One of the most difficult decisions a runner has to make is what to put on their feet. There are countless options out there, from bulky motion-control shoes to neutral trainers and finally, barefoot.

How do you know what’s right for you?

This interview with Pete Larson attempts to answer that question and a lot more. Pete writes about the anatomy of running, minimalist running shoes, and how to improve as a runner on his blog Runblogger.

Pete Larson is an avid runner from Concord, NH. He shares his thoughts on such topics as running shoes, running mechanics, and the benefits of living an active life on his blog, Runblogger. In his professional life, Pete teaches courses in Human Anatomy and Physiology, Comparative Anatomy, Developmental Biology, and Exercise Physiology at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH.

This is my longest post to-date, simply because Pete has provided so much great information. If you want to know how to pick the best pair of running shoes, get involved in minimalism, and tips on injury prevention, read on!

Fitz: You’re clearly a shoe fanatic (in a good way) who has experience with a lot of running shoes. With your background and serious interest in anatomy and running shoes, what’s your recommendation for shoes that most runners would like? Are there certain shoe features that the majority of runners prefer?

Pete: That’s a really tough question because shoe choice is such an individual thing, and I really think that’s the way it has to be approached. I’m an advocate for running in as little shoe as possible, but I try not to be overly dogmatic about it (though I have been known to get carried away a bit on occasion). What’s best for one runner might not be best for another, so I’ll say instead that I’m an advocate for greater variation in shoe choice. I think we need to go beyond assigning shoes based solely on pronation control properties and start looking at other things like heel height, weight, etc. You go into most shoe stores in a mall or a big box sporting goods store and you see very little of the variation in shoe choice that’s out there, and thus you have no ability to experiment. Things are better at a specialty running store, but even there you are at the mercy of the knowledge and beliefs of the clerk who attends to you. Some may be very open-minded, others might not.

Another problem with shoe choice is that what feels good in the store may not feel good once you are out on the road. The best thing a runner can do is buy shoes from a store that lets you take them for a test drive or an on-line vendor that allows free returns [Fitz’s note: Road Runner Sports does this through their VIP Program]. One of our local stores lets you do a lap around a city block in any shoe that you are considering, and that helps immensely when making a choice. Don’t be afraid to try something lighter or less controlling, even if it’s just for a test drive. Though such shoes might not be for everyone, many of us have made the switch to less shoe without much problem (see my story here).

Fitz: With increased interest in minimalist running shoes, combined with research that’s showing they may reduce injury risk, should runners still try motion control or stability shoes?

Pete: This is another question that’s very hard to answer at this point. Recent research has shown that assigning shoes based on static measurements of the foot (e.g., arch height) is not effective in reducing injuries, but it’s hard to know if that means that the shoes don’t work or that assignment methods are unreliable. Neither outcome is particularly comforting since many stores use static measurements to assign shoes (e.g., low, medium, high arches).

I also don’t think there is solid research out there that minimalist shoes themselves reduce risk of injury at this point, but what I do find intriguing is that going minimalist often results in running form change to a faster, shorter stride, and can help you to avoid overstriding [landing (usually) on the heel with an extended leg]. New research suggests that this type of stride reduces impact on the knees and hips, though how this plays out with regard to injury risk remains to be seen. If wearing a minimalist shoe facilitates a change in stride to one that produces less impact, that would be a good thing, but it needs to be studied in more detail.

In the end, given the current state of research on the subject, I tend to tell people if what they are wearing now is working for them, by all means keep wearing it. At the same time, I believe in self-experimentation, and trying something less even for short runs or speedwork might be worth a shot. At least for me, my first lightweight trainer (Saucony Fastwitch) led me out of stability shoes and on the path to more minimalist footwear. It’s a scary step to take, but ultimately I had no problems and I’ve never looked back.

Fitz: New runners are often intimidated by purchasing running shoes. There are many options and salesmen are sometimes not very helpful. What is a good process for determining the best pair of running shoes for a beginner?

Pete: As I said above, I really believe that experimentation is key. You may have to go through a few pairs of shoes before you find the right one for you, so try out a variety at first and go with the one that feels best on a short test run. Maybe it will be your ideal shoe, maybe it won’t. Also, don’t be to swayed by marketing gimmicks when comparing brands – every shoe is going to have technology with fancy names built into it, but I think comfort on runs is really the most important thing you can look for. If something feels weird when you try a shoe out, don’t buy it.

I’ve actually found that I can run in just about anything, but my comfort zone is now shoes in the 6-8oz range with a lower than usual heel. It took awhile to find that zone.

Fitz: I’m skeptical of the Newton running shoe line. I know you’ve done a review of the Newtons, but how do you feel about a shoe trying to get back to “natural running” with more technology? It seems like their intentions are good, but I think it’s oxymoronic. Are “actuator lugs” really the way to running more naturally?

Pete: I feel similarly. I like the fact that Newton is educating people on running mechanics in a positive way, but I also tend to be one who prefers shoes with less technology. It’s quite possible to run with a shorter, faster stride and land on the midfoot/forefoot in a shoe that costs much less than a Newton shoe and has a similarly low heel-toe drop (Saucony Kinvara, Nike Free 3.0, or a cross-country flat for example). Personally though, I have trouble landing on my midfoot/forefoot in any shoe that has a heel lift, and I see no reason for any heel lift in a shoe designed for a midfoot/forefoot footstrike (this has always puzzled me – I’d love to know the answer).

All of the above being said, every shoe manufacturer is going to have some feature that makes them unique, and Newton definitely has that going for them with the actuator lugs. Lots of people I know love Newton shoes, but the pair I tried just didn’t work out for me, largely because of what I feel is too large a heel on the Sir Isaac. Again, if it works for you and doesn’t cause trouble, I have no problem with someone using a Newton shoe. The Sir Isaac just wasn’t the shoe for me.

Fitz: A lot of new runners want to set ambitious goals and start serious training immediately. I’m a huge supporter of getting more participation in the sport, but I’m also cautious. Do you think beginners should first develop a general fitness base, including strength and mobility exercises, before they start entering races?

Pete: I’m not one to comment on that because I’m a horrible example. I started running seriously in May of 2007 (I’ve always run on and off, but never with any real consistency or direction prior to that), ran my first race in July 2007, my first half-marathon that November, and my first full marathon in May 2008. In other words, I jumped right into the racing habit and was hooked. I think shorter races can serve as an excellent motivational tool for new runners (setting PR’s is a lot of fun and they come quick when you first start out), but I’d recommend holding off on marathon distance races until you get a decent base under your belt. I think a year was just about the right amount of time for me to build up to the marathon.

I’m also pretty bad when it come to strength and mobility work, mostly because of time constraints (it’s hard with 2 little kids and a baby in the house). When I have free time to exercise, my preference is to run. My body does respond well to resistance training, and I wish I had time to do it more often – I’ll occasionally do pushups and crunches, but that’s about it. Lately I’ve been reading a lot about the importance of hip extension to running performance, so I’ve been trying to work a bit on hip stretching, so we’ll see where that goes.

Fitz: I believe minimalist footwear is a spectrum, with barefoot on one end and motion-control shoes on the other end. Both extremes can have risk for injury due to too much support and too little. Is there a point on this spectrum that’s ideal for injury prevention?

Pete: I believe that point is going to vary from person to person. I, for example, have run in nearly the entire spectrum (barefoot to Asics Kayano), and have never been seriously injured (though it’s hard to say how things would pan out in the long term had I stuck with just one shoe type forever). Others I know are injured frequently. It’s really hard to say what predisposes one person to injury and another to be able to run pain-free throughout life, but I suspect that most injuries are more likely related to training errors than footwear. I would again come back to the need to experiment – until more solid data are available, try a variety of shoes and figure out what works best for your individual body.

Personally, I have found some value in mixing it up when it comes to footwear. Because I write a lot of reviews, I have a large number of running shoes. While they all basically meet my less-is-more philosophy, they do vary in such properties as cushioning, heel lift, etc. My feeling is that if I vary force application on my legs by rotating through different types of shoes with different structural properties, I won’t stress any one spot on my body too much. This, in turn, might lessen the chance of developing some kind of repetitive overuse injury. In a way, it’s my way of compensating for the fact that I don’t run on trails much, which I think accomplishes many of the same goals through the variability of the terrain underfoot. I have no real data to back this up, but it seems to be working well for me so far.

