The Ultimate Guide to Marathon Running 2011

7/26/2019 The Ultimate Guide to Marathon Running 2011

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The Ultimate Guide to Marathon Running

5. Press Up do15-20 in totalWorksthe core muscles andupper body, which is vital forrunnerswho oftenhavelittlestrength in their arms. Makesure thehands arewider thantheshoulders.Lowerthechest (not your face)to thefloorbetween yourhands,and think about pinching the

shoulder bladestogether,which opens up thechest.Keep theback andstomachstrong andpushback uptothestarting position. Manyrunnershavelittleupper-body strength, so trydoingthepressup onyour kneesratherthan toes tostart with.Progress to your toes as youbuild up strength. Its betterto do it correctly, than persistwith wrongtechnique.

6. THE PLANK HOLD FOR 20 30 SECONDS, BUILDING UP TO 2 MINUTESOneof themost effectivecore stabilityexercises there is.Do thiscorrectly byensuring your elbows areunderyour shoulders and imaginea straight linefromthetip ofyour head through your back to your heels.Keepyour upper body relaxed andshoulder blades drawn downand back. Keepyour bottomin linewithyourback dont sag or push it upin theair. Ifyoustart toshake,lower down and repeatforashortertime.Start on your knees,then progress to themore advanced position on your toes.


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PREPARING FOR A RUN


9. Basic Crunch (Right ) 15-20 done slowlyVerysimple,but easy todo incorrectly.Keep thebackpushed into thefloor andelbowsback. Think aboutliftingyourchestup (imaginea pieceof string ispullingyou towards theceiling)and useyour hands tosupport theweight ofyourhead try not topull.Keepbreathing throughout.

8. Heel Drops (Above ) do10in total, very, very slowlyPushthe lower back into the floor andmaintain thatfeelingthroughout. Slowlylower ONEheeldowntothefloor keeping thekneeangle at90 degrees.Asyourheel goesdown, yourbackwill wantto lift your jobis tokeepit pusheddown andkeep breathing.Slowlybring your legbackup tothe start position andrepeatwith theother leg.The slowerthe better.

7. Side Plank hold for 30-45seconds on each sideKeeping theelbow under theshoulder is key withthisone. Imaginea straightlinefromthe tipofyourhead, downthroughyour backandto yourheels,and that you havea wallbehind you.


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nutrition

the ul ma e G de Ma a h r g


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You are what you eat: at leastthats what dieticians andnutrition experts would

have us believe. And, upto a point, theyre right. The growthin awareness of proper nutrition,spearheaded by the likes of Jamie Oliverand the Governments health eatingagenda, have put food firmly at the

forefront. By choosing to run, youvealready decided that you want to behealthy, so you might be forgiven for

thinking that diet isnt important. Youwould, of course, be wrong. If you wantto run well, you should also eat well:its simple. Marathon training shouldnot be done on a diet of chocolate barsand fizzy drinks. Nor is running carte

blanche to eat what you like, whenyou like. Training for a marathon isall about striking the right balance.

You dont need tolive like a monk, butyou should think carefully about yourbodys nutrition. This chapter looks atthe importance of proper nutrition formarathon training and how you canfuel your body for a better performance.

Get upand walk if Youhave to,but finish the damned race

ron hill, uk runninG leGend who has completed a run everY daY since 1964

P a r t f i v e

marathonnutrition


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nutrition


T raining for a marathon isgreat news when it comesto nutrition it means youcan get away with eating

a lot more food. In fact, you reallyneed to. You must fuel your body withplenty of energy for all that extrarunning youll be doing. But, and this is

the dull bit, the type and the quality ofthe food you eat becomes much moreimportant, and can be make-or-breakfor a good marathon experience.

Training for a marathonis not,however (and you may want to stopreading at this point), a licence to take upresidence at your local chip shop or curryhouse. You need to put good qualityfuel intoyour bodyto give it the best

chance of performingat its optimumlevel. And dont think that nutrition is just of concern to the elite runners itis something that can make a differencetoeveryone, even ifyourea fun runnerdressed as a fairy or the back end ofapantomime horse.

Everyone knows the benefits

of eating pasta the night before amarathon. Each big city marathon has apasta party at which hungry runnersget to fill their stomachs for free. Butthis is only a small part of the picture.As a marathon runner, you need amore in-depth understanding of whatand when toeat, and why but, moreimportantly, how to put it into practicemany months before the race.

Ifamarathonisa

part-time interest,youwillonlyget part-timeresults

Marathon legend Bill Rodgers

Food FoR thought

Carbohydrate l Gi diet l Refuelling l Hydration l Fat

In this chapter, we aim to do justthat. Well look at how to optimise yourdiet throughout your entire marathontraining programme and also showyou the perfect nutrition plan for therace itself as youll see, they are verydifferent things.

Ask anyone whos done a marathon

and theyll tell you about the need tocarb load before the race. This is a well-known practice that involves increasingthe intake of carbohydrate-rich foods,such as pasta, rice and bread, for a fewdays before the race. This process combined with race-day fuelling aimsto provide you with enough storedenergy to get you through the 26.2miles without hitting the dreaded wall,the point at which you simply run outof juice. For many marathoners, this isthe first time they give much thought totheir diet, hoping that filling up on pasta

the night before is enough. Its not. Thesecond most important factor (aftertraining) for a successful marathonis nutrition and not just race-daynutrition. Start to think about what youeat NOW, months before the event, andyoull have a much happier and healthierride to the start line and more chanceof making it to the finish.


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Importance ofcarbohydrateWhenever youeat foodscontainingcarbohydrate,your bodyquicklyconverts it andstoresit as glycogeninthe liverandmuscles rather like

a fuel tank.Then,whenyourun, youdraw uponthesestoresofglycogentoprovideyou withthe extraenergyforyour workingmuscles.Havingenough storedglycogenisessential forbrain functionandnormalday-to-dayenergylevels,but more importantlyforyou asa marathon runner itis vital forexercise.Becauseyou arerunningregularly, a toppedup fuel tank iscrucial,which means eatinga dietrichin carbohydrateandpayingclose attentionto your pre-andpost-runnutrition.

The Two bigg st gr ups ar fruitand v g tabl s and br ad, pasta, ricand t r c r als. A alt y di t f ractiv runn rs is dir ctly in lin itt is m d l, bas d pr d minantly nstarc s, c r als, fruit and v g tabl s. It

is qually imp rtant, v r, t includf ds fr m t t r s cti ns (m at,fis and alt rnativ s, dairy and fats and

ils) b caus t y all av a vital r l tplay, pr viding pr t in, calcium, ir n and

t r vitamins and min rals ss ntialf r g d alt and p rf rmanc .

ov r t past d cad r s , tcarb ydrat m ssag f r runn rs asb n amm r d m , in s m cas s

alm st t avily. S m runn rs arin dang r f v r- ating carb ydratand n gl cting imp rtant f ds t atpr vid muscl -r pairing pr t in,calcium and ir n.

on t e t er and, t e diet industry

as t rust a negative image ntcarb ydrate, leading slimmers t cutut f ds suc as bread, pasta, rice

and p tat es in t e mistaken belieft at t eyre fattening. Its n w nderwere c nfused! h pefully, by t etime y u finis t is c apter, y ull

ave a clear picture f w muccarb ydrate y u need t eat and wt put t at int practice.

balance ofGood healthThe FoodStandardsAgencysBalance ofGood Health shows theoptimumdiet forthe vast majorityof thepopulationand especially forfit,activepeople.It illustrates thefive basic food groupsandhow theyshouldbebalancedto makeup ahealthydiet.Many runnersmake themistake ofover-focusingoncertainfoods eating too muchortoolittleof one ofthe foodgroups, oreliminating anothercompletely. Thebalance ofgood healthaims toshowhow allfoodsneed tobe includedfora healthydiet andthe proportionsthat makeup the best balance.Eventreats,suchas chocolate,crisps andchips, should be includedin smallamounts thebalance is the keyfactorin a healthydiet.

But what exactly does a diet richin carbohydratemean and how do you go about

achieving it?

Which foods provide carbohydrate?Sugar, als kn n as sucr s , fruct s , malt s and lact s , is t m st simpl f rm

f carb ydrat . T m r c mpl x f rm is starc , f und in f d suc as br ad,pasta, p tat s and ric . Many f ds c ntain a mixtur f simpl and c mpl xcarb ydrat (t ink f a fruit bun, ic mix s starc and sugar). Y ur training di ts uld b mad up, pr d minantly, f c mpl x carb ydrat s, ic fill y u up,pr vid pl nty f nutri nts and fibr and giv y u l ng-lasting n rgy.

n Carbs arethefoundation ofany runners dietandwill help fuelyouroundyourmarathon course

n Dairyproducts,such asmilk,cheese, yogurtand butter,providemineralsandgood fats

n Diet isaboutbalance,so dontrule out foodssuch ascake justbecause youthink theyre bad

n Protein is alsoan importantnutrient forrunners, helpingrecoveryandinjury prevention

n Weall knowthatfresh fruit,vegetablesand juices should beeaten aspart ofahealthy diet


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NUTRITION


How muchshould I eat?Your day-to-day diet when training fora marathon needs to contain about55-60% carbohydrate. But what exactlydoes that mean and what does it looklike on your plate? It doesnt mean thatyour plate should be 60% full of rice orpasta. The percentage should be of yourdaily calorie intake, not the volume offood eaten, and this is where it is easyto get confused. You should aim to get55-60% of your daily calorie intakefrom carbohydrate sources, with theremainder from protein and fat.

