Personal Best - October 2011

Race Weekend Tips for Friends and Family

Every athlete must marshal the vast majority of effort needed to accomplish a big goal race.  However, many runners and walkers who embark on an ambitious training season must rely also on the help and support of family and friends.  Whether providing rides, fluid support, space in the family calendar, or just emotional support, oftentimes these individual can be difference makers, especially since they are often the motivation for the individual to keep trucking when things get tough on race day.

 

While athletes get a great deal of advice and tips on how to manage their training and race, friends and family can be left empty handed when wondering how best to support their runner or walker.

 

Here’s a road map for every support person or team to take into consideration (since we wrote it – you don’t have to feel selfish about handing it out)!

 

Designate a czar of logistics

One common situation is that the decision for a large group of friends and family to come to the race creates additional stress for the athlete.  Everyone definitely means well, but numerous calls to ask about where to stay, when they can visit with the athlete, where they should watch on the course, and so forth, can increase the perceived pressure when nervousness may already exist.  Designate a family member who will serve as the traffic cop for this type of planning, someone who will coordinate flights and airport trips, hotel stays, dinner reservations, and various rendezvous with all those who wish to be included.  This person should be well versed in the details available on the race website for the course, the expo, and the post-race reunion area.  If a new person pops up who wants to support the athlete, the athlete can then confidently connect them with the logistics czar, who can walk them through the plans already in place.

 

Consider the Athlete

It is not uncommon for friends and family contingents to begin to build a life of their own as race day approaches.  Interest in various sight seeing expeditions, brunch or dinner locations, matching t-shirts, expo shopping trips, and more ideas may continue to grow and expand.   There is absolutely nothing wrong with making plans that don’t include the athlete, respecting the runner’s need for rest and calm before (and rest and recovery after) the race.  However, keep in mind the race that your runner has trained for and the needs they have in final preparation.  For example, if everyone wants to eat dinner at 9pm at an exotic restaurant, but the athlete expresses a desire to eat simple pasta at 5pm and go to bed early, consider compromises and alternatives (such as having one person from the group have dinner early with the athlete).  Race weekend isn’t a democracy; it is a narrowly focused time period with one specific and very demanding aim..  Be proactive, and ensure the physical and psychological needs of the competitor are paramount.

 

 

Determine a simple post-race plan, including a fall back plan if things haven’t gone well

At smaller races, athletes are easy to connect with after they finish.  However, at many large races, the post-finish process can be very crowded, and may take some time.  Cell phones have been left at home, at the hotel, or in the race baggage, so old-fashioned methods of communication must be relied upon.   Races often offer reunion areas, but it may make sense to pick an alternate landmark or process to find each other as the reunion areas may be clogged.  Friends and family need to be patient with post-race logistics.  Oftentimes races require a lengthy cool down area, and the competitor may not feel especially perky after running a 10, 13 or 26-mile race. If more than one person is racing, they may also want to greet each other within the finish area before heading out.  Determine a plan for reunion if things go as planned, and an option if things do not.  The runner should have a plan if forced to withdraw mid-race (read the race materials), and the czar of logistics should be well versed in this process as well.  The same goes for brunch, lunch, dinner or whatever is the first item of business after the race.  Consider that the athlete may not be in a position to eat a large meal, walk a long distance, or sit in the car for an hour.  Try to plan accordingly and be prepared to be flexible.

 

Marshal the energy of the support group into loud and visible demonstrations of support

Make a plan to provide an inspirational boost to the competitor or competitors in the race.  Large signs, strategic course placement, and clear visibility can be a huge boost, but require an organized plan to account for pacing and transportation variability.  Don’t miss out!  Think through how the group will get from point to point and how the problems that might occur can be addressed.  HOWEVER, again also consider the athlete’s needs.  Should they prefer a lower-key approach, respect their wishes and support as requested.  It is their day!

 

Race weekend can be an intense, but significant and memorable weekend on many levels.  Everyone involved wants to provide support, but the greatest energy must be saved for the actual task itself.  Keep that focus in mind at all times, and hopefully your athlete can look forward to a happy and unified reunion when the finisher’s medal has been finally placed around their neck.

Currently balancing a pro athletic career and assistant coaching duties at her alma mater, UC Davis, Kim Conley is a young elite athlete in the midst of a breakthrough year.  In February, she earned selection to Team USA for the NACAC (North American, Central American, and Caribbean) Cross Country Championships with an 8th place finish at the USATF Championships.  With personal bests of 4:11 (1500m) and 15:38 (5000m) set just this year on the track, Kim has come on even stronger in the summer, gaining top 5 honors at the Falmouth Road Race and nearly winning the national road 5K championships last week.  Deep in the heart of Davis Aggie cross country season, we catch up with Kim as she preps for this month's Pan-Am Games and continues to establish herself as one to watch for 2012.

