This morning, on the week anniversary of the Australia Day Ultra (ADU) , I was running a 10k easy but feeling fatigued to a point I was finding maintaining 5min/k average a struggle. It was just about 8am , the exact time a week earlier I was finishing the last kilometre of the 100k in about the same pace. This mornings run I was well rested the night before and, truth be told, had an easy week recovery. The legs though were struggling to maintain the last lap pace of the ADU. Fatigue had come to pay a visit and it was time to take an afternoon off.

When fatigue comes calling the best thing to do is rest. I have posted before about running on tired legs and the benefit of this but I feel fatigue is the next level and probably needs to be approached from the ‘rest is good’ angle. You’ll know the difference between fatigue and tired legs because there is more of a mental feature involved in fatigue. It’s not just the legs that are normally tired, it’s you thinking you ‘just ain’t feeling it’.  Even after the 1k (always go for at least 1k before deciding to pull the pin on a run, most times things begin to improve in k2) which you normally use as a tester you still can’t seem to pick up the pace. You can normally finish the run if it’s less than 10k, anything more and you need to reconsider and probably turn early.

Rest is good solution to fatigue but it depends on your workload, in my case I didn’t run in the afternoon , saving my legs for Sunday’s long run with the boys. I’ll make an effort to run within myself tomorrow but must admit if the boys decide to go hard I’ll have to go with them, it would be rude not to. The fatigue I’m feeling at the moment will pass and listening to my body I realise this is a small road bump on my freeway to PB land and one that will be negotiated. The afternoon was spent blogging and drinking tea and eating the odd biscuit, not a bad way to rest in my view. Running really is the sport that keeps on giving, when your body feels it needs a rest you get to drink tea and eat biscuits, I mean what  other sport gives you that option. (Tomorrow is another bonus day for us runners, the post long run pancakes. Running really is the sport of the Gods.)

Since June last year I have doubled up most days and I certainly feel my body is now use to the two runs a day, albeit normally easy runs. This extra workload culminated in many PB’s in the final few months of 2016. When something is working there is no point changing it so for the foreseeable future it will be double up days , continuing to build up the foundation from 2016. The only issue with my master plan is really I haven’t factored in rest. It is something I’ve not done in the last 6 months and even now do not intend to have rest days moving forward. That is not to say this is the right thing to do but I’m enjoying my running so much lately a day off is not something I aspire to. So it’s time to roll the dice again and see if I can persuade the body that the workload is achievable and the end result justified. I’m confident I can, until then I got time for one more cup of tea and maybe a digestive or two…

The article below from Jenny Hadfield from Runners World gives a few reasons for fatigue and solutions. Worth a read.

I have seen this in my athletes, and in most cases if you look at the following variables, you can identify the culprit and modify your plan to preserve your training season. The first step is becoming aware, so you’ve already been there, done that. Let’s move on the step two and see if any of these apply to you.

Progression load. It can be tempting to improve the progression rate or volume of your training when your goal is to improve, but if you do so without a proper base to support the load increase, it can drain you. When trying to improve time, it’s best to change volume and intensity workloads based on your training recipe and what’s worked in the past, as well as where you were fitness-wise when you began the marathon-training season.

For instance, if you ran a 3:50 marathon last year training on four days per week and two 20-mile long runs, you could improve that by adding in speed workouts and progressive cutback runs. Some try to add a lot more 20-milers or 20+ milers to the mix, thinking they’ll cover the distance more efficiently, but it can end up draining you. If you dramatically changed your training plan or added a lot more to your core plan, this may be causing your body to break down. The good news is it’s not too late, as you can revamp, modify and make more gradual improvements this season to allow your body time to adapt and get stronger.

The elements. It’s no secret that it’s harder to train in the heat, and the country has been in a heat wave the past few weeks. Training for long-distance events in extreme heat can suck the life out of you and require a lot more recovery. Take a look at when your symptoms started. If that timing correlates to the heat wave, your tiredness may be due to chronic dehydration, heat-related stress, and general fatigue from the greater demands of training in the heat. I’ve shared three ways to train safely in a heat wave here and nine tips for keeping your cool here.

Training by pace. My coaching philosophy is based on training by the body rather than by pace because when you listen to your body, you’re in the optimal training zone for the purpose of the day’s workout. Training is about doing strategically placed, purposeful workouts in a progression to apply just enough stress to the body that it adapts and gains fitness. Often the missing link in training plans is tailoring it to your body, your life, and your fitness.