Fitz: How do you recommend runners interested in minimalist running strike the balance between training for performance and the lifestyle of a barefoot runner?

Pete: It’s a challenge for sure – anyone interested in making a switch to a more minimalist shoe needs to do so slowly and cautiously. People can and do get injured in the process, often because they jump in and do too much too soon. Things like Achilles tendon strains, metatarsal stress fractures, and other problems are not uncommon. What has to be remembered is that the human body is remarkable at adapting to the forces that we expose it to, but the adaptation process doesn’t happen overnight – the body needs rest and time to repair and rebuild in order to become stronger. If you don’t give yourself that rebuilding time, you’re asking for an injury.

Personally, I started my progression into minimalism by running in Nike Free 3.0’s. I then starting mixing in the Vibram Fivefingers just once a week, and did so for the better part of a year. I have now worked up my long run in the Fivefingers to 15 miles, and have not suffered any type of major injury (probably jinxing myself!). I have even done a few fully barefoot runs out on the road, but don’t have any plans to become a full time barefoot runner. It took a long time, but by using a step-down, transitional approach while continuing to run most of my miles in more typical lightweight shoes, I was able to maintain my training load at a pretty normal level.

Others would say that the best approach is to ditch shoes and go full-on barefoot right away. The idea is that when you run barefoot, your body will tell you when it has had enough. If you listen and don’t try to run through pain, then you can avoid injury. Barefoot running is great for form work, and once your form adapts, then you can reintroduce shoes. The problem I see with this approach for someone interested in performance training is that it will necessitate a period of reduced mileage. For some that’s ok, for others it might not be. As I’ve repeated so often here, it all comes down to a personal choice of what will work best for you and your goals.

Fitz: You don’t talk too much about cross-training on Runblogger. Do you believe other types of exercise, like cycling or pool running, can benefit runners or does specificity preclude other forms of supplemental training?

Pete: I don’t really have a strong opinion personally, mainly because I don’t do enough of anything else to have formed one. The benefit of simply relieving the pounding of daily running could be value enough in and of itself. A lot of my friends are getting into triathlons, but at least for now, I’m going to be sticking with just the running. That may change as my kids get older and I start to look for new challenges, but it’s hard to say for sure right now.

Fitz: You’re currently on a quest for a Boston Qualifier – are you going to try this year for 2011? What’s one piece of advice you have for someone training for the marathon at this level?

Pete: The idealist in me would love to qualify this Fall for Boston, but the realist in me sees that my mileage has been limited due to family commitments (mainly the birth of our son in April). I’m about 9 minutes from a BQ time for the marathon, and I think I can get that down to what I need if I have a training cycle where I consistently hit 40-50 miles a week. Right now, a week with 30+ miles is a good one for me, so I’m trying to focus more on quality than quantity. I’m running well, but not sure how I’ll hold up for the marathon distance.

I’m probably going to run two Fall marathons (Hampton Rockfest in October, then Manchester NH in November), then a 50K in March (my first Ultra). If all goes well, I think my best shot at a BQ will be my spring marathon in 2011. We’ll see…

My best advice for BQ training? – run as much as you can without disrupting what’s important in your life (family, job, etc.), and have fun doing it!

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Thanks for a great interview Pete!

Now I want to ask my readers, are you a minimalist runner? How do you feel about minimalist shoes? Have you made the switch to a minimalist shoe successfully? Do you have any follow-up questions for Pete? Let us know in the comments!

Don’t know what the hell a minimalist running shoe is? Check out these minimalist shoes.Similar Posts:

• Using Minimalism as a Tool Not a Way of Life
• Barefoot Running Research, Run Faster, and Free Shoes!
• Born to Run is Not Only About Barefoot Running: How Christopher McDougall Really Became an Ultra Runner

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about why so many new runners get injured or give up on running within a month or two of starting to run. Beginning runners feel overwhelmed with the amount of information out there, over-excited about running, and need to first lay the fitness foundation before starting an ambitious training program.

Part of this foundation is a healthy lifestyle and a component that I only touched upon briefly. Enter Matt Gartland of Healthy Lifestyle Design. Matt is a proud health geek, writer, world traveler, nonconformist, coffee fanatic, and more. He writes at Healthy Lifestyle Design where he unleashes his passion for audacious, remarkable and unconventional living powered by a vibrant healthy lifestyle. He’s also the author of Fearless Health – a manifesto for optimizing the human experience and changing the world.

Matt Gartland of Healthy Lifestyle Design

Matt is helping people develop passionate lives through a healthy lifestyle. Are you in?

On to the interview!

Distance running sometimes gets a bad reputation in health circles because it focuses exclusively on one type of fitness: running. Do you think training for distance races can fit into a model of healthy living?

I know indeed that running gets a bad reputation in some circles. I’ve flirted with both sides of that argument. At first, during my college years, I was very “pro” running of any flavor. Distance running was my choice – I loved mid-distances (8-13 miles). But I’ve since phased out distance running from my fitness repertoire. There are a variety of reasons for this – (1) IT band inflammation became a persistent problem, (2) the time commitment post-college was harder to deal with, and (3) I decided I wanted to pursue another avenues of fitness.

The bottom-line is that you should always do what you love. And if distance running is your thing then do it! Just do it safely, because all that pounding can be unhealthy if you have poor technique and/or constantly run on hard surfaces. Do trail running and make sure to include ample recovery.

What advice do you have for beginning runners who may not have the healthiest lifestyles? How can they transform their lives with running and healthier decisions?

This is a tough question, but an important one. Beginners should focus first on “why” they want to run. Many perceive running as an “easy” way of getting healthy. It’s relatively straight forward and doesn’t require a lot of fancy gear. I believe that attracts many to running, even those that hate doing it.

But if you hate (or simply don’t enjoy) doing it then you shouldn’t even start. Your healthy lifestyle philosophy/mind-set is most important and comes first. If, while creating your philosophy, you discover you love to run, then by all means run. But running (especially distance running) isn’t a magical solution to healthy lifestyle woes.

If in the end you choose to run (for the right reasons), then you should start first on technique and manageable distances. You don’t become a distance runner overnight. Get into the mechanics, learn about pre-and-post recovery routines, and make sure your nutrition is on par with your running regimen.

What are some healthy lifestyle mistakes that distance runners make? Aside from running a lot, do runners avoid other healthy lifestyle essentials?

This is a good carry-over question from #2. Yes, I feel (generally speaking) that many rush into running without fully vetting the ramifications of that choice. If you start running without any prior experience and no focus on technique then you risk injury, demotivation, and (ultimately) failure.

So, as far as mistakes are concerned, I’ll reiterate a few from above. First, many run without knowing really “why” they run. If you don’t get out of bed in the morning craving your run, then you probably shouldn’t be running. Second, if you decide running is for you, then commit to it fully. That commitment isn’t just lacing up your new sneakers and hitting the pavement. It’s very much about learning the art and science of running – technique, periodization, nutrition, motivation, etc. Third, as you allude to, don’t over-extend your runs. Build up your mileage in time. If you push yourself too hard to early you’ll learn to hate running and eventually quit.

What’s one recommendation you would give to distance runners to improve their health?

One recommendation…hmmm. I’d simply ask them to answer the following question honestly, “does running make you happy?” The act of running itself should be its own reward. And if it is, then continue on your way! But if you answer “no, but it will make me healthier and lose weight” then I challenge you to identify other pursuits that will make you happy and still achieve the same end-game.

Sometimes runners can become too obsessed with personal best times, splits, heart-rate zones, and times. How can runners focus on the big picture and lead more balanced, healthy lives?

I definitely fell into this running-mania when I was at my height. Granted, I loved all the science, BPs, metrics, etc. because I’m a proud geek! But such obsessions (yes, they’re obsessions) can easily lead people into dark waters. The trick is to balance out your “work” runs with “happy” runs. One idea is to take one of your weekly runs and simply go for the joy of it. No watch. No heart-rate monitor. Just run and be in the flow. Enjoy a scenic route. Maybe run with a friend or loved one. Just be.