5-A-Day The5-a-day message hasbeenhammered home for some time nowand you are likely tobe well awareofthe need toeat fiveportions of fruitand vegetables each day. The averageUK intake, however, is stillwoefullyinadequate at around 2.5 portions a day.As a marathonrunner, your need fornutrients andvitamins is greater thanyour couch-potato mate, so you need tomakean extra effort toensureyou getyour 5-a-dayor more (80g = a portion).

It canbe easier than it sounds, however:all dried, fresh, frozen and tinnedfruitandveg counts towards your 5-a-dayand can easilybe included in your dietwith a bit of thought and planning. Trykeeping a 5-a-day diaryand tot uphowmany you eat youmight be surprised

Foods containingcarbohydrateBread, pasta, rice, couscous, potatoes,breakfast cereals, beans (i.e. kidneybeans), lentils and pulses, rootvegetables (i.e. carrots, swede), cakes,biscuits, crackers, cereal bars, jam,marmalade, honey, sugar, all fruit andfruit juice, yoghurt and milk.

Its best to calculateyourcarbohydrate requirement ingrams. You can then easilyworkoutyour intake when readingpackets and labels.Get into thehabit of weighing portion sizeswith a set of kitchen scales: itseasy to under- or over-estimate,especially with food such aspasta, rice andcereals, which are

veryeasy to overeat.

CALCULATE YOUR DAILYCARBOHYDRATE NEED

If you run between 2-5hours per week, Yourweight in kg x 4 = theNUMBEROF GRAMS OFcarbohydrate/day.

If you runmore than this (6-7 hoursperweek),oras your marathontraining increases, youmay needtoadjust thecalculation(weight inkgx 5-6).

Keepa fooddiary (likeour runner Joe,opposite) in a notebook andtotup your carbohydrate intakeeachday. A fewdaysofrecordkeepingwill beenoughto help you work outif youre eatingthe rightamountofcarbohydrateandto learn about thecorrectportion sizes foryou.

CARBS55 %

PROTEIN20 %

FAT25 %

Justbecauseyoure trainingfora marathon,doesnt

meanyou have to overloadyour platewith pasta,riceandbread. Geta balanced

carbohydrateintake fromawidevarietyof sources, suchas fruit, vegetables, pulses,dairyandamixofbread,pasta,potatoes andrice.


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T U t mat Gu t Marat Ru g

Sampledailyfooddiary JoeSmith75Kg unn ,

ns6 u sw k (75kgx 5 =375g)r qu s 375gc b x

GlyceMic index (Gi)GI is the latesthot topic in sports nutrition research and for good reason.It is anutritionbreakthrough, especially for athletes and those with diabetes, andhelpsus understand theeffect that differentcarbohydrates haveon our bodies.GI is ameasurement of howquickly yourbody can convert carbohydrate into glycogen.Eating carbohydratewith a high GI means youll get a quick rise in blood sugar,whereas low GI foods will providea slow steady release of energy. In your day-to-dayhealthy diet, choose predominantly low GI foods,which help keep you fuller for longer,giveyou more energy and help you manageyour weight. High GI foodsstill havetheirplace, especially during a race,when things such as jelly babiesandsports drinks comeinto their own, providing an almost instant energy fix. To find theGI values of variousfoods visit thewebsite www.glycemicindex.com andalso check out food labels manymanufacturersnow label packaging with a low or medium GI symbol.

And fAT?As a nation, we are becoming more and more aware of the need for fat in our diet,especially healthy fat from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources. Foods

containing fat are essential for runners and provide many important nutrients. Takecheese, for example: while relativelyhigh in fat, it is also an important source ofcalcium, so should be included in the diet, but in smaller amounts. Research overthe past few years has also emphasised the importance of eating things such asoily fish, nuts, avocados and olive oil, while reducing our saturated fat intake. Aim toinclude two to three portions of oily fish a week and a handful or two of nuts, anduse olive oil for cooking and salad dressing.

DINNERHomemade lasagnemadewith lean mince mediumportion. Large salad with dressingCARBS: Total 65g

BREAKFAST30gporridge oats, 300ml skimmedmilk, raisins & honey, 1 glass orange juice 250mlCARBS: Total 80g

SNACKS THROUGHOUT THE DAY

Fruit smoothie made withbanana,yoghurt andblueberries,small flapjack,1 medium apple,handful ofnutsCARBS: Total 85g

LUNCHTuna sandwich, somemixed saladleaves, 1 orange, a fruit bun, fruit

yoghurt anda handful ofberriesCARBS: Total 90g

TRAINING13 mile run 500ml sportsdrinkand 1 gelCARBS: Total 55g

Youcan onlydothis ifyou weighfood, measure things outand readlabels.If youdontgetspecificenough with your recording,youcouldendupdrasticallyover- orunder-estimatingyour intake. Try itandsee.

Youll also noticethat Joehasa steadyintakeof carbohydratethroughout theday. He startswitha goodbreakfastandsplits uphis375gcarbohydrate requirementinto three main meals, twoor threesnacks,plusa sportsdrinkandgelfor hisrun.Thiswillkeephis blood-sugar levelssteadyandgive himplenty offuelfor training.

WhAT AboUTpRoTein?Protein is found in meat, pulses, dairyproduce, fish, nuts, eggs, and vegetarianproducts such as Quorn and tofu.Protein is essential for muscle repairand recovery, and vital for runners inhard training. After years of debate,most nutrition experts now agree thatathletes require more protein than thesedentary population. Aim for 1.2-1.4gof protein per kg of your body weight(Jane Griffin SRD Nutrition for MarathonRunning) rather than the 0.75g whichis recommended for the non-running

population. For Joe, this would be about105g of protein per day. Rather thancounting grams of protein, just aim toinclude some at each meal. The palmof your hand is the size of a portionof meat or fish and a handful of nutsor large chunk of cheese equal typicalportion sizes. Aim to include milk oryoghurt at breakfast, a sandwich fillingor potato topping at lunch and perhapschicken breast with vegetables and ricefor dinner. Vegetarians and vegans canfind it harder to get enough protein intheir diet, but it is possible with a mix ofpulses and beans, nuts, Quorn, tofu andsome dairyproduce.


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nutrition

th ul m G M h r g

The abiliTy to r cov r qu ck fromtr n ng s ss on s ss nt nd t ss w r nutr t on r com s nto ts

own. F to r fu 0 corr ct ft r runnd our k to f s ugg s , w rnd ck ng n n rg not x ct d

pr p r t on for our n xt s ss on. Notto m nt on t ncr s d r sk of p ck ngup co d or n njur . e t t r g t t ng

mm d t ft r runn ng nd our p t n f ts, f fu of n rg nd

r r ng togo for our n xt run.aft r x rc s , ou v w ndow ofout two ours (t f rst 30 m nut s,

n p rt cu r) n w c our musc s rmost r c pt v to ng r stock d w t

g cog n. if ou dont r f our fu t nkw t nt t w ndow, our od wontv noug n rg for ts n xt s ss on,

p rt cu r f our runn ng v r d .

C ci lc v i ks

Many runners report feeling quitenauseous after a long run, toughsession or race, andcant stomachsolid food, especiallywithinthe first30 minutes. This canbe a problem

because refuelling after a toughsession or race is vital.The idealsolution isto try one ofthe widelyavailablecommercial recoverydrinks. They often come asapowder thatyoumix upin a sportsbottle with water. They canbeeasilytransported in yourkit-bag,soyoucan start drinkingalmostimmediately afteryoursessionor race. They taste rather like amilkshake andcombine the perfectbalance of proteinandcarbohydrateforoptimum refuelling. Goodbrandsto tryare Science in Sport,ForGoodness Shakes, High Five andLucozadeSport.

Refuellingideasfor your perfectpost-runsnack:n Toastedcrumpetwith

peanut butter andjam

n Fruit smoothie made withbanana,yoghurt, mixedberriesandhoney

n Porridge made with milk,honey andraisins

n Chocolate milkshake anda banana

n Handfulofnutsanddried fruit

Immune funCtIon and CarbohydrateIts notjust your nextrun that will suffer if youdont refuel: youre puttingyour healthat risktoo. Depletion ofyour carbohydrate storesis clearlylinked witha risein a stresshormonecalled Cortisol. Highlevels ofCortisol in thebody depressyour immunesystem,leaving you wide opento coughs,coldsandupper-respiratory infections.

Youmay haveheard ofa practice where athletescompletea longrun orsessionon anemptystomachto burnbodyfat. Whilethe scientific theory ofthismaybesound, therealityis a high-risk strategy riskingyour recovery, health andimmunesystem. Its notapractice that is recommended foranyone other than those competingat thevery top, and

thenonly under supervision.Makingsure you eatenough carbohydratein yourday-to-daytrainingdiet, usingsportsdrinksandgels duringlongorparticularly hard sessionsandrefuelling after running,will makesure you protectyourimmune function, stay healthy andget themostoutof your training.

