Hi, Friends &
Fellow Runners:
Over the past couple
of months, I’ve been writing a series of short pieces on running for one of Canada’s
daily newspapers, The National Post. These pieces were done for inclusion in a
weekly column called Each Coach, which is devoted to answering questions
submitted by runners on whatever topics are of interest to them.
Here are some samples of
the questions asked and the answers I provided, covering the following topics
(in alphabetical order): Biomechanics, Foot Pain, Motivation and Nutrition.....
Question: I completed the 15K Midsummer’s Night Run on
Saturday in a 1:26:41 Personal Best and also coach running clinics. I am primarily interested in better running
technique, both for performance and injury prevention. What do you recommend?
Answer: Like most recreational runners, you’re
probably extending your stride beyond your body’s center of gravity and
striking the ground heel-first when you pick up speed. This creates a
braking effect and thus slows you down. It also increases the force felt
by your legs and knees, thereby putting you in harm’s way. To maintain a midsole foot strike as you ratchet
up your pace, focus on keeping your stride length short and generating speed
from a more rapid leg turnover. Right now, in all likelihood, your feet
are striking the ground less than 170 times per minute. The optimum number for elite runners is about
180 times. Match that and most of your concerns about biomechanics will
disappear.
Q: On my last run,
the ball of my right foot started to hurt.
Any ideas on what would cause this?
I currently run about 90K a week.
A: The
pain you describe is not uncommon among serious runners like yourself. Its cause is repetitive stress on the
affected area, often but not always following a sudden increase in training
intensity. Proper footwear can make all
the difference. You don’t necessarily
have to change shoes so long as the ones you have provide sufficient room in
the toe box to accommodate the swelling in your feet that’s caused by
running. But if your shoes are
relatively light-weight with a minimum amount of cushioning in the forefoot
area, you should consider store-bought insoles that provide extra cushioning
just below the balls of the feet. A last
resort (because of their expense) would be custom orthotics.
Q: How can I motivate myself to run
in the mornings? I find it very difficult to get out of bed an hour earlier
than my normal wake-up time for a run, but once I'm up and at it, I love it! Any suggestions on how to avoid hitting the
snooze button?
A: Use your imagination, and appreciate that
self-motivation is all about winning the mind game. The night before your
morning run, get your thoughts in order the same way you might lay out your
running gear. Don’t think about how you’ll feel when the alarm goes
off. Instead, imagine how you'll feel after completing your run,
achieving your training objectives for the day, and moving a step closer to a
Personal Best in your next race. As you yourself have written, once
you’re “up and at it,” you love it. Focus on that single emotion as you
drift off to sleep, and recapture it as soon as your feet hit the bedroom floor
the next morning. Who knows? You may even wonder whether you should
have gotten up a little earlier so you could have run a little longer.
Q: I ran a PB marathon (3:13:59), but it was
really tough. Basically I bonked right
around 30-32K due to what my guess is a lack of nutrition (could only stomach 2
gels, had really bad stitches and eventually nausea). I want to run a sub 3:10 marathon in New
York, but am worried I might encounter the same problems. How do you eat enough without getting GI
distress during a race?
A: Determining an effective nutrition strategy for a marathon is a matter
of testing and practice. The objective
is to be able to consume 40 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour –
conveniently, quickly, and without the stomach distress you describe. You can do that with a combination of energy
bars or gels, sports drinks and, of course, everyday food items. Here are some examples, each of which provides
about 30 grams of the nutrient: a single packet of Power Bar gel, 500mL of Gatorade, a
medium-sized banana, a granola bar, four Fig Newton’s, a quarter-cup of dates,
and a handful of raisins. Test yourself
to find the mix of carb sources (as well as water) that works for you. Specifically, make it your business to
practice with different combinations on your long distance training runs until
you’re satisfied that you’ve found the one that suits you best.
That’s all for now, people. Stay well and keep moving.
Coach Stephen