If you’re training by a calculated pace based on a formula or a race you did four weeks ago, you’re likely to over- or under-train, as your body is never in the same place daily. It’s like guessing the winning lottery numbers. The body knows effort not pace. For example, a common mistake I see runners make with long runs is to base them on planned finish time or just bump them up faster than last year’s training pace because the goal is to improve. That’s fine until you start running in your anaerobic zone because of the heat, lack of sleep, or the fact that it’s early in the season, and your fitness doesn’t support the planned pace. You end up struggling to finish or completely wiped out when you do. If you continue on this trend you can accumulate too much stress and end up in a continual state of fatigue, unable to recover from the greater demands of training along the way. One sign that you’ve overdone it is if the fatigue doesn’t subside after a few weeks.

It’s actually easier if you let go of pace as a guide and run with the flow of your body and the purpose of the day’s workout. If your plan calls for a Tempo Run, the goal is to run at a sustained effort at—or slightly above—your threshold. That is not based on a pace but a metabolic system in your body. If you train by the purpose of the workout, your pace will vary throughout the season (that’s the fun part). Read How to Run a Tempo Run in the Heat. The goal is to train first by the purpose of the workout, and then by the body. Let your pace be the outcome of the workout. That way, you can have fun watching your body progress as you run longer, cover the miles more quickly, and become comfortable with how varied pace can be day to day and week to week.

Sleep, rest, fuel and life stress. When you’re asking your body to train hard for a marathon, all of the other variables need to be in balance to support your efforts. Elite athletes are known to sleep 10-12 hours a day, plus a nap! They treat sleep as a recovery tool and invest in it to perform at their best. When your body is lacking quality sleep, fatigue is the first symptom, followed by other negative consequences like hormone imbalance, which can dramatically affect your energy, health, and performance down the road. Your body will require more sleep when training for a marathon. Train like an elite runner, and invest in getting your Z’s.

Getting in enough complete rest days and easy running days is also key. I was shocked to learn that an elite runner friend of mine ran 8:30 pace for his easy recovery runs—that’s a whopping 3+ minutes slower than his harder running efforts. If you run your easy days too hard (which is very easy to do), you don’t recover and carry that fatigue forward to your next workout. Running with a slower friend and cross-training at easy-to-moderate efforts are great ways to assure you’re truly going easy enough and bridging the gap between your long and harder runs. Invest in at least one complete rest day weekly to balance the demands of expenditure with restoration. This is especially true for those that lead busy, hectic lives.

Lack of calories is a biggie when it comes to energy drain. Take an inventory of your expenditure by using a free log like Fitday.com, and make sure to refuel with enough calories via high-quality carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Everyone has a unique metabolic system, and what works for me may not work for you. This is why keeping a log for a month will help you tune into how much energy you need, identify the balance of ingredients (carbs, proteins, fats), and allow you to see whether your recipe is fueling you well. You can also experience the same energy drain if you’re not taking in what your body runs well on. For instance, some do well on a traditional higher carbohydrate diet (C-60%/ P-25%/F-15%), while others shine with a mixed diet and a more equal blend (C-40%/P-30%/F-30%). Keep track, tune into your body, and take note of your energy and emotions after you eat. It’s an easy and effective way to find out what kind of fuel your body prefers.

Whether you’re starting a new job, in the middle of a snarky divorce, or moving, life stress has an effect on your overall health and requires energy to navigate through it. As best you can, try to eliminate the drama and stress from your life. Sometimes just identifying what drains you is enough to motivate you to remove it from your life. If it’s inevitable stress, find other ways to reduce the toll on your body (sleep, down days, fewer running days, meditation). The idea is to remove the environmental stress to make room for the demands of your training.

Read the label. Take a look at the side effects of any medications you’re taking. Some list fatigue and other unfortunate side effects that, when blended with a demanding marathon training season, can suck the life out of you and your legs. It is also common for endurance athletes (especially women) to have low iron, folate, and other B vitamin levels which can have a profound effect on your energy levels and life performance overall. In many cases this can be resolved by a properly balanced diet and adequate caloric consumption. Some runners need to take additional supplements to achieve balance. The key is to know what you’re putting in your body, go with clean foods with few ingredients, and your body will reward you with improved health and energy.

Finally, you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish by tuning into your body and life. You may find it’s as simple as changing your focus from pace to effort or adding a few hundred more calories to your day. The great news is you identified the fatigue, reached out for help and guidance, and now have the tools to assess why you’re feeling this way. In many cases, with a few tweaks to your routine, you’ll be back up and running at 100% in a matter of days or weeks.

