Professional Running Coaching

GOAL + STRATEGY = SUCCESS

Many regular club runners approach me wanting to improve their times over longer distances like the half marathon and marathon. The common approach is a hit and miss approach which involves hammering away at the goal distance weekend after weekend, hoping that one day times will improve. There will possibly be some improvement, purely because the runner is running more and getting fitter. However, a more strategic approach is required to see real and quicker results with few missed attempts.

In helping the runner plan their training smartly, one of the first questions I ask is, “what are your times over the shorter distances?”. The answer to this question provides many clues as to where the shortcomings are and what to focus the training on. There are normally two scenarios.

Scenario One: The goal pace for the longer distance is faster than what the runner is able to run over less than that distance. For example, someone would want to run a sub 4 hour marathon, yet they struggle to run 2 hours for a half marathon. In this situation, the smart approach would be to first spend time improving times over 5 kilometers, 10 kilometers and then the half marathon. Marathon goal pace should feel comfortable over these shorter distances. From this point the runner can then focus on marathon specific training with the confidence that they are able to run the required pace. At least to halfway! Now just to sustain it!

Scenario Two: The runner can run a very fast 5 kilometer and 10 kilometer, maybe even a fast half marathon, but is really struggling with the marathon. In this case the shortcoming is often not doing enough long runs, or not long enough long runs. Also not doing any longer training runs at marathon goal pace. Other factors to consider would be inadequate race nutrition or whether the runner is doing too much and going into the race overtrained.

The above example was for a marathon runner, but the principles remain the same for someone wanting to improve over shorter distances.

A simple formula to predict your potential times over different over and under distances is Frank Horwills formula which is simply to: add 10 seconds per kilometer (12 seconds for women) to your pace as you go up in standard distances and minus 10 seconds (12 for women) as you go down.

For example: A male who is able to run 20:00 (4 min/km) for 5 km has the potential to run the following times over longer and shorter distances:

So using the example above, if you are wanting to run under 3 hours 10 min for the marathon, you want to work towards being able to run about 1 hour 31 minutes for the half marathon.

In summary, when planning for a specific goal, it is important to compare your current ability over shorter and longer distances to see where your shortcomings are. It is also important to have a coach look at your training history to see why the shortcomings are there. And finally, approaching your goal with a smart strategy will increase your chances of success!

TrainSMART!

Coach Kathleen

THE BEST TRAINING = THE BEST TRAINING FOR YOU

We are taught from a young age that we are each unique. Unique personality, unique looks, unique physiology, unique minds. There is no one like you!

And the same comes to you, the runner. You can train exactly like Eliud Kipchoge, but you will never be Eliud Kipchoge. In fact, with all respect, you won’t even be able to train like Eliud Kipchoge. His training is designed his body, mind and professional athlete lifestyle.

Runners all have different muscle types, body types, heart, lungs, mindsets, personalities, lifestyles. And lets not forget, different moms and dads which have passed on their genes! All of these differences play a big role in determining what type of and how much training is best for each of us individually. What might result in a personal best for one person, might not do the same for you.

This is why they refer to coaches as both scientists and artists. A great coach is able to apply the science to your unique humanness and lifestyle in a way that will bring out the best runner in YOU.

Then of course there are the unpredictables –  illness, injury, work, travel, family commitments etc. All factors that greatly influence your race preparations, but which a one size fits all training plan is not able to adapt to.

While not everyone has the privilege of receiving personalised coaching, you can become your own best coach simply by logging your training carefully and taking note of what works for YOU and what does not. Then just keep on doing what works.

It really is as simple as knowing your own body and mind, finding your best lane and sticking to it!

Let me know how you are getting on.

Coach Kathleen

RUN.LAUGH.LIVE

WHAT YOU TRAIN IS WHAT YOU GAIN

Legendary coach, Peter Coe writes: “The response to a stimulus is specific, therefore the training must be as specific as possible to each element of the event. Inappropriate training is unnecessary stress – this can be very harmful”

Want to become a better runner? Run more! For the average club runner, it really is that simple. Your body will adapt to what you ask it to do most often. Sit on the couch often, and you will start looking and feeling like a couch potato. Run often and you will start looking and feeling more and more like a runner (and less like a potato!).

While other physical activities (or “cross training”), will help your body’s conditioning, it will never 100% match the demands of running, something will be lacking or even counterproductive to running. So there are gains, but when your capacity available to train is limited, you want to get the most gains per hour and the most effective way to spend that time would be to run.

The benefits of running more regularly and longer are:

• Stronger more efficient heart, lungs and bigger better oxygen transportation highways to your running muscles. While other sports give some boost, running long is still the most effective.
• Strengthening of the muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons specific to running. The average runner is taking at least 5000 steps over a 5km, that is a lot of repetitive motion. People often make the mistake of avoiding running to avoid the aches and pains, but actually running is what you need so that your body can be conditioned to repeating running movements over and over. Unless you have an actual injury, the best way to get less aches and pains is get more conditioned to run, …by running more! And more regularly!!
• You will develop mental resistance to fatigue. The reason why HIIT type training is so popular, is that it is actually easier for your mind to push through for short time period. However if you want to run long distances, your mind needs to stay in the game for a long long time. The more often you run and the longer you run, the tougher your headspace will get!
• You will improve your running economy! Huh? Basically you will be exerting less effort at the same pace. Now that is good news. A lot is spoken about running form, and there are some basics that are good to know, but overall, if you are running often and long, your body is clever enough to find the path of least resistance. i.e. your brain will adapt your style to expend the least energy. Running form classes have a place, but these are more to create some short cuts for the brain to get to be more economical faster. The rest it will figure out!

