand and not the entire enchilada. When you look at your weekly schedule, the question is always "What's the long run this week?", not how many miles do you have to run during the 20 weeks you train. In the past, I've talked about the importance of your goal setting to be just to finish, and this week (and every week), it's to look at the run (training or the event itself) as parts, not a whole.

Before I got my fancy GPS watch, when I'd run a marathon, I'd hit my chronograph every 3 miles. That way I break the run into just 8 parts. Three miles would allow for water breaks, potty stops, hills, short lapses of concentration (one of my favorite diversions), whatever...it would pretty much even out. Every 3 miles I look at my split time and say "good", "oops", or "crap", depending on where I am relative to my plan. These little segments are manageable to me. The point is that whether you're doing a 5K or a marathon, you've done the training and all you have to do is monitor yourself over the run so your body does what you trained it for. If you train at 10 min/mile, don't expect the Good Angel to swoop down on race day and allow you to run 9 min/mile!

The mind will be your greatest foe - it will use every trick in the book to make you stop doing this foolishness. You MUST practice positive thinking during these last few weeks of training. Fatigue, discomfort, tightness, and whole host of other wonderful feelings are all a part of the game, but you know they're coming because you meet them every week, and as a group, you whine together and the next thing you know, there you are back where you started with another long run under your belt (elastic waistband). When you start to hit that fatigue point, acknowledge that it's there, but also realize that you're not really feeling that badly (OK, 24 miles into the marathon, you might be really feeling bad, but the balloons are close). What you are feeling is the reflection of your effort level. Focus on your breathing and your cadence, and this will shift your focus off the fatigue (I didn't say it would eliminate it). Your body is doing what it's been trained to do and that's moving you forward towards the finish line. Think only about what you need to do RIGHT NOW - pace, breathing, concentration. Thinking "I am really tired and want to just sit down on the curb and cry" has absolutely no positive benefits! Relax, concentrate on the task at hand, and perform up to your capabilities.

You are trained, but you're just not THERE yet. There are going to be training runs on the Mercedes course January 17th and January 30th and that's a good trial to see where you are and get familiar with the course. Check the Mercedes or TrakShak websites for details. If you have any comments or training questions, don't hesitate to leave them in the Comments section here or email me. Until then...

I'll see you on the roads - AL

Getting Fuel in During the Marathon

2016-01-01T12:41:00.006-08:00

"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses--behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road--long before I dance under the lights" - Mohammed Ali

I hope all of you got some cool running gadgetry or clothes over the holidays and are ready to put them to some good tests. I spent my Christmas up in Boston with family and I must say it is crazy running in Boston in December and it's 65 degrees. And one last stray note...I don't hide that I am not an Alabama fan, but after watching them completely dismantle Michigan State last night, I am convinced that nobody could beat them. Guess that's why they're 7 point favorites to beat Clemson, an undefeated #1 team! OK, on to running stuff.

Last week, I got to talking with one of our newer marathon trainees and the talk drifted towards what to take in during the long training runs or the race itself. As I said a few blogs back, the body can only store maybe, about 2000 calories in carbohydrates, and seeing that carbs are the absolute #1 preference for your engine to use as fuel, and also seeing that you burn about 100 calories per mile, it doesn't take Watson The Computer to figure out that somewhere around 18 miles, your engine will start sputtering and your GAS light will come on. This is simple science. You can alter the carbs/fat burning ratio quite a bit during training (that's why training MUST be consistent), but other than that, you better be throwing some carbo-logs into the fire along the way.

When I’m running a marathon, I take in 4-5 gels during the race, usually about 45-60 minutes apart. This provides about 150 calories of carbohydrates per hour to keep me running strong (a totally relative reference). In addition, I like to drink whatever sugar drink (Powerade, Gatorade, etc) they have, so totally (gels + drinks), I supplement my rapidly depleting energy stores with about 250 calories/hour. Depending on your bodyweight and your pace, you may need more or less than this, but 250-300 calories is about all your engine can process/hour without mucking up the food-to-energy continuum.

I have found that gels are the most convenient form of carbohydrates for me to carry during long distance runs. They are small and easy to carry in the pockets of my shorts or in a waist belt. Plus, I actually like the taste of most of them, but we are all different and some people just can’t stand the taste or texture of gels. I’ve had the opportunity to try many brands (Gu, Powergel, Hammergel, etc) and there are some that I prefer over others. To me, they go down easily, and they are easily digested, so generally, it should get into your bloodsteam in about 10 minutes IF you dilute it with water (otherwise you wind up with a big carbo-ball sitting in your stomach). I generally like lighter flavors like vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, or citrus vs. stronger flavors like espresso, although my favorite is Peanut Butter Gu.

Now, some of these gels have 25mg or 50mg of caffeine, but how it affects your performance is a whole other bag of potatoes. But being I brought it up, here goes...when I mentioned caffeine to this runner I mentioned above, she says "Man, if I take one of those Powergels with caffeine, I get too hyped up!". C'mon folks, a cup of coffee has something like 120 mg of caffeine and if you're a Starbuck's fan, then you're talking 200mg. Powergel has 25 mg! The 2X has 50mg - HALF A CUP OF REGULAR COFFEE!! I don't think that's going to have you bouncing off the walls. It's meant to give you a little kick, but mostly rather than jolting you like a Starbuck's Double Latte, caffeine has been shown to help with the breakdown of fat into muscle fuel and increase the speed the absorption of ingested carbohydrates (which is what Powergel is). But, the mind is a strong (though sometimes not very smart) muscle, that can have a dramatic effect on how you respond to all aspects of the race. Like I've always said (paraphrasing my grandmother), "If you BELIEVE tying a piece of garlic around your neck will make you run faster, then tie it around your neck - AND YOU WILL RUN FASTER!!.

If you don’t like gels, the fact of the matter is that a carbohydrate molecule is the same no matter it's source and there are a lot of alternative forms of carbohydrates that you can try. As with gels, be sure to test them out on your training runs to make sure they are convenient for you to carry, that you can eat them on the run without choking on them, and that they don’t upset your stomach causing your body to hit the "reset" button...otherwise known as throwing up!

Here’s a list of other carbohydrate-rich foods that you can try though I REALLY hesitate recommending some of them;
Clif Shot Bloks (fancy Gummy Bears)
PowerBar Gel Blasts (same as Bloks)
Honey Stingers (they make gels and some waffle-like things. Good, but hard to carry)
Sport Beans (c'mon, they're Jelly-bellys)
Twizzlers
Gummy Bears
Jelly Beans
Tootsie Rolls
Hard Candies
Bananas
Raisins
Go-Gurt (squeeze-pack yogurt)
GoGo Squeez Applesauce (or other fruit)
Cookies
Fig Newtons (nutritionally, very close to Powerbars and a whole lot cheaper)
Energy Bars (hard to chew on the run...impossible in cold weather)
De-fizzed Coke or other soft drink
Honey (I saw somebody once drinking it straight - Yecchh!)

You can get a lot more specific of which forms of carbohydrates are better to consume, but generally, the big picture is pretty much the same...keeping fuel in your engine to get you to the finish line balloons. Find something you like, but more importantly, something you believe in. Now, if we can come up with that lasagna flavor gel, then we're really cooking!!

I'll see you on the roads - AL

Do You Believe In Miracles?

2015-12-27T09:08:00.001-08:00

"I don't expect a perfect performance, just a perfect effort" - Lisa Batchen-Smith, ultrarunner

These holidays just sorta threw me off schedule with my training blog, but I think I'm close to back to normal (ha!). During some spare time, I watched a video of the 1980 USA Hockey Team winning the Olympic Gold medal. A bunch of college misfits that nobody gave a plug nickel to win anything. They wound up beating the almost invincible Soviet Union team and went on to win the Gold Medal.

