40 years ago, the Boston and New York Marathons had only a couple thousand finishers between them, and the average running shoe was pretty spare (we’d say “minimal” today), without a great deal of cushioning and support. Today, the average wall of a specialty running store yields a bewildering array of shoes. Options include maximum cushioning, support, stability, and motion control. Meanwhile, New York will likely have upwards of 45,000 finishers this year, and the increased popularity of Boston means that having a qualifier no longer means you will actually be able to secure a spot in the race.
These trends are related.
The increased technological complexity of running shoe design has provided a gateway to the sport of running for many individuals who are outside the physical “ideal” for world class running. In fact, the definition of “ideal” itself has arguably been shifted as many recreational runners who strive for personal bests and accomplishment take pride in the capabilities of their bodies to finish, regardless of how fast. Along the way, the number of runners who may not be built for speed in the Olympic sense have been protected from injury by new technologies offering previously unheard of support and cushioning in a shoe. That said, the shoes they wear may also have unintended consequences.
One of the major ways in which the average running shoe has changed from a generation ago is the amount of heel cushioning coupled with a higher incline off the ground for the back of the foot. While many runners have a natural stride that lends itself to landing first on the heel, these shoes make it much more easy for anyone to land first on the heel. Here’s why:
Hitting the ground first with your heel can have a couple of problematic results.
Essentially, landing heel first isn’t the most efficient way to get from Point A to Point B.
Preferably for most of us, the first surface to touch ground on each stride should be the midfoot to forefoot, or right around where your shoe is the widest. This is for a couple reasons: one, it is really hard to land that far forward on your foot when your foot is extended out in front of you. In fact, unless you are a ballet dancer, it is hard to even walk like this. So, in order for you to land on this part of your foot, it will be closer to your body, or ideally, pretty much right underneath your body. This means that you will spend less time horizontally transferring your weight over your foot before push off, and can use the large muscles of your body to both land with everything aligned, and push off immediately, lessening the chance for the type injuries caused by your hip and knees absorbing chain reaction forces when heel striking. Two, if you are taking steps that allow for your foot to land under or close to underneath your body, you are likely taking more frequent steps, what we might call a quicker cadence. Although it might be tempting to think of long extended strides as the way to pick up speed, all that time in the air is just spent slowing down. So, a quicker cadence means you are likely making more rapid progress in the direction you want to go.
“Minimalist” shoes, which have come into vogue over the last few years, have a much lower heel profile. This discourages heelstriking Particularly for anyone who makes the big jump from a highly cushioned shoe into a minimal model without a gradual transition, the extra work required for your calves can be felt without much need for explanation upon waking the next morning. For some runners, these shoes are a good supplemental tool or solution if their bodies are ready for that type of transition and their stride naturally might lend itself to a more midfoot to forefoot strike already. For heel strikers, these shoes might be a supplemental tool to help encourage good posture and start to work on running form, but should be used with caution. If the support of the current shoe has been a positive injury prevention tool, it should continue to part of a runner’s arsenal.
Sometimes, we think of ourselves as a completely different brand of runner than the African athletes we might see at the front of the pack in races. However, when researchers studied the foot strike patterns of Kenyans, they found that those who grew up running to and from school without shoes were more often forefoot strikers than those who grew up wearing shoes. So, even among a group that we as recreational runners tend to see as homogenous, significant differences have been found based on their history of footwear.
While more research has yet to be done on this, what can we conclude about those of us who currently heel strike? Regardless of how our foot strikes the ground, we all want to move forward efficiently. Practicing short stretches (30 seconds or 2 minutes at a time, etc) with a quicker cadence will help teach yourself how to increase speed when finishing in a race and allow you to experiment with what it feels like to land more toward the midfoot. If you are a steadfast heel striker who has relied on padded shoes to stay healthy, quicker, more frequent strides vs longer, bounding strides is still the way to go.
In short, we are in an age where shoe technology has allowed more people than ever to run for recreation. Some of that technology has also reinforced not entirely ideal habits our body may naturally have, even as it allows to stay healthy enough to run at all. We may be content to enjoy the race from our spot in the pace or we may be anxious to move up the standings. Either way, mindfulness about how our foot strikes the ground and how we can increase our efficiency can allow us to have more fun along the way.
Take Care on the Trail this Summer!