Running for 75 minutes t bout80% m ximum e rt r te (MhR)results in lmost complete gl cogendepletion; wit s orter runs of 45minutes or so, oull onl dip into

our gl cogen stores. your refuellingstr teg s ould, t erefore, m tc t edur tion nd intensit of our run.after long run or toug interv lsession, im for 1g of c rbo dr teper kg of bod weig t for our post-exercise sn ck. Our runner Joe wouldneed sn ck cont ining bout 75g ofc rbo dr te fter is long run t e

omem de fl pj ck nd pple from t esn cks section would be perfect.

your post-r c sn ck or m s ou dso ow n f t nd nc ud somprot n to d musc r cov r ; t s ou dnot s d so on c r o dr t .

T O P T I P : I t i s e s s e ni n c r e a s e y o u r f l u i d i nd u r i n g t h e c a r b l o a d p h a s e . Y o u r b o d y n e

m o r e w a t e r t o h e l p s t o ry c o g e n , s o c a r r y a w a t e r a r o u n d w i t h y o u e v

e r y wi n t h e d

a y s b e f o r e t h e r ae s p e c i a l l y w h e n y o u v i s i tm a r a t h o n e x p o , w h e r e i t g e t h o t a n d b e d e h y d r a t i n

TOPTIP: Startingtoo fast ina marathonisa sure-firewayof hittingthe wall.Beconservativewith your target timeso youpacetheracecorrectlyfromthe startand checkyour watchregularly.ten seconds a miletoofast forthefirst20 milesmeansa minuteamile slower inthelast six.

JohnJohnson,65, Marathon Runner


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VITAMINS, MINERALS

AND SUPPLEMENTS

VITAMIN B: helpsreleaseenergy fromfood andmakes nerveandmuscle tissuesfunctionproperly.

VITAMIN C: VitaminCis a natural antioxidant,helpingtoprotectthebodyfromoxidativedamagethat occursduring exercise andother daily stressessuchas airpollutionand cigarette smoke.VitaminC isalsovitalforensuring a strongimmunesystem, whichcanbe stressedbylong

periodsofexercise.Similarly, it increasesthebodys abilityto takeup iron, sohelpinggoodmaintain goodoxygenuptaketo themuscles.

VITAMIN E: anantioxidantthathelpsprevent celldamagecaused byfreeradicals.Free radicals aresubstances thatcausecell damage.As a resultof greater oxygenuptake athletes havehigher levelsoffreeradicals. Antioxidantsmop upfree radicals,preventingcelldamage.

GLUCOSAMINE:Glucosamine is aprotein constituentfound in tendons,ligaments, and cartilage.

Studiessuggestthatglucosaminehelpsrelieve jointpain,possibly bypromotingthegrowthofcartilage.Similarly, animal

studiessuggest thatglucosaminemayhelp in therepairofinjuredjoints.

OMEGA 3: Omega-3fattyacidis bestknownfor itsabilityto helplower cholesterol.However, forrunners itis bestappreciated forits anti-inflammatoryaction.1 to1 1/2gramsa day ofomega-3 fattyacidsupplement mayalleviate the symptomsofjoint painandrheumatoidarthritis, aswell as helpingthosewithpsoriasisandinflammatory boweldisorders. In effect it isa natural painkiller forsoremuscles.

IRON: It is importanttohaveenoughironin theblood toallowoxygentransfer tothemusclesefficiently. Inadequateiron levelswillleadtoextremefatigue,laggingperformances,and increasedsusceptibilitytocolds.Theuptake ofironishelped byvitaminC.

CALCIUM: Calciumis very beneficial forthehealth ofbones.Anyweight-bearing,repetitiveexercise,suchas running, canstrengthen yourbones.Howeveroveruseinjurieslike shinsplintscanturn into stressfractures, especially

if youre nottakinginenoughcalcium.

POTASSIUM: adeficiencyof thiscausesa lack ofenergyduetopoor control of thebodys water balance

ZINC: Aswell ashelpingtheimmunesystem,zinchelpsensureefficient metabolism.It interactswithhundreds ofenzymesmakingsure theyallwork atoptimumefficiency, providingenergy tothe bodyasrequired. Becausezincis lostduringsweating,particularlyafterexercise, it is importanttoconsume sufficientamounts of it.

OUR BODY needs vitamins andminerals to work properly. Fruits andvegetables are an important part ofour diet because they contain manyvitamins and minerals. The bodycannot make its own vitamins. Thats

why we have to make sure that thefood we eat contains the differentvitamins we need.

Eating a mixed and balanced dietis a good strategy to make sure thatthe body gets a good collection of

vitamins. And, although its better to just eat a r ich variety of healthy fruitsand vegetables to make sure your keepyour levels topped up, taking vitaminsin the form of supplements is an easyway to ensure you get your daily dose.

WHAT DO RUNNERS NEED?


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P i c c o u r t e s y o f L u c o z a d e S p o r t

Effect of dehydrationThe humanbody is made up of nearly 70%water anddehydratesrapidly during exercise through sweating to the tune of 1-2litres perhour. Once you are around 2% dehydrated (1.5kg if youweigh75kg), your performance coulddrop by 10%(a staggering24 minutes if you wereaiming for a four-hour marathon).

We all know about the importance of drinking enough waterforour health, mental performance and during exercise, but75%of us in theUK are still walkingaround chronically dehydrated.When youre training fora marathon, your fluid needs increaseand being properlyhydrated becomesessential tomaximiseperformance, reduce risk of injury (tight dehydrated muscles tearmore easily) and optimise use of glycogen stores.

Most experts havehistoricallyrecommended drinking abouttwo litres of fluida day, but this broad-brush approach doesntsuit everyone. If you havea heavy trainingschedule, run in warmweather conditions or are very light with a low sweat rate, yourneeds couldbe very different. A morepractical method, and amorerecent recommendation, is to look atthe colour of your urine(yes, honestly). It needs tobe pale andclear, rather like a nice, crispSauvignon Blanc anythingdarker than that (see chart)meansyourealready dehydrated and you needtodrinkmore.

Get into the routine of drinking little and often throughoutthe day, and avoid gulping down pints at a time (your bladderwill thank you for it). Keep a glass on your desk, carry a sportsbottle with you on your journey to work or when youre outand about, and make sure you drink a bit more in the twohours before and after exercise.

HyponatraemiaIt is possible to drink too much water in a marathon andput your health seriously at risk. This is an extremely rarecondition (although becoming more common) known ashyponatraemia, by which the electrolyte levels (sodiumand potassium) in the body become dangerously dilutedand, in extreme cases, it can cause death. Exercise-inducedhyponatraemia is on the increase, with women more at riskfor reasons yet not understood by experts. It is also a concernamong fun runners, who are out on the course for a longertime and more likely to have a higher sweat rate. Expertsrecommend that, in a marathon, you should use a sports drinkcontaining electrolytes (often provided on the course) and tryalternating sports drinks and water at each aid station.

Dr Nick Gibbins (ultra runner and marathon medic) saysthat the number of cases of hyponatraemia at long distanceraces is on the increase. This is mainly due to the fact thatmarathon and ultra-marathon running is enjoying a massiveincrease in popularity and the group of runners who are mostat risk are first-timers and fun-runners. He recommends notbeing over-zealous in your efforts to rehydrate so dontguzzle loads of water at each water station and use a drinkcontaining electrolytes during the race. Symptoms includedizziness, vomiting, fuzzy head and swelling of the fingers. Ifaffected, have an electrolyte drink or eat something salty.

HydrationD O N T R EO N T H I R SB y t h e t i m e y o u r m e c h a n i s m k i i n , y o u r e l i ke l y a l r e a d y d e h y d r as o d r i n k i n g n e e db e c o m e a h a b i t r a tt h a n a r e s p o n s e


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Runners Remedy25RunnersRemedyis a nifty little productfromthe USthats nowavailable in theUK.The brands lineof coldcompressiontherapy products areuniquely designedbymedicalprofessional to helpalleviatethemost commonrunning related injuries.Targetingshin, Achilles andarchproblems,theproducts combine thebenefitsofcompressionandlow-profile icingtherapy.Essentially, theyare a compressionbandage witha flexiblepocket thatenables the runnerto insert one ofthelow-profile icepacksto reallytargetthecoldbenefitof the ice inthe right area.Everyoneknows theacronymRICE(Rest,Ice,Compression,Elevation):with RunnersRemedydealing withice andcompression,therest (andelevation!)is uptoyou! www.runnersremedy.co.uk

DynamintMuscleBalm14.49(237ml)Any runnerentering a clubhousefor thefirsttime willbe knocked out by the aroma of different embrocationsas athletes dousetheirlegs in an array of differentproductsto beat niggles, pain or just give tired musclesa lift. If youre looking for a natural option, thenDynamint is a great alternative. The main ingredient,peppermint oil, helps increases blood flow to affectedareaswhilst eucalyptusand teatree oilprovide agentle coolingsensation followed by a feeling ofappliedheat. Theaddition of calendulaoil (a skinconditioner) ensures that Dynamint alsosoothesand moisturisesmuscles and soft tissue. Theproduct is great for soothingachesand painsand forhelping alleviate muscularand jointproblems(and it smells a whole lot healthierthanother balms too!). www.wellnessdirect.co.uk

Neo-G VCSAnkle Support 17.50Neo-Goffers a range ofbreathablesupportswithembedded silver (toincreaseblood circulationandacceleraterehabilitation)and aloevera, togetyouthrough thetimes when you need thatextra help with a niggleor an injury. Thisrange includesan innovativeback supportfeaturing an elasticatedlacing mechanism,an ankle support, wristsupport,a kneesupport, tennis/golf strap forepicondylitisanda sacroiliacbelt tohelp relieveupperandlowerback pain. Thewhole rangeis100 percent breathable andhasNeo-Gsexclusive targeted compression system. www.neo-g.co.uk

Recovery productsSometimes your legs might need a helpinghandto recover properly.Here are some handy products that might make a difference

Tiger Balm 4.19TigerBalm is oneof runnings littlesecrets.Onceyou haveused it,youbecomeattuned to itsunique smell andcangiveotherfellowrunners in theknow, the nod.This littlepot isone oftheworlds leading topical analgesics, witha soothingaction thatrelieves muscularachesand pains. TigerBalms formulationcontainscamphor, menthol,cajuput oilandclove oil. Andyou are spoiltfor choice;TigerBalm comes in twoversions,TigerBalmwhite, witha higher concentrationofmint oil,andTiger Balmredwithitscomforting aroma of cinnamonoil. www.tigerbalm.co.uk


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Footdisc insoles 29.95footdisc dynamic insolesaredesignedspecificallyforsport.Thekeyconcept is toenhanceperformance and alleviateissuescausedbyexcessivepronation andfatigue. Withmore than 70percentofrunners sufferingfrom injuryeachyear, footdisc works toprovidea solution formanysportinginjuries, suchasplantar fasciitis, shinsplints,kneepain, blistersetc.