FNF: Congrats on your runner-up finish at the 2011 USATF Road 5K Championships at the CVS Caremark 5K in Providence, Rhode Island.  How did that race play out from your perspective?

KC:  The race went out a little harder than I expected and strung out very quickly. I had gone in with a goal of winning, so I gave chase after Julie Culley took an early lead, but I was never able to close the gap she put on me in that first mile. Overall I am still happy with the result. 2nd place in my highest finish at a national championship event, so its a very good step forward for me.
KC: The key factor has really just been consistency in training. I've been fortunate enough to not encounter too many set backs and I've been able to build weeks, months, and years of progressive training now. KC: My coach, Drew Wartenburg, is definitely the biggest influence on my running career, especially at this level. When I graduated from UC Davis my 5k pr was 16:17. It was kind of a gray area in terms of whether or not it made sense to continue pursuing competitive running with a time like that. We both knew I had a lot more in me, but I was also a long way off from being the type of athlete that would secure at shoe contract and truly be able to earn a living running.  I was balancing that with the normal "graduation pressure" of feeling like I should be going to grad school or having some kind of set plan for my future. It took a while, but eventually he helped me to realize that running at the next level was not only something I could do, but needed to do for myself. Now looking back, I'm so grateful he pushed me in this direction and set up a great environment at UC Davis where I can be a coach and a high level athlete. KC: I've been lucky to have spent my life surrounded by people who are highly invested in running. In Santa Rosa I spent a lot of time outside the high school setting running with the Empire Runners. I had several coaches in high school, but all of them were friends through this running club which allowed for some continuity and kept me connected to all of them. They are all still good friends that I keep in touch with regularly. I touched on it in the previous question, but UC Davis has been wonderful in allowing me to coach here and balance that with pursuing my own running objectives. Furthermore, the Sacramento Running Association is starting an elite team to help support post-collegiate athletes in the area. I am very happy with the situation I have right now. I'm close to home, the training in Sacramento is great, and I love coaching at UC Davis. KC: My focus for 2012 will be primarily on the 5k, but I definitely plan to run a 10k and some 1500s as well. I feel like I have a little bit more development to do in the 1500 which I think in the long run will make me a more competitive athlete in the 5k, 10k and on up.
KC: In a general sense, my goal is to continue rising on the elite level. Eventually I want to win a national championship on the roads and be on the podium on the track. I will probably begin to dabble with the marathon in 2013 or 2014 which is something I am also really looking forward to.

I’ve really been focused on the 1500m since my junior year in college.  Prior to that I had always been a longer distance guy and considered myself more of a cross country runner than anything else.  During my sophomore year I got injured in outdoor track and had a horrible finish to the year at regionals in the 5k after trying to make a late come back.  I had always wanted to try some of the middle distance stuff, so that next year I convinced my coach to let me give the mile a shot indoors since a couple legs on the DMR the year before had gone pretty well for me.  After having a solid year in both the mile and DMR that year indoors, he decided to let me keep going with it outdoors and I’ve never really gone back to the longer stuff.  That being said, I’ve had a few shots at both the 3k and 5k at Cardinal Invite and over in europe the past few years, and I’ve really enjoyed the change in pace and switching things up for a race or two.  At this point, I feel most comfortable sticking with the 1500m as my main focus at least through the Olympic year, but a lot of my training is still distance based, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I started transitioning back into some more 5k and distance races the following year. I think cross training in general has been a huge asset for me and really contributed to what I have been able to do in both high school and college over the years.  Besides running cross country and track in high school, I also focused exclusively on cross country skiing in the winter and supplemented a lot of my summer running training with biking.  Although both of those activities have continually become a lesser part of my training over the years as I have become more serious with running, I believe they both helped provide me with much of my initial aerobic base that I could then use to build on with more specific running training.  Beyond that, the cross training not only gave me a mental break from always running, but it also allowed me to stay healthy by taking some of the stress that comes with the pounding of running off my legs.  I still use biking as a way to progress back into training and get some more hours of base training in early in my training cycle.  This really helps provide a solid foundation to build on the rest of the season for me. Although the being apart of the graduate program definitely adds another level of intensity to the amount of work that you have to do every day, I have really found it to be a nice complement to running.  Most importantly for me, school has allowed me to take some of the pressure off focusing exclusively on one activity.  That way, if running isn’t going well or if I’m trying to battle through an injury, I can fall back on the school a little bit to help take my mind off the obstacles that I may be facing in running at the time.  This has worked the other way around as well.  Beyond that, graduate school has helped force me stay focused and maintain a more structured schedule in order to be efficient enough to have time to both run and finish my school work.  Overall, even though it’s been tough work at times, the school and running have really provided a good balance for me these past few years.

