While there are ways to make running a team sport, such as relays, track meets, and cross-country teams, it is still by its very nature an individual sport.
To me that means that I am responsible for what goes into my running, and I get all the benefits of what comes out. I can't go out and run awesome and feel great if I don't put in the time to train and practice.
Another similar individual sport is golf. The thing I like about golf is that if you put in hard work, you will see results. While you may have good days and bad days, if you are a beginning golfer you aren't going to go out and shoot under par on 18 holes, because there is not that much luck involved. You need to be a skilled golfer to do that. This is the same for a beginning runner, you will not go out run 6 minute pace in your first 5k. You have to train and improve your skill to reach that level, you don't just get there from being lucky.
The one thing luck can give you is people that positively influence you, or train with you as a partner or team. Even then, it is ultimately up to you to put in the practice and training necessary for you to improve. And when you do improve or achieve your goal, it is OK to feel good about it. It isn't selfish to feel good about your accomplishments. That good feeling is the motivation to put in the effort to get there in the first place.
So go out there, put in the work, get the results, and feel good about it.
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Start Running, Week 3
For week 3 we'll continue to step up the workout. You now have the basics down and are ready to focus on increasing your running endurance and walking less. Don't run faster than before, just walk less and run longer. Be sure to keep your pace at a level where your breathing is controlled. If you are huffing and puffing, then slow down as your aerobic level isn't ready to sustain that level yet. It takes 6-18 months of training to raise your aerobic level to it's maximum (improving your VO2 max). You should be breathing at a level where you could carry a conversation or be able to breathe through your nose with your mouth closed. This is the level of activity that will give you the greatest boost in your aerobic level, running faster and breathing harder will not improve your VO2 max, and it will not burn fat.
Week 3 Plan
Day 1: 1/2 mile walk, 1 mile run, 1/4 mile walk, 1 mile run. 2.75 miles total.
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: 1/4 mile walk, 3/4 mile run intervals. Do three. 3 miles total.
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: 1/4 mile walk, 1 mile run, 1/4 mile walk, 2 mile easy run/jog. 1/4 mile walk, 1 mile run. 4.75 miles total.
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest -or- Optional 1/4 mile walk, 2 mile easy jog.
Extra Curriculars:
Week 3 Plan
Day 1: 1/2 mile walk, 1 mile run, 1/4 mile walk, 1 mile run. 2.75 miles total.
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: 1/4 mile walk, 3/4 mile run intervals. Do three. 3 miles total.
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: 1/4 mile walk, 1 mile run, 1/4 mile walk, 2 mile easy run/jog. 1/4 mile walk, 1 mile run. 4.75 miles total.
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest -or- Optional 1/4 mile walk, 2 mile easy jog.
Extra Curriculars:
- Register for a 5K race in your area that is coming up in 8-10 weeks.
- Find out about local running groups in your area either online or at your local running store.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Start Running, Week 2
It's week two of the Start Running plan. W'll step up the workout slightly, but we'll keep the four days of rest to make sure your body has plenty of time to recover and rebuild muscle between these workouts. I'm sure your legs, ankles and knees are pretty sore after the first week, but that soreness will fade and you'll soon be able to go run for miles without being sore the next morning. It's important to know the difference between muscle soreness and pain. Learning the differences will help you identify if you are doing anything to cause injury versus just getting a good muscle building workout.
A warm up and cool down should begin and end your workout, this is typically just a couple minutes of slow walking and stretching your legs and arms out. Your run pace should be comfortable, not fast. A pace of 9:30 to 12:00 minutes per mile is normal for a beginner depending on age, fitness level, and gender.
Week 2 Plan
Day 1: Half mile walk/run intervals. 4 miles total.
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Half mile walk/run intervals. 3 miles total.
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Walk half mile, run half mile, walk half mile, run 1 mile at easy pace, walk half mile, run half mile.
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest-Week 3 will be more running and less walking.
Extra Curriculars:
A warm up and cool down should begin and end your workout, this is typically just a couple minutes of slow walking and stretching your legs and arms out. Your run pace should be comfortable, not fast. A pace of 9:30 to 12:00 minutes per mile is normal for a beginner depending on age, fitness level, and gender.
Week 2 Plan
Day 1: Half mile walk/run intervals. 4 miles total.
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Half mile walk/run intervals. 3 miles total.
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Walk half mile, run half mile, walk half mile, run 1 mile at easy pace, walk half mile, run half mile.
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest-Week 3 will be more running and less walking.
Extra Curriculars:
- Make an appointment to see your doctor for a physical. Be sure to tell them you have started to run and ask if you are healthy enough to train for a 10K.
