Back from the Grave

Hello everyone...

I admittedly let our blog slip these last several months.  I sustained an injury last year that took me out of things for about seven months.  It's taken about another six for me to get back to a place where my training and performance is near what it was prior to the injury.

That said, I want everyone to know the blog is back in action.

I think the best thing to do is to simply pick up where we left off...let's start with a Workout of the Week.

One-for-One Interval Workout

Warm-up:  Five-minute brisk walk or easy jog

Main Set:

Repeat the following ten-minute cycle two times (20 minutes total)

• 1 minute at intensity 6/10
• 1 minute recovery at intensity 3/10
• 1 minute at intensity 6/10
• 1 minute recovery at intensity 4/10
• 1 minute at intensity 7/10
• 1 minute recovery at intensity 4/10
• 1 minute at intensity 7/10
• 1 minute recovery at intensity 4/10
• 1 minute at intensity 8/10
• 1 minute recovery at intensity 4/10

Cool-down:  Five- to ten-minute walk or easy jog

As I always say, use common sense when it comes to workouts where the intensity begins to ratchet up a bit.  Run within your ability and adjust any paces accordingly.

Workout of the Week

Hello everyone...

Here is this week's workout; it focuses primarily on inclines/hills, which will help build overall leg strength.

Warm-up:  Five-minute brisk walk

Main Set:

• 1/2 mile at intensity 6/10
• 1/4 mile incline at intensity 8/10
• 1/4 mile recovery at intensity 4/10
• 1/4 mile incline at intensity 8/10
• 1/4 mile recovery at intensity 4/10
• 1/4 mile incline at intensity 8/10
• 1/4 mile recovery at intensity 4/10
• 1/4 mile incline at intensity 8/10
• 1/4 mile recovery at intensity 4/10
• 1/2 mile at intensity 6/10

Cool-down:  Five- to ten-minute walk or easy jog

Regarding the incline, set it anywhere from 2% to 5% if you are on a treadmill.  On the other hand, use a fairly steep hill that requires 30 seconds to complete if you are running outside and run the same four repetitions as outlined above.

This can be a challenging workout if you push yourself so use common sense and run within your ability.  Running hill repeats outdoors is tough but the 1/4 mile inclines on a treadmill can sneak up on you given the duration.  Scale things down if you need to do so, even if you're in the middle of an interval.  Smart running pays dividends in the end!

Workout of the Week

Hello everyone...

This week's workout is a classic pyramid workout.  It can be done easily outdoors if you have a GPS watch or a standard running track.  It is also easy on a treadmill.

Warm-up:  5 minutes of brisk walking or easy jogging

Main Set:

• 400m / 1/4 mile at intensity 8/10
• 400m / 1/4 mile easy recovery at intensity 2 - 3/10
• 800m / 1/2 mile at intensity 7/10
• 400m / 1/4 mile easy recovery at intensity 2 - 3/10
• 1200m / 3/4 mile at intensity 7/10
• 400m / 1/4 mile easy recovery at intensity 2 - 3/10
• 1600m / 1 mile at intensity 6/10
• 400m / 1/4 mile easy recovery at intensity 2 - 3/10
• 1200m / 3/4 mile at intensity 7/10
• 400m / 1/4 mile easy recovery at intensity 2 - 3/10
• 800m / 1/2 mile at intensity 8/10
• 400m / 1/4 mile easy recovery at intensity 2 - 3/10
• 400m / 1/4 mile at intensity 9/10

Cool-down:  5 minutes of easy jogging or walking

As always, make any changes to the workout to suit your ability or skill level.  You can shorten the length or intensity of the main intervals or omit some steps entirely.  Remember to run with your head as much as your legs...intelligent, consistent running is better than forcing a workout beyond your current ability.

I'm Back (Sort Of)

Well, I'm finally back to running after a five-month layoff.  Long story short, I noticed some discomfort in one of my feet just a couple weeks prior to my race in May.  It turns out I developed metatarsalgia, which is basically inflammation at or around the ball of the foot.  It was never debilitating, thankfully, but it was noticeable and affecting my ability to train properly.

I have ran a few days this week and I can tell I have lost a lot of race fitness, but that is expected.  I may not my usual self at the moment but I'm just glad to be running again!

Now that I'm returning to running I am taking a back-to-basics approach.  In fact, I am using Hadd's Approach to Distance Training, a philosophy I have used in the past with success.

Unfortunately, the plan calls for the first several weeks to be run at a very low heart rate.  Given the heart rate restrictions are so precise running the first several weeks is quite slow regardless of overall ability.  There is no speed work or other aggressive workouts.  Although there are valid reasons for this it admittedly makes training a bit challenging, primarily from a psychological perspective.  Suffice it to say it's tough to run at such a slow pace, particularly when you know you can easily run faster!