A lot of runners are looking for that extra edge in performance. Maybe it’s a new dietary supplement, training paradigm, or shoe craze. What are your thoughts on sticking with simplicity and the basics that have been proven to work? Do you ever get caught in the most recent fad or the hype of a new product?

I certainly did get caught up in all the hype in my early years [Jason's note: Read Matt's Story for how he's so healthy!]. It’s a seductive trap to fall into. But my recent and currently philosophies have returned to minimalism – the art of the essential. As a quick aside, this view isn’t specific to just running but has become a world-view for all of health and life. But back to running, the basics are basics for a reason. You can’t fake them. And you can’t avoid them.

So, I’d say stick with simple yet time-proven training programs. Eat wholesome foods, and if you’re a serious mid-to-long distance runner then research some simple energy packs to take with you (still aim for wholesome ingredients). Shoes-wise, I’ve become an advocate of the barefoot alterative (I wear Vibrams). I haven’t taken my Vibrams to mid-distances, but for the sprints and shorter distances (including Parkour training) that I do I love them!

The basics work. And if you focus on the 80/20 rule you’ll get far.

All that said, I’m not a professional coach. And if you’re a serious and professional-caliber runner then you shouldn’t be listening to me. There are far more experienced folks out there that can help you analyze your nutrition program, periodization schedule, work-to-rest ratios, technique tweaks, etc. But for the majority of “average” folks just wanting to get healthy, I do believe my experiences offer valuable insights. As always, your choices are your own responsibility.

Your blog Healthy Lifestyle Design is about much more than running or exercise: it’s helping people dominate their health so they can lead remarkable, powerful lifestyles. What principles from HLD transfer well into the sport of running?

To me, this question is at the heart of the matter. My personal crusade with health has been rife with mistakes, disease, regrets, and much worse. I’ve learned a lot through those dark times. And they now fuel me to design more meaningful, vibrant, and happy lives through the awesome powerful of fearless health.

To that end, HLD offers many holistic principles that can certainly apply to meaningful, enjoyable, and safe running. A few include…

• Live as naturally and actively as possible
  

  Fearless Health starts today.

• Train with purpose, passion, and intelligence
• Believe in preventions over cures
• Believe that living healthy is wicked fun!

You can read all 11 commandments of the “Health Elite” in my free manifesto, FEARLESS HEALTH: How to Thrive in an Unhealthy World.

Motivation is a huge part of distance running and sticking to a healthy lifestyle. What are the best ways to stay motivated when there are so many negative distractions out there that will prevent you from reaching your goals?

Motivation is key. I’m so glad you asked about that!

I feel that many in the status quo confuse genuine motivation with petty lust. Many lust after better vanity, less fat, en-vogue supplements, etc. These are shallow impulses incapable of sustaining a meaningful commitment to better health and life. Mind you, less fat and improved vanity are worthwhile results to achieve. But they certainly aren’t motivation.

In my view, motivation stems from your inner-most belief-system. This “operating system” for life provides the infinite energy you need to resist the temptations of the unhealthy status quo. A bit of honest and thoughtful introspection should help you discover what your belief-system is comprised of.

As a warning, you may discover (as I foreshadowed earlier) that distance running really isn’t a strong part of your belief-system. I’d encourage you not to fight that honest emotion, but embrace it. Perhaps distance is not for you, but perhaps intervals or even free-running/parkour are.

And if distance running is for you, if it is at the core of your self-identity, then unleash it without hesitation. There are others out there like you. Find them. Join them. Learn from them. This social currency is invaluable to sustain and grow your motivation.

The last trick that I’ve learned regarding motivation is taking pride in being different. Some call this being a nonconformist. Others call it being unconventional. To a large extent, I call it being fearless! Greatness, in running or whatever else you choose to pursue, is a prestigious gift rarely given. To earn it you must stand by your convictions with courage and honor. This is an up-lifting swell as such pride amplifies your motivation.

There’s a lot of interest right now in living more primally – eating a Paleo diet and exercising like our ancestors. This often conflicts with the carbohydrate-rich diet and “chronic cardo” lifestyle of distance runners. Do you think the two are mutually exclusive? Do people have to choose between being a distance runner and living primally?

Another great question. Wow!

Honestly, I’m torn on this one. And I certainly don’t know enough about the science of both “paleo nutrition” and elite-level distance running to make a definitive claim.

I will, however, say this. Paleo nutrition is consistent with a belief in living simply and naturally. Thus, I agree with Paleo teachings. I also don’t think that life is one-dimensional. So I rarely, if ever, believe that anything is mutually exclusive. So yes, I feel that Paleo/primal philosophies can be coupled with distance running. The specifics on how I’ll leave to the experts.

Two names you should know in this debate are Mark Sisson (Mark’s Daily Apple) and Patrick McCrann. First, Mark was an acclaimed triathlete at the highest level. However, he’s since veered from that path and more towards “Grok” style fitness in accord with his Paleo beliefs. His site is a treasure-trove of awesome insights on paleo living (including running). Note that Mark is now anti “chronic cardio”.

Then there’s Patrick. Patrick is currently an elite level triathlete – far more experienced on those subjects than I. Interestingly, Patrick believes in many Paleo philosophies. Based on his performance capabilities and success, I’d say he figured out how to blend the two realities quite well. I highly recommend checking out his stuff.

So how about yourself, Matt? Are you a runner? What do you think about short-shorts?

LOL. I’ll leave short-shorts for the end!

As I’ve hinted at already, I used to be an avid runner. And I enjoyed it immensely! I can attest to the runner “high” and honestly still have the urge to get out there and blast a mid-distance run.

But my personal philosophies have evolved since those days. I’ll entertain doing a mid-distance run ever so often, but it’s rare. My chronic IT band inflammation is partially to blame. Other than that, I decided to pursue other adventures. Thus, it became a matter of ‘opportunity cost’ – what I was sacrificing for a lifestyle of distance running.

Today I love doing sprint-drills. And most recently I’ve begun experimenting with Parkour – aka “free running”. I’m not flipping off buildings (yet!), but I am making gains in my confidence to scale small walls and perform some mid-level jumps. It’s a very natural sport that promotes running with dexterity, explosiveness, and balance. It’s beautiful!

While I don’t see myself getting back into distance running “full time”, you never know. Again, if distance running is for you, if you crave it like nothing else and learn the “ways of the force”, then by all means have at it. Because the successful healthy lifestyle crusade is nothing more than the pursuit of happiness.

Oh, yes, short-shorts! Honestly, I don’t fancy them myself. Maybe it’s because my dad still wears them when he runs. Or maybe it’s the vivid images of Bleeker (see “Juno”) running in his canary-yellow shorts. But hey, if you can rock them then more power to you!

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Thanks for the great interview Matt!

You can read more about how you can create a vibrant healthy lifestyle at Healthy Lifestyle Design. Don’t forget to get a free copy of the Fearless Health Manifesto!Similar Posts:

• 10 Running and Fitness Blogs to Help You Run Fast and Dominate Your Next Race
• Laying the Fitness Foundation: How to Skip the Intro Training Plan for Beginners
• Can Competitive Distance Running Be Part of a Healthy Lifestyle?

Competitive Distance Running is Hard Work.

It’s tough work if you want to be fast.  As my old coach used to tell me, “You can’t burn the candle at both ends.”  You have to make a lot of sacrifices in order to fit that mileage into your already busy schedule.  Happy hour on Thursday nights with your friends?  Keep dreaming.  Competitive distance running takes absolute focus and you have to stay aligned with your goals.

The Effects of Competitive Distance Running

In the pursuit of fast race times, distance runners have to sacrifice other important elements of fitness.  Flexibility, explosiveness, upper body strength, and energy levels will suffer when you’re training at a high level.  While you may be able to work on these areas of fitness while putting in the high miles, you’ll never be as flexible or strong in the gym if you weren’t running so much.