BUT, they believed in themselves and they believed in each other. I'm a big believer in trying to stay positive during your training. We keep running longer and the body gets tired, but don't expect it to come easy. You have to believe that what you're doing will get you under those finish line balloons. Just understand that's that what training for a marathon is about - tear down, build up, adapt and improve! As a matter of fact, there's a Nike ad I saw in Runners World...It says "Evoloution. It's what happens between runs.". When you train, each run by itself is only a small piece of the whole apple pie, but you want most of them to be sloped towards the positive side of the training hill. It's layer upon layer. When you have a bad run, don't say, "This hurts too much, I want to lie down and die". Say, "Sometime in February, I'll do well because of runs like this". Don't worry AT ALL about your pace, just get through the runs. Look only at what you have to do right now, the rest will take care of itself.

This week, the runners training for the Mercedes Full had 14 miles scheduled and the halfers had 7. Yeah, the prediction was for rain, but this is cold and rain season, so think positive....c'mom folks, you all are doing great and have to be thinking to yourselves "hey, I think I can do this". I know, it still seems like a long way and all I can tell you is that it always seems like a long way. There has to be some fear built in to instill the desire to get out there day after day, cold or not. If it gets too easy, or if you just don't have the spark to succeed, then the handwriting is on the road - the odds of achieving your goal are pretty slim, but if you're confident that you're putting in the effort, that your schedule is built to allow you to climb that mountain, and if you truly believe in yourself, well then, put it in drive and GO!

You know, Yogi Berra once said "Baseball is 50% physical and 90% mental". I think most goals are somewhere around that ratio. When that gun goes off, 99% of us are dueling against ourselves, not the other thousands of competitors. Running is not a team sport. You're out there on your own, so how do you sway the odds in your favor. Well, mentally, you have to eliminate all negative thoughts and try not to be surrounded by folks that just complain all the time about how terrible their running is. Man, I wonder why some of these folks come out. Before they even begin, they've completely talked themselves out of any good effort. Your perception and thoughts lead to a change in feelings which then direct your actions. When your thoughts are negative, either before or during a run, you may become anxious or emotional and your performance starts a downward spiral that looks like one of those World War I bi-planes going down in one of those old war movies.

In training, you need to work on your positive thoughts because it's less of a "pressure" situation - you're running with a group, the run is easy, and if your run goes down the toilet, there's always tomorrow. Talk to yourself in positive ways - in training, you can judge every situation that occurs, whether it be good or bad, in a conscious or subconscious way. Your body learns something from EVERY run you do. Sometimes, it may learn NEVER to do a run like that again, but it learns something! So, if you go out too fast, or eat a Big Mac before you run, or try to do a 17 miler after being out all night, whatever - you take that situation and realize that it was a bad run because of something YOU had control over. Tell yourself "I'm trained to run a good run, I'm strong.". BECAUSE YOU ARE! Mentally program yourself to believe you are ready to achieve your goal NOW. Think in the present, not in the future. When you're running, think of the mile you're in, not the miles ahead. You will improve physically every week, but you have to mentally believe that you are a trained long distance athlete.

Do you believe in miracles (like the USA Hockey Team)? Well, it doesn't matter if you do or not...you finishing means getting your butt out there, training smart, and believing in that person attached to your running shoes. If you're trusting in a miracle without the believing in yourself, let me know how that turns out!

I'll see you all on the roads - AL

"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"

Running With a Little Walking Thrown In

2015-12-17T15:47:00.000-08:00

"When you say you're slow, do you mean compared to the people who never exercise or the vast majority of people who can't run a mile without stopping? You're a runner. There is no such thing as slow!" - good quote, but I forgot to write down who said it

Years ago, when I was coaching Team-in-Training, Ken Harkless was coaching the run/walkers. I was the big, tough Run Coach and when he first starting doing run/walking, I would kid him before the race and ask if he was going to do "the girlie thing". Well, he would set off running for 10 minutes and walking for one. After the first 10', I would say "bye, see you in the parking lot" and off I'd go. Well, I'll be darned, at about 24 miles here I am staring at "girlie thing's" butt, as he motors by. One time, in San Diego, we ran/walked together and I couldn't believe we did a 3:45. It really does work, and if Mercedes, or any other marathon, is your first marathon, or if you're nursing an ache or pain, or just not wanting to beat yourself up, it's the perfect way to prevent the fatigue that WILL hit you late in the race. Doesn't matter if you're doing the full or half or just out there training, give it a try. Now, if you're super-stubborn, like me, there is this HUGE mental block that prevents you from walking until you're forced to. I mean I KNOW it would help me, but 90% of my brain cells are screaming "DON'T WALK, DON'T WALK" until I'm ready to collapse late in the race and then the the signal clears the tower "OK, YOU CAN WALK NOW!".

You should start your walk portion before your running muscles get too tired, from the start of the run. This will allow your muscles to recover instantly, which extends the time and distance that you can cover. If you wait until you're very fatigued, you'll end up walking slowly and it will be difficult to start running again. For the walk portions, make sure you're not taking a leisurely stroll.

Here's a pearl - if you're worried about your pace, don't. If you walk briskly for one minute every mile, you'll only lose about 15 seconds/mile. Even if you walk slowly, you'll ONLY lose about 20 seconds - yes, only 5 seconds more!! Remember, you're still moving forward. It comes to about 8-9 minutes difference in time over the course of a full 26.2 mile marathon! In other words, if you set out at 10'/mile pace, and keep it up, that will get you in about 4:22. If you still run that pace, but walk for one minute at each mile marker, you'll come under the balloons in about 4:31. That's definitely not a big price to pay to prevent beating yourself up.

I actually found a pretty cool run/walk calculator where you plug in all the variables and it will tell you how fast your run segments should be to reach your goal. It can be found HERE
Now, for those of you interested in training with a group to really make it easier, I heartily recommend you join the BTC Saturday Long Run Group. They run at 6am and have pacers for your training run for everything up to 12 minutes per mile. Now, you're talking my language. For more info, call Jeff down at the Trak Shak. They are scheduling 2 runs on the Mercedes course on January 9th, and January 30th. They'll be plenty more info on that before the runs, so stay alert! I plan to be there and will do the (very slow) run/walk. Anybody wanna join me?

Have a great week training and I'll see you all on the roads...walking or running - AL

How Training Is Changing You

2015-12-10T17:11:00.006-08:00

"There's a hell of a difference between doing it almost right and doing it right. The outcome of games is far more a result of mistakes than great plays" - Bobby Knight, basketball coach

Well, this week marks 11 weeks since you all began training for the Mercedes Marathon and Half Marathon. Why do I mention this? If you're following the schedule, this past Saturday you did 15 miles and this week you do 16. At this point, you're not just getting used to going longer distances, but your body has actually started to physiologically change the way you get from point A to point B.

