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Newsletter Archives: Volume20, March 2000
After six to 12 months of regular exercise, most runners have made the lifestyle adjustments which make exercise a scheduled and important part of the day. Before we get to that point, it's necessary to make an effort to reinforce the regularity of exercise and maintain the daily run or walk as a top priority. Sometimes it's as simple as learning to appreciate the rewards, such as relaxing endorphins. You've been receiving them all along, but you didn't take time to enjoy. But everyone will have to find some extra insertions of fun from time to time. Some runners look for different birds or flowers during a run. Others test the winter ice and look forward to the challenge of layering to meet the colder temperatures. A dip in the pool or a mid-run shower can get you out the door and keep you out there when the thermometer tops the 85-degree mark. Some of my college track teammates broke roadside bottles for entertainment. So let's talk about getting started, whether you're taking your first steps or trying to get out the door on a low motivation day. Most of those who say they just need a little motivation to get into shape are only dreaming. Yes, they have a dream of being a stronger, firmer, more active person, but the dream is not attached to the behaviors which bring it into reality. Dreams are the illusive things that go through your head at night. An image without a series of weekly workouts will stay, merely, an image. If you really want to change behaviors, believing that you can is only the first step. It is the behavioral vision of moving the legs every other day which can change body shape and improve mental outlook. An idea or image is powerful only if it is practiced, refined and then changed into a vision of permanent lifestyle fun-running. from the new Marathon! by Jeff Galloway, Phidippides Publication, 2000, p. 80  Fartlek is a Swedish word meaning speed play. It's a simple, natural form of speed training that can be worked into any daily run. During a run of a given distance, you accelerate - to the next telephone pole, to the end of the block, to any landmark. When you have pushed as long and as fast as you want (or can), you jog to recover. Then when you feel like it, you take off again. Fartlek is speed training at your own pace. It is intuitive, free-form, without prescribed distances or speeds. You can run according to how you feel on that day, at that moment. Fartlek is speedwork, but it can be playful and creative. Fartlek variations. Two popular fartlek variations are hill fartlek and timed segments. Hill fartlek begins with a normal non-stressful pace (about one minute slower per mile than 10K race pace). When you come to a hill, accelerate up and over the top - then jog to recover. When you recover, resume your original pace until the next hill. In timed segment fartlek, you run one minute, two minutes, three minutes, etc., slightly faster than race pace. After a gentle warm-up of 10-20 minutes of easy running, then 4-8 form accelerations (see pp. 154-155 of Galloway's Book on Running), precede the first segment. Rest enough in between segments for recovery. The total number of segments is up to you. Not for beginners. Fartlek does not give a beginner enough structure or feedback to learn a sense of pace. Many veterans who are already "pace-wise," however, can benefit from a fartlek session. While interval training gives the beginner exact feedback, it confines the veteran. Fartlek allows you to play with your limits of speed, tiredness and endurance without stopping at the end of the lap. In this way you learn to cope with race-like discomfort and the anxiety of not knowing how long you can cope before slowing down. Beginners run a high risk of injury in fartlek training while veterans, more sensitive to stress, should know when to back off. (from Galloway's Book on Running, Shelter Publications, 1984, pp. 84-85.) This free-form method of speed development can accomplish all of the objectives of interval training and add a mental strengthening component to your training. Used as a substitute for interval training or other speed play, fartlek is usually performed on non-long-run weekends instead of mile repeats. The "speed" part of fartlek should equal the total distance equal to the number of mile repeats you would have done on the track, according to the time goal schedule you are following. Make sure that you're resting the legs by walking between the speed segments. By shifting back and forth between use of muscle groups, you'll develop greater performance capacity. For example, instead of running the same pace throughout a fartlek session, you can alternate between pace running, accelerations, gliding and speed-effort. Example: The speed segments should be at least 3/4 mile long but give better marathon conditioning if they are one mile or longer (1600 to 3000 meters). Let's say that you choose a segment that is 1.2 miles long (about 2000 meters). 1. Start the segment at marathon pace. 2. Several times during the first .6 mile (1000 meters), put in some acceleration-gliders which would vary between 100 and 200 meters, each time going back to marathon pace. In other words, start at marathon, accelerate for 50 meters and glide for 50 to 100 meters, returning to marathon pace. Repeat this process two or three times. 