That being said, I’ve decided to take this next year off from the PhD program in order to focus all of my energy into running and the Olympic trials this next year.  With this, taking a year off is mainly a product of wanting to make sure that I do everything I can to get better this year.  Probably the hardest part of the PhD this past year has been that there are occasionally some of the extra drills and core that I have had to sacrifice when I have a big paper or project due for school.  I’m also hoping to do some altitude training this fall and winter, which would have been much harder if I was still in school.  The 2nd year is also an important year for the Phd, so I wanted to make sure that I had enough energy to devote to that as well and decided that would be hard to do this year. It been extremely exciting these last few years watching him progress.  More than anything it’s been a lot of fun being able to train with him and push each other in workouts along the way.  While I can help him with some of the speed stuff and help him work on his kick, he’s a bit more of a distance guy than I am and has really been able to help me work on my endurance these past few years.  Beyond that, just having one another to train with year round has been great.  In terms of giving him advice, we already both think very much alike, so it’s been a lot less giving him advice than just debating and talking through situations with him.  Back when he was in high school, I tried to provide him with a bit more guidance, but since settling into college training he’s probably given me with almost as much as advice as I’ve given him.  Since we’re a lot alike in what works well in training for us, watching him develop has also helped me discover some new aspects of training that I can use to help to improve my fitness as well. I think more than anything, tapering is helpful in mentally preparing for a championship race.  Feeling good going into a big race can help build some confidence and really let you know that you’re ready to go.  Beyond that though, I’ve found that the actual act of lowering my miles substantially or getting too caught up in routines leading into a big race isn’t necessarily as important as I may have one time thought.
Most recently, I’ve really found that traditional tapering hasn’t necessarily been an important aspect of staying fresh for me as much as just making sure that I feel mentally ready and comfortable with what I’m doing.  I’ve had some of my best races when I’ve been in the heart of my training or when everything seems to be going wrong leading into a race (this can be especially prone to happening when racing over in Europe).  I think it really comes down to knowing your body and what works best for you.  I’ve seen a lot of runners feel great off cutting their mileage in half the last few weeks leading into a race and others who have their best races off running 100 mile weeks like they have been doing all year.  Personally for me, I feel the best dropping my mileage by about 20-25% leading into a championship race and really just focusing on getting a lot of sleep the week leading into the race.  Beyond that, just eating a good diet and being confident that I’ve done everything I can to prepare myself for the race are probably most helpful things for me at that point.

Obviously the Olympics are the biggest event on my radar right now.  Really everything else is just preparing for that right now.  The first big goal in terms of preparing for the Olympic Trials is hitting the A-standard.  Without that heading into the trials, you don’t have much of a chance of making the team.  The times to qualify have dropped significantly over these past few years, but I feel like I’m ready to drop a few seconds off my pr and definitely capable of hitting the time given the right situation.  I just finished up my European season about two weeks ago and have two road races left this fall before taking a little time off and starting to get ready for next year.  I’m heading out to Hawaii on September 17th for a road mile there and then am finishing up with the 5th Avenue road mile in New York on the 24th of September.  That one usually has a lot of the best milers in the US at it and is a good final chance to test yourself before heading into the off season.

Carling hails from Maryland, and still currently lives in the DC area. She attended school at Salisbury University, on Maryland's Eastern Shore, where she studied psychology. After graduation, she began working for the government and continues to work for the Department of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. Inspired by her work to sign up for the Army Ten Miler, she is hoping for a fun and challenging race on October 9.  A huge fan of the Washington Redskins and Capitals, Carling has a younger sister who is a theater intern, in Florida, and her parents still reside in the DC area. 

Coach: How did you start running?

CU: I started running after signing up for the Army Ten Miler race. I attempted to train for the race last year, but lost motivation. This year, I knew that I had to train and complete the race (as to not disgrace myself 2 years in a row haha), so I began training after signing up for the race and FNF.

Coach: Who is your running role model?

CU: My running role models are the volunteers at the Back on My Feet organization. The time, motivation, and encouragement that they give to the organization is inspiring. They've taken doing what they love as an opportunity to share the positives of running and they help show others how to achieve goals, running or otherwise.

Coach: What has been your most memorable running / racing experience?

CU: My most memorable running moment was running an 8-mile training run in England. It was the furthest and longest time that I'd run and I was in England, running through the countryside with my motivating boyfriend by my side. It was a great opportunity to see the country from a different perspective.

Coach: What have you enjoyed about working with us?

CU: I've enjoyed the daily regimen and structure of the FNF program. I keep the schedule up at my work desk and it helps me get motivated for my runs and workouts. I like the variety of the work outs and the ease of being able to do it yourself, without much explanation. Mostly, I've enjoyed the personal contact I've gotten from staff members, whether it be enquiries, training modification, or motivation! I started the program a couple of months ago with, literally, NO running experience and now I feel confident in running the ATM. I like how FNF tailors the training program to your experience, strength, and whether you're running for a time or not.

 

Coach: What is one part of your racing routine you can’t do without (sleep, pre race meal, tie shoes certain way, other ritual)?