Whatever event you're training for, the base layer of training is improving your aerobic system so that it burns fuel more efficiently. The first choice of fuel to burn is the high octane carbohydrates. When you eat carbs, they're broken down into a lot of "oses" (sugars) - glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, etc - and then mishmoshed (my grandmother's word) together to come out with glycogen, which is what your body stores in the muscles, liver, or blood to be ready when you need it. But these precious guys are limited and your body has to go to plan B to spare the glycogen so you don't burn them up before you get halfway down the road. Plan B is to burn fat. Now, don't take this personally, but you have a figurative ton of fat, but here's the problem - fat can't be burned except in the presence of oxygen and this is a much slower process than burning carbohydrates, so as we train, the body learns to burn fat better and the ratio of fuel it has to throw in the oven is more fat and less glycogen. This spares the limited glycogen and TA-DA, you won't hit the wall at 20 miles because you won't run out of glycogen!!! If you do drain the tanks, the ol' body has to rely on Plan B almost entirely and you HAVE TO SLOW DOWN. No gritting your teeth on this one buckeroo - your body is the one and only boss. The brain is cooked (afterall, it can ONLY burn glycogen, so it's hacked at you in the first place for doing this crazy thing and stealing it's fuel).

At about 8-12 weeks of training, there are many physiological benefits...You'll increase the blood flow to your muscle fibers by 40% (that's how the oxygen gets to those muscle powercells - the mitochondria). And speaking of mitochondria - you'll increase their number in the muscle cells by 5% per week and you'll increase their size by 35%. Your muscles will store up to 250% more carbohydrates (and carbs are your friend, despite what those diet whackos say). Man, I'm getting fired up - I love this stuff...but the absolute number one change that pertains to this monologue is that your leg muscles can now burn fat 700% more efficiently. That's a huge advantage to where you were two months ago (assuming you're doing the training). It may not feel 700% better, but you're as tired now at 15 miles as you were 2 months ago at 6 miles, and you now know you could go further. If I said tomorrow that the printed schedule was wrong and you had to do 4 more miles than was on the schedule this Saturday, you would say "aw crap, this coach sucks", but you would do it and not be completely wiped out. This is a process even I can't screw up for you. Do the scheduled training and your running engine will try it's hardest to keep your bow aimed towards the shore and not floating aimlessly in the sea of confusion (Man, what a picture I can paint).

Woody Allen once said 80% of success is just showing up. This is the big leagues folks. A 5K will get you from here to there, but a marathon will get you from here to way over there!! Consistency, both mentally and physically, is the key to any endurance event.

I'll see you on the roads - AL

Eating Before the Long Run

2015-12-03T18:37:00.003-08:00

"Eat No Evil"

One of the questions I get asked most often is if I eat before I run. It almost amazes me that most new runners, and some veterans, are afraid to eat before running because they're afraid of getting sick. If you're training for a marathon (like Mercedes), then early in your training, it is OK to skip breakfast, but as you progress deeper into your training and your runs start approaching 2 hours, you better start fueling like a marathoner so you can train like a marathoner. If you skip breakfast, realize that you've probably gone 12 hours without food, so you're in partial glycogen (stored energy) depletion. When your training goes more than about 90 minutes, then you need to start addressing the "fuel in your muscles" problem with Gu's, drinks, chews, etc., but before that 90 minutes you want to be sure there's some fuel in the tanks to get going. Now, you don't want to have King Henry's feast before a run, but there are two general ways to get a good blood sugar level and provide carbohydrates to the system to delay the draining of the muscle glycogen.

The first is to have a light breakfast. Donuts and a coke are not a good idea! Eggs and sausage are not a good idea! We have to be a little smart about this. We need some carbohydrates that can be digested easily. I usually have a cup of coffee with whole wheat toast and jelly. If I'm going be going pretty long (or before a marathon) I'll add peanut butter and maybe a banana. So with this "Al Special", we have both simple carbohydrates (jelly), complex carbohydrates (toast & banana), and some fats & protein (peanut butter). The coffee provides caffeine which has been shown to improve endurance and free fatty acids into the bloodstream which can be used as fuel before the stored glycogen.

If the thought of food still gets you gagging, try a pre-run energy drink. Something like boost or ensure will get you a bundle of carbs, fats and protein (about 300 calories total) and is very easily digested. Another good pre-run breakfast is Powerade (or Gatorade) and a couple of fig newtons. Several studies have shown that Fig Newtons provide almost the same nutritional value of Powerbars! Plus, they don't have the consistency of shoe leather. Plus, they're a ton cheaper. The Powerade will also hydrate you. Learn to read nutrition labels and you'll find you don't have to spend pumped-up prices to get the same things as you can in advertised "energy" or "recovery" foods. Anyway, the point is that you don't have to eat a whole lot to get you off to a good fueled start for your morning run. Be sure to try these methods during training - don't wait till race day!

I'll see you on the roads - AL

"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"

Facing The Long Run

2015-11-26T11:18:00.004-08:00

"At first, people will ask why you're doing it, but eventually after the hard work pays off, they will ask how you did it." - Steve Prefontaine

Ok, so, if you're training for February's Mercedes Marathon or Half Marathon, gradually the miles keep building for the long runs. I want you all to remember the main goal is to FINISH. All through this training over the past several weeks, you have been following a training program that has been made up with a series of goals. These have been given to you in daily and weekly distances. All you have to do is complete those runs - "Your coach says go and you go until he/she says stop!". That seems easy enough, and with running together in a group, it does get easier and your progress is recorded by the fact that 7 or 13 or 15 miles are no longer "impossible" distances. The goal of you getting better (going further) is being met each and every week. So, as you approach the longest runs of your training, how do you approach them? No different! The goal is to complete it. No time goals. No middle of the run goals. Just finish. When the BIG DAY arrives, you approach it the same way - think of the half marathon or the full marathon as just the long run for that week (ok, a very long run). You are feeling stronger because of the training you have put in.

If this is your first long race and it has been going well you may think to yourself that "Maybe I can finish in... (fill in the time blank)". STOP THINKING LIKE THAT!! It's the devil talking! It will lead you down the road of ruin. This will be the first time for most of you. You're almost there (almost is a relative term). The effort will be exhilerating and in some ways painful ("it's a good hurt, doc"). Some folks will tell you that the marathon is more mental than physical. Well, that's a credible thesis and something to think about, but you better be in pretty doggone good shape to be moving forward for 3 - 6 hours (or longer). I've been in plenty of races where I've said "It's supposed to be more mental but it sure is feeling mighty physical right now". It's hard enough without the pressures of setting a time goal. Now listen to this carefully because this comes from the bottom of my coaching heart. I NEVER want one of you first-time runners to be disappointed after doing your first half or full. After you do the first one, there will be plenty of curbs in plenty of cities to sit on and whine about "falling apart" and not setting a new world record. For now, let's finish climbing this hill one week at a time till you see those finish line balloons.

You look back and wonder how you've lasted this long. Well, you've lasted the same way you'll do the long run this Saturday - by breaking it down into small, manageable pieces and only focus on the portion at hand and not the entire enchilada. When you look at the weekly schedule, the question is always "What's the long run this week?", not how many miles do you have to run during the 20 weeks you train. When I used to run a marathon for a specific finish time, I used to hit my watch lap counter every 3 miles, that way I break the run into just 8 parts. The point is that whether you're doing a 5K or a marathon, you've done the training and all you have to do is monitor yourself over the run so your body does what you trained it for. On Saturdays, there are coolers out every 2-3 miles, so use those as parts of the whole. It's a lot easier to think in terms of 3 mile segments than to say "I've got 15 miles to go". Start your run slowly and ease into a comfortable pace that should never feel pushed. That doesn't mean you won't get tired - you're training for a marathon for Pete's sake, but you should feel in control of your pace. Drink early and often. If you train at 10 min/mile, don't expect the Good Running Angel to swoop down on race day and allow you to run 9 min miles! The mind will be your greatest foe - it will use every trick in the book to make you stop doing this foolishness. You MUST practice positive thinking during these long runs. Fatigue, discomfort, tightness, and whole host of other wonderful feelings are all a part of the game, but you know they're coming because you meet them every week, and as a group, you whine together and the next thing you know, there you are back at the Trak Shak with another long run under your belt (elastic waistband). When you start to hit that fatigue point, acknowledge that it's there, but also realize that you're not really feeling that badly (OK, 24 miles into it, you might be really feeling bad, but the balloons are close). What you are feeling is the reflection of your effort level. Focus on your breathing, your posture, and your cadence, and this will shift your focus off the fatigue (I didn't say it would eliminate it). Your body is doing what it's been trained to do and that's moving you forward towards the finish line. Think only about what you need to do RIGHT NOW - pace, breathing, concentration. Thinking "I am really tired and want to just sit down on the curb and cry" has absolutely no positive benfits! Relax, concentrate on the task at hand, and perform up to your capabilities.