3. From about .8 mile to 1.1 mile, shift into "speed effort" and pick up the pace to about 25 to 30 seconds per mile faster than marathon goal pace, and then glide during the last .1 mile. 4. Walk for three to five minutes between each fartlek session. 5. Four of these fartlek segments may be done in place of a 6 x 1 mile marathon speed session. 6. The three other segments may vary between 1.3 and 1.8 miles (2200-3000 meters). Fartlek Running Modes: marathon pace - running smooth and natural so that you feel comfortable at that pace accelerations - picking up the turnover for a short distance, not spending much effort gliders - relaxed and quick turnover motion which follows an acceleration with practically no effort expended speed effort - picking up the turnover for a longer distance, running faster than goal pace. You'll spend some effort doing this, but try to stay smooth and comfortable for the duration of the pick-up. from the new Marathon! by Jeff Galloway, Phidippides Publication, 2000, pp. 143-144 Another Difference Between Men and Women Men tend to store fat on the surface of the body, often on the outside of the stomach area. Most females store fat internally at first. Thousands of areas between muscle cells are filled up first. Many young women feel that some dramatic change has occurred around the age of 30 when they suddenly start showing fat accumulation on the outside of their bodies, while maintaining the same diet and level of exercise. They've actually been storing fat inside for many years. Once the inner areas are filled, women notice a dramatic change on the outside of their thighs or stomachs, often in less than a year. from the new Marathon! by Jeff Galloway, Phidippides Publication, 2000, p. 48 Question: My wife has decided to enter her first marathon at San Diego on 4 Jun 00. We ran off copies of your "Beginner" and "Finish" programs, and I was very surprised that neither schedule called for her to do more than 40 minutes of walk/run during the week while doing ever-increasing long walk/runs (up to 20+ miles). Are we interpreting the schedules correctly? It seems like an awfully big jump to me to go from a max of 40 minutes each week 4-5 miles) to eventual long runs of20+ miles. I realize you know much more about this than I do as this will only be my fifth marathon, and I crashed from dehydration after the Houston Marathon in Jan 00. The schedules I have followed have included hills, speedwork, tempo runs, and long runs. I just want to ensure that I get my wife on the correct schedule so that her first marathon is successful and as much fun as possible. She is 43, is currently up to eight miles on her walk/runs, and has completed one half-marathon in the past (about two years ago). I believe her average walk/run pace is about 10-11 minutes per mile. Please direct us to the proper schedule for her to use so that San Diego is a positive experience for her. Thanks for your time. Answer: Yes, you don't need to run much during the week to finish a marathon. In fact, those who have problems with our program almost always add to the program and stay tired, crashing during the marathon due to lingering fatigue throughout the program. The long run prepares you for the marathon. As long as she does this slowly enough, with walk breaks, your wife will be as prepared to finish as any of the leaders of the race. A prime reason that you struggled at Houston was the heat. The marathon seems endless on hot days. Question: For a three-hour marathon goal (previous PR of 3:11), should I do 30 second or 60 second walk breaks? Thanks. Answer: The formula that's worked best for2:45-3:05 marathons is a 10-15 second walk break every mile. Question: I've been reading (and training by) Jeff Galloway's Marathon! book. Would appreciate if you could please advise what degree - or range - of inclination you prefer when doing hills. Answer: Make the hill very easy at first. You want to feel strong and resilient all the way past the top of the hill. If the hill is too easy, go to a slightly steeper one, until you reach the degree of difficulty that works best for you. The Athlete's Kitchen "My diet is so boring...I eat the same foods every day." "The waitress at the cafe no longer asks me what I want for breakfast. She knows I’ll have black coffee, orange juice, and a toasted bagel without cream cheese." "Is it bad to eat the same foods day after day...?" Many athletes eat the same foods every day, day after day, week after week, year after year. Their typical menu is based upon bagels, turkey breast, pasta, chicken breast, frozen yogurt, and pretzels. This repetition keeps life simple, eliminates decisions, and feels safe--safe from "getting fat" by eating foods with unknown calories, as well as safe from eating the "wrong food" which might contribute to digestive upset while exercising. Some athletes are content with their self described "boring diet." But if you eat a repetitive diet and wonder about the healthfulness of this pattern, you might want to think about the benefits of eating more of a variety of foods.