- Visit a local running store. Tell them you are new to running and would like their help in selecting a new pair of shoes. They should take good care of you and help you select a shoe that is right for your foot. Be sure to get sized, and make sure the shoe has enough room in the toe to and hold your foot snug to prevent blisters. Don't be afraid to spend a good amount of money here. A good pair of running shoes will last you 400-500 miles and help prevent injuries. Consider the purchase your reward for making the commitment to get into better shape through running.
- Start looking for local 5K races in your area that are coming up in 2-3 months. Consider signing up to give yourself some additional motivation for training. Races may seem scary at first, but you'll soon find out that they are extremely fun and exciting activities.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Gradual Progress
The rule of gradual progress for distance running is a valuable tip I picked up from the book Chi Running. The author, Danny Dreyer, explains that everything that is a great accomplishment comes through a gradual development sequence or progression. If you are building a house, you would start with excavating and pouring a foundation, then building the walls, then putting on the roof before you start to finish the inside and move your things in. If you didn't follow that sequence, it would be a disaster.
He applies this principle to distance running. It is important to set reasonable expectations as you start running, and allow your body to make the necessary changes to help you through the stages of development as a distance runner. Injury prevention is often overlooked by most individuals new to running, but a sudden injury will quickly put a stop to your progress as a runner. Injuries are irreversible, so the only way to not have them is to prevent them before they happen, otherwise you are faced with weeks, maybe months or years of recovery.
There are many other great tips in the book Chi Running. It's an easy read with great pictures to help you improve your running on a mental and physical level.
He applies this principle to distance running. It is important to set reasonable expectations as you start running, and allow your body to make the necessary changes to help you through the stages of development as a distance runner. Injury prevention is often overlooked by most individuals new to running, but a sudden injury will quickly put a stop to your progress as a runner. Injuries are irreversible, so the only way to not have them is to prevent them before they happen, otherwise you are faced with weeks, maybe months or years of recovery.
There are many other great tips in the book Chi Running. It's an easy read with great pictures to help you improve your running on a mental and physical level.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Start Running, Week 1
If you are new to running, I would like to welcome you and say that I'm glad you are making the commitment to get in better shape, improve your health, and dedicate yourself to a hobby that is motivating and positive for you and those around you. Many people have also made the same commitment and it has changed their lives. Some run for fun, others have goals of completing half or full marathons and possibly qualifying for the Boston Marathon. It is important to keep your goal in mind every time you run. Running doesn't have to be a chore, it should be something positive that you are doing for yourself.
The first few weeks of running are hard, and may cause you to rethink your commitment. I'll give you some tips on how to get started, remain positive, and prevent getting burnt, out or even worse injured. I'll also provide a basic plan to follow. Plans are great to keep you focused and structured, and keep you from doing too little or too much and burning out and quitting.
Week 1 Plan
Every running plan should incorporate two basic things: running and resting. As you become a better runner, more details will become incorporated such as cross training, speed-work, and long runs, but at the beginning it's these basic things.
For week one, I want you to pick three days to workout and you will have 4 days of rest.
Each workout day will consist of walking and running intervals. This will boost your cardiovascular system and begin to build muscle. A warm up and cool down should begin and end your workout, this is typically just a couple minutes of slow walking. Your run pace should be comfortable, not fast. I repeat, not fast. This is not a race, so don't treat it like one. A pace of 9:30 to 12:00 minutes per mile is normal for a beginner depending on age, fitness level, and gender. You need to have discipline in your training, and follow the rule of gradual progress. Gradual progress means that you can't immediately become great, you need to improve a little bit at a time as you train, get more fit, and gain more experience. So here's the plan:
Day 1: Half mile intervals of walk/run/walk/run. 3 miles total
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Half mile intervals of walk/run/walk/run. 3 miles total
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Half mile intervals of walk/run/walk/run. 3 miles total
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest, get ready for Week 2
Don't worry about it if you need to move the days around, just try your best to get in 3 days of working out and 4 good days of rest. Those rest days are when your muscles are rebuilding, they are very important.
If you are running outside and don't have distance markers, I recommend trying out MapMyRun.com. There you can plot out an outdoor course in your neighborhood or local park. Once you create a few courses you can use them over and over again, and change them up by running different routes each day.
If the weather doesn't cooperate, it pays off to join a gym to have access to a treadmill. I always recommend running on a treadmill at 1% incline to better represent outdoor running.
You can run in the morning before work or school, or at night after work or school, or whenever your schedule allows. I have noticed that I typically have less energy at the end of the day making the workout more challenging, which can be good or bad depending on how you look at it.
You may be wondering what equipment you need to get started. Luckily running doesn't require much. As you run more you will begin to form preferences for your apparel and gear as time goes on. I will also talk about some of the items that have worked well for me personally.
