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How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice...Practice...Practice...


People often ask me, "how do I get great at running?" To which I always reply, "run!" Now while that may seem like a simple answer, there is much to running that I have learned over the years and continue to learn. In this blog I will go over some helpful hints for running training that will not only make you a stronger, faster runner, but will help keep you a HAPPY and injury free athlete.

 

Disclaimer: I am not and do not pretend to be a running coach. This is all anecdotal advice from trial and error that I have learned over the years and reading/learning from experts MUCH smarter than I am about running/exercising. If you are completely new to running or are plateauing or easily getting injured as a runner I HIGHLY advise you to hire a professional running coach (at the end of this article I will list some of my good friends that can help you out).

 

Periodization

Every good workout routine, whether it's weightlifting or running requires periodization with progression over time. In regards to running you should be adding mileage/time slowly with a week of recovery with each period.

Example (basically what I do): (3) weeks of tough training with mileage added by 10% (If you are running 30 miles this week, then next week you are running 33 miles). These (3) weeks are then followed by a recovery week of light mileage, lots of yoga/stretching, and cross-training. Each week should also have a day or two of recovery based on your fitness level.

Purpose

Each and every run should have a purpose. I know way too many runners that are all over the place with their running. These include different types of running workouts that all differ in intensity and length of mileage/time. For me these are the following...

1. Interval/Speed Work: This can be done on a track, treadmill, or hills. These are meant to be short with lots of recovery time between sets. Also, the most important part of any interval/speed work is the warmup. NEVER start a fast running workout before being nice and loose.

Example: Track Work: 1-2 mile warmup followed by (8) 100m sprints with 1:3 recovery (if it takes you 60 seconds then you recover for 3 mins between each set).

2. Strength: This is more specific to OCRs, but is great for strengthening your legs and getting better at heavy carries.

Example (what I do): 1-2 mile warmup followed by hill repeats (up and down) of sandbag, bucket carry, (2) 6 gallon water jugs, and run.

3. Tempo: This is short/medium (based on your running experience) run at a fast but sustainable pace (basically as close to race pace as possible).

4. Long Run: This is the MOST important run of the week and should comprise the majority of your weekly mileage/time. For me I use Perception of Effort which is LOW, if you cannot talk comfortably then you are going too fast. For beginner runners or long runs with lots of elevation this can include both running and walking (speed walking). This run is also important for time on feet and testing out race time gear for ultra running. This is a great time to test out food and gear in a real world experience. In terms of increasing time or mileage, that is completely user dependent, my thoughts on this are that if you are new to running/ultra running then this should be increasing time each week. This will let you worry less about the mileage and more about just getting that time on feet while actually enjoying running! (who knew you could do such a thing!?)

Crosstraining

While running is incredibly important in any OCR training plan, you need to crosstrain. In regards to cardio this can include cycling, eliptical, swimming, jump-rope, hiking, rock-climbing, and rowing. For me I will usually do some type of cross-training on non-running days as to not overdo it for that day. You will have to feel this out and see what works for you and your schedule.

That's it for now all you future OCR and ultra-running beasts. In this blog I talked about the physical aspect, next week's blog will be about the even more important aspect of training and racing, the mental side. Till then train safe and remember HAVE FUN!

Running Coaches

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