Caution - bumpy road ahead

Many of our runners are currently enjoying the benefits of good aerobic base training and realize they are much fitter than they have been in a while. Unfortunately, this is also a dangerous time of year as runners try and capitalize on their fitness by training too hard, too often, or by training through injury. We've had examples of both in the last week, and neither worked out very well.

In the first case, pushing it hard on a treadmill on easy days resulted in an inability to perform properly on days with scheduled quality workouts. Clearly this is counter productive, since it is exactly those quality workouts that are the bread and butter of our training. We have to show up for those workouts rested and ready to work hard. In between the quality sessions, easy recovery runs allow us to assimilate the effects of the hard workouts while adding to our mileage base. While it may be hard to keep the recovery runs easy, especially when we are feeling good, it is essential to hold back so that the next workout doesn't suffer. Don't turn those easy miles into trash miles.

The other case we experienced this week was running through injury. While most of us continue to run with minor aches and pains, deciding when to take time off is a more difficult decision. Whether an injury needs time off or not, it is generally not a good idea to perform hard workouts while nursing an injury. Far better to run easy, as long as the injury doesn't get worse, than risk an extended lay off by training too hard.

A third case was an example of a runner making exactly the right call after being off sick for a few days. He cut short a scheduled 32km long run, feeling weak and unable to run well. Clearly he was not 100% recovered and made the right decision to terminate the run. Common sense and caution are the watch words at this time of year.

I'm going to leave you with "The Great Secret" as divulged by Keith Livingstone in his book "Healthy Intelligent training. The proven principles of Arthur Lydiard"

"Whatever you do that is very intense has to be balanced out with a reasonable volume of easy work. The harder you go, the more the volume of easier work required, and the easier the better. Total rest wont do it. Easy aerobic activity will. That's the secret."

Pretty simple eh?

Hills Galore

Having spent the better part of two months building an aerobic base, our training focus has now turned to hills. The idea being to build leg strength by running, bounding and springing on hills. This was a core part of the training of Arthur Lydiard's athletes and remains an important part of many training programs today. While our runners are encouraged to run on hills several times a week, we have also started a specific hill workout modeled on the Lydiard hill circuit. The basic elements include a section of hill running, bounding or springing up a hill, a recovery run of a few minutes along the flat portion at the top of the hill before running fast downhill and completing a series of strides along the bottom. This is a tiring workout as our runners discovered after completing two circuits last Friday. We will continue these workouts for about six weeks, by which time we should be in great shape to take on the hills at the Around the Bay race.


Another new idea this month is the "coach's choice" which will recognize the efforts of a Longboat runner each month. The choice is somewhat subjective, in that it will not be based on race performance alone, but also on participating in training sessions and general enthusiastic participation. So, the Coach's choice for January is John Chou. After a slow start to the season John has been out at all the training sessions, and has been running from the YMCA on Sunday's. The enthusiasm with which John has embraced the training paid off at the Robbie Burns race last week with a huge 6 minute personal best. I expect John to continue to train consistently since he has also won a spot for the 2010 New York Marathon. Congratulations John.