There's just something about knowing you completed that long run. You marathoners will do a few runs of 17-20 miles and you won't believe it when you finish those runs, but completing the 20 miler in a few weeks will boost your confidence into the "I really think I can finish that thing" category. It's MOSTLY mental to get over this hump, but the long run you've been doing each week is just about the most important element of marathon training because it physically and mentally prepares you for the 26.2 mile distance. I say "just about" the most important element because my own personal bias still leans towards the consistency with which you train, and not necessarily doing a certain distance. If you've been training several months consistently and miss the 20 miler, other than rattling you mentally, it won't physically affect your performance on the day of the run. I always say we should train like they do in England and count our distances in kilometers. That way our longest run would be a nice, round 30K, which is "only" 18.6 miles! But, we live in the good ol' USA and so we'll run like the revolutionists.

Just relax, take each run, each mile, each weekly challenge, one at a time. Before you know it, the finish line is in front of you, and before your heart rate gets back to normal, a new challenge begins.

Stay steady, keep your eyes on the goal, and I'll see you on the roads. - AL

Ouch! My (fill in the blank) hurts! Now What?

2015-11-19T16:25:00.000-08:00

"The only way to avoid running injuries altogether is to avoid running altogether - an obviously flawed solution" - Runner's World

So, you new guys all seem to be off to a wonderful start to your delving into the world of endurance training getting ready for Mercedes. As your body tries to figure out what the heck you're doing, you're going to have some aches and pains here and there. Most of them are just the awards of training and will subside as your bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons start to strengthen. Most of them will be controlled with a little TLC in the form of ice, anti-inflammatories, and in some cases, rest.

First of all, ice - you need an ice pack in the form of one of those:
1) premade icepacks

2) a 2# bag of frozen peas

3)you can make your own pack with one part alcohol (use the cheap stuff, not the Jack Daniels) and three parts water. Put it in a ziplock bag, and then bag it in another ziplock to prevent it from leaking all over you and your couch. When you freeze it, it will stay flexible, and not frozen like....well....a block of ice.

4) Put dishwashing detergent in a Ziplock (see #3 instructions for preventing a super mess). Dollar Tree sells 32oz for...well, a dollar of course!

Put the ice on for 15 minutes. You can do this every hour, but 15 minutes is the magic time.

Then, if you want, you CAN take anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen (advil) or naproxyn (aleve) as directed on the package. This is a controversial area, but most running injuries are due to an overuse (inflammation), so an anti-inflammatory seems appropriate. The controvery lies in the fact that the early stage of healing IS INFLAMMATION, therefore, a growing feeling (the pendulum is always swinging) is to avoid anti-inflammatories with overuse injuries. However, if you decide to take them, I like naproxyn because you only take it twice a day instead of three. Now, here's the trick - take it as directed for 2-4 days. The meds don't know if you have a sore knee or a sore little finger, so only a small percentage actually goes to where you want it to go. You have to keep it pumping through your system to put the fire out (sorta like a sprinkler will eventually put the fire out). Remember, Tylenol (acetaminophen) is NOT an anti-inflammatory, it is a pain med. Do not take anti-inflammatories right before you go out to run or during the run - bad idea unless you like playing Russian Roulette with your kidneys. I've had good results at preventing soreness with Tylenol 8 Hour (which surprisingly is the EXACT SAME formula as Tylenol Arthritis - 650mg/tablet). But, if you have to rely on drugs to get through your runs, maybe you don't need to be running. But, I must admit that I certainly understand the mind of a runner and it seems that sometimes a decision is made without being bothered by that pesky intelligent thought process.

Finally comes the question of "Can I continue running?". The "Coach Al" rule of thumb is that if you can run without ANY limp, then it's OK. If you go down the road like you've got a tack in your shoe, then hang up the shoes for a couple of days and do some "active rest" - walking or some other form of aerobic crosstraining until the pain subsides. Don't get so hungup on the mileage thing. If you're crosstraining aerobically, then do these exercises for same amount of time that you would normally spend running. So, if you had a 5 mile run planned and you run 10 min/mile, then you would walk, swim, bike, etc. for 50 minutes, but try to keep the intensity (or heart rate) in the general ballpark that running would put you.

It's funny how all runners will say "Why does it have to hurt now that I'm getting in the groove of this endurance stuff?". Well, muchachos, it's because you've been stressing these tissues for many weeks and they're just asking for you to put some brakes on for a little bit. YOU STILL HAVE OVER 3 MONTHS TO GO!! If you get a little niggle or a knack, you don't necessarily have to stop cold, but going a little slower, avoiding hills and speed work, and just doing those daggum "common sense" things will usually help things straighten out.

Remember that everything is connected in what is called the Kinetic Chain. That's just fancy PT talk for the hip bone's connected to the knee bone...The knee bone's connected to the ankle bone...The ankle bone's connected to the foot bones. PT School was sooooo hard to remember all those lyrics!!!! Anyway, try to compensate for an ache in one place and this will most likely stress someplace else, and voila! You're then nursing a brand new injury or worse, TWO injuries. This training thing is a long road - slow and steady is the best course.

You have to pay attention to those little niggles so they don't become big knacks. Catching them early will ensure that we'll keep seeing each other on the roads - AL

If you have any comments or questions, please either leave it below in "comments", or email me. If you have any problems leaving a comment, be sure to let me know. I think I fixed the bug, but I love comments and I don't want to miss any!

"One child lost is too many...one child saved can change the world"

Dang! I Have a Cold! Now What?

2015-11-12T15:46:00.000-08:00

"When it comes to running first marathons, there are many lessons that can only be learned on the course, not on the internet." - Hal Higdon

OK, so, every run you're getting closer to THE DAY. You know, THAT day in February. You're entering into the grip of heavier training each week. Since you began training a few weeks ago, your body has been trying to fight off every evil detriment that lurks around every corner to derail your fitness. You're more indoors around sick folks, not to mention all the phones, pens, books, and whatnot that you borrow from all your sneezing, sniffling, and coughing friends and co-workers. They are crammed with germs trying to knock you for a loop just when your immune system is hanging a little low because of all your he-man and she-girl training. So, what happens when you wake up one day and your throat feels like the Great Chicago Fire, your nose is as red as Rudolph's, and you're convinced you have malaria? I, of course, being made of super-human DNA, refuse to let it affect me. However, sometimes. for some reason, my runs feel like I have bowling balls strapped to my legs and my breathing reminds me of my run up Pikes Peak!