This summer, the call of the wild might draw you out of the neighborhood into your local trail system, or vacation travel might bring you closer to nature and out of your comfort zone. What are some things to look out for when venturing forth on the trail?
Poison Oak / Poison Ivy
As the old adage warns, “Leaves of three, let them be.” For both poison oak (found mostly on the west coast with variants in the mountain region and the south eastern United States) as well as poison ivy (mostly found on the east coast), even a slight brush can cause a nasty irritation for the next several days. Poison oak can feature a reddish tint, while poison ivy is mostly green. Both plants have a surface substance that causes a skin irritation ranging from a row of small bumps, to significant swelling. While on the trail, take care to avoid plants that appear like these. If you do come into contact with poison ivy or poison oak the rash may take a couple of days to appear, getting worse through about five days after exposure. Then it can take as long as a couple of weeks to resolve in bad cases. The sap of the plants doesn’t dissolve into water, so it can be tricky to treat. The blisters on the rash won’t spread if opened by scratching, but if hands or clothes that have interacted with the resin at the initial site of infection brush other areas, the rash can jump there as well. Also, burning poison oak can send the poisonous material into the air, where it can even find its way into an unsuspecting nose or throat. Let your imagination run wild with that one – definitely avoid!
Snakes
Springtime means snakes are coming out from hibernation. They may be unfamiliar with their new terrain, and may be looking for sun while it is still not warm around the clock. Be on the lookout for them in places and at times along the trail where it may be warmer and sunnier than average. These include exposed flat rocks, sunny patches in an otherwise tree-covered path, and midday sun when morning and evening are still cool. If you do see one, leave a wide berth move slowly whenever possible. Snakes typically are not aggressive, but defensive, so avoid picking at them with sticks or letting others with you do the same, even if you think the snake is not poisonous. You never know.
Ticks
Now found more widely than the traditional hotspots of the northeastern and Appalachian Trail areas of the United States, these insects can cause great havoc if left undetected. Small and black insects (usually encountering humans in nymph form), ticks grab onto the skin and eventually deposit eggs under the surface, which can lead to all sorts of diseases, but most famously, Lyme disease. In an area where ticks are known to have been a problem, take care to wear insect repellent, light colored clothing (so ticks can be easily seen against the skin), long sleeves and pants (when possible in the weather), and to do daily checks so no ticks remain on the skin for any extended period of time. Symptoms include a bullseye shaped rash, fever, chills, and muscle aches
Lightning
Spring and summer months may bring warm weather storms to your favorite local trail or far flung destination. Without external warnings, you may be left to make your own judgments as to how to safely manage the situation if you have been caught unprepared . Keep an eye on the sky to get a visual glimpse of any approaching storm or lightning flashes. If the thunder has begun to close in rapidly (count seconds after seeing lightning until thunder sounds – then divide by five to estimate how many miles away), stay away from lone tall objects such as a single tall tree or open air picnic structure. If wearing / carrying a metal object, leave it aside for the time being and try to move to a low lying place (between two boulders or hills, among a bunch of lower trees, etc). If near your car, make sure not to touch any metal while taking shelter inside. Finally, wait 15-30 minutes past when the storm has crossed over to ensure you won’t still be in range of stray lightning.
Running on the trail can be one of summer’s best treats. Stay alert and make good choices which hopefully will allow you to enjoy yourself all season long!
Even the most experienced among us was once a rookie. Those of us who have raced for years at shorter distances can also feel like beginners when it comes to the humbling aspects of the longer events. Whether you are trying something new this training cycle or hope to in the future, read on to inoculate yourself against these common pitfalls.
Don’t OverEXPOse yourself
Two to three weeks of taper, deliberate sleep hours, and careful treatment of your body cannot be completely undone by spending hours walking and shopping at the expo on the day before the race, but it definitely won’t help! Resist the urge to spend hours walking up and down the aisles of the expo at your first big race. If possible, visit the expo two or three days before when there are smaller crowds. If you have things you need, like a particular souvenir for someone, some gel packets, or a container of body glide, look at the map before heading over. Then, stick to your list and keep a hard time limit after which you promise yourself (in advance) that you will leave. Combined with what may include lots of walking to get into the facility and any other activities you may do, minimizing the walking at the expo is in your best interest to keep the legs feeling fresh.