Thekey designfeatureistheDynamicArchCradle (DAC):itguides the footto a moreefficient positionthroughouttheentiregaitcycle. Energy- normally dissipatedbythecushioning materialsin otherinsoles - is stored. In the

TheStrassburgSock 38Does that first step in themorning or after gettingupfrom your couchfeellikesomeone stuck a knifein yourheel? If this isa description ofyou,youre notalone. Millionsofpeopleeachyear arefaced withthis type ofpain.While theremay beothercauses,the mostcommon is plantar fasciitis.

TheStrassburg sock isapatented solution for the

treatment ofplantar fasciitis.Essentially, youwear theStrassburgsockas a nightsplint the sock holds thefootinplaceso that it cantmovewhile stretchingthe calf, allwhile youre sleeping!

A study, publishedin The Journal ofFoot & Ankle Surgery,pitted twotherapiesagainsteachother: theStrassburg Sockanda traditional calf-stretchingregimen. Each wasused totreat

a groupof patientssufferingfromplantarfasciitis. The nightsplint wasfound tobe far moreeffective thanstretching, helpingpatientsrecover in an averageof18.5 days versus58.6 days forthestretchingregimen.Users

ofthe Strassburg sock not onlylike its effectivenessbutalsoits streamlinedesign over othernightsplints,whichcan make ithard toget a good nightssleep. www.fitbrands.co.uk

Foam roller from 11.50Theres nothing betterto rollaway your musclepain than a foam roller, and using one issimple!Workingsomeareas may take a bit ofpractice andsome body contortion. By positioning your bodywiththe area you wantto work on top ofthe foamroller, youcan useyour weightto massage andrelease tight knots in the fascia,or connectivetissue that surroundsyour muscles. Control thepressure byapplying more or lessbody weightonthe foam roller and using your hands and feettooffsetthis as needed. Its helpful to trya varietyofpositions and see what worksbestfor you. Ifyoufind a particularly painful area(trigger point),holdthat position until theareasoftens. www.physiosupplies.com

ENGO BlisterPreventionPatches 5.99Asthenamewould suggest,these patchesare a differentway of tacklingtheproblemofblisters. Rather thanwaittill you havea blister, youapply theseto stop yougettingonein the firstplace.Uniquely, they areappliedtothe footwear andnot totheskin. Blistersare causedbyfriction whichin turncauses heatwhichresultsinskinshearingand blistersforming. More than 40 percent ofmarathonrunnerswillsuffer fromthis condition.ENGOworks bysubstantiallyreducingthe frictionbetweenfootwear andyour feetso theproblemnever arises. Eachpatch lasts for about300miles

ofwear. Ifyou areon a trainingrun and start tofeel a hot spot,you canstopand apply a patchsecure in theknowledge thatyou will not developa blisterduring therestof your run. www.goengo.co.uk

propulsion phase, theDACreturnsthis stored energy,helpingto propel youforwardduring toeoff. Theinsolescome in three different archheights, accommodatingyourcustomers varyingfoot types.

Withmanufacturersincreasinglylookingatlightweighting their shoes,themanufacturers of footdisc

Proactive insolesclaimtheyprovidethe perfect interfacebetweenthe footand theminimalist shoeto allowtheincreasedproprioception thatbarefoot runningaffords. www.footdisc.co.uk

A q u i c k w a y

t o s t o p f e e t , k n e e

a n d b a c k p a i n -

n a t u r a l l y


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nutrition

the u m e G e M h r g

How to carb loadAbout three to four days beforeyourmarathon,start to increase theamountof carbohydratein your diet, while at thesame timereducingyour intake of fat andprotein.Your calorierequirementswill be lower because youwont be training, so focuson increasingthepercentage of carbohydratein yourdiet. Focuson main meals ofrice and pasta,and add lotsof carbohydrate-richsnacksand sportsdrinks.Eating little andoften is thekey.

Dependingon your training volume,yournormal training dietshould include around4-5gcarbohydrate/kg per day. When carbloading, this needs to go up to about 8g-10gperkg. To putthis into practice, considerourexample runnerJoe Smith.He eats around375g ofcarbohydrate perday when in normaltraining.During thethreedayspriorto hismarathon,he needs to ramp this up to about600g.This requires himto eat an additional225g ofcarbohydrate perday for those threedays before the race.

You can do this byadding extra pasta toyour eveningmeal, having sports drinksinstead of your normal water, snacking onfruit,cereal bars andeven sweets duringtheday, extratoast at breakfastand having acarbohydrate-rich pudding (sponge with fruitand custard forexample).

As weve alreadydiscussed,your normaltrainingdiet should have a carbohydratepercentageof55-60%,but, foroptimalcarbloading,you need toget this upto around 75%.Increasing the total volumeof foodyou eatwont

achieve that percentageunlessyoureducefatand proteinlevelsat thesametime.So focusonchoosinghigh-carbohydratemeals andsnacks,but lowfatand protein. Pastawithcarbonarasauce, forexample, is richin carbohydrate,butalsohasa high fat contentbecauseofthebacon,cream and eggs.Optinsteadforaseafoodtomatosauce, which gives youa betterpercentageofcarbohydrate fromthe meal.

and finallyThere is a slightdownside to allthis carbohydrate loading.Yourbody will also store extrawater(3g forevery 1g of carbohydrate) anditsquitecommonto gain weight duringthiscarb-loadingphase which could be anythingup to 1-2kg. Standingon thestart linefeelingslightlybloated andheavycan feel uncomfortable, butis totally normaland verynecessary it is actually just waterand glycogen stores, notbody fat.Think of this extraweight as your essentialfuel tank, which willpoweryou through the race!

Carb loading wasinvented in the1960s, when itbecameapparent that storing extra

glycogen in thebody before an eventhelped athletesrun forlonger. Back then, it wasbasedon an initial depletionphase for three days, whichinvolved heavytraininganda low-carbdiet to strip thebody ofglycogen.Then,a few days before therace,athletes would flood their bodieswithglycogen byrestingand eatinga high-carbdiet. Thetheory wasthat, being stripped ofglycogen,the body wouldbe encouragedtostoremuchmore energy than normal. It hadmanypitfalls,though, andrunnersfound the depletion stageexhausting and counterproductive to race preparation.Since then,further researchhas proven thatthe moregradual carb-loading processthat weusetoday isequally beneficial andmuch less risky.

The hisTory of carb loading

In the days l adi g up o a mara o ,

mos ru rs will u d r ak a proc ssk ow as carb loadi g. t oryis o g as muc glycog s or di your body as possibl by a i gmor carbo ydra a d r duci g your

rai i g volum (k ow as ap ri g s pag 141). t is, combi d wicl v r fu lli g o day, will lp youlas dis a c a d, op fully, pr v

you i i g dr ad d wall.

hi i g wall is v ry mara oru rs bigg s f ar a d app s wyour body simply ru s ou of glycogs or s. You ca f l disori a d, dizzya d x aus d, a d your pac slowsdrama ically a d r s o i g youca do abou i . All oug s of arg

im s g rally go ou of wi dowa d jus fi is i g rac i o pi c

is all you ca i k abou . Ru rs

of xp ri c i arou d mil s 18 o22, or af r abou wo-a d-a- alf or ours. S ar i g oo fas is of

culpri b caus you us up pr ciousglycog s or s by ru i g oo quickly

oo soo . Good paci g, carb loadi gb for rac a d corr c fu lli gduri g mara o s ould giv you

b s c a c of avoidi g wall.

Carb loading


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Technique

T ult mat G d to Marat o R g


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What is running technique?Why is it so importantand can you do anything

to improve yours? Theannals of history are littered withexamples of successful runners whosetechnique has defied the rule books,but has done little to impede their

results. Look at Paula Radcliffe, forexample: youd think that noddinghead and awkward arm movement

would hold her back, but its difficultto argue with the most successfulfemale marathon runner of all time. Infact, Paula is a model of efficiency, asare most elite marathon runners. But

what lessons can we mere mortals takefrom the marathon greats to apply toour running? This chapter reveals why

technique and running efficiency are soimportant, why stride length matters,how to breathe and how to hold yourarms when running. If you can apply just one of these, youll see the benefits.