The loss of overall fitness for the pursuit of specialization is because distance running fitness is one-dimensional.  Running involves movement in only one plane of motion.  There are no other types of movement (unless you’re a hurdler or steeplechaser, in which case you’re slightly more athletic) which make most runners not very athletic.

High-volume training is incredibly stressful – the mega mileage, the long tempo workouts, and the intense intervals consistently wear down your body.  Most health professionals would agree that competitive distance runners training at a high-level would be best served by lowering their mileage and intensity and incorporating different types of exercise into their program.

Years ago, my doctor told me that I should stop running so much and gain 5-10 pounds.  I pretended to consider it.  If I ran a third of the mileage I do now but did more strength training, a yoga session every week, and a game of pick-up basketball (for example), my overall health would be much better.

But I’d be slower.  My singular goal right now is to run faster than I ever have.  I’m not interested in comprehensive health.  I want one-dimensional, specialized fitness.  If you want to race fast, it’s a sacrifice you have to make.  To limit the unhealthy side-effects of competitive distance running, you have to be careful to avoid over-training. Even if you’re not trying to be competitive, you should be careful if you are reaching for new personal bests.

Know the Warning Signs of Over-Training

Balancing the stresses of this kind of training program is vital if you want to improve and reach your potential.  If you do burn the candle at both ends or take on more volume or intensity than you can handle, you could be over-training or risking an injury.

Over-training is when the body has worked so hard that it’s unable to recover, even after a normal period of resting time.  It often requires a week or more of little to no activity to allow the body to “get back to neutral” and properly rest.

If you think you’ve been pushing the envelope too far and are over-trained, the first thing to check is your workout and race times.  Have they significantly decreased?  Does your normal 5k pace now feel like a dead sprint?  If race and workout times are declining and your effort level seems to be increasing, you probably need some down time.

Another good indicator that you have taken on too much is your heart rate.  When I was in college, a friend of mine ran himself into the ground – 100 mile weeks (when he wasn’t ready for it) and racing every workout.  After about three weeks of this type of training, his heart rate would be nearly 170 during normal distance runs.  He needed rest.

Aside from these warning signs, overall feelings of fatigue, random injuries, and even not being able to sleep are common among those who are over-trained.  Be especially careful in the summer and know how to beat the heat when it’s hot outside.  Your body will be working harder when the heat and humidity are higher.

Prevention and Training Balance

Even if you never get over-trained, competitive distance running is not the most holistic way to get healthy.  If you decide to stick with an intense running plan to satisfy the competitor inside yourself, remember these five rules.  They will help you stay healthy, avoid fatigue and burn-out, and reach your goals.

1. Sleep is crucial to recovery.  Get as much as you need and don’t skimp; your body needs to repair the damage you’re doing on a daily basis.  If you can, take naps.  Elite US marathoner Ryan Hall calls his naps “business meetings” because they are part of his job.
2. Diet matters. The old saying, “if the furnace is hot enough, it will burn anything” is not true!  Fuel your body properly to stay energized, promote recovery, and keep your weight where it should be. Remember, everything you eat should provide nutritional value.
3. Don’t be afraid to rest. Recovery runs are meant to be slow.  If you feel flat or fatigued, run a few miles less.  Take a day off once in awhile.  Don’t fret.
4. Plan extended periods of no running.  Several times a year, take 1-2 weeks off from running and enjoy other activities.  You can hike, bike, swim, or just take it easy.  Allow your body (and mind) to recover from the stress of high-end training.
5. Do the little things. To keep yourself healthy, the small things count.  Dynamic warm-ups and core routines help you avoid injury.  Ice baths reduce inflammation from hard workouts.  Massage or a foam roller help work out the kinks in your tired muscles.

It’s often a balancing act to train diligently and remain healthy.  Over-training can sometimes happen without the normal warning signs if you’re not careful.  It’s up to you to take care of your body and put your health high on your priority list.

While it’s not the most vibrant form of a healthy lifestyle, a competitive distance running program is a rewarding form of training and will help bring you closer to your running goals.

How do you avoid over-training? Do you think the high volume, intense training program of competitive distance runners is healthy? If you like this article, please share it!

This article originally appeared on RunAddicts, a professional running blog, on July 27th. It has been slightly modified  for Strength Running.

Photo CreditSimilar Posts:

• Is Weekly Running Mileage Over-Rated?
• Laying the Fitness Foundation: How to Skip the Intro Training Plan for Beginners
• 10 Running and Fitness Blogs to Help You Run Fast and Dominate Your Next Race

Have you ever met a successful runner who has only been running for a few months? I have. There are certain people who seem to jump into running and are able to perform at a competitive level. How do they do it? What’s their secret?

Your Fitness Foundation: How Fit Are You?

It’s not actually a secret. These people have a general fitness foundation that allows them to run without a lot of the roadblocks that many new runners experience. You may even have this foundation already set up for you (lucky) and are primed to start a great running career!

Even if you don’t, there are ways that we can build your fitness foundation so that you can worry less about injuries, skip the “walk/run” part of becoming a runner, and start reaching your potential faster. All that’s needed is some good planning, some time and effort, and a little bit of luck.

Each person is going to start at a different point on the fitness spectrum. I can’t predict how long it will take you to get ready to start running, but the range might be anywhere from 2-8 weeks. If you’ve been a couch potato for a few years, it may take even longer. But this will still make it easier to make the transition!

Your fitness foundation will help you train more and ultimately, race faster with less chance of injury. You’re going to have a serious advantage over others who just jump into a training program. So let’s dive in and set you up to become a runner.

Health Comes Before Fitness

Even before you jump into a training program, you have to be healthy.

Sounds easy, but it’s not. You have to adopt the healthy habits now or you won’t be ready to start a real running program. Runners know that it’s not just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. And it’s more than simply eating a healthy diet.

First, make sure you don’t have any lingering injuries from other sports. Rehabilitate that twisted ankle from pick-up basketball. Rest your sore back from helping your kid move into her college dorm.

Next, start with your bad habits. If you smoke, stop. If you’re a drinker, cut it down to once a week and try not to get too wasted. Improve your diet so that you’re eating more fruits and vegetables with less processed food. Consider a 1-2 week Paleo Diet to detox from the typical American fare. You may even consider switching to the diet on a more permanent basis.

Improving your diet will also help you get closer to your target weight (if this is an issue for you). A large contributor to beginning runner injuries is the excess weight that many are carrying. It places extra stress on all of your joints and muscles. You have to work harder to move yourself. By being in a healthy weight range, you’ll dramatically reduce your risk of injury. And you’ll feel a helluva lot better.

Being “healthy” also means being free from illness or disease. If you’re recovering from the flu, an infection, or any serious disease, don’t start running. You’ll already be at a disadvantage. Of course, consult with your doctor if you have any condition that may preclude you from starting a running program.

Building General Strength

“To be a good runner, you must first be a good athlete.” – Coach Jay Johnson.

If anybody has ever told you that anybody can run or that running takes no skill, they are absolutely wrong. Running properly and consistently takes coordination, strength, and athleticism. To prepare you for your first running program, it’s important to build a fitness foundation that includes general strength.

Strength exercises are vital to keeping you injury-free and running your best. Without them, you may not be able to absorb the stress and impact of running. They include core exercises like the plank, bridges, and medicine ball work. Other home gym exercises include lunges, simple dumbbell lifts, and push-ups.

In Christopher McDougall’s best-seller Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, he transforms himself from an injury-prone jogger to an ultra-runner who completed a 50 mile ultra-marathon in the rugged canyons of Mexico. Part of his transformation included general strength exercises every other day, including squat-jumps, medicine ball work, and lunges that helped him prevent the injuries he was so prone to beforehand.

Mobility Increases Athleticism

To continue your development as an athlete and runner, it’s important to build functional mobility into your pre-running training program. Before any general strength workout, incorporating mobility and dynamic flexibility drills will help you prepare.

Mobility drills, like dynamic warm-ups, increase your range of motion and are a more active way of warming up for a workout. A lot of athletes and runners still use static stretching, but this can actually reduce performance. Many new studies are showing that static stretching is bad for power and endurance running.