CU: One thing I'm definitely planning AND looking forward to before the race is the pasta dinner. I love pasta, and running has certainly given me a good excuse to eat it. I'm looking forward to the communal race atmosphere and the excitement of everyone there.This being my first race, I'll be pretty excited to get my bib, as well!

 

Coach: What is your favorite place to go for a run?

CU: My favorite place to go for a run is on the Mount Vernon Trail, by my house. It's right on the water, never too crowded, and I can map out various routes depending on my mileage. I never get bored of the scenery and it's especially nice when there's a breeze off the water.

 

Coach: In the next year, what goals do you hope to accomplish?

CU: In the next year, I'd love to try a short, fun triathlon. It would be fun to get cycling and swimming into the race. I hope to have done more fun 5K's and to have made friends who share the fondness of community through running.

Your weekly schedule has just appeared in your email inbox and it is time to sit down to consider the week’s training tasks. What track workout or tempo run is planned?  When and where will that workout take place?

We know that the actual intervals of the workout will require our greatest expenditure of energy, so naturally we psych ourselves up for those.  Far less often do we consider the importance of the warm up.  This month, we will shed some light on this crucial aspect of your training and give the warm up its due.

Most workouts include varying amounts and variations on four very important aspects:  Easy running, LIGHT stretching, running drills, and strides.

Easy running

It is not uncommon for an easy warm-up jog to be described as a way to “get the blood flowing.”  Although that phrase is often uttered with a figurative meaning, the reality is, the easy jogging at the beginning of your warm up does exactly that.    Easy running provides a bridge for your body to move from a static situation (sleeping in bed, driving the car, watching TV), to a place where your core body temperature has been raised.  This prepares your muscles to accommodate increased blood flow, allows for more strenuous contractions as required by a hard workout, and starts the processes you’ll need to use your body’s stored energy effectively throughout the session.

Light stretching

The purpose of the warm up is to execute a string of activities that will conclude when your body is prepared to begin the hard work at hand.  Taking a timeout to stretch for 20 minutes will certainly disrupt the progression of that process.  However, taking a few moments to check in with the major muscle groups after (and only after) you have been able to light the fire with easy running can provide a helpful transition to the increasingly dynamic activities in the warm up routine.   Hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, glutes, and iliotibial (IT) bands can be lightly stretched (finding a cozy position for 2x8-10 seconds without any strain or hint of pain) from a standing or supine position without taking more than 5-7 minutes away from the remainder of activities on tap.

Running drills

Running drills are exercises that mimic or closely resemble some of the types of repetitive demands harder running will make on your body.  The intention of running drills are to help ensure your body has been prepared to handle these, and to also reinforce the type of angles and form habits practiced by efficient runners.  Runcoach has outlined and created short videos for a basic canon of seven running drills.  Each drill is meant to be practiced for the distance indicated immediately after which the athlete should run with good form at 1500 meter pace effort for the balance of 100 meters.

Strides

Consider the last time you observed the start line of a competitive road race or track race.  Many times the athletes involved take complete repeated short running bouts of 30, 50, or even 100 meters just before the competition begins.  These final preparations are called strides. These strides listed on your warm up are most definitely related (as their lower-key cousin) to these pre race sprints.    A chance to concentrate on good form for 20-30 seconds and provide the body a few more sustained efforts that keep the body warm and prepared to work hard are the final touches on your warm up routine.  If you have ever done a workout with a short warm up and felt rusty on the first effort, only to find yourself feeling markedly better on the second bout, then you know firsthand the importance of strides.  Please see our video description of strides here.

While warm up is a crucial physical preparation process, it can also be an invaluable time to review the mental elements you’ll need to employ during the workout and distance yourself from the everyday cares that will be waiting when you return through your front door.  Let your warm up free you of the world’s gravity and transport you to the weightless state of focus on your workout.  Complete each step with care and you’ll find your workouts will benefit.

Originally from Pittsburgh, David has moved around quite a bit, including stops in Arizona, California, back to Pittsburgh, and Syracuse.  Most recently, he has settled in Houston (Pearland) where he works as an engineer for Continental / United.  David is married with a two kids, six and eight years old.  He reports that his eldest is a bit into running kids races, but only so she can stay one medal ahead of her younger brother!  Having met his wife through a running club in Pittsburgh, David has enjoyed running with clubs each place he has lived, and has even coached USA F.I.T. teams along the way.

Coach: How did you start running?

DB:   Well, when I was in California, one of my coworkers in 1995 talked me into doing the 1996 Los Angeles Marathon.  I was completely oblivious to any of the training plans out there, so I bought a book.  It was kind of disastrous.  What helped me was the Mt. Baldy run, 8 miles up.  Hill training really helped me, and I ran a lot with some of the Road Runners clubs.  10 years after I left California, I found a club in Pittsburgh, called People Who Run Downtown.  Every Tuesday evening, they would meet at a bar or a restaurant and run 2,4, or 6 miles.  By the time I moved to Houston, I had run three marathons by that point and run Pittsburgh.  I thought I was done with the long runs, but my boss was running Houston.  I met him at mile 22 and ended up running him in.  I kind of caught the bug again, so here I am looking forward to two more marathons this year.