When a cold hits, everyone wonders "Is it safe to run or do I let my fitness flow away like the proverbial water under the bridge?". Seriously guys, the rule of thumb regarding running with a cold is that if your symptoms are from the neck up (sniffles, sneezing, sore throat, coughing) then it is usually safe to run EASY if you want to. If the symptoms are in your chest, you have a fever, or your legs feel like two cement pylons, then get a sweatshirt, a cup of chicken noodle soup, put your feet up, and just accept the fact that your boss will probably put more miles in than you will for the next couple of days. Studies continuously have shown that you won't lose any fitness level from your training unless you do absolutely nothing for 7-10 days (depending where your fitness was to begin with).

If you're training for a long distance event and you get a cold, the best thing to do is drink a lot of fluids, back off your running, and let it run it's course, which is going to take 1-2 weeks, no matter what you do. If you try to run through it feeling completely wiped out, you're just going to make things worse because you'll stay fatigued and your body won't be able to fight it. If you have a cold, antibiotics won't help because the cold is a virus and AB's kill bacteria. You can treat the symptoms, keep yourself warm and hydrated and try to get some extra rest. When you finally are up to running again, do some slow, short runs until you get your endurance back. Don't try to catch up on the training sessions you've missed, just ease back into the scheduled program and try to convince yourself that the extra rest is actually going to make you stronger.

Personally, I have found some things you can't do if you have a cold:
1) you can't run without blowing your nose constantly
2) it's hard to cough your lungs up and maintain a smooth running stride at the same time
3) you can't sneeze holding a full cup of coffee!

Again, the rule of thumb is that if all the symptoms are in your head, you can try to run if you want to, but if you're coughing up stuff, have a sore throat, have body aches, or most importantly, have a fever, show some God-given common sense, and bag the run!

I'll see you on the roads - AL

Training in the Winter Elements

2015-11-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

There is no such thing as bad weather - just inappropriate clothing" - some cold ultrarunner

Guess by now you're finding out you have to be very ~~nuts~~ committed to train for a half or full marathon. I remember a few years ago, Nike had an ad that showed some guy running in a driving rainstorm, with the wind blowing, going up a hill. The ad said, "Somewhere, the sun is shining, the air is warm, and the roads are flat...that's where the 2nd place guy trains!". I love that. I always say that I love to run marathons because it is the first distance that you HAVE to train for in order to finish. You can't get through it just because you ran the half mile in High School. We ( the human race) can't store enough fuel for the distance unless we train to burn fuels differently. We do this by running the long runs and teaching the muscle engines to burn fats more efficiently. It sounds like a fairy tale, but if folks like Oprah, P. Diddy, and Pamela Anderson can get out there REGULARLY and do the training, how in the world can any of you have any doubts? But, doggone it, you have to be consistent and that means getting out there in all kinds of rotten weather.

But, you can't trick the marathon. If you don't respect the distance you are about to run by training consistently, it will stomp you like a bug! In the summer, it's easy - shoes, shorts, and a singlet, but when the Arctic winds blow, I am a weenie and it's every long sleeve, tights, gloves, knit hats, and anything else I can get on and still move. Sometimes, I feel like that kid in "Christmas Story" that falls over and can't get up because he has so many clothes on. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but not about that hating cold weather stuff - always have, always will! And as I get older, it gets worse! I want to sweat, I want to feel that sun beating down, I want my shoes to squish when I finish my workout. I don't want to be shivering, I don't want my water bottle to freeze, and I don't want my fingers to be so cold that I can't turn my car door key at the end of my run. So now I see we might see some temps in the low 40's next week, and soon the morning temperatures will be in the 30's much of the time. And although it's not biting, chattering cold, I know it's a slippery slope from here to Absolute Zero. Gotta keep thinking spring is around the corner. OK, it's pretty far "around the corner", but I'm goal oriented. The current 40's are not really THAT cold, but we better prepare now for those wonderful mornings when the frigid winds stat-a-blowin'.

The only reliable trick to running in the cold weather is to learn how to layer. Now, we don't live in Maine, so the chances of getting frostbitten while we're running is pretty slim, but our southern blood is thinner (it's not really, but that's what my grandmother told me) and we feel the cold more. So, the idea is to layer and that way you trap warm air between the layers to keep you warmer. Each layer you put on has a specific purpose: moisture wicking, insulating, wind breaking, rain (or snow) protection. Now for some rules:

AVOID COTTON - good for shopping in, bad for running in. It absorbs sweat like a sponge (up to 17 TIMES it's weight), and you lose body heat faster than you can make it.

CHOOSE MOISTURE-WICKING TOPS FOR YOUR BASE LAYER - this should fit fairly close to the skin, but not tight - usually a material of coolmax, dri-fit, capilene, or some other brand name. A 2nd layer of similar material may be needed as an insulating layer on REALLY cold days. The 2nd layer should fit looser to trap a cushion of warmed air. On a cold or breezy day, you may want to opt for a lightweight, breathable jacket over your base layer(s). Just plain nylon jackets are not very good because they will form a little tropical rainstorm INSIDE your jacket! You will also overheat if there is nowhere for the heat to escape (even on cold days) so if you wear a jacket, a vented one is best.

If it's raining, you won't melt, but you will get wet (2nd grade science). You'll need a jacket that's at least water resistant and preferably waterproof. GoreTex is the Gold standard, but these can tend to get a little pricey, especially when you factor in the number of times you will actually need it. A few years ago, I found one that sells for about $35 (windproof, waterproof, and very light) at http://o2rainwear.com/2011/03/original-cycling-jacket/ . I have worn this jacket for literally about 7-8 years, in everything from short training runs to 31 mile trail races in an all day rainstorm. Of course, almost a decade later, you can probably find a comparable one with newer (breathable) technology.

Finally, you will lose most of your heat from your head and your hands, so hats and gloves made with those same miracle fabrics are best. Some are waterproof. ALL of these products are available at the Trak Shak - they support us, let's support them and they definitely know what you need. Next to the wheel, the greatest invention ever is HotHands. These are little disposable chemical heat packs that you put in your gloves while you run and they stay warm up to 8 hours!! For about 60 cents for a pair, these are GOLD folks!! Stock up now!! I keep a BOX in the trunk of my car!

Lastly, there are two words I haven't mentioned so far; windbriefs and insulating sportsbras. There, I've mentioned them!! Look them up. I don't know about the sportsbra, but there have been some mornings I'd almost rather run without my shoes than without a windbrief!!

The key to running in cold weather is the ability to layer properly, not to put on every last stitch of running clothes you own! By layering, you will trap warmed air between the layers, and after 30+ years of running, it still amazes me how much you warm up after about 1-2 miles of running. The rule of thumb is to dress like it's 15-20 degrees warmer than the actual temperature (even I haven't completely embraced this rule-of-thumb). Wind and rain are going to have a lot to say about how you'll dissipate that heat, but there's tons of different materials out there to handle anything Mother, Father, Sister, and Brother Nature can throw at you. Keep your eye on the goal - Spring is March 21st!

I'll see you on the cold and winding roads - AL

Washing It All Down/Hydration Fundamentals

2015-10-29T17:14:00.001-07:00

If you are not in control, you are out of control" - Unknown

Last week, I talked about basic endurance nutrition, and now we have to wash it down. As much as we all know we have to drink, it sometimes gets hard to figure out what's right and what's a little ways from right. Now, I've been doing this thing for a long time and try to read everything about training for first timers that comes down the pike, but even I get confused as the pendulum swings from one thing to another. I think the bottom line is if you know the basics of hydration (drinking), you won't get yourself into some unnecessary trouble.