Read My Lips, No New Gear (the day before the race)
A rookie racer might be tempted to try cool new shoes (without breaking them in), a new pair of shorts (without testing if they will chafe), a new fueling item (my friend said this gel works really well for her!), and so on. The enticements of the expo can make this one even more difficult. As the saying goes, “dance with the girl you brought.” Your weeks and weeks of training have helped you to figure out the shoes, shorts, and fuel that will work best on race day. You’ll be a bit nervous anyway – no need to leave more to chance with the essentials!
Keep Anthony Boudrain away from your table
A fun new city, maybe a great dinner spot the night before your race…seems like a great time to ask the waiter what the “specials” are, right? Wrong. Running a marathon or a half marathon can be a gastro intestinal adventure with a number of twists and turns, and there is no need to court danger. Avoid adventurous eating the night or two before. Plan on eating food that your system will recognize and that you know will digest according to plan. Again, you might have some butterflies anyhow. Do not risk anything here.
Hydrate, but don’t overdo the water
One of the most common tips a newbie racer likely hears is to STAY HYDRATED. However, too much water in the final day or two before a race can wash crucial electrolytes from the system when they are needed most and leave you in the portapotty when the gun goes off. Balance your water intake with a sports drink your body trusts. Very light yellow or almost clear urine is a good sign you have consumed enough. If you proceed incrementally, you should only need to sip a bottle the morning of the race, thus lightening the near term load on your bladder.
Plan to Work and then Work the Plan
With a first big race looming on the calendar, a race plan or splits schedule towards a goal time can be helpful to ease the feeling of the unknown going into the race. When a big wave of adrenaline carries you out to sea on the first few miles of the race, do not fall prey to the urge to throw your plan out the window. Stick to the plan you have formulated when thinking logically and with plenty of time. If during the second half of the race you realize you have undershot the mark, you will still have a chance to finish strong. However, the reverse situation (going out way too fast and trying to hang on for dear life) can be much more difficult. Use your first race as an opportunity to try something new. This debut experience will then establish a baseline and create a springboard that will give you the confidence to move on to faster and more adventurous performances in the future.
Quick Guide to Running Lingo
Like athletes in many other sports, runners have a vocabulary that may seem completely foreign to beginners. Even experienced runners may be confused by some of the lingo. At runcoach, we’re here to help! Read on for a list of some common running terms.
For more info on specific terms used in your workout schedule, mouse over terms on your pace chart or contact us with your questions!
Negative Split/ Positive Split
Contrary to what these terms might imply, usually negative splits are more fun than positive splits. A negative split is when the second half of your run, race, or interval is faster than the first half. A positive split means you slowed down in the second half. It only takes a few painful positive split efforts to remind you of the difference!
Kick
This is a general term for the final part of the race when an athlete is really going for it. Another term used when talking about the kick might be “change gears.” The runner increases frequency of their stride cadence and embarks upon a faster pace or harder effort level. Don’t start kicking too early! Make sure you have enough energy left to sustain this pace through the finish line.
Shake-out
This term can be used to describe a run that is light and easy and done just to get the kinks out. We often describe the last run before a big race as a shakeout. You might hear, “I went on my three mile shakeout this afternoon, before heading to the pasta dinner.”
LSD
Although running can indeed provide that “natural high,” when athletes refer to LSD, they are usually talking about Long Slow Distance, which is known on our runcoach schedules as aerobic runs or Easy / Long pace.
Fartlek
Eeeew!!! No, no, fartlek is a term for “speedplay” in Swedish. It can mean a semi-unstructured run with varying periods of up-tempo running interspersed with easy recovery running. These days, fartleks are often structured, but unmeasured sets of work at a perceived effort, such as 8x 2minutes comfortably hard with 90 seconds of easy running in between each.
Hitting the Wall
No need for a definition if you have felt it even once. Hitting the wall can be described as a sudden and steep decrease in energy level and ability to perform at the previous pace due to the onset of fatigue, a lack of fueling, or both. Mile 23 is a fairly common place to “hit the wall” in a marathon. See “Bonked”.
Chip Time vs. Gun Time
In races where your time is recorded by wearing a computer chip that is read while traveling over mats along the pavement, you will often be given 2 different times in the race results. The gun time is the time elapsed since the race was started,. The chip time is time that begins when you actually cross the starting line mat.