If you are still not convinced that the best way to becoming a better runner is to run more, then we only need look at the elite distance runners of the world. With all the advances in training methods, technology, gyms, if you look at their training methods, the core of their training is, you guessed it, a lot of running.

So, to start with, get running more regularly, slowly increase the length of your runs. Why not try a running streak for a month!? That in itself will bring great improvements. In my next blog I will give some tips on getting more specific in terms of training to run specific goal times.

Onwards and upwards!

Coach Kathleen

RUN.LAUGH.LIVE

TRAINING DAYS – LAZY DAYS = FITNESS IMPROVEMENT

While most elite athlete’s would quote the mantra “Run, eat, sleep, repeat”, most of your average club runners go more by the philosophy of: “Enter race, eat, sleep, freak out because race is coming up, run, run, run, get sick or injured from cramming, run race anyway, vow to start training sooner next time, repeat“.

Training start/stop is a bit like having a slow puncture. Fitness we gain is continuously “leaking” and progress is very slow or even reversed.

There are important scheduled recovery days (which follow after run days!) or times in the year, such as after a marathon, when you must give your body a good break. For the most part though, you should always be running.

Many people are looking for that magic training programme, but if you examine the ways of the best in the world, the secret sauce is not some magical workout (although they do do some pretty hard ones!), the secret sauce is that they are always running. Everyday, every week, every month.

If you are struggling to be consistent, here are some tips to help you get on track:

1. Reduce the length of each run to an amount that is easy to manage and fit into your daily routine. Then, keeping the length the same, increase the number of days you run by 1 day a week. Once you are consistent on 5 days, start adding 5 minutes to each run per day.
2. Measure your runs in time not distance. Then just focus on getting the time done without worrying what people will say on Strava about the distance. When you are tired it is easier to motivate yourself to get out because even if you go really slow, if you just complete the time on your feet, you have achieved your goal for the day!
3. Join a group! It is much easier to get out there regularly, plus the conversations and chirps definitely make the time pass faster!
4. Diarise your weekly runs ahead of time. You will be less likely to be “stuck in a meeting.” Runs are serious commitments!
5. Run early in the morning if you can. You will feel fresher and you will have more energy for your work day.
6. Clean up your diet and get more sleep. If your body is healthy, well fueled and rested, your runs will be more enjoyable and more likely to repeat.
7. Get good running gear, especially the right running shoes. Enjoyment factor will go up, again leading to more likely repeats.
8. If you have not yet joined a community like Strava, DO IT! It works.
9. Vary your routes.
10. Don’t think about it until you are too far from home to bail!

Let me know how you get on.

Coach Kathleen

RUN.LAUGH.LIVE

The following blog is the first in a series aimed at guiding the average everyday runner who would like to train smarter and get better results for their efforts.

The first rule is the following:

CHALLENGE + RECOVERY = FITNESS IMPROVEMENT

CHALLENGING YOUR TRAINING:

Recently I received a request for help from a runner who was struggling to run beyond 5 or 6 kilometers. On questioning what training he had been doing, it turned out that he regularly runs 3 x 5 kilometers per week. Now while he was still “unfit” to run 5 kilometers, that training would have been beneficial. However now that his body is able to complete the task, very little further adaptation will take place. Why? Well, there simply is no need to as his body is already “fit” for 5 kilometers (plus a little extra which the mind will be able to squeeze out). In order to go beyond 5 kilometers with ease, this runner will need to start gradually running further and further until his body adapts to his new goal distance. The same goes for getting faster, getting stronger etc. Unless you challenge your body beyond its current limits your fitness will reach a point where it levels out.

There are various ways in which you can make your training more challenging. Some variables are:

1. Volume – that is volume of a particular workout and overall volume in a training week
2. Frequency – How often you train in a day, week, month, year…
3. Pace – How fast you do your workouts. This also includes pace variations such as fartleks and intervals.
4. Resistance – making training tougher with hills, sled pulling etc. Also adding strength training to your schedule.

All of the above however need to be implemented smartly and be specific to your goal in order to reap the full reward. Something best worked out by an experienced coach.

RECOVERY:

The body needs to rest in order for fitness adaptations to take place. In the same way that we get grumpy when we don’t have enough sleep, your body also gets “grumpy” a.k.a “overtrained” if you just keep pushing hard and don’t ever back off. Recovery could be complete rest or slow jogging. I generally do not categorise most cross training as recovery as it is usually still a hard workout on the body and mind.

On the opposite side of the scale, resting too much can also result in your body not being challenged enough and you will be going 1 step forward, 2 steps back all the time, basically going nowhere.

Coaching is, for the most part, getting this equation of increasing challenge and optimal recovery as perfect as possible for maximum results.

So if you find yourself not progressing, have a good look back at your training, are you doing same old same old and never getting out of your comfort zone? Or are you training so hard that you are permanently doing the death march through the valley of fatigue?

Let me know how you get on and if you would like professional guidance from a coach then check out our Trainsmart package where the thinking is done for you here.

Onwards and upwards!

Coach Kathleen