PodiumRunner: A Short Marathon Build-Up?

The Case for a Shorter Marathon Buildup

The uncertainty of racing makes it hard to plan 4–6 months out. Take heart, 8–10 weeks might be a better marathon buildup. 

Sep 4, 2020/RICHARD A. LOVETT/PodiumRunner 

If you’re looking for candidates for the type of runners who’ve been most severely impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, marathoners are probably top of the list. After all, it’s fairly easy to do a virtual 5K or 10K — or give the mile or the 800 a go on a track or measured road. 

But a virtual marathon? With no aid stations and no other runners to keep you focused during those long, later miles? That’s a different beast, entirely. 

Which means that once COVID-19 restrictions on road racing start to ease, there’s going to be a big clamor for marathons. But, when a marathon finally becomes possible, that will raise another question: how far in advance do you need to start training for it?

(Link to article)

RUNSAFE: "Too Much, Too Soon"

In the British Journal of Sports Medicine March 2020, we discuss the “too much, too soon” theory. 

In running, it is widely accepted that athletes sustain sports injury if they train ‘too much, too soon’. However, not all runners are built the same; some can tolerate more running than others. It is for this reason that prescribing the same training program to all runners to reduce injury risk is not optimal from a coaching perspective. Rather, runners require individualized training plans. 

In acknowledgement of athlete diversity, it is therefore essential that researchers, assisted by runners, coaches and others, ask the right causal research question in studies examining sports injury etiology. In the article, we conclude “In the light of the limitations of population-based prevention that intends to provide all athletes with the same advice, we argue that a stronger emphasis on research questions targeting subgroups of athletes is needed. In doing so, researchers may assist athletes, clinicians and coaches to understand what training advice/program works best, for whom and under what circumstances”. 

In this light, participants in the Garmin-RUNSAFE Running Health Study, are a part of one of the first research studies that, based on a priori defined criteria, seeks to understand what running advice works for certain runners.

Read more about causal questions and the “too much, too soon” theory here:
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2020/03/05/bjsports-2018-100245 
Note that the publisher owns the copyright for these publications so only the abstracts are available for free.

RUNSAFE: The "Wrong" Shoe?

A new publication from the RUNSAFE group that has surfaced March 2020 in the journal Footwear Science. Here, we highlight that the cause underpinning running-related injury occurrence is the relation between exposure to training load, internal tissue loads, and tissue capacity - with tissue load exceeding its capacity being the key biological mechanism in the development of injury.

On this basis, we examined the beliefs of running shoe salespersons and physiotherapy students regarding the influence of running shoes and foot pronation on running injury occurrence. Unfortunately, both populations hold beliefs that do not align well with current understanding of causes underpinning running injury occurrence. 

In the article, it reads “…the use of the terms “wrong shoes” or “adequate shoes” is likely inaccurate terminology. Viewed from a causal perspective, “wrong shoes” effectively do not exist as you are able to run a shorter or greater distance depending on the choice of running shoe… Despite this evidence, it remains common practice to recommend running shoes based on foot morphology and foot pronation”. If you find the topic appealing, you are able to read the abstract of the article here:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19424280.2020.1734869

Runners' World: Not Just The Cave

The Best Conditioning Exercises You Can Do to Stay Fit in the Off-Season 
Combine alternative cardio workouts with a strategic strength circuit so you’ll be firing on all cylinders when you get back into the swing of full-on training.
Ashley Mateo/Runners' World.com, Dec 17, 2019

You might be logging tons of miles a week during warmer weather, but when the temperature drops and the amount of daylight gets shorter, it’s not as feasible to keep that up.

That doesn’t mean you’re sentenced to a season of running on the treadmill in your basement. The off-season is a great time to build your foundation not just with conditioning exercises, but also with cross-training modalities that will keep you rolling strong right into your peak running season, says Zack Allison, a senior coach with Source Endurance and racer for Team Clif Bar... 