The first few weeks of running are hard, and may cause you to rethink your commitment. I'll give you some tips on how to get started, remain positive, and prevent getting burnt, out or even worse injured. I'll also provide a basic plan to follow. Plans are great to keep you focused and structured, and keep you from doing too little or too much and burning out and quitting.
Week 1 Plan
Every running plan should incorporate two basic things: running and resting. As you become a better runner, more details will become incorporated such as cross training, speed-work, and long runs, but at the beginning it's these basic things.
For week one, I want you to pick three days to workout and you will have 4 days of rest.
Each workout day will consist of walking and running intervals. This will boost your cardiovascular system and begin to build muscle. A warm up and cool down should begin and end your workout, this is typically just a couple minutes of slow walking. Your run pace should be comfortable, not fast. I repeat, not fast. This is not a race, so don't treat it like one. A pace of 9:30 to 12:00 minutes per mile is normal for a beginner depending on age, fitness level, and gender. You need to have discipline in your training, and follow the rule of gradual progress. Gradual progress means that you can't immediately become great, you need to improve a little bit at a time as you train, get more fit, and gain more experience. So here's the plan:
Day 1: Half mile intervals of walk/run/walk/run. 3 miles total
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Half mile intervals of walk/run/walk/run. 3 miles total
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Half mile intervals of walk/run/walk/run. 3 miles total
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest, get ready for Week 2
Don't worry about it if you need to move the days around, just try your best to get in 3 days of working out and 4 good days of rest. Those rest days are when your muscles are rebuilding, they are very important.
If you are running outside and don't have distance markers, I recommend trying out MapMyRun.com. There you can plot out an outdoor course in your neighborhood or local park. Once you create a few courses you can use them over and over again, and change them up by running different routes each day.
If the weather doesn't cooperate, it pays off to join a gym to have access to a treadmill. I always recommend running on a treadmill at 1% incline to better represent outdoor running.
You can run in the morning before work or school, or at night after work or school, or whenever your schedule allows. I have noticed that I typically have less energy at the end of the day making the workout more challenging, which can be good or bad depending on how you look at it.
You may be wondering what equipment you need to get started. Luckily running doesn't require much. As you run more you will begin to form preferences for your apparel and gear as time goes on. I will also talk about some of the items that have worked well for me personally.
- Athletic shoes, preferably good flexible soled running shoes. We'll talk more about that later, but for now anything with a nice flexible sole will work to get you started.
- Athletic socks.
- Athletic shorts or pants.
- A towel, it's nice to wipe sweat from your face.
- A water bottle, hydration is very important! I have found that bicycle style water bottles are great for running, they are easy to use while running and won't spill all over you.
- A plain t-shirt will work, but shirts with breathable fabric will be more comfortable and chafe less.
- A sport watch. Just a basic sport stop watch with a lap memory will help you track your mile paces as you run. I recommend the Timex Ironman series. They make watches for men and women.
Now is also a good time to start a workout tracking sheet. Keep track of the distances or times that you run each day. This data will turn into valuable information as you begin to improve. You will begin to see gradual improvement as your training progresses both from the data and your physique. Seeing that is great motivation.
Have fun. See the Week 2 post for next weeks tips.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Great Gift Ideas for Runners
Gadgets
GPS Watches:
Garmin Forerunner 305
This GPS watch is the classic. This model includes a heart rate strap, and USB cable for downloading training results and courses to your computer.
Garmin Forerunner 405CX
This is the updated version of the Forerunner 305.
Nike+ GPS Sport Watch powered by TomTom
Only has 3 hour battery life, not recomended for marathon running/training.
Watches:
The Ironman series of watches by Timex are a classic staple of running. Lightweight and feature packed, with large lap-memory and a big display.
Heart Rate Monitors:
Measuring your heart rate is the best way to analyze the amount of effort you are exerting while training, making a heart rate monitor a valueable and essential training tool.
Pedometers:
Pedometers, like this model from Omran, keep track of the number of steps you take each day. Many come with cables for dowloading step data to your computer for history tracking and analysis.
Music Players:Apple iPod Shuffle
An affordable, lightweight, and long lasting MP3 player that is perfect for using while running indoors or outside.
Apple iPod Nano
Everything we love about the shuffle, with a touch screen.
Music:
Replenishment
Water Bottles:
Fuel Belt offers a wide line of water bottles, including belt models that make carrying them easier. They are available in many sizes and colors.
Polar makes an insulated water bottle that keeps your drinks cold. Great for running and cycling.
Camelbak makes a variety of backpack styled water bags like the Hydrobak 50oz, available in different colors.