A more comprehensive approach to warming up includes light core and general strength exercises, with the majority of the warm-up being dynamic drills. This type of active routine helps warm your muscles, lubricate your joints, and minimizes your chance of injury. Here are my personal dynamic warm-up and core routines that I do on a weekly basis.

The Benefits of Random Sport Participation

Playing other sports, either competitively or just recreationally, is one of the best preparations for a new training program. I grew up playing basketball and the countless games and practices prepared me well for running. Suicide runs, coordination drills, and all of that running is beneficial.

Many coaches believe one of the primary reasons that Kenyans and Ethiopians are such talented distance runners is because they had a very active childhood. Growing up, they ran to school and back. Their family required them to help with chores and manual labor was frequent.

I doubt you ran 6 miles to school and back when you were a kid, but a childhood spent playing soccer and running around in your neighborhood provides a great aerobic foundation for running. You’ll also have a stronger body and probably have more general athleticism.

If you played a lot of sports as a kid or participate in a lot of adult leagues (think Ultimate Frisbee, Softball, or Volleyball), your active lifestyle is creating a great fitness foundation for a new running program. If not, then no worries. Aside from core and strength exercises, mobility drills, and designing a healthier lifestyle, start being more active.

You could go for several long walks per week. Start cycling. Play pick-up basketball or swim laps. Keep it fun and don’t think of it as “training” – recruit your friends and go hiking or play at the beach for a few hours. The more active you can be without being stressful the better.

Putting it Together: Your Fitness Foundation

Your foundation of health, activity, and fitness will make you more able to jump into a beginner’s training program without any problems. Before you start running, evaluate where you are on the fitness spectrum. If you think that you’re not very fit and have an unhealthy lifestyle, start slow and improve your fitness one day at a time. Here are action steps to help you on your journey to remarkable running:

1. Consult your doctor and cure any old injuries or illnesses.
2. Kick your bad habits: get more sleep, stop smoking, drink less, and skip the fast food.
3. Improve your diet with more fruit, vegetables, and high-quality meat. Avoid processed food. Read In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto; the simplest book on diet I’ve ever read that changed how I look at food.
4. Start doing general strength and core exercises 3-4 times per week. Include mobility drills before and after your workout.
5. Lead a more active lifestyle, but keep it fun.

Soon, you’ll be healthier, stronger, more flexible, and ready to tackle a running program. At this point, you can probably skip the introductory, stock plans like Couch to 5k and move into a more intermediate program. Consider a running coach if you want to reach your potential.

Running is a journey and this is just the beginning. What are your stories of starting to run and how did you make running part of your healthy lifestyle? Let us know in the comments!

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• 10 Running and Fitness Blogs to Help You Run Fast and Dominate Your Next Race
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The barefoot running research continues to pile up. More and more studies, anecdotes, and experts are confirming what the minimalist camp has been preaching for years: barefoot running isn’t dangerous, it can make you faster, and it can prevent injuries.

When it comes to barefoot running for those training for a race, should you kick off your shoes permanently? Absolutely not! Despite the overwhelming research that running barefoot can help you tremendously, I still very much believe that it has to be used wisely. Like I’ve mentioned before, barefoot running is a tool.

I’m going to continue to compile some of the latest barefoot running research articles, discussions, and thoughts here periodically to keep up with the trends. These resources will help you understand how minimalism can make you a better runner, when to call BS on new fad products, and when to dig deeper into the science of barefoot running.

Toning Shoes Don’t Work

On the opposite end of the footwear spectrum from being barefoot, you have toning shoes. As soon as they debuted about a year ago, I knew they were bogus and whatever studies used to support their claims were probably not the full picture. Turns out I was right.

The shoes claim that you’ll “burn more calories,” “improve your posture,” and “tone your butt 28% more than walking in regular sneakers.” Here’s new research showing that toning shoes like the Sketchers Shape-Ups and Reebok EasyTones don’t fulfill any of their promises. Plus, they’re hideous.

Motion Control! No, Stability! It Doesn’t Matter!

Have you gone to a running shoe store and had the salesperson watch you run or walk, then are guided to a specific type of shoe? If you have been advised to get a stability, motion control, or neutral trainer, then it looks like the recommendation doesn’t matter. Running shoe categories are meaningless.

Instead of the study, I’m linking to Peter Larson’s discussion on Runblogger. Aside from being even more obsessed with running shoes than I am, Peter knows his stuff about most of the minimalist shoes on the market today. If you’re a shoe geek, you need to know him.

“Children’s Shoes Should Come with a Government Health Warning”

Podiatrist Tracy Byrne is crusading against shoes for children, and not just so their feet can properly develop. According to Byrne, wearing shoes not only affects the development of a child’s foot, but it hampers cerebral development and posture. Playtime sans shoes is not only more enjoyable for a child, but it can prevent footwear-related damage when the feet are at their most vulnerable.

Many in the minimalist camp know that running barefoot has a host of benefits and are trying to spread the word. But who is talking about foot strength in a 2 year old? I hope this can start the discussion about children developing the correct foot musculature, posture, balance, and leg strength from avoiding shoes.

Barefoot Running’s Poster Boy Daniel Lieberman

Daniel Lieberman published a barefoot running study in Nature that claims the impact forces from running barefoot are less than when running in shoes. This study isn’t new (it’s been quoted all over the internet, many times by Vibram USA, makers of FiveFingers), but rarely do we take a look at the actual study. It has a great list of references that the nerdiest among us will enjoy.

Don’t Want to Run Barefoot? Just Take Shorter Strides

The benefits of barefoot running include a softer landing and reduced impact forces. Specifically, impact forces on the knee and hip are reduced which is proved in Lieberman’s study published in Nature. Another study found that these same benefits can be realized just by shortening your stride, so it’s not necessary to take off your shoes.

If you’re looking for increased lower leg strength, proprioception, and a helluva good time, I’d still take the shoes off.

BAREFOOT BONUS! Just for some humor, this is the dumbest site I’ve seen in a long time.

A Kick Ass Training Book

If you are really interested in achieving your best, learn from elite coach Brad Hudson. His book Run Faster is hands-down, the best training book I’ve ever read. It’s not too technical (like Daniels’ Running Formula) and will teach you how to get faster and train in a really well-rounded way.

This book resonated with me; it’s an overall training strategy that you can use for the 5k or the marathon and the principles remain the same. In other words, it’s comprehensive, unified, and consistent. It just makes sense from an intuitive and a scientific perspective.

A few of the “Adaptive Running” techniques that Hudson explains have made dramatic changes in my running (and may explain how I’ve run for a year and a half now with no injuries). My favorites are:

Hill Sprints: They’re damn fun and even more effective. They recruit an enormous amount of muscles fibers that make you run more efficiently and protect you from injury.

Focus on Aerobic Base: It’s easy to think that grueling intervals on the track will make you a faster runner. Well, they’re a recipe for injury and should only be used sparingly. The greatest limiting factor for most runners is their aerobic base, so train to increase that instead.

Variety! Stop running the same distance along the same route in the same shoes at the same pace at the same time every day. You are not growing as a runner if you’re doing this. Hudson outlines how to use variety to shake up your training, run faster, and prevent injuries.

Those are just three of my favorites. I constantly find myself opening up the book to look up a unique training principle, only to find myself rereading entire chapters. Run Faster has literally changed my outlook on running for the better. Seriously recommended if you are interested in staying healthy, running faster, and preventing injury.

Free Shoes!

This is going to be incredibly ironic in a barefoot running post, but I recently won a pair of red Spira men’s Stinger Competition racing flats. It turns out that they’re too big and not really my style, so I want to give them away to one of my newsletter readers. Here’s the catch: they are size 10.5 . They have these weird discs in the sole that I don’t like. There are tiny pieces of plastic in the sole that look broken but probably won’t affect them whatsoever.

So if you’re interested, first subscribe to the Strength Running newsletter (no spam, seriously) on the right. Then forward me the confirmation email with your address. If you’re already a newsletter subscriber, just email me your address. I’ll pay for shipping.