PR or PB
These stand for Personal Record (usually US speaker) or Personal Best (usually everyone else).
Taper
The portion of your training cycle where you cease the really difficult workouts and attempt to get cumulative rest with lighter workouts while preparing for an upcoming race.
Bandit
A competitor running in the race without having officially entered.
Rabbit
An athlete charged with setting an early pace for the benefit of (usually) the top athletes in the race. The rabbit usually then drops out at the agreed upon time, although there are examples of races where the pacer continued on and won!
Downhill running may seem like a breeze, but runners hoping to do it effectively should consider a few tips before heading down the mountain.
Avoid stepping on the brakes
Instinctively, most runners heading downhill will extend their foot out in front of them on each stride, essentially braking themselves and preventing themselves from losing control. If on a steep hill or an area with uneven ground, this may be necessary as a safety precaution, but if on a manageable grade, this puts needless stress on the knees, hips, and quads. Instead of concentrating on slowing down via longer slower steps, try to land on the foot as similarly as possible to your regular stride. What would qualify as good running form on flat ground also qualifies downhill. Try to replicate it as much as possible.
Lean in!
It is difficult to make up ground or extend a lead over others on an uphill grade. With such a steep cost required to extend or quicken each stride, the benefits may wash away in fatigue by the time you reach the crest of the hill. On the downhill, the cost and effort is much less, and effective downhill running can provide an opportunity to change the dynamic of a race by the time level ground is reached. To run downhill effectively, you must lean forward in the direction in which you plan to go. On flat ground, the ideal body posture includes an ever so slight forward lean from the ankles. Maintain this on the downhills. This lean will also make it easier to take more frequent steps and avoid landing with your foot out in front of you, absorbing needless stress.
Pick up the cadence
The only way it will be possible to both land on your foot similarly to when running on flat ground and to lean forward at the same time is to quicken the cadence of your strides. A more rapid rhythm in your stride will help you accomplish the form cues you need to minimize needless stress and possible injuries to your body. It can also be a catalyst for you to implement these form cues to keep up with your stride rate once you have adjusted the mental metronome.
Confidence will take practice
Most runners internalize and repeat a more defensive downhill approach due to an understandable desire to stay upright and avoid just tumbling down the hill. It can pay dividends in a hilly race to consciously practice downhills of varying grades to build confidence with the feeling of leaning into the descent. Golf courses (when available to run) can be a great location to practice a more aggressive approach without a large contingent of observers and with a forgiving surface.
Although many races have famous hills – Boston’s Heartbreak Hill, Bay to Breakers 12K’s Hayes Street Hill, and the Doomsday Hill at the Lilac Bloomsday Run, many experienced athletes will cite the effective management of the downhills in these races to provide the crucial difference. At the Boston Marathon, it can be seen some of the pros running with“reckless abandonment” while navigating the final five miles of net downhill from the top of Heartbreak to the finish. This takes practice, particularly if “reckless abandonment” is not a typically appropriate description of your running style. Choose some low key tune up races with hills, include hilly terrain on a regular basis during workouts, and stay mindful of your form. This can help set aside some of the fear of falling and focus more on getting to the finish line as rapidly as possible.
Whether contending for a win at the Marathon Majors or hoping to just complete your first marathon or half, avoiding injuries and working out effectively is a shared goal by all. Reckless abandonment may continue to prove an inappropriate description for your approach down hills, but by using just a few tweaks to your approach, at the very least your PRs might have a shot to improve!
As many of you come off successful spring race seasons let’s consider our recommendation for a return to training and racing. Previous blog posts have touched on the basics of the immediate recovery period, and now let’s focus on the transition back to running.
After the race and subsequent recovery period has come and gone, sometimes runners are left with a bit of “no man’s land”. This period can be a dangerous time, as the temptations to jump right back into it are great and the exaltation or disappointment from the previous goal race are still fresh. Rather than a curse, this period can also be a blessing, a time to lay tracks for the better runner you hope to become when things heat up again on the training schedule.
A time of recovery is a great opportunity to broaden your range of competency on a variety of fronts. Even if cross training is a part of the weekly schedule and has been for years, switching things up can provide an opportunity to find an even better complementary activity to your regimen. Always swim or water run as your go-to cross training activity? Try cycling or the elliptical machine. Sign up for the yoga or Pilates class you don’t usually have time for, but have been excited to try. Cycle to work or other daily destinations when you don’t have to allocate tons of time and energy for running.