What you are about to read has some of the bias that I have developed over the years of doing many, many endurance runs, and I think everything I tell you is a very safe guideline. In a recent book, "Waterlogged" by noted author Dr. Tim Noakes, he graphically debunks decades of tried and true theories of rehydrating. His work also states there is a lesser need for electrolytes and carbohydrates during an endurance event. Now, Dr. Noakes has forgotten a lot more science than I have ever tried to learn, but when you've been running and racing endurance events for over three decades like I have, I have a real problem replacing a foundation that has supported the marathon and ultra community concerning something as simple as hydration (some call it set in my ways!)...so here I go with my views, but I encourage you to read "Waterlogged" and see what feels right to you and then try it out in training.

Dehydration diminishes performance because it thickens the blood, decreases the heart's efficiency, increases the heart rate, and raises the body temperature. After a marathon, even on cool days, a body core temperature of 104 degrees is common. The body is cooled by sweat, and to sweat, a constant supply of water is needed.. most runners can lose 1-2 quarts (2-4 pounds), or more, of sweat per hour. On a very hot day of hard running, I've read a runner can lose up to 4 quarts (9#). Serious symptoms may develop as fluid losses exceed 2% of body weight. In a 150# runner, that's just 3#! A runner must slow their pace 2% for every 1% of body weight loss due to hydration - this could mean the difference of 5 minutes to a 4 hour marathoner! Usually, drinking 6 ounces every 20' will deter hydration, but that can be difficult late in a marathon. I remember at the Marine Corps Marathon one year, I was finding it pretty hard to swallow any more water at about 22 miles. I was about to throw my still half-filled cup to the ground when a well trained Marine yelled at me "You have to drink the whole cup SIR!" I still remember that marine to this day.

Sugar in drinks is beneficial in keeping up your blood sugar, which will spare using your muscle glycogen for fuel. It takes 5-7 minutes to reach the bloodstream once absorbed in the intestines. I recommend you drink sugared drinks (Powerade, Gatorade, etc) in all runs longer than 90'. Don't rely on thirst - it is a poor indicator of fluid loss, and although you can never keep up with your fluid loss, you can minimize the hole you're digging. Dr. Noakes says to drink to thirst, but I honestly believe that by the time you feel the thirst, your fluid deficit is way more than you can ever catch up on. Doesn't it sound more reasonable to keep a steady amount of fluid coming in?

Research in the last 2 years has reversed the age-old thoughts that caffeine beverages are diuretics (make you pee). They are diuretics to the same degree that plain water is!! You drink water, you need to pee. The same with caffeinated beverages, no more, no less. As a matter of fact, caffeine will help your endurance as it frees fatty acids into the blood stream that can be converted to energy in the muscles and spare some stored glycogen (the carbohydrates you ate last night).

OK, so now we get to drinking too much!! What?? How can that be? Well, since the marathoning boom of the past decade or so, something called Hyponatremia has reared it's ugly head. Hyponatremia means "low blood sodium". This is caused by excessive fluid consumption which lowers the ratio of sodium/water in the blood, so in actuality, it's NOT low sodium, it's TOO MUCH FLUID!! Who's most at risk? Well, my 30+ years of marathon coaching and 15 of those as a TNT Coach taught me that walkers and women are the most susceptible. Why? Well, a couple of reasons. Walkers are going to be out there longer and not sweating as much. And, they usually carry their water and drink constantly. As far as women go, they sweat less then men (as much as 30% less), and (here's Coach Al's slant) they listen to their coaches more than men, and if the coach says drink, drink, drink, they'll do that to excess! Men usually will go down their own merry independent paths and drink what they THINK they need - usually too little - but women will do most of the right things. In this case, you definitely don't want to overdo it. Drink to stay hydrated - don't overdrink. If you drink sugared drinks with electrolytes, this will help, but still, don't overdo it! Hyponatremia will make you nauseated, head-achy, confused, extremely fatigued, and may cause severe muscle cramps. Much of the time, these symptoms can be confused with dehydration and the well meaning volunteer will make you drink MORE...the one thing you don't need.

I like to carry a water bottle with me - you really hardly notice it if you have one of those handheld ones with a strap you can get at The Trak Shak for about 10-15 bucks. This way, I'm sipping the whole time rather than downing a whole cupfull each aid station. If you'd rather wear a belt with a water bottle, that's fine too, but the point is to stay hydrated. Of course, during your Saturday runs, The Trak Shak Long Run Crew will put out coolers for you every 3 miles or so, and during the actual race, you won't have any problem with frequency, but during those weekday runs (assuming that you're training!), you might tend to be a little more lax. So, what this does is begin you at a deficit the next day, and like a rock rolling downhill, your training can get worse and worse, simply because you're drying yourself out. Just get in the habit of tanking up at each opportunity during the run, and all through the day when you're not running. And with that, you've eliminated one of the major pitfalls of marathons runners.

Good luck with your training and I'll see you on the roads - AL

A Simple Explanation of Fueling in Endurance Running

2015-10-22T06:15:00.000-07:00

"Run slowly, run daily, drink moderately, and don't eat like a pig." - Dr. Ernest van Aaken, German Coach

One of the hardest things for an endurance athlete to learn is how to handle this doggone eating thing. If you read running or health magazines regularly, you'll see the pendulum swings pretty often as to what's best to eat. What I find best is don't get sucked in with fads and stick with what has worked over the millenia of long-distance running. Sure, you're burning lots of calories that you weren't before, but that doesn't give you a free rein to stuff yourself like a Sumo wrestler. Let your body tell you what it wants, and if that food is high in calories, or fat, OK, eat it, but in moderation. Try to lean towards the more healthy foods, but you don't have to eat like a rabbit either. Most athletes are going to get the greater percentage of their calories from healthier foods by naturally gravitating there, but they don't deny themselves the foods that make them happy. I'm not a big dessert eater, but three of my favorite desserts are: toasted pound cake with vanilla ice cream, warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream, and warm peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Do we see a theme here? Warm and vanilla!!!! Probably an apple and wheat germ would be healthier, but don't even try to talk to me about it. If you want chocolate, go for it, but don't eat that 1000 calorie bar convincing yourself it's an Energy Bar! If you have to have fries, fine. Just don't super-size it! If a double whopper cheeseburger with bacon is your thing, well, I can't help you. Moderation with training, moderation with eating, moderation with alcohol, and moderation with letting the little things bother you. Follow that during your training and you'll be fine. As your training gets into the more difficult weeks, just always think of yourself as the athlete you are becoming. Keep your negative thoughts to a minimum. Think like an athlete, eat like an athlete, train like an athlete, and whether you're running, walking, swimming, or cycling, BELIEVE you are an athlete.

But, above all, to get back to the main gist of this post, you better fuel your body well. One reason I really enjoy endurance sports is that it takes more than just brute strength or mental fortitude to get you to the finish line. Once, I was asked "What exactly defines an endurance sport?" My answer was any sport where you have to replenish the fuel your burning DURING the event is an endurance sport. If you run out of fuel, it flat ain't there folks! Nobody wants to hit the wall, because the wall means running out of gas. Now I'm going to try to whittle this down as simple as possible or you'll fall sound asleep pretty quick. There is a literal ton of stuff on the web about sports nutrition and most of it is boring to me - AND I LOVE THIS STUFF! The good news is that it's pretty doggone simple.