** Note: a winner has been chosen! Thanks for the participation everyone!**Similar Posts:

• Born to Run is Not Only About Barefoot Running: How Christopher McDougall Really Became an Ultra Runner
• Minimalist Running Shoes, Injuries, and Qualifying for Boston: An Interview with Runblogger’s Pete Larson
• Using Minimalism as a Tool Not a Way of Life

This past Saturday I raced the Sea Isle 10 Mile Run. It’s more formally known as the Captain Bill Gallagher 10 Mile Island Run but that’s a moutful. My fiancée usually runs this race every year and it’s become a tradition, much like the Tri for Our Veterans Sprint Triathlon.

I finished in 14th place with a time of 58:45 – or 5:52 average mile pace. I listed my mile splits below and you can see the official race results here.

I had an ambitious goal before the race of breaking my 2007 personal best of 54:50 for 10 miles. Ultimately, I think I under-estimated the impact of hot weather, wind, racing on sand, and the camber of the beach. The race was very difficult and not conducive to running fast.

I had a solid two-week taper before the race and I felt incredibly rested. My last workout was the Tuesday before – a 3k at race pace (10:20), 2×600m at slightly faster than 5k pace (1:51, 1:50), and 4×200 (34, 3×33 seconds). I was feeling good and had some pop in my legs. And of course, I was jacked up on coffee before the start.

Unfortunately, this race has a 5:30pm start time. I’ve mentioned before that I’m a morning person and would rather get after it at 9am instead of in the afternoon. I was very cranky after the Rockville Twilight 8k a month ago, which didn’t start until nearly 9pm.

The field for the Sea Isle 10 Mile Run is incredibly competitive. In 2009, the top 13 runners broke 55 minutes (my goal) with another 7 under 56 minutes. My strategy leading into this year’s race was sticking with the first 15 runners through 7-8 miles and then going for broke. It kind of worked out like that.

The race started on the paved boardwalk parallel to the beach and made a sharp right onto the beach just before the mile mark. I struggled through about 100 meters of soft sand until we reached the hard packed sand along the water. The race officials make sure it’s low tide so there is a wide and flat area of sand to race along.

Well, I soon learned that the sand wasn’t as hard as I originally thought and it definitely wasn’t flat. There was a serious camber and it sloped down toward the water. This is why I hate beach running. My mile splits were all incredibly slow, which were because of a combination of sand, camber, and wind.

The course did a 180 degree turn at the 2.5 mile mark and went back past the starting line (the half-way point at 5 miles). Luckily, the wind was at my back after the sharp turn and from about mile 4-6 I was able to run on pavement. It didn’t do much good as the earlier miles on sand had robbed me of any energy.

I crossed over 100 meters of soft sand (3rd time) at about the 6th mile, reached another 180 degree turn at the 7.5 mile mark, and then went into the wind for the last 2.5 miles to finish on the beach.

The great thing about this race is the crowd support. There are hundreds of people lining the “course” and lots of families along the beach cheering the runners. It’s a very unique atmosphere and if I were to be convinced to do the race again, it would be because of the cheering fans.

For those interested in my splits, here they are:

They are quite similar to my marathon splits from New York two years ago, before I hit the wall around the 20th mile.

It’s important to learn from every race experience so what lessons can I take away from the Sea Isle 10 Mile Run? Clearly, it’s not a fast course so I shouldn’t have tried a PR attempt. The wind slowed the field down; it’s not as competitive as it was a year ago.

I don’t think I’ll be running this race again. I loved the atmosphere and would do it again simply for that, but the camber of the beach is aggressive and is an injury hazard.

I’m also going to avoid running afternoon races in the summer. That’s just asking for a heat-related disaster. Pushing the body to run faster than it ever has is tough by itself. Adding heat and humidity to the mix isn’t a good idea.

I’m now taking a one week break from running to rejuvenate physically and mentally. I’ve been training consistently since the beginning of April so I think this is a great time for a recovery block. I’m planning a short shake-out on Sunday and then I will start running Monday at about 75% of my previous mileage.

My goal for the fall is to race frequently. I want to always be ready to toe the line, which I’ve failed to do in the last 6 months or so. One of the many benefits of collegiate running is that you race almost every week (sometimes twice in one day). So you’re always getting more racing experience, no matter if you think you’re ready or not.

I’ll be focusing on 5k – 10k distances and looking to break my 4 year old 10k PR of 33:41. I’ve only raced one and I think I can go a lot faster (famous last words!).

Thanks for reading and let me know if you have any race questions of your own! What races have you done recently? Any coming up soon? Let me know if you need an online running coach!Similar Posts:

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Wouldn’t you like to run hard workouts and long runs and be able to recover well for the next day? Now you can. I’m going to share my recovery routine that helps me bounce back from marathon prep workouts and hard speed sessions. It combines nutrition, dynamic exercises, and sleep techniques to help you recover fast.

Running Recovery is Paramount to Performing at Your Best

It’s important to understand why you get sore after a hard run and why this is a good thing. When you run a hard workout, you break your body down. You get faster when your body has enough time and resources to heal the damage and adapt.

The key is to learn how to properly recover from long runs and hard workouts. After 12 years of competitive running, I’ve learned it’s an art and it’s taken me this long to implement everything correctly.

The problem is that a lot of runners don’t take simple measures to recover as much as possible from their running. Even when I was in college, the most we did after the majority of our runs was a quick stretch. Hardly enough when you’re putting in 80-90 mile weeks with a lot of tough workouts and races.

Injuries were common when I was in college and not only for myself. My teammates suffered their fair share as well. I think if we emphasized proper recovery during and after our workouts, we could have avoided most of our setbacks.

The purpose of a recovery routine is to allow your body to start the healing process immediately. See, you don’t get fit and develop endurance during a workout – in fact, it’s the opposite. A hard workout or a long run will break you down, compromise your immune system, and make you temporarily weaker.

After your body has time to adapt to the stress of that workout, it super-compensates for the extra stress you put it through and gets stronger. It’s essentially a defense mechanism. Your body wants to be able to better handle the workload and intensity you just put it through, so it develops more strength and endurance.

Focus on Long Run Recovery

I have a certain routine that I go through after all of my long runs. Its purpose is to maximize recovery and capitalize as much as possible on the fitness gains from the most important workout of the week for me. It’s so important that I consider it an extension of the workout itself. I pretend that I am still outside running during the recovery routine because it’s a vital part of the workout.

But why focus on the long run? For me, the long run is my hardest run of the week. At nearly 25% of my weekly running volume (which is about 80 based on the last month), it’s a challenging distance. I also incorporate faster running at the end of the run to develop additional aerobic support. I essentially make all of my long runs a type of marathon workout.

To put these runs in perspective, the last two weeks I’ve run 19 miles or 2 hours and 12 minutes. At the two-hour mark, I put in a 5 minute effort at about 6:15 per mile, but I’m probably going a bit faster. I jogged for a minute, and then I did four 20-30 second surges. Since I’m very tired at this point, I’ll recruit more muscle fibers making the workout more effective. It will also mentally help me switch into a higher gear when I’m fatigued.

As you can see, these runs are difficult. I’m very tired at the end, especially during hot and humid Washington, DC summers. This makes a structured recovery routine all the more important.

Keep in mind, a good recovery routine is not just for long runs. I wanted to put it in context. Based on the intensity or duration of your own run, you may want to copy this exactly. Feel free to mix and match certain elements to maximize your own recovery.

The Long Run Recovery Routine

Recovery starts before you even take your first step. Start your workout well hydrated and properly fueled. I like to have either coffee or green tea before my long runs; caffeine is a proven performance enhancer and both have a lot of antioxidants.

If it’s hot outside during your run, carry fluids with you to avoid dehydration, especially during a long or particularly intense workout. I actually hate carrying things with me when I run, so I plan to run by water fountains. Do what works for you.

A lot of runners need extra fuel during their workout. Ingesting some calories can help speed the recovery process when you finish as you already have some carbohydrates in your digestive system. I don’t like to eat anything during I run so I avoid this – I’ll only take some gels when prepping for a marathon to get myself used to eating on the run. Again, do what works for you.