Coach: Who is your running role model?

DB: The only role models I have, I realize they are the people I have met through the running clubs.  They are the typical runner, anywhere from a 3.5 hour marathoner to the people that are doing the walking.  Everyone is out there to enjoy themselves, just have fun, and get to know people.

Coach: What has been your most memorable running / racing experience?

DB: I was trying to remember all the racing that I have done so I could answer this question.  I came up with one idea, but in this case it was it was more of an incentive for me while I am racing.  My wife and kids try to get around the marathon course to see me as many times as they can.  I try not to allow her to do this [by going as fast as possible]!   The slower I go, the more times they can see me.  So, she had a PR of five two years ago when I ran 4:30.  However, no matter what race it is, that has always been the most memorable thing, coming around the bend and seeing them.

Coach: What have you enjoyed about working with us?

DB:   A lot of it has been talking and emailing with the coaches.  One of the things I really like is that even when I have coached, it is a standard schedule and doesn’t take into account your fitness.  With this, you can run a time trial and if you end up doing better than what is showing, then you can have your schedule adjusted so you can train harder and vice versa.  I really dread speed work, I’d much prefer hills.  Because I am not that fast right now, I can do my speed work on the treadmill.  I do my warm up on the track, then set the treadmill on a slight incline and set the paces for what FNF has told me.  Although I dread doing it, it is a balance between not looking forward to it, and seeing the payback for it.

 

Coach: What is one part of your racing routine you can’t do without (sleep, pre race meal, tie shoes certain way, other ritual)?

DB:   I guess I have a couple.  One I have had from a racing standpoint from the California club days is that only on a run of 10 of miles or more, I’ll do Vaseline on my feet.  I don’t know if I would get blisters otherwise, but I have never gotten blisters doing it.  A bunch of us would do mud runs, so we got dogtags, and everywhere I go now I get new ones, even if the information is already on my bib.  I got shoe tags from USA FIT, and still use those.

 

Coach: What is your favorite place to go for a run?

DB:  Whenever we go on vacation, no matter where we go.  I’ll usually go for an early morning run; not a fast run, but just exploring, finding parks and restaurants.  Then during the day we’ll try out those parks and restaurants.

Coach: In the next year, what goals do you hope to accomplish?

DB:   I hope to actually come up with that magical racing moment. I’ve worked with Kate on the schedule because I am really training for Houston.  It will be a big jump for New York, but I am just using it as a long run.  I’m hoping to run a reasonably slow, well-paced long run. My dad and grandfather grew up there and I have only really been there twice, once to help with clean up after 9/11.  I’ve run Houston, and even though last year was fantastic, it Is still businesslike.

 

My goals for Houston last year were first, always finish, and second, break a PR (4:13).  The third goal was to break four hours.  I ran 4:03.  I was happy, as the projection from FNF was 4:04. I knew from mile 12 that I wasn’t going to break the four.  I was going to move on to half marathons, but now I’m optimistic that as long as I stay healthy I have a reasonable shot at it!

 

 

A Bend, Oregon native, Jesse Thomas carried a successful high school running career into a collegiate tenure that featured a Stanford school record and All-American performance in the steeplechase, as well as US Junior National and Pan-American Games Championships in the 10,000m.  Along the way, periodic injuries required Jesse to maintain fitness with cross training.  After dabbling with multisport events after graduation and attending business school, Jesse finally decided to give his full attention to triathlon training with amazing results, none more exciting than winning the professional flight of the 2011 Wildflower 70.3 Triathlon.  Along with several of our FNF athletes, Jesse competed at the Vineman 70.3, where he took 10^th.  Only one year ago, Jesse competed as an amateur in the 2010 Escape from Alcatraz.  His biggest weapon remains the run – consider that his half time at Vineman was the fastest among the pros at 1:11!

 

Jesse, married to 2010 US 5K Champion (and September 2010 Pro’s Perspective) Lauren Fleshman, took a moment to share his story with FNF while recovering from the Vineman performance.

 

 

1.     Many of our member runners participate in multisport events on a regular or semi-regular basis.  You have been able to mount a career as a professional triathlete after a long history of running success.  How did you find triathlon, or did triathlon find you?