Gels:
Energy gels like these from Gu and Cliff provide essential nutrition for long training runs and races to keep you from hitting the wall.
Drinks:
Powdered electrolyte drink mixes replinish the electrolytes lost in sweat helping you to recover from training more quickly.
Gear Essentials
Shirts:
Look for shirts made from breathable fabrics. Brooks makes high quality running apparel used by the pros.
Shorts:
Jackets:
These brightly colored jackets made by Brooks are good for improving your visibility to motorists.
Hats:
A light colored hat can keep the sun out of your eyes and keep your head cooler when running outdoors on a sunny day.
Socks:
Shoes:
If buying as a gift, be sure you know their size and shoe preferences. Some runners consistently buy the same brand and model.
Asics Gel Nimbus 13
Brooks Pure Connect
Sunglasses:
Tifosi makes a variety of affordable sport sunglasses.
Sunscreen:
A good quality sport sunscreen won't wear off with sweat. Should be SPF 30 or greater. Don't wait until it's too late!
Bags:
Runners need a way to carry all of there gear around when travelling or going to a race. A nice bag from Asics or Adidas are perfect for carrying shoes or a change of clothes.
Training:
Resistance Bands are great for toning and strength training.
Media
Books:
Born To Run
Chi Running
Movies:
Without Limits
Spirit of the Marathon
Chariots of Fire
Prefontaine
Magazines:
A magazine subscription is a gift that keeps on giving, with new issues covering the latest in training tips, stories, and reviews of runnign gear.
Runners World
Running Times
Fun Stuff
Stickers:
Gift Cards:
Let that runner get whatever they have their eye on! Amazon sells almost everything that a runner could want.
GPS Watches:
Garmin Forerunner 305
This GPS watch is the classic. This model includes a heart rate strap, and USB cable for downloading training results and courses to your computer.
Garmin Forerunner 405CX
This is the updated version of the Forerunner 305.
Nike+ GPS Sport Watch powered by TomTom
Only has 3 hour battery life, not recomended for marathon running/training.
Watches:
The Ironman series of watches by Timex are a classic staple of running. Lightweight and feature packed, with large lap-memory and a big display.
Heart Rate Monitors:
Measuring your heart rate is the best way to analyze the amount of effort you are exerting while training, making a heart rate monitor a valueable and essential training tool.
Pedometers:
Pedometers, like this model from Omran, keep track of the number of steps you take each day. Many come with cables for dowloading step data to your computer for history tracking and analysis.
Music Players:Apple iPod Shuffle
An affordable, lightweight, and long lasting MP3 player that is perfect for using while running indoors or outside.
Apple iPod Nano
Everything we love about the shuffle, with a touch screen.
Music:
Replenishment
Water Bottles:
Fuel Belt offers a wide line of water bottles, including belt models that make carrying them easier. They are available in many sizes and colors.
Polar makes an insulated water bottle that keeps your drinks cold. Great for running and cycling.
Camelbak makes a variety of backpack styled water bags like the Hydrobak 50oz, available in different colors.
Gels:
Energy gels like these from Gu and Cliff provide essential nutrition for long training runs and races to keep you from hitting the wall.
Drinks:
Powdered electrolyte drink mixes replinish the electrolytes lost in sweat helping you to recover from training more quickly.
Gear Essentials
Shirts:
Look for shirts made from breathable fabrics. Brooks makes high quality running apparel used by the pros.
Shorts:
Jackets:
These brightly colored jackets made by Brooks are good for improving your visibility to motorists.
Hats:
A light colored hat can keep the sun out of your eyes and keep your head cooler when running outdoors on a sunny day.
Socks:
Shoes:
If buying as a gift, be sure you know their size and shoe preferences. Some runners consistently buy the same brand and model.
Asics Gel Nimbus 13
Brooks Pure Connect
Sunglasses:
Tifosi makes a variety of affordable sport sunglasses.
Sunscreen:
A good quality sport sunscreen won't wear off with sweat. Should be SPF 30 or greater. Don't wait until it's too late!
Bags:
Runners need a way to carry all of there gear around when travelling or going to a race. A nice bag from Asics or Adidas are perfect for carrying shoes or a change of clothes.
Training:
Resistance Bands are great for toning and strength training.
Media
Books:
Born To Run
Chi Running
Movies:
Without Limits
Spirit of the Marathon
Chariots of Fire
Prefontaine
Magazines:
A magazine subscription is a gift that keeps on giving, with new issues covering the latest in training tips, stories, and reviews of runnign gear.
Runners World
Running Times
Fun Stuff
Stickers:
Let that runner get whatever they have their eye on! Amazon sells almost everything that a runner could want.
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