When you finish running, the real recovery starts. Here is my routine that I stick to for every long run:

1. Within 10 minutes of stopping, I make sure to have a lot of protein and simple sugars. I have an iron stomach so I like a glass of chocolate milk with a protein scoop (my favorite running recovery supplement) and a piece of fruit.
2. Within 30 minutes of finishing, I’ll have at least 3 full glasses of water. This is so important if it’s hot out. I also do 10-15 minutes of light strength exercises and drills – dynamic stretching helps me avoid getting too tight.
3. Within 45-60 minutes, I have a full meal focusing on protein, low GI (glycemic index) carbs, and healthy fats like olive oil or avocado. I try to eat a lot of veggies in this meal to reduce inflammation and get my vitamins. American record holder in the half-marathoner Ryan hall knows the importance of vegetables for recovery. One of his latest tweets on twitter (@RyanHall3) read “Kale, spinach, ginger, carrot, beet juice to kick off recovery after a HARD 23 miler.” He knows his stuff.
4. Within 90 minutes, I take a shower, continue drinking water, and start winding down. This is more of a mental recovery period for me.
5. After 2 hours, I take a 1.5-2 hour nap. Ryan Hall calls his naps “business meetings” because they are part of his job to get faster. This is when your body starts to really repair the damage from your hard workout or long run. Take this seriously!
6. After the nap, I have some green tea or coffee. Caffeine speeds recovery and both are perfect running recovery drinks.  Next I’ll go for a 10 minute easy walk or do some light drills to loosen up.

You might have noticed that I don’t ice bath. I used to, but I’ve read some recent research that is showing it’s counter-productive. This could be another post entirely, so I’ll keep it brief: you exercise to put stress on your body so that it responds with adaptation. Then you get stronger and faster.

Ice baths reduce that adaptation because they prevent a lot of the muscle damage that’s actually a good thing. When ice baths prevent the damage, they’re also preventing your body from responding to that damage. And then you stay the same speed. Now, who wants that?!

Ice baths are more useful after easy runs or during the taper phase when you’re not trying to gain extra fitness. They can be used for additional recovery when that is your primary concern.

This recovery routine has really worked for me. It’s helped me bounce back from hard workouts and get ready for the next day’s run. I hope it helps you too. But like everything, do what works for you.

What other recovery measures do you take to prevent injury and help your body heal from hard workouts? Let’s hear them in the comments!

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I recently participated in an exercise study that included VO2 Max Testing and measured several key indicators for endurance, including my ventilatory threshold. The endurance testing I did wasn’t specifically geared for performance improvement (it was measuring progenitor cells in my blood before and after exercise), but I gathered a lot of valuable information.

The problem is, I’m not sure what it means. I need your help to look at the test results and see if we can pull any insights from the data.

My VO2 Max was measured on a treadmill using an incline test method. Every two minutes, the incline increased. It started at 0%, then went to 3%, 6%, and finally concluded 8% when the test concluded after 8:30 of running.

My VO2 Max result, 69.1 ml/kg/min, is pretty good and I’m pleased with it. But I’m surprised it’s so high because all of my race times predict a lower score. My mile PR of 4:33 predicts a VO2 Max of about 66 while my marathon PR of 2:44:38 predicts a VO2 Max of about 59.

Ultimately, VO2 Max is not a good predictor of race performance. Steve Magness, an accomplished runner, coach, and exercise physiologist, explains the “Fallacy of VO2 Max” in a great (but long) post. The conclusions that I draw from this article is that VO2 Max does not change in trained athletes and it doesn’t correlate with performance. So why try to improve it?

A more useful metric is lactate threshold – or the point at which lactate starts to increase dramatically in the blood. The LT can be improved upon in training through long runs, tempos, and an overall high volume program.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get my lactate threshold tested. But my ventilatory threshold was measured which is very similar. The VT is the point when respiration increases significantly due to the accumulation and exhalation of metabolic by-products.

VO2 Max Testing

Below are several graphs that visually depict my results.

Summary Table: Vo2/Ventilatory Threshold and Blood Work

VO2 Max and Maximum Heart Rate

Pulmonary Ventilation and Respiratory Exchange Ratio

Researcher’s Analysis

“From top to bottom, these charts show your (i) oxygen uptake, (ii) heart rate, (iii) pulmonary ventilation (rate of air taken in & breathed out by the lungs), and (iv) respiratory exchange ratio during your max test. The x-axis (time in minutes) on the bottom panel corresponds with all four panels.

Your max VO2 was 69.1, which is considered very high and is typical of high-level endurance athletes. Healthy sedentary people your age may have values of ~45 ml/kg/min, whereas world class athletes (e.g. Olympic runners) may have higher values, e.g. high 70’s to more than 80 ml/kg/min, but only the tiniest minority of runners ever reach the level you’re at. You should be pleased with this result, as you are clearly a highly-trained athlete.

Your ventilatory threshold (VT) data are probably most useful for you. VT is closely associated with a metric you have probably heard of called the “lactate threshold”, and both are used as indicators of training status. Your VT is indicated by the vertical line crossing all panels. This occurred at 82% of your VO2 Max; the VT of some elite endurance athletes has been recorded at >90% of their VO2 Max.

Your heart rate of 169 beats/min at your VT could be used to guide your training. Essentially, you can train to increase endurance performance by regularly working at higher intensities (heart rates) than your threshold.

The data shown in the bottom two panels, pulmonary ventilation and respiratory exchange ratio are what I actually used to calculate your VT, so I include them here but they have little applicability to training and racing situations for you.”

Let’s Get Nerdy: Help Me Analyze!

This is admittedly a far more scientific, in-depth, and nerdy post than I normally do here at Strength Running. I would normally not post this, but I recently had a good discussion with a new runner who was trying to measure his VO2 Max so he could predict his future race results.

Like I mentioned, VO2 Max is not a good predictor of race performances. It doesn’t change in trained runners and can change little in moderately trained runners. So why train to improve it? Why even pay that much attention to it?

If any of you have a background in exercise physiology, have done any testing yourself, or just want to chime in, please do in the comments! Are there any actionable lessons I can take from this experience? What is the most valuable data here? How can I use this data to alter my training and improve as a runner?

If you’d rather have a private conversation, please email me at support@strengthrunning.com. I’d love to hear your thoughts. If we can learn a lot from this discussion, I’ll post a follow-up “lessons learned” article so we can all become better runners!

Please share this post with anybody that might be interested!Similar Posts:

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This training block went very well and I’m starting to feel very good running at faster speeds. As I come closer and closer to my peak race on August 14th – a 10 miler along the Jersey Shore (yes, that Jersey Shore) – I have started to reduce my mileage and focus more on faster workouts.

I ran one race during this training block, the Rockville Twilight 8k on July 17th. I wasn’t too happy with the race, but a lot of factors were working against me. It was mostly the heat and humidity even though the race started at nearly 9pm, but I had also not done any faster workouts to prepare and I was fatigued from the volume of my training.

Admittedly, I’ve done a poor job of record keeping since the race so I am a bit fuzzy on what I ran day to day. I know that the workouts, long runs, and weekly totals are accurate though. This is a great example of not practicing what I preach: keep a training log! Training journals are great ways to document your running so you can learn from your mistakes and go back to see what worked before a great race.

There were no weddings or bachelor parties this training block, in case any were wondering. Five of these parties in the last 3 months was enough…

Here’s the summary:

7.5 – 7.11: 80 miles total with an 18 mile long run. I ran a 13 mile workout with 3 loops of my “tempo loop” in Rock Creek. With the heat and humidity, the total tempo time of 22:56 was slightly slower than usual. I also had a good double day, running 10 and 5 miles.

7.12 – 7.18: 79 miles total with an 18 mile long run. With the 8k race on Saturday, I cut my Thursday run to rest a little more so my total volume is a bit lower. I got on the track for a workout, running a 2 mile in 11:01 and 4×200m in 33-34 seconds. Thankfully I wasn’t sore after the race so my Sunday long run went great (didn’t hurt that I pounded a lot of coffee before I left!)