 

It was a combo of both, we were like moons orbiting each other for 7 years before finally colliding.  Wow, that is nerdy even for me.  Anyway, I started riding my bike to cross-train during an injury in my 5th year at Stanford.  But then I graduated and worked in a start-up - 100 hrs/week, NOT training, just waiting for my millions to come rolling in.  After about 3 years, I decided I needed to get active again.  So instead of running, I started doing all three sports to mix it up.  My first triathlon was a small local event after a night out with my buddies.  I felt like I was going to throw up, but that local, “just for fun” atmosphere brought me back to what I loved about running before I took it “seriously” in college.  So I tried it for a year, and then reversed course and went to business school (no training again).  Finally, after graduating at the peak of the recession, I decided I may as well enjoy not making money.  So I started training to become a professional triathlete.

 

2.     What were the main hurdles you have had to address to move from being a promising competitor with natural abilities to a serious contender?

 

Oh boy, lots of hurdles.  When I started, I swam like a dead fish, except I couldn’t float. It’s still a struggle.  I eventually had to spend time just swimming to try and make up the years of pool time that my competitors have on me.  I spent about 4 months in the pool this winter, swimming 25-45 thousand yards a week.  My hair turned green.  I actually got comfortable in a speedo.  It was weird.

 

I’ve also had to build a surprising amount of strength on the bike.  You’d think a runner would translate to a good cyclist, but it’s not the case.  Runners have the engine, but not the legs.  When I ride with some of my competitors, cardiovascularly, I’m chilling, but my legs feel like they’re going to fall off at any moment.  It takes years and lots of miles to build that strength, and I’m still building it.

 

3.     What is your favorite triathlon distance and are there any multisport event combinations that you enjoy even more (run, swim, run, etc)?

 

I don’t really have a favorite distance, but anything that has lots of running is good!  I just like a course to be hilly, hard, and take me through some cool scenery.  Wildflower, Escape From Alcatraz, Vineman 70.3, all those come to mind.  I like it when I can forget that I’m racing for a bit and just enjoy punishing myself out on a beautiful course.

 

4.     What mental and physical overlap have you been able to find with lessons you learned as a young runner? Do you find that any of these apply to the other disciplines you train for now?

 

Absolutely.  I use lessons I learned as a runner all the time.  There are simple things, like the ability to push myself, and the motivation to train and improve.  But more importantly, I’ve improved my ability to listen to myself, and know when to stop when I’m fatigued to the point where I risk injury and burn out.  Those were lessons I learned, the hard way, as a runner.  I was routinely injured and overly fatigued.  I don’t think I ever really mastered them until I started doing triathlon.  And as crazy as it sounds to me to say this, I’m already a better triathlete than I ever was a runner.

 

5.     How does a typical training week for you play out, in terms of integrating in each discipline?  What is the hardest part of your training week?

 

Matt Dixon of purplepatch fitness is my coach and the Yoda behind my training.  I would say that no week is really the same under him, which is great.  I have blocks where I focus on each discipline for 5-10 days, then recover, repeat.  I would say, generally though, I swim 5 to 6, bike 4 to 7, and run 3 to 4 times a week.  It sounds like a lot (and is), but I don’t work full time, so that shouldn’t be interpreted as the correct way to train for everyone.  Recovering from your workouts is the most important thing.  If you have lots of other stuff going - family, full-time job, travel, etc. - you need to do less to recover properly.  Believe me, I actually have time to train more, but don’t, because it would mean poorer performance.

 

The hardest part of my week is definitely a long swim with fast sets.  Swimming is the only sport I still fear when I go to workout.  The pain is still so foreign (I feel like I’m drowning!) that it’s hard to relax.

 

6.     This month, we are talking to our members about the importance of warm-ups – including drills and strides to prepare for hard workouts, etc.  Have those parts of training been impressed upon you as well by coaches through the years?

 

Warm up is key!  Do it to it!  You have to “turn on the engine” as Matt says.  I think the easiest way to illustrate the importance of warm up is that before a half Ironman - a roughly 4 hour race for me - I still warm up for at least 30-45 minutes, including fast strides or hard buildups in the swim.  Whatever I can do to get my body prepped to go hard, I do it.

 

7.     Who have been some of the individuals that have had the greatest impact on the trajectory of your athletic career so far and why?

 

My coaches throughout the years – Don Stearns my high school track coach taught me to be tough and keep going.  Mike Reilly, my college steeplechase coach, taught me to be in the moment, and focus only on the small, individual steps required to achieve an athletic goal.  My current coach Matt Dixon has been so influential in my understanding of a complete athlete, including the importance of recovery.  All of them guided me with deft hands at appropriate times of my athletic career.

 

My parents have always been super supportive and influential.  My dad took me on my first run, and always had me playing sports with him.  My mom has been so supportive, I don’t even want to think about how many races & games she’s been to during my life.

 

Lastly, and most importantly, my wife, Lauren Fleshman.  She not only supports me and the pursuit of my dreams, but she inspires me as an athlete and a person.  She’s my hero.