The body's preferred fuel for any endurance sport is muscle glycogen. This is the body's storage form of carbohydrates. If you run low during your training, your sessions really suck and you feel like you're running through mud. If you drain your supply during a race, it's curtains! So, first and foremost, you need to have your diet revolve around carbohydrates. As I said, the pendulum swings periodically, and lately it has swung to some program that says "Nah, you don't need carbs...eat more fat!". Yeah, let me know how that's going when you're deep in your race and your muscles are screaming "forget something?". Now, I'll say this once (no I won't, I'll repeat it every time somebody brings it up) - A LOW-CARB DIET HAS NO PLACE IN AN ENDURANCE ATHLETE'S TRAINING!!!!! Please say that's clear enough. I believe carbs should provide 60-70% of your diet. This consists of whole grains, pasta (run fasta, eat pasta), fruits, veggies, and low-fat dairy foods. I know somebody will write to me expounding how well they do on a low-fat diet. My stock answer to them is "You'll probably do better with carbohydrates" and drop the argument because I'll never convince them.

Next comes protein. All of training is a constant process of "teardown, repair, buildup, and adapt". Protein is needed for muscle growth and repair. You will not burn protein for energy unless you went severely off course for a few days and are in a starvation situation, and although I've seen runners bonk for several reasons during a marathon, I can't remember starvation being one of them. Both carbs and protein are best replenished right after your training session. Studies show there is rapidly closing window for replenishing when you stop. Eating a carb/protein sports bar or drink within 15 minutes of stopping will get "soaked in" twice as fast than if you waited 2 hours. And doing it within 2 hours will get absorbed into your starving muscles much faster than if you waited until your evening meal. Good sources are lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. After a run, you can eat a carb/protein bar or (my favorite) drink one of those Boost drinks with added protein. Proteins should consist of about 15% of your daily diet.

Finally, we come to fat. Fat is an important energy source, it's just that to burn fat for energy is literally as slow as molasses! Burning carbs is something like 19X more efficient, but unfortunately, we have a limited amount of that precious stuff. Through training, we teach our body to burn fat more efficiently and your body can say "Hey cool, we can save our glycogen for later on.". Now fat should consist of about 20-25% of your daily diet, but there's a catch - a gram of fat has twice as many calories as a gram of carbs or protein. How much of a bummer is that? M&M's are soooooo good!!! They're SUPPOSED to be eaten by the bagfull! Well, whatever. I just fall back to my eating standby stated in the first paragragh...Don't deny yourself the foods you love, just don't binge on them. Try low-fat alternatives (that doesn't mean you can eat twice as much).

OK folks, that's it for the eating basics. Now, go celebrate, because October is National Pasta Month. Man, this is better than Christmas. Next week, I'll talk about the washing all this food down (hydration). Until then, train smart and if you have any questions, just ask. Can't be simpler than that.

I'll see you on the roads - AL

The Importance of Consistency

2015-10-15T11:52:00.003-07:00

"In baseball, my theory is to strive for consistency, not to worry about the numbers. If you dwell on statistics you get shortsighted, if you aim for consistency, the numbers will be there at the end.”
Tom Seaver, former baseball pitcher

OK, you guys are beginning to get this training idea under your belts (waistbands?) and you can honestly tell everyone you are officially training for a marathon or half marathon. Of course, the more people you tell, the more this "idea" becomes the "real deal". Please follow the schedule at the Mercedes Marathon Website (click on "training"). I know some of you want to run longer, but to be successful in endurance events, you have to physiologically change the way your body is going to burn fuel. It wants to use high octane carbohydrate first, but it doesn't have enough to go as long as a marathon, so it has to burn some sludge (usually referred to as fat). No matter how thin you are, you have a truckload of fat. It's just that it's very inefficient to burn by itself, so if we can teach the body to burn a useful ratio of carbos and fat, we can ration out the fuel supply to get to the finish line. How do we do this? Ta-da! Coach Al has arrived!! You run slow, you run progressively longer with your runs, and you try to be as consistent with your training as possible. EVERY run on the schedule doesn't have to be done, but if you cut too many corners.... well muchacho, you've got a hole in the boat.

During the 4+ month training period, there are about 19 long run Saturdays that range from 8 miles to 20 miles. Sure they build on each other, but each ONE is not critical to the whole training picture. The long runs are the key to endurance training, but you have to absorb the whole picture. You'll have some great runs, and believe me, you'll have some absolutely horrible runs. The same goes for your runs during the week. Hopefully, you'll have more good runs than bad...I almost guarantee you will if you train consistently. I can't preach common sense hard enough (I always picture God sitting on his throne saying "I gave them common sense...why don't they use it"?). The training schedule is etched in clay, not stone, so approach it as a very strong guide. All your coaches are there for you to squeeze dry of any information you want. We have run dozens of marathons between us and I have coached over a thousand runners to their marathons or half marathons, and although I sometimes look like I have no idea what's going on, I'm pretty sure the mistakes I've made will benefit you and can make this easier for you. Trust the program Monica has put together is leading you through, trust your common sense, and mostly, believe in yourself. You have to train, but it's not magic or voodoo, just a long run. OK, a very long run, but a very trainable goal. Once, the billionaire, H.L. Hunt was asked what his philosophy was for garnering his billions. He said, "Decide what you want, decide what you're willing to give up to get it, set your priorities, then go after it." Couldn't have said it better myself.

You don't need a PhD to put one foot in front of the other. There's a lot of ways to successfully pull this off, but sitting on the couch, eating Cheesy Poofs is not one of them! It takes about 6-8 weeks for your body to really believe you're serious about this and starts making it a habit (that's why Health Clubs make a mint in January - you sign a year contract, but quit after a month). Go easy, follow the schedule, and be flexible. Get in the habit and email me (262coach@gmail.com or trainingwithal@gmail.com) if you have ANY questions (I know a ton about baseball, but let's keep the questions running related, ok?).

I'll see you on the roads - AL

Things I've Learned After 36 Years of Marathoning

2015-10-08T16:20:00.000-07:00

"Listen to others. Learn from yourself" - Ann Trason, ultramarathoner

Ok, if you're just beginning to train for your first half or full marathon, you will learn a ton of stuff in a very short period of time. However, you will learn much more from your experience (mistakes) than you will ever learn from magazines, books, or your coaches. Here are a few I've learned from doing these long things for over 3 decades...and I'm still learning.

1) DRINK – Dehydration is probably the #1 cause of not finishing the marathon or completing a long run. You must drink consistently, but the latest theory is to drink to your thirst needs, rather than a set amount. I usually carry a handheld water bottle so I sip the whole way, but I also drink at every aid station in a race.

2) GO OUT EASY – you will ease into a comfortable pace this way. If you go out too fast or try to make up lost early minutes too quickly, you will use up your carbohydrates too early and when you switch to fats for energy, you will be forced to slow down. "Don't run the first half like an idiot". Of course, the 2nd half of that quote is "Don't run the 2nd half like a wimp".

3) Don’t charge up the hills and don’t break too much coming down the hills. You expend a lot of energy on the uphills, so take it easy with a steady rhythm. Despite hundreds of miles of training, the quads are still usually undertrained and unfortunately they are the muscles that slow you on the downhills. Let gravity take you for a ride, lengthen your stride, and hit the pavement as smoothly as you can.

4) Don’t stuff yourself at the pre-race pasta dinner, especially if there is an early AM start. A post-race pasta dinner or pizza and a beer is a much better idea. Worry about your carbohydrate loading during your training, not the night before the race. You will have been essentially carbo loading for the past 4 months by the time February rolls around, so the night before is not going to make a giant difference.

5) Energy Gels work – I used to be a skeptic, but too many times in marathons, ultras, or long training runs, I have noticed a lack of fatigue and maintenance of pace 10-15 minutes after ingestion. Generally, during a race, you'll want to take one every 45 minutes or so. Of course, these days, there are a lot of alternatives to gels...jelly beans, bars, liquids, etc. The point is get some calories in regularly.