7.19 – 7.25: 84 miles total with a 19 mile long run. I incorporated some faster running into my long run this week, doing a 5 minute progression (probably around marathon pace of 6:15 or so) at 2 hours and then 4×20 second surges. My workout also got faster, as I ran 3 loops of my tempo course separately with 2 minutes recovery in 7:29, 7:16, and 7:09. The workout was during a 13 mile run and I also did a 10/5 mile double day.

The coolest part of this week’s training is that on Friday I ran a VO2 Max test at U-Maryland. My result is 69.1 (I believe it’s mg of oxygen per kilogram per minute) and this measures the maximum amount of oxygen I can deliver to my muscles during hard running. I’ll be posting soon about the complete results when I receive them.

7.26 – 8.1: 80 miles total with a 19 mile long run. I did the same long run as last week except I did 4×30 second surges near the end. It felt pretty easy. On Monday I had another test at U-Maryland – a 30 minute workout with 25 minutes at 75% of my max heart-rate, which ended up being at 5:42/mile pace. I barely warmed up so it felt a little harder than I was hoping.

The workout this week was 5 intervals of half of my tempo loop during a 14 miler. I normally split my watch at about the halfway point during this loop, so what I did this week was just run back and forth across this stretch of trail. It was the slightly longer half and one direction was definitely more downhill than the other. The times were 3:40, 3:31, 3:40, 3:30, 3:42.

8.2 – 8.8: 60 miles total with a 13 mile long run. The tapering for my race has started and I’m running significantly less. I’m already feeling very good and itching to run fast. I did the same workout as last week except I only did 4 intervals: 3:27, 3:42 (slowed for a dog), 3:28, 3:39. During my long run I ran 15 minutes at about marathon pace with 4×20 second surges near the end. I’m ready to go!

Total miles for June: 250

Total miles for July: 364

Total miles in 2010: 1,883

I’m on auto-pilot for this next week, probably running easy every day except for Tuesday which will be my workout day. I’ll travel to Sea Isle, NJ on Friday and the race starts Saturday at 5:30pm. If it’s not very hot and humid, I’ll be running a PR attempt to break my current best of 54:50 set in 2007. Wish me luck.

Note: the Strength Running newsletter is going out tomorrow (8/10) – sign up today if you want to receive behind the scenes notifications and more training tips that you don’t see on the site! The sign-up form is on the right.Similar Posts:

• Training Journal: March 15 – 28, 2010
• Training Journal: 5.3 – 6.6.10
• Training Journal: March 1-14, 2010

Are you hoping to qualify for the Boston Marathon? Maybe you’re trying to run another personal record at the Chicago Marathon. Whatever your marathon goals, I have several strategies for your marathon workouts that will take your training to the next level.

The Right Marathon Workouts Will Help You Get a Lot of Medals!

The marathon doesn’t have to be so intimidating. With the right training, and the right marathon workouts, you can be much closer to accomplishing your goals. There are several ways to get the most out of your marathon training. Some of these tips won’t take any extra time to execute.

First, I want to explain my marathon training philosophy to put these suggestions in context. I want you to understand how I tackle the marathon and why these strategies will make you faster.

What Type of Marathon Workouts Did I Run?

It’s important to understand that racing the marathon is entirely aerobic. It requires no anaerobic work; your heart and breathing rate will stay well below your maximum for the entire race. Research has indicated that the marathon (and the half-marathon also) is 99% aerobic and 1% anaerobic.

If you broke the marathon down into 1% segments, the portion of the race that’s anaerobic is only a shade over 400 meters. Your training time is best served preparing for the other 99% of the race.

This means that for marathon runners, speed development is not done with classic interval workouts. Especially for new and even intermediate runners, there is no need to run fast track workouts for the marathon. This goes contrary to popular belief as many runners want to improve their speed over the distance.

But to improve speed over 26.2 miles, you have to increase endurance. If you can run a 4:30 marathon, that’s an average of about 10:20 per mile. An ambitious goal would be to break 4 hours – or run closer to 9 minutes per mile. This level of improvement requires only aerobic conditioning.

This principle applies to faster runners too. I ran the 2008 NY Marathon in 2:44 and did virtually no anaerobic (or fast intervals) workouts prior to the race. I did three key workouts every week for the two months leading up to the race:

1. A long run with several miles at the end at marathon pace.
2. A medium-long run with 5 miles at marathon pace in the middle.
3. A (slightly longer) medium-long run with 6-7 miles at marathon pace, negative splitting to my tempo pace.

These are the only workouts I did, except for one slightly faster track workout two weeks before the race. In hindsight, I wouldn’t do that again.

My goals were simple: make marathon pace as comfortable as possible and develop as much aerobic capacity as I could. By the end of my hard training block, my long run was 22 miles with 6 miles at 5:50 pace at the end. I ran 13 miles with 5 at 5:50 pace. My other workout was 15 miles with a 7 mile tempo starting at 6 minute pace and ending at about 5:30 pace.

The training sounds intense, but none of it was very fast. Every time I laced up my shoes, I wasn’t even approaching my red-line speed or heart rate. Investments in aerobic capacity are small deposits that pay large dividends later. On the other hand, fast interval-based workouts are like quick paydays that you have to spend soon. They don’t last.

What Type of Marathon Workouts Should You Run?

You should do the same type of workouts that I did! Depending upon your experience and fitness level, you might run more than me or faster than me. But the principles remain the same – build your aerobic base as large as possible.

There are 5 key workouts and types of training that you should focus on as you prepare for your marathon. All of them develop leg strength, endurance, and will help you run faster for longer.

The Long Run: Aim to run at least 20 miles before your marathon. If you have months before your marathon, run more 20 mile runs (a 20 miler every week for a month is better than just one!). When I was training, I wanted to err on the side of too long so I went with 22 miles. Only run what you’re ready to handle!

• Aerobic Bonus: At the end of your long run, do a few miles at marathon pace. Not only are you recruiting more muscle fibers in a fatigued state, but you’re mentally preparing your body to run fast when it’s tired. Alternatively, run long hill climbs of 10-15 minutes or hilly terrain at the end of your long run. I call these “rollercoaster runs.”

Run More Mileage: It’s so simple! Run more, get faster. For the marathon, you don’t have to run fast. Just run more volume.  The enhanced aerobic stimulus of an extra 10-20% bump in weekly mileage will make you a much better runner. I advise all of my athletes to replace interval workouts with more mileage when they’re training for a half-marathon or marathon.

• Aerobic Bonus: Be selective about how you run more. I typically run a 5 mile easy run every week. Bumping that run to 7 miles isn’t as useful to my fitness level as bumping my 17 mile long run to 19 miles. It’s still only 2 miles, but where that 2 miles happens is important. Increase your long run, second longest run, etc. for the most benefit. Running more on workout days is another added bonus to your aerobic capacity.

Marathon Pace and Tempo Workouts: These two workouts should be the only type of marathon workouts you do. Marathon pace (MP) workouts – either repetitions or a single run – get you used to the pace you’re going to run on race day. It’s vital that you’re comfortable with this pace. Tempo workouts are faster (but still aerobic) and provide support to your MP. They’ll make MP easier, both physically and mentally.

• Aerobic Bonus: After a warm-up, do a long continuous run (I did 6-7 miles) starting at MP progressing to tempo pace. For me, this was starting at 6 minute pace and then negative-splitting the workout to about 5:30 per mile. This type of workout helped me get in great shape for the 2008 NY Marathon.

At the end of the day, you’re going to be running very similar workouts to everybody else training for the marathon.

Train Well, Finish Strong.

You’ll have your long runs, your regular distance runs, and your tempo/marathon pace workouts. But what’s going to help you beat your training buddy is how you run these workouts.

Did you negative split your marathon pace workout ending at tempo pace? Did you climb a 12 minute hill at the end of all of your long runs? Did you skip the weekly 1,000m intervals and instead run an extra 8 miles every week?

Small decisions made every few days over the course of a 2-3 month training block can provide big gains in fitness. Especially when it comes to marathon workouts and their potential to dramatically increase your endurance and turn you into an aerobic powerhouse.

I want to hear about your favorite marathon workouts! Let me know in the comments how you prepare for your marathon. Did I miss a great workout?

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