Youll find the moredifficultiesYou haveonthe WaY, the moreYouWill enjoY Yoursuccess juhavtinen,

finnish distancerunner

P a r t s i x

checkthetechnique


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Technique


R unning technique. It seemsso simple, doesnt it? Just putone foot in front of the otherand keep going. Yet theres

more to the apparently simple process

of our running than meets the eye (orroad). Indeed, most novice marathonrunners wonder whether they needto change their running technique orstyle. They worry that if their techniqueis uneconomical and inefficient, theirtimes will be slower and they might bemore susceptible to injuries.

Weknow, through biomechanicsstudies, that top-level marathoners havevery high levels of running efficiencyandeconomy. In other words, they coverthe ground, at a given pace, using lessenergyandless oxygen than slowerrunners. Efficient and economicalrunners maintain their cruising speed forlonger using less energy.

Its clearly an advantage, then, tohave an efficient, biomechanical style and its safe to say that these measuresare prime factors in a runners success.

However, studies have inadvertentlyrevealed something else veryinteresting. It appears that runningbiomechanics are highly personal andcome from the unique way our body isput together our skeletal framework,flexibility, muscle size and length, jointtightness, coordination, and even our

muscular strength all contribute to ourparticular (or peculiar) running gait.

Logically, then, even elite runners willhavea very wide range of running stylesand, if you watch them effortlesslycruising around the running track, youllnotice that they all move differently.

Although there is a theoreticallyperfect running style, it is highlyunlikely that it can be applied to youwith any success. But the questionremains: can we improve our running

technique, even in little ways? Somecoaches think that, because we areall so structurally different, we areprobably better off not tinkering withour running style. Consciously trying tochange the way we run might actuallyinhibit our performance some of theodd things about our running techniquemay actually be compensating forthe way our body is designed. These

More thanMeets the eyecoaches say that it is unwise to forcea particular technique change on arunner if it doesnt feel right.

Most coaches know the frustration ofcorrecting a runners form so it looks

pretty good, only to have the runnerrevert back to his or her old, ungainlystyle when fatigued from hard trainingor in the middle of a race.

Changing your running techniqueis, therefore, a tough propositionbecause, in many cases, the apparentlyinefficient movements that you havemay actually be counterbalancing astructural deficiency elsewhere in

Fine tuning l Drills l Posture l Stride length l Heel or toe?

Choosetechnique flawsthat you thinkneed toimprove the most


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the body. One university study evenfound that, after working on runnerstechniques for five weeks, they did notimprove their efficiency or economy.

However, as is typical with research,for every study about changing runningtechnique that finds no improvement,there will be one that finds theopposite. Another university studyfound that specific gait manipulationproduces a marked improvement inrunning economy in trained femaledistance runners.

Thus, most coaches conclude thatyou should not tinker with yourrunning technique unless it is reallyinefficient, and then only if some ofyour running quirks actually inhibityour performance.

But there are things you can do tomake sure your running technique isnot slowing you down. Below are somethings you should try to eliminate fromyour running technique because theymisdirect your energy or make youconsume more oxygen, both of whichwill fatigue you earlier.

D O N T. . .

. . . h a v e e x c e s s i v e

h e a d

m o v e m e n t a n d r o

l l i n g

. . . f l a p y o u r w r i s t s

. . . h a v e m u c h v e r t i

c a l

o s c i l l a t i o n ( u p w a r d

m o v e m e n t )

. . . b r i n g y o u r k n e

e s u p

h i g h i n f r o n t o f y o

u


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Technique

T u t m t G d t M r t R g

Drills for Technique ImprovementD o . . .. . . start being awareofyour technique andformwhile running. . . haveyour footstrikethe groundunder thebent kneeafter the leg hasbegun to swing backunder thebody(noton itsway out). . . landon your heelsandroll through tothe forefoot for take-off. This means youshouldnotbe striking

thegroundon yourforefoot or midfootso your calf musclesabsorbthe shock. . . keepyour centreofgravity over yourfoot. . . transferyourweight evenly fromone footto theother. . . strive for optimalstridelength. . . occasional legturnoverworkoutsto increase stridefrequency. . . make sureyour

arms andlegs are synchronisedin thesame rhythm...trytorunwitharhythmic flow. . . run withlightfeet and bouncequickly andlightly offthe ground. . . monitor yourbreathingpattern

Yourarms help balance andpropel youforward,so their actionis very importantfor you tooperate withmaximum power.Swinging your arms sidewaysacross thecentrelineof your chest andallowing yourelbowsto cross forward past your torso are

twothingsthat sabotage your armaction.These,fortunately, are relatively easytoeliminate.The followingchecklist will helpyou achieve a great armaction.

n Carry your handsforwardnearyourchest with a shortcompact armswing andback asfar asthe seamsofyour pants

n Moveyour armsforward andbackwards fromthe shoulders

n Keep yourshoulders down,arms andfacerelaxed

n Keep yourelbowsat(about)a 90degree bend

n Carryyour armsbetween yourwaistline andchest

n Relaxyour wristsandhands

n When speedingup,drivemorewithyourarms

WaTch YouR aRMs

Start being aware ofyour technique and form while running:youll noticea difference inhow youfeel

aRM acTionchecklisT

Here are som tips you c n st t wo king

on imm di t ly to m k you unningt chniqu mo ffici nt. Th s d ills c nsimply b inco po t d into you no m lt ining uns. How v , t ying to m k llof th s ch ng s t on tim will, obviously,b toomuch youwont v nb bl tom mo is th list, l t lon t y ll of thch ng s. Just s l ct two o th l t don s b fo you t ining uns nd think

bout th m th ough th nti s ssion. Dothis fo s v l t ining uns in ow nd,wh n you think th s ch ng s h v b comp m n nt, mov on to oth it ms.

altern tively, do speci l session on thetr ck, one or two d ys week, when youdo nothing but concentr te on improving

spects of your technique. Choose

technique fl ws th t you think need

improving the most.Th s d ills sily don . Choos thch ng s you w nt to m k nd st t slowly

unning ound th t ck whil m int iningth n w t chniqu ch ng . Wh n you thinkyouv got it, sp d up slightly nd m int inyou n w fo m. K p sp ding up until you

t you c uising c p c nd hold th tfo l p o th .

Wh n you st t you n xt t chniqu -d ill wo kout, lw ys st t by pl yingth t chniqu ch ng s you m d in thp vious s ssion.

H is vi w ( ight) of good unningt chniqu points th t you might considwo king on if you f l you d fici nt in

ny of th s s.


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Technique

T ult m t G t M r t R g

Your Running Posture

LeTs Look aTGood posTuRaLpRacTices ToconcenTRaTe on when RunninG heRe is an ideaLcheckLisT foR you To consideR

MAKE SURE YOU...

push your chest up slightlylean trunk slightly forward,but maintain an upwardbody position

keep your upper bodyforward, over your feet

Why is goodrunn ng po ture mportant for marat oner ?W en were runn ng n t e earl tage of a marat on, our coremu cle (back, abdom nal , trunk) are t ll fre , o ourpo turetend tobe upr g t, w c ow wewant t. But, a t e m le gob andwe tart feel ng fat gued from t e lact cac d t at bu ldup n our tem along w t ot er mu cle malfunct on ourpo tural mu cle fat gue andwe lump forward, l ke a t red ackof potatoe . T e re ult: orter tr de lengt and lower legturnover, re ult ng n a lower t me t an ou de erve.

B concentrat ng on trengt en ng t e core mu cle , oullbe able to old our upr g t po ture for longer before t e rot

et n.T make a uge d fference to our f n ng t me(not toment on ow ou feel dur ng and after t e marat on).see a per onal tra ner at our g m to et ou up w t a 30-45m nute core mu cle workout. T e exerc e m g t be on a BOsURe tance Tra ner, a G mball,or u ng ome we g t-tra n ngequ pment. ideall , ou ould do exerc e on all t ree of t e e.

Doing some resistance training each week also helpsin another way. As mentioned above, runners with good

mechanical efficiency exert greater force and power for thesame amount of energy as runners with poorer efficiency.A few strength-training sessions each week benefits thebeginning marathon runner tremendously by improving theirleg power, thus increasing the force with which your legsspring off the ground. This translates into less fatigue towardsthe end of the marathon and a faster time.

Anot er benef t of trengt tra n ng t at t reduce njurrate among marat oner .hav ng tronger arm , leg and trunkmu cle mean t at an weakne e ou m g t ave n our jo nt w ll old toget er better under t e tra n of runn ng.

Now that youve strengthened your postural muscles, whatshould your posture look like when youre running?

Firstly, lets cut out any bad habits we might have in ourtrunk. The worst culprit is excessive side-to-side torsomovement whenrunning remember, youre trying to moveforward, not sideways. By concentrating on driving your armsdirectly forward you will eliminate this because your bodyfollows your arms whenrunning.


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Stride Length for MarathonersAs a general rule, then, increasing yourstride length willincrease your distance-running speed.Only when running atfasterspeeds, such as thefinalsprintatthe end ofa marathon, does stridefrequencybecome a factor. Thus, its agood idea foryou to do theoccasionaldrill aimed at lengthening stride, butstilldo theoccasional fast legturnoverdrilltoensure you wont beleft behindin thefinal half mile of your marathon.