Whole foods offer more nutrients, and better absorbed nutrients, than do pills. For example, the iron in meat is absorbed better than that in pills. The fiber in bran cereal is preferable to taking a fiber supplement or laxatives. Getting calcium from milk replaces the need for calcium supplements. Calcium aside, milk drinkers have a diet that is overall more nutrient dense compared to milk abstainers. Forget the story: "I don’t drink milk...I take a calcium supplement instead." You fool only yourself by thinking a pill (or 2 or 20) can replace a variety of whole foods!
Because eating a variety of foods is so important, the nutrition professionals in Australia have launched a food campaign to encourage Australians to eat 20 to 30 different foods a week. Currently, most Australians eat only 15 to 18 different foods. I’d dare say the same holds true in this country (if not fewer)! Let’s count the number of foods typically eaten by two types of active people: Example #1. The weight-conscious exerciser: 1. bagel, 2. turkey breast, 3. sandwich bread, 4. lettuce, 5. tomato, 6. pretzels, 7. apple, 8. energy bar, 9. yogurt, 10. spaghetti, 11. spaghetti sauce, 12. broccoli, 13. fatfree frozen yogurt. Oops...only 13! Example #2. Junk food Junkie: 1. coffee, 2. Big Mac, 3. Coke, 4. chocolate chip cookies, 5. M&Ms, 6. pizza, 7. Chinese fried rice, 8. ice cream, 9. potato chips, 10. beer. (How many of these items even count towards "real" food...???) What's your number? Now, it’s your turn to do your math! For the fun of it (and for your education, as well), write down what you eat for a week and count the number of different foods you consume. How did you do? If the number looks grim, here are some tips for enhancing food variety: Bagels: select from a variety--pumpernickel, rye, whole wheat, poppy, sunflower seed. Top with jam, peanut butter, almond butter, low fat cottage cheese, lite cream cheese, lox. Sandwich fillings: there’s life beyond turkey breast! Lean roast beef (the kind you can get in a deli) is a fine alternative and offers far more vitamins and minerals. Peanut butter provides positive fats that lower the risk of heart disease. Tuna with lite mayo is OK, as is hummus. Snacks: Be creative and bypass yet another rice cake, pretzel, or energy bar. How about almonds and dried fruit, yogurt with granola, apple with low fat cheese, vegetable soup with rye crackers, graham crackers with peanut butter? Target two foods per snack (and three+ foods per meal). Consider cutting back on energy bars for routine snacks. Most are little more than sugar coated vitamin pills with a little added protein. They commonly lack fiber and phytochemicals--the important components of the fruits they tend to displace from the athlete’s snack menu. Pasta: Pasta is not a vitamin packed food; the tomato sauce on top and the veggies on the side add the nutritional power to the pasta meal, as does the protein in the lean beef, turkey, tofu or beans added to the sauce. Round out the meal with low fat milk, salad (lettuce, carrot, pepper, tomato), crusty whole grain bread, and berries for dessert. You'll enjoy a 10-food sports meal that invests in both performance & health! Nancy Clark, MS, RD, is nutrition counselor at Boston-area's SportsMedicine Brookline and author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 2nd Edition, available by sending $20 to Sports Nutrition Services, 830 Boylston St. #205, Brookline MA 02467 or via www.nancyclarkrd.com. Injury of the Month: Hamstring Pain In Marathon!, Jeff says that if your hamstrings are tired or sore, "You're lifting the foot behind you too far and/or extending stride too long. The longer stride is particularly a problem at the end of the long run as it overextends muscles like the hamstring, which are already tight and tired. Try to keep stride short, especially at the end of the run. Your back leg motion should have the lower part of the leg parallel to the horizontal - at its highest elevation." (from the new Marathon! by Jeff