 

8.     What challenges are you looking forward to tackling over the next year and beyond?

 

I’m so pumped about the next two years.  I’ve still got a long way to go, but I’ve improved and become competitive quicker than I expected.  I’ve got some big goals for the Half Ironman World Championships over the next 2-3 years.  I’ve still got a long way to go, but I’m beginning to see the real possibility of being competitive with anyone in that discipline.  I’ll still just keep focused on the next step, one at a time, and eventually, with some luck and the support of my friends & family, I’ll get there.

 

Finally, thanks so much for interviewing me, it’s an honor!  And good luck to all you runners & triathletes out there striving for your own goals.  Keep at it, one step at a time, and it’ll come!  If you ever see me at a race or out training, please don’t hesitate to stop me and say hello.

 

You're in the race - now what?

When we choose a goal race, we are often preoccupied with the deliberation leading up to the final clicks on the screen.    When the rush of the final commitment wears off, we are left with the training to be done – which of course is where we come in!

Certainly, the start of your program is the most important thing. However, it also makes sense to begin planning travel as soon as possible, to ensure your race weekend experience is all that you hoped for.   Here are a few tips to optimize your goal race travel.

Read the race participant info early...and often

Most big races require number pick-up at a participant expo the day or two before the event.  Some races may also have a fairly complicated process set up for start area arrival and finish line departure.   Race directors know thousands of people need to get in and out and have thought through how best to get everyone where they need to be.

Before you set up any travel plans, make sure that you have a good sense of the logistical tasks required of you by the race.  The flight that arrives at 5pm may be the least expensive, but you may be out of luck if the expo closes at 6 and your flight is delayed.  Even if you are local, securing a ride or a forming a carpool to the start and away from the finish can make the difference between a successful day and one that turns south when you are rushed and hurried, or forced to stay outside in the cold while waiting for a ride.

Even if you review race day details upon initial registration, it makes sense to return periodically to ensure you have not missed any updates.  If the race’s plans have been forced to change by unanticipated construction, a different level of participation than originally expected, or any other reason, you will want to make sure you have plenty of time to make your own adjustments.

Check out the race-sponsored travel options, but don’t limit yourself to those.

Many races partner with local hotels and even some airlines to provide options for participants.  These may very well offer the best prices for places to stay within walking distance to the start or finish.  As such, they should be checked first as they often sell out early.  Before you act on a pre-pay option, however, consider hotel reservations with a closer cancellation date in case of injury or change of plans.  Also consider other ways to stay in favorable locations relative to the race.  If you are early enough, travel websites that offer flight / hotel options in combination may provide value as those negotiated prices might have been made before the race blocks were established.   Vacation rental sites like vrbo.com or airbnb.com may offer houses or condos for rent at reasonable rates, particularly if you bring the family along for the big day.  Finally, never underestimate the power of a call directly to an onsite reservations agent or even the front desk of a small hotel.

Consider your regular pre-race routine and sketch a travel scenario that will allow for as much familiarity as possible.

Do you prefer to eat dinner at a certain time?  Do you try and head to bed at a certain time?  Do you prefer a certain type of food in the evening or morning before the race? Take these preferences into account when you make your initial travel plans.  How long might it take to get to and from the expo?  Where will you likely eat and how close is it from your hotel?  If you want coffee in the morning, where will you get it and are they open at that hour?

For these reasons and others, it often makes sense to arrive two days before your race so you have a day to take care of whatever you need to do without being rushed for time.  Similarly, if time and finances allow, you may be well served to depart the day after your race instead of that same afternoon.  You never know quite how you will feel or how long it might take to exit the finish area, and no one should be rushed after a terrific race effort.

If you need to make a choice between staying near the start or the finish of a marathon, by all means, stay by the finish.

Unless the start of your race is extremely early or in an obscure location, definitely err on the side of staying by the finish.  You can always get up 10 or 15 minutes earlier to get to the start with all your energy intact, but anyone who finishes a marathon will be glad that a hotel room is close by.  Very glad.

If planning a general vacation in concert with a goal race, plan to race at the start of the trip whenever possible.

Many people combine travel to a new destination with an opportunity to complete an exciting goal race.  If you do so, consider how much more you will be able to enjoy your surroundings without the concerns of a race over your head during the “fun” part of the trip.  You’ll want the freedom to walk without worry of fatigue in your legs, the freedom to eat adventurously and the flexibility to have a schedule that doesn’t demand eight hours of sleep. Yes, distant travel may require a couple days to adjust to a new time zone before the race.  However, it is always best to celebrate the completion of your goal with the bulk of your vacation after the race.

 

 

Russell Brown
Pro's Perspective - June 2011

Russell Brown grew up in Hanover New Hampshire, before traveling west to study and compete at Stanford.  Graduating in 2008 with his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Master's degree in Sociology, Brown took his talents (and his nine All-American awards) to Eugene to train with the Oregon Track Club.  The second New Hampshire resident ever to break 4:00 in the mile, Brown has made multiple international teams for the US and now trains with fellow New Englander Andrew Wheating under Coach Vin Lananna.  Brown has been firing on all cylinders this spring and promises to be a factor in any World Championships and Olympic Team discussions over the next 15 months.  Read more about this 1500 meter standout below....