If you worked through a manageable but bothersome injury while race training, now is the time to rehabilitate. If the goal race period seemed like the wrong time to introduce yet another routine into the mix, now is the right time. Begin a maintainable core strength routine and work through any initial soreness while you don’t have your hardest running workouts to recover from as well. Do the rehab exercises on that balky ankle you have been ignoring or regularly roll the IT band that always causes trouble when you begin to ramp up mileage. In other words, prepare your body to handle the challenges of your next training cycle better than ever.
Running stores will have lots of options for shoes and injury prevention tools, but time and interest are needed to identify the current risk level of a shoe change, the addition of a foot care insole, or other “gear shift”. Now is a great time to incrementally adjust to new things that can be highly beneficial long-term.
Most importantly, a period without a looming goal can be a perfect time to build the good habits that will serve you well when the schedule requires more strenuous efforts and careful timing. Whether you are changing shoes, adding a new cross training element, or focusing on good nutritional or sleep patterns, practicing these good habits now will allow them to effective with your regular routine. While your fitness level may fluctuate as you move toward your eventual goal, good habits developed in transition can assist you in reaching each rung of the ladder in a sustainable and confident way.
What differentiates a race from a workout? The chance to run down the middle of the road, the mile markers, the thousands of other people alongside? Externally, perhaps. Internally, on the other hand, a big difference maker is often adrenaline.
Races are a test – a test of fitness, a test of wills, and a test of your ability to handle the elements and the unexpected. All of the variables, both known and unknown, coupled with the anticipated pain that may precede the finish banner, combine to generate the butterflies that turn stomachs in the day or two before the race.
On the surface, it may seem preferable not to be nervous at all – to feel calm, cool, collected, and carefree heading into a race. Then again, the term “adrenaline rush” is familiar to many as a performance-enhancing asset. What is going on?
Adrenaline, or epinephrine, is a hormone released in response to stress - it increases heart rate, aids in the conversion and use of glucose from glycogen for energy, and relaxes the bronchial muscles to allow for greater respiration needs (among other effects). Oftentimes, adrenaline is associated with the “fight or flight” response to great danger or acute stress, e.g. the mother who lifts the car off the ground to save a child, etc.
In a race situation, adrenaline can be helpful – increased release of energy, greater respiratory ability, blood flow increased through the arteries – all these things are good for performance and result in noticeable increases in strength and ability to withstand pain.
While adrenaline can be helpful, nervousness can also be debilitating if it takes over completely. It is important to maintain a balance that allows the utilization of the positive effects of adrenaline without succumbing to the fear of the unknown.
For runners, one oft overlooked aspect is how well we manage this balance. Develop some loose routines that can provide a road map before races. Without being to tense and specific, having a series of repeated tasks (lay out clothing, pin on number, tie chip to shoe, set up morning coffee, etc) can help distract from the difficult aspects to come on race day. Keep up with your log on runcoach or use a written tool to keep track of training and provide a welcome reminder of all the hard work put in – your success won’t be a fluke and your preparedness can be verified. Familiarize yourself with the course and its topography – any tough hills are far less intimidating when expected. Practice positive self-talk in workouts so you are prepared with encouragement to yourself when the going is difficult and the pace comes less easily.
Of course, all of these strategies may not always account for the complete list of potential unknowns on race day, nor do these remove the painful physical demands very possibly required to yield the desired result. Adrenaline, however can close that gap, and should be welcomed as a bi-product of the stress / nervousness that produced it. Combat fear of the unknown with preparedness and facts, and celebrate the arrival of nervousness as the precursor to the adrenaline that helps make race day special.
Whether your running style more closely resembles the tortoise or the hare, an efficient stride is a goal we all share. It is very difficult and sometimes counterproductive to completely overhaul your natural form. However, here are a few tips you can try out on your next run to help you get to the finish line with less fatigue and a few less ticks on the clock.
Avoid taking long, bounding strides
When attempting to speed up, many runners try to take big long strides. Sure, when traveling quickly, the space between each footfall will increase due to that speed generated by a more powerful push off. However, purposely increasing the length of each individual stride often results in a harder more abrupt footfall, greater forces landing on the heel as it extends out in front of you, and a longer time spent on the ground (slowing down) before transitioning to the push off phase of each stride.