Galloway, Phidippides Publication, 2000, pp. 171-172) Recently, Jeff received an email from a runner with hamstring problems. Here are the runner's questions and Jeff's answers: I am an aging baby boomer who used to run long distance (10-15 miles) in high school. I stopped running after college and am now getting back into it, with an eye on doing a marathon. I have been running regularly again (3-4 times a week) for 7 months. I have a question for you. Recently I started to have a pain in my right hamstring, the side of my leg not in back. After running I would find myself walking with a limp the day of my run, especially up and down stairs. I backed off running for a week. When I returned to running the pain returned. I backed off running for two weeks and then began again. I am doing 3 miles currently and although my hamstring still feels funny on my right side after runs, it doesn’t “hurt” and I don’t limp, even going up and down stairs. Of course I don’t want to re injure myself, so here are my questions: 1.) I tend to run fast during practice runs. Ffrom your writings I get the impression that perhaps I should train at slower speeds? Do you think that could help? Jeff: When your hamstring hurts, don't stretch it and don't run anything that could stretch it out--such as fast running or racing. I'd take 5 days off from running, talk to a doctor about using anti-inflammatories, and look into deep tissue massage therapy. 2.) I run 4-5 miles three times a week at the local YMCA. They have a 1/15th mile indoor track. Five miles means 75 laps. The track direction switches during the week, but there is a lot of cornering. Could the constant leaning while running through corners be contributing to my problem? Jeff: The lean will only aggravate a hamstring when your stride is too long. 3.) I use general over the counter tennis shoes, could changing to a running shoe help? And if so do you recommend a shoe type for long distance? Jeff: The primary lesson I've learned from owning a running store for almost 30 years is that you need to get good advice from skilled running store experts to get the best shoe for you. The running shoes are prescriptive. While running shoes won't help your injury situation, they will make running more fun and rewarding. 4.) Could certain hamstring stretching exercises or weights help build my hamstring up and help prevent injury? Jeff: Just the opposite. Stretching will keep the hamstring injured. Weight exercises for the legs are almost always counterproductive to distance running. Thanks for any suggestions you can give me. I currently have you book Galloway’s Book on running and found it to be very informative and helpful. I see that you have a new book about preparing for a Marathon and running with “walk breaks”. I think I might try your “walk break” program out and see if I like it. Training for your brain: Staying fit as you age helps you learn tasks faster and process new information better, according to research published in the Journal of Aging & Physical Activity. (from Motivation edited by Eileen Portz-Shovlin, Runner's World, April, 2000, p. 38, www.runnersworld.com) What is hyponatremia? In the March 2000 issue of Runner Triathlete News, (p. 14) Mark Jenkins, M.D. explains it as "a low concentration of sodium in the blood. When it occurs in runners and triathletes, it usually happens during long or ultra-distance races in the heat - but may occur anytime. It is estimated that approximately 30% of the finishers of the Hawaii Ironman are both hyponatremic and dehydrated. The longer the race, the greater the risk of hyponatremia." (For more information, go to www.runnertriathletenews.com or to Dr. Jenkins' website at www.rice.edu/~jenky High tech race entry: As most people know, the Marine Corps Marathon filled its 22,500 spots in just 96 hours! The on-line number was more than 13,000! It was expected to take five or six months to fill up or four months at the very least!
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