Coach: At what point in your development as an athlete, did you feel like you were going to be able to compete at a professional/ world class level? Was it one particular performance or a gut feeling that built over time?

RB: I was third place in the 2007 NCAA Championships and ran 3:37.56. I never considered myself eligible for a professional career before that day. The threshold I felt needed to be crossed to consider a career was having a shot at making a team, and I felt for the first time that day that I had one.

Coach: Who or what have been some of your most crucial influences coming through the ranks, both on the track and off? Why?

RB: Everyone of my coaches taught me different, valuable pieces to my puzzle. My first college coach, Andy Gerard, taught me how to put the work in consistently. Peter Tegen taught me how to win. Mark Rowland taught me how to be a professional. Vin Lananna is teaching me all kinds of things now, but principally I am learning how I can be my best.

Undoubtedly, my biggest influences are my parents. They are the most supportive, understanding and loving parents I can even imagine. For everyone with great parents, there really is no explanation needed here.

I feel obligated to mention my 10th grade History teacher, Mr. Smith, also. He made me start really thinking, and it scares me to think who I would have been without his influence.

Coach: Like many runners, you began your athletic career playing a variety of other sports. Do you think this preparation has helped your running career either mentally or physically?

RB: Four years ago I would have said yes. But, I have come to believe that training for track does not necessarily have to take a toll on your body which can build up and break you down over time. I believed that I was made into a more dynamic athlete by my participation in other sports for a long time before I committed entirely to track, but I think had I been training correctly those years strictly for running I would have been just as good and had just as little injury accumulation now. The reason to participate in a lot of different activities should not be too make you a better single sport athlete, at least not directly. Kids should participate broadly because it is fun, and if you are having fun playing your sport you will be your best. That said, there are a whole lot of young kids not training right out there. Their early commitment may end their career early. That is another discussion though.

Coach: A couple of years ago, you had a tough patch with injuries. What kept you focused and optimistic about your eventual return to fitness and championship form?

RB: I was not optimistic. I was pretty sure my career was over. I could not figure out what was happening to me for two years. I kept trying to isolate the variables, and I couldn't determine what I had to do to stay healthy. I have some fairly helpful perspective now, but had you asked me this a year ago, I would have told you that sometimes you have to read the writing on the wall. However, I believe that your talent does not disappear. I had some decent races in the middle of my injuries, and it was almost like I was teasing myself just enough to stay in the sport. It was probably those few races that kept me committed to the sport, but focused and optimistic are not the right words to describe my attitude then.

Coach: This year, you broke long-time US mile record holder Steve Scott’s stadium 1500m mark at the Mt. Sac Relays. How does it feel to be mentioned alongside of one of America’s most storied distance athletes and what would you like us to remember you for as an athlete when you your professional career has concluded?

RB: It is really an honor. I was told that my name will be on a plaque at the stadium. To be engraved at a place like that is about as great as it gets. I hope that my legacy as a track athlete is full of records and titles. To be honest though, the real memories of sports are unlikely victories. That, frankly, is what sports lore is for. We want to believe that the insurmountable objects in our lives can be overcome, and look to instances of this to help us believe. My life will be better and less stressful if my career is a steady, slow progression to the top. But my legacy will be best if I go out in flames winning something I have no business winning in a fashion burned in everyones' minds. I think that is what I really want.

Coach: This month, we are talking to our members about training in the heat of the summer months. While Eugene is typically not known for hot weather, you often compete in places that are quite hot and humid during the summer months. What are some things you do to prepare for a different (warmer) climate than your usual training environment?

RB: I do not do anything in particular to prepare for hot climates. Vin is very intent on making sure we are warm enough to train adequately. I have worn tights for 98% of the running I have done this year because he is so serious about keeping my legs warm. I think that dressing appropriately for the climate you are in is a large part of the battle.

My secret weapon in warm climates though is a story my dad told me from a bus trip he took in Jamaica. He was on a slow moving bus through the countryside and it was stifling. He was sitting next to a big woman carrying a million things with her. My dad said he was freaking out: fanning himself, sticking his head out of the window, etc. Every time he looked at her, she was sitting quietly, not moving, staying calm. I think of her when I'm hot. I have a very vivid image of her in my mind. She calms me down every time. I don't fear the heat. You just have to drink a lot of water, and not let it bother you.

Coach: If you could choose any running partner (alive or historical) and any locale for an easy, chatty run, who and where would you choose?

RB: I would run with Herb Elliot in New Zealand. Elliott never lost a 1500m or a Mile during his career. I just think that the confidence he must exude from that record would be really contagious, and I would let him cough all over me. The New Zealand choice is just because I have always wanted to take the Lord of the Rings tour, so it is kind of crossing off two items from the bucket list at once.