(Link to article)

Runners World: Compared to Whom

How Do You Compare to Every Runner on Strava This Year?
This year’s trends among Strava users may inspire your running goals for 2020.
Paige Triola/Runners' World.com, Dec 11, 2019

Whether it seemed to fly by or crawl along at a snail-like pace, with 2019 just about wrapped up, many runners are reflecting back on their year with a few questions:

• How well did I stick to my training plans? 
• Did I reach my annual mileage goal? 
• Was I doing enough cross-training? 

If you’re curious about how other runners performed this year, Strava can shed some light on the subject. The app’s annual “Year in Sport” report is out—and we wanted to put the running-related data on display for your viewing pleasure...

(Link to article)

Outside - Two-Hour Smart

Wisdom From the World's Best Marathoner
Martin Fritz Huber//Outside, Feb 9 2018

Eliud Kipchoge, the Olympic marathon champion, gave an address last November at the Oxford Union Society, a 200-year-old institution that touts itself as the “most famous debating society in the world.” Though there was no debating as such, attendees nonetheless got to hear two distinct perspectives on marathon running.

The first came from Kipchoge, winner of seven consecutive world-class marathons (and counting), who gave listeners some insight into his training philosophy in his characteristically understated style. The odds-on favorite to win the London Marathon in April spoke with quiet authority about the importance of consistency and discipline before ceding the lectern to David Bedford, the one-time world record holder in the 10,000 meters, who said he was certain that Kipchoge would retire as the “greatest distance runner the world had ever seen.”

(link to article)

Active: Dead Leg Day No More

9 Ways to Help Your Legs Recover in 24 Hours
Jennifer Fox/Active.com


If you've been a runner long enough, you've inevitably encountered a workout or run that's left your legs (and body) totally drained. Think: yesterday's hilly tempo or Saturday's 12-miler.


Part of success in running is consistency--the ability to get out there day after day and put in the work. When your legs are so trashed that you have to take unplanned days off, it can impede your progress.


But here's the good news. You can take steps to mitigate post-run soreness, so you can get back to training ASAP...


(Link to article)

Training Peaks: Fruitcake or Fast-Pace Work?

3 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Train This Winter
December 15, 2017/Andy Blow, Training Peaks


On the whole endurance athletes are a pretty self-motivated bunch. But even endurance athletes are only human, and as a result we suffer from the same fluctuations in “get up and go” as everyone else from time to time. These dips in motivation can range from the nagging desire to skip training for a day or two to full on slumps where you lose your workout mojo altogether for extended periods of time.


And this time of year can be particularly challenging from a “mojo” point of view because, for the most part, the “A” races for the year have disappeared into the rear view mirror but next season is still a good way off over the horizon. There are also dark mornings and evenings with often colder, wetter weather to contend with (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere at least). At this time of year it’s easier than ever to just skip training altogether.


Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in taking a decent end-of-year break if you’ve had a long, hard season. This is crucial for mental and physical recuperation. But, assuming that your planned downtime is coming to an end sometime in the near future, I thought it might be a good time to offer up a few tips gleaned from more than 20 years of tricking, cajoling and persuading myself to go out and train when frankly I’d much rather have hit the snooze button or spent more time working on the Homer Simpson-esque butt indentations in my sofa instead.... (link to article...)

CTS: Morning Exercisers, Rejoice

Tips to Boost Training After Daylight Savings Time Ends 

Darkness is coming! Saturday night we turn the clocks back an hour, gain an hour of sleep, and lose an hour of sunlight at the end of each day. For early-morning exercisers, the return to standard time is a welcome change. For those who rely on afternoon or after-work for training, earlier sunsets make training more challenging. As Daylight Savings Time ends, here are some tips to keep training through the darkness...

(Link to Article)

CTS: So Hush, Already

To Improve Your Training Stop Saying These Four Things
Syd Schulz, CTS Sponsored Athlete/


We all know negative self talk is bad, but how many of us are actually successful at stopping it? I know I often succumb to being my own worst critic, and just telling myself to “cut it out“ and “be positive” is rarely helpful. Ultimately, wrestling with your mind is just not productive — but there are some things you can do to set yourself up for success BEFORE you get bummed out. And they’re pretty darn simple. Even when it seems impossible to control the thoughts running through your brain, you CAN control what you do with them and what comes out of your mouth, and that’s a good start.