Howmuch shouldwe increase ourstridelength? Every runner hasanoptimum combination of stride lengthand stride frequency, dependingon theirindividual mechanics. Your foot shouldland directly under theknee. Avoidoverstriding because, whenyour foot landstoofar in front of your bodys centreofgravity, it causesa braking motion. Tooshort a stride andyoull consume toomuch oxygenbecause you will notbeefficient at thatpace either.

The important thing is to establishyour best cruising speed and stridelength at which youconsume the leastoxygen. Try running at varying speedson a flat400m track: you can find thepace atwhich you seem to cruise ina comfortable, fast steady state. Youshould be able to self-select an optimumpace and stride length for yourself.

Twoways u c n incre e ur peed re b incre ing the number f tep perminute ( tride frequenc r turn ver) ndincre ing the di t nce f e ch tride.Re e rch h th t di t nce runner rebetter ff c ncentr ting n incre ing tridelength, nd printer re better ff incre ing b th leg turn ver nd tride length.

Heres a chart showing what happens when we speed up our running pace.It shows that the primary way we speed up is by increasing stride length until

we get below five-minutes-per-mile pace, something thats not likely to happen

to most of us running a marathon!

Running Speed8:03/mile

6:26/mile

4:50/mile

Stride Frequency 180/minute

180/minute

180-200/minute

Stride Length1.1 metres

1.4 metres

1.85 metres


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Technique


How Marathon Runners Can

Increase Stride Frequency

Breathing rate and pattern

It is important that you are aware ofyour breathing pattern while running.Its a useful tool for gauging trainingand racing pace. Most elite runnersbreathe with a 2-2 rhythm. That is twosteps while breathing in (one with rightand one with left foot) and two stepswhile breathing out. Most good runnerstake about 180 steps per minute, givingthem about 45 breaths per minute.

During particularly hard racing,runners might breathe with a 1-2rhythm and, running slowly, at a3-3 rate. Breathing rates can be usedto monitor your pace during a race.Running up hills for instance, you cantry to maintain a 2-2 rhythm, to ensureyoure maintaining a constant intensityand not getting into an anaerobic zone.

As far as breathing in through yournose and out through your mouth, this

should happen naturally. However, ifyou dont seem to use this pattern, youdont need tobe concerned as long asyoure breathing in enough air to meetyour running demands. Most runnersbreathe in and out through both noseand mouth anyway.

These then, are some tips to help youexamine the most important aspects ofyour running technique and, perhaps,make modifications should you decideits necessary. Just remember that youare unlearning an old neuromuscularhabit that you have developedover many years and, therefore,its unrealistic to expect immediatechanges. Its wiser to gradually makea few changes at a time and thenintroduce another modification ortwo once you think your techniqueadaptations have become permanent.

You can experiment withyour stride rate by checkingit the next time you run, bycounting how many footfallsyou make in one minute.If your rate is less than180, you may benefit fromincreasing the cadence.

Stride height

Something closely related tostride length is stride height,another great energy waster.Running with exaggeratedup and down bouncingverticalmovement is veryuneconomical for the long-distance runner because yourenergy is best transferredinto horizontal movementinstead of upward.


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Anyone whos Britai marat rld-r c rd ld rPaulaRadcliff ru ill k t at rt c iqu i t xactl p tr im ti . wit a tra g ddi g adm v m ta d taccat t l ,l k , fra kl ,u gai l . y t, actuall a m d l f ffici c .

w ? elit at l t uc aRadcliff a det i pia ru i gl g d hail G br la i ar b tf r f t trik r , ic m a t irt it t gr u dfir t t rru i g.C v ti al i d m a dc rtai l ma f t l g- tabli dtrai i gpri cipl av c urag dt p lar pp it , ugg ti g t atru r uld la d l fir t a dr ll t r ug t t t (m tma ufactur r t i k t am a dbuild t ir acc rdi gl ).

Buti ru i g t l r all ab tt r t a t t r? D itmaka diff r c a d, if , ca tallb f r f t ru r ?

Can changing your technique make you run faster?Heel or toe?

At the Hawaii Ironman 2008, CraigAlexander came from behind in thebike section to claim a stunningvictory and post the fastest runsplit of the day (2hrs 45mins). Hegave the credit for his success to hisNewton Running shoes, a brand,

new to the UK, that encourages therunner to run toe-first. Alexandersperformance reignited the debateamong runners about what is best:forefoot or heel striking.

Most coaches have, until recently,advocated heel striking as the mosteffective technique. But this way ofthinking may have come about simplybecause most runners they lookedat were heel strikers (a quick look at

Gebrselassie in full flight would soonconvince them otherwise).

In reality, there is no right orwrong way to run: its about whatworks for you. Coaches have longsince given up trying to convincePaula to change her nodding head:

you simply cant argue with a womanwhos run 2hrs 15mins for a marathon.Still, its worth remembering that

mankind ran with no shoes at all forthousands of years. Anyone whosinterested, should take off theirtrainers and run barefoot to see whatthey do naturally. More often thannot, people find that they strike theground with their forefoot so is thisour proper running form?

New TechNiqUesBy landingon your forefoot, withkneesandweightoveryour centreofgravityand,therefore, absorbingthe shock in yourmuscles andnot inyour joints, you arepotentiallyavoidingmany ofthe impactinjuries that running can bring.But,as wellas being usefulforinjury prevention, puristsbelieveforefootrunning is actuallyfaster.

T m t d a b p pulari dbDr nic la R ma v.hi b k,T PM t d,claim f r f t ru i gi t b tappr ac a dgiv a d tail dd cripti

f t t c iqu , il utli i g tma drill t atca b d t tra f rfr m l triki gt f r f t ru i g.Ma i dividual (f rm r rld triat lc ampi Tim D b i g ) a dru i g

club av ad pt d t f r f tappr ac , claimi git i m r ffici ta dfa t r t a l triki g. Da Dr r,aultra-di ta c ru r a daut r fC iRu i g,al pr m t a f r f t t l ,t i tim ba d Tai C i, ic a ia m r ff rtl a f ru i g.

Practice makes perfect

T o c h e c k y o u r s t r i d e r a t e ,c o u n t h o w m a n y f o o t f a l l s y o u m a k e i no n e m i n u t e


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Technique


How to forefoot run T h e T h e o r y

LIFT: As you pick up yourkneeto beginanewstride, thelugs thrust outofthe mid-solewitha burst ofenergy that turns into forwardpropulsion.With that burst ofenergy behindeach stride,the effortit takes to lift thekneeis greatly reduced. This actionwill power youthrough your stride withminimal effort.

LEVER: As your mid-foot/forefoothits theground,the Newtonshoeabsorbs theshockthat runningcreates. Theenergisedlugs in theshoes forefoot(fourextendedplasticareas)actas levers, justas your footdoesinsidethe shoe.

LAND: Instead ofpounding thegroundon yourheel, position your footperpendicularto thegroundand land on thecentre ofthe forefoot.Your footwill notsettle level to theground.Dont beafraid tolet your heeltouch theground; thisis perfectly natural as long as yourfirst impact isnot onthe heel.

LAnD

LeVeR

LiFT


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TYPE BAREFOOT RUNNING into

Google and it will return nearly twomillion results.Thats hardly surprisinggiven theamount of media coveragethe trend received in 2010 and theoften-sensationalist headlines thataccompanied it (Barefoot running may bebetter for you being just oneexample).

And while itmight still be a nicheproposition in the UK, in the US, its takenoff in a big way, with brands settingup tocater specificallyfor the trend. Of course,the term barefoot runningamongshoe manufacturers is something of amisnomer: almost all themajor brands

havesomething in their portfolio that is

classed a barefoot shoe, but these varydramatically in weightand structure (andthe foot is not actually bare).

But one thing that all the protagonistsagree on is that barefoot or naturalrunning improves proprioception theability of being aware of your body, itsposture and its movement.

Traditional thinking has put muchof the technology into the heel of arunning shoe. But having a large liftunder your heel makes it very difficultto imitate barefoot running. Thats whybarefoot shoes are always minimal in

their design: there are no built-up heels

and any cushioning under the heel isvirtually at the same level as that in theforefoot (the percentage drop from rearto forefoot is significantly reduced overa conventional cushioned shoe).

Barefootor natural running is not foreveryone and is something that shouldbe practised steadily over a long periodof time: dontsimply stick on a pair ofbarefootshoes and run an hour. Graduallyget used to thesensation of the lowerprofile footwear and try and run on a flat,off-roadsurface. It can be a great way tostrengthen your feet and reduceinjury.

ON RUNNING CLOUDRUNNER 120Runningexposesourfeet toboth verticalandhorizontal forces. It is thehorizontal orforward-pushing impact, says On,which canresult in increased muscular breakdownandassociated injuries.While traditionalcushionedrunningshoes absorb thevertical impact,theyfail toeffectively reducethehorizontal forces.

Ons solution to thisis CloudTec cushioning:13 circularpiecesof rubber incorporated intotheoutsoledesigned towork effectivelytogether toactivate the feet. During thefootstrikephase, these 3D elements fold backandcushionthelandingbyallowing thefoot toglide into thegroundimpact.

Are you running naturally?

NEWTON SIR ISAAC 99

TheSir Isaachas been designedwitha bevelledheeland toe tohelpguide therunnereasily intothe midandforefootposition. Thesamedesignhasbeen usedwiththelugsto make therunningmotionsmoother andgiveyoua stable feelwill in theforefootposition.