Instead of decreasing the frequency of your strides when attempting to give it some gas, quicken your cadence. Taking more frequent strides results in smaller landing forces and less time on the ground absorbing them. A quicker rhythm also allows your body to stay aligned over your feet, which helps you line up all the power producing muscles (glute, hamstring, quad, calf) for more production out of each stride, without straining the stabilization capabilities of those muscles and ligaments.
Keep your hands loose
It is not uncommon to feel tense, tired shoulders after a long run, but that tension and the mid-run fatigue it may cause can be reduced by keeping your hands loose. Rather than a tight fist or fingers fanned rigidly straight out from the palm, loosely curve the fingers back toward the thumb on each hand, as if lightly holding a very thick rope. With your thumb, pretend to hold a saltine or a potato chip to your loosely curved fingers. Squeeze too hard and it breaks, too open and it drops. Tight hands reverberate tension through the arms, up to the shoulders and the neck. Loose hands help dissipate that tension and helps runners avoid draining needed energy from the hard working lower body.
Swing your arms north and south, not east to west
If running forward, avoid movements that deter your progress. When your arms are swinging backwards and forward, they are helping propel you along the desired direction. When they swing across your body, they are acting at cross purposes with your goal. Although arms naturally may have a slight angle inward that causes the elbow to stick out slightly, neither hand should cross the imaginary line down the center of your torso. Let them hang down from your un-hunched shoulders with an elbow bent at about 90 degrees, and keep them swinging “north and south”.
Many runners have begun to enjoy the luxury of GPS devices measuring their daily runs. Frankly, many runners have become so reliant on these measurements that success or failure is defined at least as much by the watch readout as how the run or workout feels.
Those who use a GPS device on a daily basis are naturally inclined to strap them on for race day, only to be quite annoyed by the discrepancy between the race’s official measurements and what the GPS device indicates. Technology advances year after year, and when paying several hundred dollars for a gadget, it is a let down when the measurement appears to veer so widely off the mark. Alternately, we may place blame on the race management, assuming a poorly measured course or sloppy monitoring. More likely than either scenario, the discrepancy probably occurs due to the different ways in which the watch and the race record your distance traveled.
GPS devices measure the time it takes to receive signals traveling at the speed of light from multiple satellites orbiting the earth. A couple dozen of these are currently in the skies, and they are arrayed so that at any one time, four or more are visible to any point on earth. The watch essentially then builds a three or four way Venn diagram by overlapping the readings taken by each to confirm a fairly accurate location. This is called triangulation. Still, under a clear sky in the middle of a desert, an accuracy of a few meters either way is probably the best possible result.
Most importantly, GPS does not measure the distance you travel in a continuous fashion. It take readings at different points along your route every few seconds, again maybe varying in a radius of 3 meters to 10 meters or 30 feet to each side. What was a straight path for your actual travel, may be a fairly zig-zag line of plotted points as read by your GPS device. Add in periodic blockages due to overhanging trees, tall buildings, and even loud noises (yes!) and you will begin to see how your watch’s measurements are a helpful guide, but by no means a perfect representation of the actual route you traveled.
Certainly many low-key races may not seek or receive certification by the sport’s domestic governing body, USA Track & Field (USATF). However, most worth doing have received this certification, and certainly all of the big ones. When the question of GPS discrepancy was posed to the “dean” of Northern California course certifiers, Tom Knight, he encouraged reading the self-termed “generic response” Doug Thurston, the Director of Operations for the Competitor Group (Rock ‘n’ Roll series, Carlsbad 5000, etc) has developed after countless inquiries on the subject.
Thurston’s main points are summarized briefly as follows:
In short, anything that measures in a zig zag pattern is going to differ from a method that takes the shortest possible straight line between two points. GPS devices are great tools that have allowed us to understand our daily running in a very useful quantitative way. Course certifiers have a specific charter, method, and rigid canon of regulations to follow, their only goal being to provide the most accurate measurement possible under the ground rules. Although we’d all enjoy if our watches marked exactly 5000 meters when we hit the finish line of a 5K, the fact that it often reads more or less shouldn’t steal any of our joy – either way, you’ll want to come back and improve your time on that course next year!