Here are four decisions I learned to make that have immeasurably improved my training and approach to sport. I’ve also included the things we say that keep us focused on the negative, and some examples of how you can reframe those responses. I’m leading with mountain biking lingo because that’s my sport, but the ideas apply to ultrarunning, road cycling, triathlon, and pretty much all endurance sports...


(Link to Article)

Outside: No Pain, No Painkillers

How to Treat Pain Without Painkillers
Rachael Schultz/Outside, October 17 2017

Learning to push through discomfort, and maybe even a little pain, is practically nonnegotiable for anyone who signs up for a race or commits to a tough training plan. Most athletes pop over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers before or during a race or game to help blunt tenderness, stiffness, and fatigue. “I’d say about 75 percent of endurance athletes across all sports take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) before and during competition,” says Jason Barker, founder and clinical consultant of the online Natural Athlete Clinic.

But rather than turn to things like aspirin and ibuprofen—which up your risk of acute kidney damage, oxidative stress, or hyponatremia while competing—try one of these all-natural ways to soothe soreness in the days leading up to your goal race or when that pain starts to creep in halfway through...

(Link to Article)

Outside: Five, No Four, Sir

4 Signs That You're Not Training Enough
Matt Fitzgerald/Outside, July 12 2017


All endurance athletes—from the champion ultrarunner to the first-time triathlete—have specific goals. And these goals are met by training. For most of us, training simply consists of following numbers on a page—three miles today, an hour run tomorrow, rest the next day. So how do you know if you’re training enough? How can you really ensure that you’ll be dialed come race day?


Here are general signs that it’s time to step up your workouts. While none of these alone is a definitive indicator of undertraining, if a few of them occur simultaneously, it may be time to spend more time on the trails...


(Link to Article)

Outside: Even Rest Takes Work

5 Questions to Determine if Rest is Best
Lindsey Emery/Outside, July 12 2017


For most sane people, a day off from exercise is a welcome chance to kick back and rest. Talk to many athletes, and they’ll tell you that a rest day feels counterproductive at best and alarming at worst. But no matter your goal, recovery is an integral part of any training plan and crucial for optimal performance, says Michele Olson, adjunct professor of exercise science at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. That said, effective recovery—things like getting a massage, meditating, stretching, rehydrating, and eating well—takes work, so don’t think you can sneak in a few “rest” days when you’re feeling a little lazy, she says. Instead, ask yourself these questions to determine if today’s fine to skip or if you should power through...


(Link to Article)

CTS: Sleep Before You Die

5 Ways Endurance Athletes Can Get More (and Better) Sleep
Jason Koop, CTS/July 11, 2017


In some ways, our glorification of entrepreneurial culture has sold you a bill of goods. “Be the first to arrive and the last to leave.” “Live for the grind.” “You can sleep when you’re dead.” “While you were sleeping, this guy was winning.” You know what successful people do? They sleep. They sleep soundly, and well, and they are protective of their sleep hours. Why? Sleep is the foundation of productivity, both in business and in sport. If you want to perform at your best this summer, don’t just focus on your training and nutrition. Focus on sleep, and here’s how...


(Link to Article)

What's Good For A Hundred Might Not Hurt For Less

Seven Steps to Recovery After Running 100 Miles
Jason Koop, CTS/June 27


I just returned home from supporting athletes at the 2017 Western States Endurance Run, and I’m tired. I need a recovery week and I didn’t even run the race! Congratulations to everyone who toed the start line, fought through their individual rough patches, and persevered to the finish. It was an exciting race, full of inspirational stories and great displays of sportsmanship. Now that it’s over, or when you reach the end of your 100-mile ultramarathon, it’s time to recover.