MERRELL BAREFOOT TRAIL GLOVE 82Merrells Glove line is designed tohelpengagethefeet for a more natural stride bymoving theweareroffthe heel andencouraging forward momentumto amid-footlandingwith lower impactand a more alignedandefficient gait. It hasa streamlinedprofile and,featuringa synthetic leather andmeshupperandtheMerrell Omni-Fit lacingsystem andhugsthe footwell.

SAUCONY PROGRIDKINVARA 85

SauconysaystheKinvara is theepitomeofminimalism: theKinvaras ProGrid LITEunitis only20% ofthethicknessofnormalProGrid. Butthis isdefinitely a training shoe,rather than a racingshoe, and ithas beentested by typical runnersover 400plus miles.


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Technique



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Chartered physiotherapistn al x d umm n , f

d umm n Cl n c, n M n ,b l v f f unn ng c ul v

gn f c n b n f w g j n m c , n n/mu cl n

v ll n f gu .F f unn ng n gg v

l f unn ng n wun u ul v unn ng g

f f f unn ngf m, al x. t c n l g

n c nc b n nc

n f f [ f N w n] c nbl k n c n l g u b ll f

c nv n n l m nuf c uw v gn wn -fcu n ng n m -f n n

l bu n ff n l c .Granted, forefoot runn ng m ght not

be for everyone. But t does presentan nterest ng and, arguably, less

njury nduc ng style of runn ngthat could see people run further andfaster. if thats not ncent ve enoughto try, then what s?

Can you reduce injury problems with forefoot running?Experts view

R e s e a r c h s h o

w s

t h a t d i s t a n c e r u n n e r s

a r e s h o u l d

c o n c e n t r a t e

o n i n c r e a s i ng

s t r i d e l e ng t h


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TALKING TRAINING



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No book on marathon runningwould be complete withouta chapter on what to wear.

But this isnt about fashion,its about finding the shoes and kit thatare right for you, and that will makeyour whole marathonexperience one toremember. Pity the runner who wears

the wrong shoes over 26.2 miles!Your shoes and kit are ultimately

down to personal preference, but, in

this chapter, we lay down some basicrules for choosing the right runningshoes and what youll need to wear ifyoure preparing to run a marathon,no matter what weather conditions

or temperatures you find yourselftraining in. Youll learn the differencebetween pronation and supination,

the characteristics of various shoecategories and which clothing fabricswork best in what conditions. Itsa complete guide to choosing yourmarathon kit!

YOUR CHOICE OF RUNNING SHOE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING A GOOD OR BAD EXPERIENCE AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU STAY HEALTHY OR GET INJURED

P a r t s e v e n

TALKINGTRAINING


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TALKING TRAINING


Respect thedistanceRegardlessofwhetheryouwantto set a personal best or justgetround themarathoncourse,youhaveto putinthemiles.Underestimate thechallenge ahead andyoulllive toregretit. Havingsaidthat,withprogressive training andthe rightpreparation, the marathon issurprisinglyachieveable for justabout anyone. Theepicgrowth indistance runningaroundtheworldis testament to theincreasingpopularityof themarathon

andjustabouteveryone fromsupermodelsto celebrity chefs wantto bepartofit.

If youre relativelynewtorunningor, perhaps, notas fitas youd like, werecommendyou get a full checkup with yourGP beforeyou start training orfollowinganyof theprogrammesin this book.Nowis alsothe timeto getbiomechanicallyassessedbya physiotherapist or sportstherapist,whowill look formuscleimbalancesorweaknessesthatcould cause injury asyour mileageincreases. You may benefit fromsome specificcore stability and

stretchingto reduce your injuryriskbefore youevenembark onyourprogramme.

Then,get kitted out with theright shoes, clothesfor allseasons,a diary torecordyour training,a stopwatch andsome runningbuddies and youll be all set.

As you embark on yourincredible, life-changing

marathon journey, beprepared for one certainty:the road is rarely a smooth ride. Gettingto the start of a marathon can be asmuch of a challenge as getting to thefinish line. The path is often litteredwith frustrating obstacles injury,illness, family, work deadlines, socialcommitments, health problems and poorweather which can put a real dent inyour training programme. Its how youdeal with these that will be the key toyour success.

Most runners, at some point, will haveto face and overcome certain challenges some more than most. But overcomethose challenges and, when you cross

that finish line, you can be assured ofthe most amazing sense of achievement

and thats guaranteed. That is whatmakes the marathon such an incredible,inspiring feat its not just the distanceof the race, its the journey to get therethat makes it so tough.

Whether you simply get roundor set a new personal best time, itllbe up there as one of the greatestachievements of your life.

Of course, if youre going to get roundthe gruelling 26.2 miles, you have toput in the training. But your mentalattitude and approach to training,time management, preparation and, ofcourse, the race itself will also play ahuge part in whether or not you make it and how much you enjoy the journey.

PUTTING THEORYINTO PRACTICE:THE TRAINING

Goal setting l Which schedule l Diary l Time management


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TALKING TRAINING


Goal settinG ju b u mrg f r y ur m r h , m g f r

p r b r k ck g m uff y ur m . Y ur g c u d b , v ry

mp y, ju f h, j y hxp r c ru g w h fr d,

fu f f m mb , k hgh p c y f r g r c

r m y f r ch r y c y urh r r ru m m ry f v d .

eff c v g g b uk g g, h rd, h k whyy u w ru h m r h dwh y u w ch v . if y urm r h v rg d y u d h vb ckgr u d ru g, y ur g m yw b ju g r u d d j y h

xp r c . P rh p y u d h v mm d, bu r c d h w d

y u k w? s g g c rr c y hr w h p y u p y ur r g

d pr p r , d r k y y urucc d j ym .

Set your long-term goalBefore youeven begin to start training, you need toset your marathon goal.Why? Because if you dont know where youre going, how will you know howtoget there?Set your target, then develop your training plan to reach it.

A goalproperlyset ishalfway reached

Abraham Lincoln

Y o u r g o a l s m a y c h a ne s p e c i a l l y i f y o u f a c e i ni l l n e s s a n d o t h e r p r o b l t h a t d i s r u p t y o u r w e l l -l p l a n s . Y o u m a y e v e n f i

y o u r e f i t t e r t h a n y o u t h o us o e n d u p c h a n g i n g y o u

t a r g e t t o s o m e t h i n g m o r

a m b i t i o u s . B e p r e p a r e d t of l e x i b l e a n d t o r e -a s s e s s y o

g o a l s a s y o u g o a l o n g .


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Th Ult mat Gu t Marath Ru g

WRiTe iTdoWn

Specific

Make your goal clearand specific. Dont just say I want to runfaster. How muchfaster do you wantto run? Perhaps your

goal is to raise moneyforcharity? Buthowmuch, exactly? Setyourself a target.Even if its your firstmarathon, you canseta time target, whichwill not only help withyour training, butalsowith pacingon theday.

MeaSureable

Howwill youknowwhen you haveachieved your goal?Havinga time targetmakes it measurable(just ensure its

realistic!), but sodoes hitting yourfundraising target.

achieveable

Is it realistic? Youmight really want toshave 20 minutes offyourmarathon time,but, given thenew job, the new baby etc,will you really be abletofit inthe trainingtoachieve it? Dont setyourself up for failurewithan unachieveabletarget. On the flipside,your goal needs tobechallenging to keepyou motivated.

relevant

Is this what you want?Isit your goalor isitsomeone elses?

tiMe-fraMe

Give thegoal a deadline.Thisis easy for the raceitself, butyoumightalsoset interim goalsalong theway.

exciting

Does it rock your world?Is it motivatingandinspiring? If not, finda differentrace or seta tougher target. If itstoo ambitious, yourgoalcould feel dauntingrather than exciting.For you togetthemostout of yourself,it needsto thrill you.

recorded

Write your goaldownandkeep it somewhereyou can see it thishelps to motivate youand keepyou on track.

A powerful tool when it comes togoalsetting is a framework called S.M.A.R.T.E.R.This stands for Specific, Measurable,Achievable, Relevant, Time-frame, Excitingand Recorded. It helps you to set the rightgoal, which, in turn, helps with yourpreparation and training; it thenhelps youknow when youve achieved it. You maywell have used it before, at work or in yourpersonal life but give it a try here, whenyoure thinking about your marathon. Getyour notepad and write it all down. Setyour main long-term goal, but also short-term targets, then weekly goals and a

goal for the race itself. Use the SMARTERframework for all of them.


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TALKING TRAINING


Heres anexample (usingtHe s.m.a.r.t.e.r.framework):Stevebelongs toa running club and,six

monthsago, took part in a marathon,which he finished in4:10 (onan averageof20-miles perweektraining). He istakingpart in theLondon Marathon infive monthsand wants tobreak4hrs.Hehas timeto train about fivehoursperweek andis prepared,and able, toputin therightamount oftrainingto hithistarget. Currently, he runs three timesperweek. Hehasntdonea longrun,of morethan 10 miles,sincehis last marathon,soneeds toworkon hisendurance tobeginwithand increasehis mileage gradually.HisPBsfor otherdistances are 1:52.35fora half-marathon and49:31 for a 10k.

t d y d : 1 n v bLong-TermGoal Sub4-hours (Specific & Measurable)marathonon27th April at LondonMarathon(Time-frame).Thiswill be an improvement of10 minuteson mylast marathon(Achieveable, yetchallenging).Gettinga place in theLondonMarathon with X charity hasbeen alifelong dream andI also hope to raise2000(Relevant & Exciting).

