Summer Ploys -

Every Friday in Summer Training

Along with running, we would like each runner to include a Friday ploymetrics workout in their training. Ploymetrics are exercises designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving performance in sports!

Warm up 

2 minute jog

Quickness

Step Block Hurdles - Bunny Jumps, Bunny Lateral (side to side), High knees, Quick Feet, One-Leg (right and left)

Speed  

“The Rock” (video)

                                   

Run

Go out on your scheduled run!

Stretch 

Weekly Update
Here is the current list of weekly totals. Please look over and make sure it is correct. There are a few of you who have yet to email their totals, please email me!

Suggestions - Hills
Over the course of a run, whether you are on a trail or road, you will experience different grades of elevation. These variations in heights can result in a runner winning or loosing a race. They are inevitable, period. Look at hills as an opportunity to challenge yourself as a runner and a place that you can outwork a competitor. Lance Armstrong was legendary in the way he performed on hills. He understood to win the race was not on the flatter portions but where people faced challenges in course height. It is very important to train on hills in order to teach your body how to react with different grades. As important as it is to train going uphill, its just as important to training going downhill as well. This is often overlooked and can determine your success on the trail.

Rules of Hill Training

1. Only train on hills 1-2x a week. Repeat 6-8x on smaller hills, 4-6x on larger hills. Too much hill training can lead to injury in your knees and ankles.
2. Run like a ninja, be soft on your feet. As you incline your balance transfers towards the front of you which results in your knees bearing more than normal. Stay soft footed and work on tranfering the weight to your thigh and hamstring, your knees will thank you.
3. Uphill - Lean slightly forward, balancing your weight forward. Shorter strides = more steps = more push. Your arms swing is very important uphill because they will help push you like a propeller. Always look up at your target! This is where you attack, attack, attack.
4. Downhill - Lean slightly forward, allowing gravity to help you down the hill. Normal strides, do not over-stride, no heel striking! Try relaxing your body while going downhill, its a nice little break during the race. Remember ninja-like? If you slam hard down on downhills, your knees and shins will be very upset with you.


Tip of the Day
Hills, face it, they suck. But you cannot look at them this way! With every uphill...there is a downhill. Hills are opportunities to overtake other runners. What is great about hill training is that it translates 100% out in the race. Runners who training with hills succeed on a much higher level than those who choose not to.

                        "Whoa, they weren't joking when they said this hill was a doozie!"

Weekly Update - Suggestions - Tips

Weekly Update
Here is the current list of weekly totals. Please look over and make sure it is correct. There are a few of you who have yet to email their totals, please email me!

Suggestions
The #1 question I hear from people who are new to distance running is, "How do you run so far without getting tired?" Here's the secret, I DO get tired, but you have to understand running is like an art form, it takes practice! There are days where I feel I can run forever and its awesome, but then there are days when I don't feel it, struggling to get two miles in. Crazy enough, these are needed days. You can experience and learn how the body faces adversity.  Just like a pole vaulter who will have hundreds and hundreds of failed vaults during practice to make that one perfect vault in competition, its all a part of the learning process. We all know how to "run" because of human nature, but your body needs practice adjusting to running 2 miles, 4 miles, etc. For someone just getting into distance running it can get frustrating, that's okay, its a part of the big picture. The greatest distance runners started out running small distances at a time, you don't start off running 8 miles daily...it won't work. So just remember, consistency, consistency, consistency! Even if you have to walk a part of your run, no worries...tomorrow will be another opportunity!

Tip of the Day
Breathing is the most important factor in distance running, period. You need all the oxygen your body can take in, so breath through both your mouth and nose. Get your breathing into a normal pattern. What's a "normal pattern"? Well, if you were to go out and run a 100 meters at your fastest speed, you will soon realize that your breathing becomes very short and dramatically increase in number. Obviously, this is too rapid. The other extreme is to take in big, deep breaths. This is not the answer because many times you actually hold your breath as you repeat this pattern. We want in distance running the middle ground of these two patterns. Here is a great article on breathing. The 3-2 rhythm should be a good start. Try it!
Proper Breathing For Runners

Wednesday June 15th

Welcome! With this new blog site I hope to keep you updated on information regarding training, tips, and general ideas with distance running. Please feel free to ask questions at anytime.

Happy Running!