I plan on sticking to this approach throughout the winter, likely until the end of February.  After that I will find a target race and resume more traditional training.  The Hadd plan may be a mentally grueling process but it worked for me before so I hope it will do so again!

Running Form Clinics / Apparel Discount

Hello everyone...

Just a quick heads up Garry Gribble's Running Sports has a couple good deals going on right now.

First up is a series of free running clinics.  Designed to help improve running form and technique, these clinics could be a great way to cap the season.  Click here for more information about the clinics.  Take note there is room for only ten participants in each clinic so be sure to sign up right away if you are interested.

Second, all regularly priced long-sleeve tops and jackets are 20% off from October 11 through October 25.  It's a good time to get some deals on apparel for the cool weather headed our way in coming days and weeks.

Workout of the Week

Hello everyone...

Here is this week's Workout of the Week:

Tempo Bursts

Warm-up:  Five-minute brisk walk or jog at intensity 5/10

Main Set:

Three rounds of 12 minutes:

• Eight minutes at intensity 8 - 9/10 with a 10-second burst at the end of each two-minutes:
• Run 1:50, then burst for the final :10
• Run 1:50, then burst for the final :10
• Run 1:50, then burst for the final :10
• Run 1:50, then burst for the final :10
• Four-minute recovery at intensity 2 - 3/10

Cool-down:  Five-minute easy walk or jog at intensity 1 - 2/10

This is a good workout to teach consistent pacing despite multiple bursts of high speed.  It also helps prepare for races when you may need to surge through a pack of runners, for example.

As a final note, this workout may be done easiest outdoors; a standard 400m track may be ideal but it could easily be performed on any route.  It is possible to perform it on a treadmill but the lag of the treadmill speeding up and slowing down for each burst may be cumbersome.

Interesting Article

A friend of mine recently shared some old issues of Runners World he had on-hand.  There was a great article, Don't Your Knees Hurt?, in the May, 2014 issue.

The key point of the article is there is a growing body of research indicating running is, in fact, not nearly as harmful on one's knees as commonly believed.  In particular, a 2013 study first published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise revealed "runners had 18 percent lower risk of osteoarthritis and 23 percent lower risk for a hip replacement versus walkers."  Paul Williams, of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the study's author, even went so far as to say, "When you use your joint, more of the body's resources get directed to building up and protecting the joint."

I wasn't able to find the full study but I did find the following article at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's website:

Running, Even in Excess, Doesn't Lead to More Osteoarthritis and Hip Replacements

Now it is worth mentioning this is only a single study.  Although there is a growing body of research with similar findings it is never wise to take one study and treat it as infallible.  I offer it merely as a seemingly credible source of knowledge to help debunk what may be a myth that running is simply "bad for your knees."

As a final note, Runner's World tends to host its articles online a few months after they are first published in the magazine.  I therefore encourage you to search for the original article if you're interested.

Running Dead 5K

 Hi again everyone...

I just came across a fun-looking race as an alternative to more traditional road races, the Running Dead 5K.

The event, held on Saturday, October 25, is run on the same acreage as the Kansas City Renaissance Festival, meaning a lot of it will be on essentially the dirt paths and trails through the festival grounds.

There is no real race, according to the website; rather, it is more of a light-hearted event where runners or walkers navigate the course at their leisure, encountering Zombie Attack Zones along the way.  Apparently you can choose to be a runner in the event or a zombie that will chase the other participants, which adds a unique twist when compared to your standard 5K.

Given participants are encouraged to wear costumes it could be a great family event.

Flapjacked Discount Code

Hello everyone...

Just wanted to share a discount code for Flapjacked, a vendor of high-protein pancake mix.

Enter "RUN20" for a 20% discount.  Note I do not know how long this code may be active or if any other stipulations exist, such as a minimum purchase amount.

Although I have found several favorable reviews I have not tried the product myself.  I simply came across this code on another website I use, Map My Run, and felt like sharing it.

Workout of the Week

Hello everyone...

Here is the latest Workout of the Week; it's called the 20-20-20:

Warm-up:  Five-minute brisk walk or jog

Main Set:  20-20-20

• 20 minutes at an intensity of 5/10
• 20 minutes at an intensity of 6/10
• 20 minutes at an intensity of 7/10

Cool-down:  Five to ten minutes of easy walking or jogging

Keep in mind you can adjust the length of the intervals to meet your ability.  You can make the intervals shorter, such as three ten-minute intervals.

I recommend you use the same degrees of intensity, however; just be sure to use common sense and listen to your body throughout the run.  It is always important to pay attention when it comes to intensity, particularly given longer runs such as this.  If a given pace feels too difficult do not hesitate to ease up!