Short-term goals duringthe programme (couldsetexactdates depending on local races)Sub1:48half-marathonSub47:00 10k Both of these targets arerealisticgivenSteves fitness, history and overallgoal, andthey tie in withhis predictedtimeat theLondon Marathon.If he hitsthese targets duringhisprogramme,hes likelyto be ontrack for hissub4-hoursmarathon.

Once yOu hav o r ov rall goalsort d o t, o d to s t somshort-t rm targ ts too. Th majoritof maratho programm s follow a12-16 w k fram work a d it ab diffi lt to sta fo s d for thatl gth of tim . Som short r-t rmtarg ts a o pl of half maratho s

or 10k ra s will k p o motivat da d giv o a id a of how o rtrai i g is goi g, allowi g o toadj st o r programm if ssar .

Breaking thisdown further, you canalso set weeklygoals (run 35 miles) andeven goals for each session (completefivemiles within 40 minutes).

Short-term goals

H c d i ?Therearelots ofonlinecalculatorsthat canreasonably predict your targetmarathon time. Key in a recentracetime and it will show you whatyoucould be capable ofin themarathon.It is not an exact science, however,and therearemanyother factors totake into account, which canmakethe predictionunrealistic,especiallyif you favour speed over endurance.Another rule ofthumb is totake yourhalf-marathon time, double it andaddon 10-20minutes. Try using bothmethods, which willgiveyou a timeband, andthen take theaverage.


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Your background in running, current fitness level and long-term marathon

goal will be the factors that decide which training schedule youuse. We haveincluded three schedules at the back of this book for you to select from.

Get MeRoundIfyouare new torunning

and your goalis simply tofinish themarathon,this is

theschedule for you.

Marathon

VirginYou may havebeen runningfor awhile, perhaps even completed a10kmraceorhalf-marathon,but

never a full marathon.Youre likelytohave a targettimein mind.

PBHunterIf youve donea marathon before,

youll know what toexpect.Follow this programmeif yourelooking toseta personal best.

Which schedule to follow?


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TALKING TRAINING

T Ultimat Gui t Marat n Running

TAILoRING TheschedULes To

yoUR NeedsFollowing a schedu e he ps tstructure y ur tr d pr v dthe c rrect pr ress d cre se

m e e. But d t f t b de r t ste t y ur b dy d d pt

the schedu es f r y ur d v du eedsif y ure fee t red, t ke d y ff

r f r e sy ru ste d. if y um ss s me f the schedu e bec use f

ess, jury r rk pressures, d tp c d t try t m ke up f r stt me by dd sess s r d m reDepe d h m y eeks y u

h ve st, s mp y p ck up the pr r mmhere y u sh u d be d c rry . ify uve st m re th fe eeks,y u eed t djust t espec y the

ver m e e r ru .

The key togetting fitterand faster is inyour recovery. Your bodyadaptsand gets strongerwhenyourest. Always factor in an easy run or day off after a long run or tough session.Remember!

T O P T I P : I f y o u

v e d e c i d e d

t o r a c e a c o u p l e o

f h a l f-

m a r a t h o n s, w h y n

o t u s e t h e m

f o r d i f f e r e n t p u r

p o s e s o r t o

a c h i e v e d i f f e r e n t

g o a l s ? Y o u

m ig h t c h o o s e t o r

u n o n e a t

m a r a t h o n r a c e p a

c e o r t o t r y

o u t y o u r n u t r i t i o n

s t r a t eg y.

E q u a l l y, y o u m ig h

t d e c i d e

t h a t o n e i s a P B r a

c e a n d g i v e

y o u r s e l f a c o n f i d

e n c e b o o s t e r

b e f o r e y o u r m a r a

t h o n e v e n t.


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All the schedules have one or two warm-up races included in the programme.These serve a number ofpurposes: 1) to provide a short-term goal 2) to giveyou an idea ofyour progress and how well your training is going 3) to providean opportunity topractise race pacing and 4) theyre fun!

Other races

Half-MarathonAimtocomplete twohalf-marathonssomewherein the lead up toyourmarathon. Youll needaboutfour weeksbetweenthem torecover andrebuildforthe nextone, socheckout the race calendarnear you,plan them inand enter inadvance(half-marathonsareverypopularand oftensellout). Usethese events topractise racepacing,nutrition, yourpre-raceroutine(going tothe loo, puttingyourbag instorage) andgetting togrips withtakingpart ina big event.Theyllalsogiveyouagoodtarget timefor themarathon itself.

10kmA fast10km caninjecta bitof speedintoyour pace andgive youan opportunity fora goodblast. Use a 10kmrace insteadofoneofyour speedwork sessionsand try

onetwoweeksbeforeyourmarathon.Thiswillgiveyousome confidenceandmakemarathonpace feel easy!

16 miles and longerMany marathon runners take part in longraces thinking theyredoing theright thing.A 20-milerace iscompletelydifferentto just completinga 20-mileeasy run.Nomatter how hard you try, its easy togetsuckedintoracingandendup pushingtoo hard. Itll take you almost as long torecover froma 20-mile raceas itwill fromthe marathon itself andyoucould end uppeaking tooearly, leadingto a disastrousmarathon. Byallmeans take part ina race ofthis length,but racehard atyour peril. Treatit asa training run, jogaroundwitha friendandleaveyourego athome make it cleartoeveryone(andyourself)beforehand andyou wontbe tempted togo too fast.


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Keeping a tr d ry s, w thoutdoubt, o of th most ow rful dmot v t tools you c us . Wr tdow th tr youv do (or

ot) m k s you mor ccou t bl th r s oth wors th sw k of bl k tr s. it w ll h l tok you mot v t d d st y focus d.

not o ly th t, k d t l dr cord of d st c , t m s, h rt r t ,th w th r d so o w ll rov d

ss t l f db ck wh lookb ck t your tr . S your

ro r ss o d m rov m t wr ttdow bl ck d wh t s r llymot v t d v s you co f d c .

Training DiaryVarious pre-printed trainingdiaries areavailable to buy, but youcan just as easilyuse a page-to-view diary or a blank notebook.Keep a track of the following information:

Date Wednesday18th Dec 7.30pm

Weather Wet andwindy

route Club runin town allpavement, flat

Distance 6 miles (1milewarm up, 3miles tempo pace, 2 miles easy)

session type Tempo interval

time 52:45

heartrate Hit165average for thetempo interval

Notes - struggled a bit to quite stressed at work, b session done and under

Date Sunday15th Dec8am

Weather Cold andcrisp, no wind, frostyunderfoot

route Snape Wood andCherryFarm -mainlyoffroad,fairly hilly

Distance 12 miles

session type Steadylong run

time 1:42(2 minsbetter thanlast time)

heartrate Average145bpm Max175bpm(onthe hills!)

Notes - Felt really good strong. Ran with Andy a good catch up.

Date / Time of day (can make a big diffeWeather (was it hot? Raining? Snowing? Slippery underfoot?). Route / Type of session - steady, easy, intervals Distance / Time / Heart rate (resting, average, maximum and recovtrack some or all) How you felt or othe(who you ran with)


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The night before a marathon, I always sit downwithmy

trainingdiary and lookbackathow muchrunning Ive done.Seeingit inblack and white and realising thatI really did doenoughtraining is incrediblymotivating and givesme lotsofconfidencegoing intothe race

DuncanCollins,PB2:46.03,10 times marathonfinisher

Sitdownon a Sunday nightsp .

P s ss sp .

get your longeSt runSand raceS

,s p p

s ss s. e ss .

if you have family ,s

. c ps p

s pp s.o ( p )s

s s .

run witha clubor grouPs . i

p s s , s, p ss ,

.

get organiSed sss s s

s ss . P

,, p ,

, s, Px .

run with your dog. dp

s .J s sp ss s

s s !

Stick your ScheduleuPSomewhere (

) s . i s

p .

Top Time-Management Tips


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injury prevention

th ul ma G d Ma a h r g


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As someone whos sufferedwith one injuryafter anotherthe whole of my running

career, thebest advice I cangive is not tobeat yourself up ifyou cantrun. When I was younger, my wholefocus was on trying to recover fromany numberof injuries. Instead of being

positiveandfocusing on other ways inwhich I couldmaintain aerobic fitness,I was intent on clearing theoffending

problem. Its only now,when peoplemore widely understand the benefitsof cross training, that Ive been able tomanage the injury-to-time-runningratio and put a consistent amount of

running together thats enabled me to doa marathon. Even now, I still get it wrongoccasionally. This chapter is not an A-Z

of types of injury, but rather a guide onhow to recognise your injury, deal with itpro-actively andstill build your fitness. Itis an essential read for anyonewho is inthemidst of their marathon training.

You hAve to forget Your lAst mArAthon before You trY Another.Your mind cAnt know whAts coming

frAnk shorter

P a r t e i g h t

injurYprevention


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injury prevention

th ul ma G d Ma a h r g

There is an oft-used phrase

in running: youre eitherinjured, getting over aninjury or about to suffer an

injury. Its not encouraging, is it? Whiletheres

Documents

The Ultimate Guide to Marathon Running 2011