The biggest misconception about recovery after a 100-miler is that it happens quickly, and the biggest mistake athletes make is getting back into structured training too soon. To be a healthy ultrarunner and continue racing or participating for a long time, it’s essential to give your body and mind a significant break between events. For many athletes, running is an integral part of your lifestyle, which means the recovery period following a 100-miler requires patience and an unfamiliar change to your routine. It’s worth it, and here are some tips for optimizing recovery so you can continue to run strong...


(Link to Article)

CTS: In Time Out 'til Race Day

Tapering for Ultrarunning - How to Prevent Taper Tantrums!
By Jason Koop, CTS Coaching Director, Author of “Training Essentials for Ultrarunning”

For many athletes, tapering before a major goal event is a double-edged sword. On the one hand they are happy about the lightened training load, but on the other they are sometimes anxious or distressed by the reduction in training volume. Athletes have two primary fears during the taper process: detraining and missing out on time they could be using for additional training. These fears sometimes lead to a phenomenon we humorously refer to as “Taper Tantrums”. To avoid taper tantrums and get to the start line of your event in the best possible condition, he are some things you need to know about tapering...

(Link to Article)

CTS: Only Four Things. Cool,

4 Things Cyclists, Runners, and Triathletes Do Poorly
Carmichael Training Systems/June 15, 2017


You’re a smart person and endurance training isn’t rocket science. To be perfectly frank, you could probably figure out most subjects if you had the time and motivation to do so. So we understand if you’re looking at a bunch of training manuals, websites, and magazines and figuring you can handle this training thing on your own. But as good as you are on your own, here are 4 important things most athletes are not very good at...


(Link to Article)

CTS: So It's Mind And Matter After 40

Are You Just Getting Soft? Mental Toughness and Performance Decline in Athletes Over 40
Chris Carmichael/CTS, June 10, 2017

I spoke at two book signings this week and during both Q&A sessions I was asked about the impact of age on declining endurance performance. It’s one of the most common questions I get, and I’ve written about it previously. I’ve also been reading about mental toughness and the connection between hard training and pain tolerance. Somewhere in this milieu of information I suddenly remembered Muhammad Ali’s quote: “A man who views the world at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.” That’s when it clicked.

Now, before I can get to what clicked I have to give some background on what we’re talking about...

(Link to Article)

CTS: Seven Steps Less Than AA

ADAPT: A 5-Step Plan for When Everything Goes Wrong
Jason Koop, CTS

If you do one single thing at a high enough intensity for long enough, every once in a while everything goes wrong. As much as you have trained and prepared, you will eventually get punched in the mouth, so to speak. Your legs will feel like lead, your effort will feel unreasonable, you will start tripping over roots and rocks, and your stomach will be in knots. If you are especially unlucky, these in infirmities will all happen at once. And for many miles. Maybe not in your next race, or the one after that, but if you remain in the ultramarathon game for a long enough time, lady luck’s evil doppelgänger will eventually find you...

(Link to Article)

CTS: Heart Rate? Good. Now Ignore It.

Why Heart Rate Is Not a Good Training Tool for Ultrarunning
Jason Koop/CTS, May 18 2017

If you are going to use interval training to accumulate time at intensity and target specific areas of your fitness, you need a way to figure out how hard you are working. In some sports this is simple. As mentioned earlier, a cyclist with a power meter can directly measure workload in watts, determine how many watts he or she can produce at lactate threshold, and then create intensity ranges based on percentages of lactate threshold power. Ultrarunners don’t have it so easy. For a long time, runners have tried to use heart rate to gauge intensity, intensity ranges based on percentages of lactate threshold heart rate or the average heart rate recorded during a 5K time trial. Others have used pace ranges based on time trials or goal race paces, or a combination of heart rate and pace ranges. Prescribing intensity based on either heart rate or pace is notoriously difficult in ultrarunning, and after trying all manner of methods, I found the greatest success in a remarkably simple, nontechnical, yet scientifically accurate method: rating of perceived exertion...

(Link to Article)