Running in Clown Shoes

I am not what you would consider a running shoe geek.  I have a pretty neutral gait and am lucky, because I can run in just about anything.  I prefer a well cushioned show, preferably with less drop from heel to toe and a snug fit through the mid-foot.  I've been a big fan of the Brooks Pure series of shoes, especially the earlier versions of the PureConnect. 

However, since the demise of the running store I worked at, I have been forced into the open market to find new shoes.  I am notoriously cheap, so I go right to the bargain basement.  While perusing the basement I came across these shoes, the Altra Instict 2.  Zero drop, well cushioned, cool color, but an wider than normal toe box.  That coupled with the wide platform and pontoon-like last, it gives the appearance of a very brightly colored clown shoe!  Tested them out yesterday on my 11 mile run and they felt fantastic.  Because they are wider than normal, I cinched up the lacing a little tighter than normal, but I love the cushioning and the balance of these shoes.  So, I will slap on the red  nose, lace up my Altra's and hit the roads!

 

On another note, I am not a runner who likes to wear belts and stuff to carry water bottles and other stuff; the less I have to carry the better.  That is why I love the Flipbelt.  Its basically a wide waistband, that is one long, continuous pocket and 4 openings.  Load up your gels and flip it over.  Great for stashing several gels, keys and even your Smartphone.  It is very simple, but what a great idea!

 

Good running week for me, managing 60 miles for the first time since last fall, including a tremendous Tuesday track workout and a progressive 10 miler on the treadmill on Friday.  Starting to feel like a runner again.

 

Happy Running!

Rik

February Blahs

I've been doing a lot of writing and research on the three energy systems and how best to train and affect all of them.  It's all very interesting until the grayness and boredom of the coldest, hardest month that is February set in.  How is one supposed to do 100 meter strides on a snow-packed, icy trail with 15 mph headwinds and a minus 25 degree windchill?  Can you really work your way up to MP tempo when it's this gray and cold and ugly? Even the AVA foam of your favorite shoes feel rock hard! It's survival mode out there folks, no way around it.  Sure you can move indoors to the treadmill or track, but after a couple of days you are ready to bag it.  Let's face it when it's this cold and gray and lifeless and the ground feels like concrete and the wind howls and the temps barely break zero, you really just have to wait it out.  Oh yeah, I am really tired of spending 30 minutes just to get dressed before the run; where the #*#* is that other mitten!  Damn, the batteries on this headlamp are dead and these dirty winter socks smell like, well dirty winter socks.  Blech!  Officially spring is only about 30 days away, so we have that.

So what did I accomplish this week.  I did run everyday, but it wasn't pretty.  Tuesday was an okay progression run on the treadmill, Saturday I fought 25 below windchill, but managed to run mile 8 faster than mile 1 and today it was back on the treadmill for 11 plus with the last mile at 6:20.  Did any of this cheer me up?  No, not really.  Outside of my son's birthday, I don't have a lot of positive things to say about February.

Happy Running?

Rick

The Three Energy Systems

After going on about the benefits of long, slow running, I got some feedback on the validity of some of my claims.  I still honestly believe that if you do nothing else but log a ton of miles, you will be better off than a low-mileage, high quality counterpart.  But to keep it honest,  I don't just run slow miles.  I am pretty consistent with my Tuesday progression runs, and have been known to attack a hill or two. In fact, you can find me at the Minnetonka High School track at 5 am, a month or so out from my goal marathon, fine tuning the speed component.  Why do we do this?  Well, we have three energy system in play when we do any activity and they certainly do not work independent of each other.   So, it only make sense to work all three, even if the sport you are in, in this case long-distance running, overwhelming uses just one of those systems.

Lets take a look at the first of these, the Alactic Anaerobic system.  This uses the existing, small stores of ATP in the muscle, and can only last for around 10 seconds.  Used for small bursts of speed, sudden strenuous activity and functions completely void of oxygen. So, a workout to strengthen this system would be 50 to 60 meter sprints, 10 second hill sprints or an intense weight session in the gym.  Six to 10 reps with significant rest between each set ought to do the trick and I prefer hill sprints, and would only do this type of workout once a week.  Not only does it strengthen the energy system, but is a great workout for bettering form, running economy and adding strength, something that you cannot get from a long, slow slog.  To put a workout like this in perspective however, think about the percentage of total volume a work out like this would make as part of a standard 80 to 100 mile week.  It's so small, but not insignificant.  The key is to do it on fresh legs and not to do it in such a degree that it may interfere with your ability to complete a long or medium long run or cause injury,so be sensible about how many and how intense you perform these workouts.  A little goes a long way

Next week we will look at energy system number two, and how best to improve that.

Happy Running!

Rick

Thinking about the Long Run

For some reason I was giving a lot of thought to the long run this week.  It truly is the staple of the distance runner's program.  I can't think of one plan that doesn't include a long run of 16 miles or more over the week-end.  While most can agree about the importance of this run, many disagree on how to do the run.  I would have to say that the biggest mistake most runners make is running this run too fast.  In fact for a lot of years, I was guilty of this and as a result I suffered through many crash and burn attempts in the marathon.

So why is important to run lots of slow easy miles?  What happens to the runners body after weeks and months or even yeras of high mileage?  It seems weird that a person can run lots of miles at a relatively slow pace, yet on race day, be able to run considerably faster for longer distance.

I am no scientist or doctor and only have a very rudimentary understanding of how the body works,  but after doing some research, here is the best I can do:

1. Increased mitochondria in the muscles.  These are the powerhouse of the muscles creating chemical energy called ATP.  It's pretty simple, more mitochondria, the longer you can run.  The long, easy run creates more and bigger mitochondria.
2. Capillaries also increase, meaning more efficient transport of oxygen to the muscles.
3. Increased myoglobin in muscle fibers.  Myoglobin is the muscles equivalent to blood's hemoglobin.  More myoglobin means more oxygen to the mitochondria.
4. Increased glycogen stores.  After every long run, your body immediately begins adapting and getting ready for the next one.
5. Fat burning increases and your body learns to run more efficiently on fat stores.   Beginner runners rely on glycogen and when that runs out, they switch to fat burning, and they slow considerably.
6. Increase muscle, tendon and bone strength.  This is often overlooked.  Folks spend too much time running fast, forgetting the all important benefit of strength and endurance that comes from running long and slow.  You may be fine aerobically at mile 23 of the marathon, but if every muscle and tendon is in pain, you ain't going far.

So what does all the mean?  Well, in my humble opinion if a runner did nothing but run as many miles as possible and only ran them at a slow, easy pace, he or she would be much better off than a similar runner who forgoes the extra mileage for speed, track and other faster workouts.  The ability to run a marathon well takes years of base-building and allowing your body to adapt as outlined above.  I am convinced that anyone with the patience and perseverance can run a successful marathon.  When I say successful, I mean any race that doesn't end in an all-out death march.  There is no magic formula to get you there, it's all about the mileage.  All the rest is just window dressing.

Happy Running!

Rick