6) Training programs need to be flexible, not rigid. If you feel rotten, ease off on the training for that day. If you have an injury, run or walk relative to what the injury will allow. The most important rule of marathon training is arrival at the starting line strong and healthy.

7) Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Any clothes or shoes that are a bit uncomfortable at home are going to be the devil out on a long run or during a race. NEVER race in something new! NEVER run in something tight.

8) Don’t complain about the weather. Adapt to it by training in it. My rule is to never run in lightning or ice. Rain is not dangerous. Cold is not dangerous. Running in heat can be dangerous and in most cases is stupid. “There is no inappropriate weather…only inappropriate clothing”.

9) Tapering for 2 weeks before a marathon is just as important as training for 20 weeks. Those 20 weeks of smart training can go right down the tubes because of the fear you’ll get out of shape if you back off the last 2-3 weeks. The opposite is true. You will heal, rebuild, and increase carbohydrate storage. Studies show the muscles will actually increase their strength during the taper period.

10) Walking won’t kill you (or slow you down that much). Keep moving forward. A set ratio of run/walk FROM THE BEGINNING will conserve strength, spare carbohydrate usage, and keep you from hitting the mythical wall. If you are trying to run the entire marathon and feel yourself slipping into deepening fatigue, it’s best to begin a walk/run ratio for a couple of cycles and see if you regroup. Don’t wait till you’re forced to walk. If you walk for a minute every mile, you'll only lose about 20 seconds per mile on your pace. That converts to less than 10 minutes total for the whole 26.2 miles.

11) Racing once a month (like a 5k) will help you gauge your fitness and boost your coincidence. You learn about the jitters before the race, how to drink during the race, how to “race” with a crowd, and how good it feels to hit a finish line and earn that shirt.

12) Don’t overdress – Regardless of the temperature, you will warm up in less than 10 minutes. Trust me! If you feel comfortable standing around in the parking lot before a winter run, prepare to be quickly uncomfortable because you over-heated. Dress like it’s 10-20 degrees warmer. On real cold days, wear gloves and a hat. And "HotHands" are a special gift from God to runners like me that hate the cold.

13) If you finish a marathon, never, ever, be disappointed with your accomplishment. Finishing a marathon is something only one-tenth of 1% of the population has done. Regardless of your time, you are fit, you've shown tremendous commitment, and most of all, you deserve to feel good about yourself.

I'll see you all on the roads - AL

And Now It Begins

2015-10-03T15:31:00.004-07:00

"Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out" - Robert J. Collier

So, you've decided to (maybe) sign up and train for the Mercedes Marathon. Good for taking that first step. Throughout this process, Monica Henley, The Trak Shak, Alex Morrow and the rest of the crew will lead you down the training road. Monica's schedule for last year's marathon and half-marathon are on the Mercedes Marathon site, and will be updated soon, but I doubt the distances will be much different. She will schedule runs every Saturday at 6am from the Trak Shak in Homewood and if you're on FaceBook, you need to join the "BTC - Saturday Morning Long Run" group. That's will you'll get all the necessary info each week. Training with a group is so much easier than trying to do this alone.There will also be pacers for the training runs and of course for the race itself, this year organized by Coach Alex Morrow of Resolute Running.

After being a past running coach for this event, my main input now to the training will be writing weekly posts on this site concerning all aspects of training. In the past, I have coached many runners to their first marathons, and take great pride in that. However, now we have many excellent coaches and resources in the Birmingham area and I find my best way to help you is present a timely subject each week that is easy to understand and backed by experiences gained by my own successes and many errors. Please comment as you feel moved to do so, or email me if you have a specific question ( trainingwithal@yahoo.com ). I'll plan to post each new TWA on Wednesday or Thursday. I'll post it on the BTC-SLR and The Trak Shak FaceBook pages. Also, you can go directly to the site by clicking here and saving the site on your homepage or you can sign up to get it by email from the site.

When you dove into this marathon thing, you knew that it would take dedication and commitment. No artificial ingredients here. You train right, you improve. You train once in a while, or train haphazardly, well then, don't expect to come across the finish line with a big "yippee" smile on your face. You can't go to CVS and get a marathon pill. Dr. Phil can't talk you through it. Oprah can't give it to you. That's what makes this experience so different from other races you've trained yourself for. You're putting it on the line. "I'll get up early, I'll get out in the rain, I'll freeze my running butt off, and I'll do it every week".

If you don't try to climb the training ladder quicker than the schedule tells you, if you honestly assess your past and present abilities, and if you're consistent with your training, every cell in your body will learn! That's what training is: tear down, build up, adapt. If you tear down faster than you can build up, then that's where trouble brews. Be patient with the training. No guarantees, but most of the time it works.

If you're really going to do this long distance thing, you'd better be committed to the program. It certainly changes your lifestyle. You young chickens will find yourselves cutting those Friday night bashes a little early when you know you have to get up and put in a Saturday 15 miler! Don't worry. it'll become a habit - you'll stay away from (most) bad food, you'll go to bed a little earlier, you'll bore all your friends and coworkers talking about running, and you'll pay more money on your running shoes (that you spend one hour a day in) than you do on the shoes you spend all day in. Eat like a marathoner, drink like a marathoner, exercise like a marathoner, and most of all, think and act like a marathoner. Be confident in what you're doing. Less than 1/10th of 1% of the population has run a marathon.

As you're about to enter the base building phase of your training, sometimes the most difficult part of the training is just getting out the door. Even experienced, highly trained athletes have trouble on some days. Early on, temptation not to train is pretty big when something seems to be in the way, but the more you get out there, the smaller that temptation devil gets. Oh, there'll be days that you "just don't want to". And that's OK. Just don't have too many of those days. Your body will adapt to the training if it figures out what the heck you're trying to do. Give it a chance. It'll be tough at first for you first timers, but go easy on yourselves and things will fall into place - it always does. Just know your limits and set realistic goals. But, as my friend, Jerry Dunn used to say, "Challenge your limits, but don't limit your challenges". Try these simple things to get the wheels rolling:

Keeping a diary will help, because nobody wants to write a big, old, fat zero in the diary. Seeing all these completed workouts will impress not only you, but all your friends who pick up the diary you "accidentally" left on the coffee table in the TV room. This will also help you find where you strayed from the program right before you got injured.

Goal setting shouldn't be a problem, especially at the beginning of the program when you're not exactly sure of the enormity you've gotten yourself into. Sitting at your desk saying "I think I'll run a marathon" is a lot different from getting up in the rain and the cold to train for that elusive carrot. You have to keep that carrot in front of you. Tell every one you know what you're going to do - that'll keep you honest!

Group training is a big boost to getting in your training, but that's only one day a week, so try to arrange to meet a training partner on those other days - you don't want to listen to them ragging you because you didn't show up. You'd rather run on a day you don't want to than hear that!

Finally, follow a schedule. That doesn't mean any schedule is set in stone, but if you know you've got a shorter day today and a longer day tomorrow, you're more apt to get out there. You can pick up 25 books about training and find 25 different schedules, and they probably all work, not because of the guts of the numbers of miles, but because they reinforce consistency. Just running with no plan breeds more off days, easier runs, and lack of the training "hunger".

Now, some things about when do you run. All the time!!! EXCEPT when there's ICE or THUNDER. Then you're on your own. Training for any endurance sport is all about dedication and consistency. You can't do it now and again, or just when you feel like it. You do it for a few weeks and it becomes a habit.

I'll see you on the roads - AL