I’ve mentioned both these topics before but they are important enough to warrant another post as in the last few days I have seen for myself how these two runners traits manifest themselves. First on Sunday after our long run we were all blown away when,  at the cafe afterwards over the obligatory pancakes and coffee , Jon’s order turned up and it was a fruit salad. There was a hush around the table before some light hearted banter about Jon’s last minute effort to ditch weight for the upcoming Australia Day Ultra. (http://australiadayultra.com ) I must admit I feel Jon is probably leaving it a bit late but the sacrifice was there and although he made a good effort in disguising his disappointment it was obvious to all.

Runners need to make sacrifices almost daily to ‘be the best they can be’. Every meal needs to be planned , organised, researched and digested. This can be a daily battle if we are thrust out with our comfort zone. This happened to me recently when I was on a family holiday and had to visit restaurants and then faced with menus not designed with health and well being in mind. I had to scour the menu and find the meal that, in my view, would do the least about of damage to my body. On both occasions I was saved by Salmon and mash potato with dill sauce and asparagus, which I think is a ‘super food‘, apparently. ? The garlic bread was justifiable as it contained carbs and as runners we love carbs. Sweet was a definite no-no as the portions were far too big and I remember thinking I would have to go long the next day in an attempt to cancel out some of the calories I would be digesting.

You wonder why most runners have no social life. I personally am just about tea total , though will admit to one glass of red wine over the festive period. Note,  I did run a record week on Christmas week which is probably sad but made me feel good about myself. I suppose this really is a case of only a runner knows the feeling. ?

What sacrifices do I make. I have a sweet tooth and as you’ll see in most posts my running can sometimes seem like an excuse to eat pancakes at Clancy’s in City Beach or Muffins at Yelo in Trigg. (I highly recommend both by the way.) I can semi-justify both of these are being ‘running friendly’  in the fact that they can aid the recovery process and we normally eat these after a run. (Never tried before a run but after my Christmas Day nightmare when I ran a few hours after a full Sunday Roast I suspect it really would be a bad idea. It seems cyclists are the only true athletes who can stop in the middle of a ride, drink soya light-frappacinos in lycra and then continue as if nothing has happened? Go figure ?) Tea and biscuits are another weakness of mine and only eaten as a treat after a marathon. I have been known to destroy a packet of dark chocolate digestives with a good cuppa’ but insist on running a marathon first. Again sacrifices, a runner can never really let themselves go and enjoy the ‘good things in life’ , these ‘good things‘ are different things to different people but as runners we are all in the same boat when we are usually denied them. Otherwise I suppose it wouldn’t be a sacrifice. ?

Another important runners trait is routine. I bumped into Nic Harman this morning at the traffic lights, I invited Nic along to our Thursday morning Yelo progressive run. (We could probably keep up with Nic for the first 4-5k until he would have got bored with our pace and turned on the afterburners!) Nic turned down my invitation as he had a tempo session Thursday evening and would need to be fresh for that . (Truth be told a 14k progressive with myself and the BK posse would not test young Nic and I’d be surprised if he managed to move to third gear.)  Either way the point of this story is the routine is there and it is not to be wavered from, even being tempted by Yelo muffins and my company would now sway Nic. (Maybe he doesn’t like muffin’s, what other reason could it be ?)

So is all this sacrifice and routine worth it ? You lose most of your non-running friends, your wife will start to organise a social life alone and her friends will start to see her as single with no ‘significant other’, you’ll be first to rise for your morning run with the sunrise and also first to bed after reading the 9 year old her bedtime story. Alcohol and restaurants will become no-no’s and weight will be a constant niggling voice in the back of your mind as you move towards the sweet stall or hover in the chocolate isle at your local deli. Routine dictates you wake every morning, no matter how fatigued, and stumble out of bed and up to the top of your street before turning on the GPS function on your watch and heading off on anther 10k to go with the previous hundreds you’ve already completed and knowing there are probably thousands still to do.

Is it all worth it ? Of course it is. When you get one of those runs when it all comes together and you make a time you thought  beyond you everything pales into insignificance. Sacrifice and routine are just two pieces of the jigsaw that make up the whole picture and when it all comes together it can be a wondrous thing to behold.

Finally, if nothing else, it allows us runners to eat pancakes and the odd muffin to aid recovery and that in itself is enough for me, the rest is a bonus.

Part of running is establishing a training program that works for you. For a running tragic like myself this normally encompasses running twice a day , every day,  minimum. Add in a progressive run with the boys Thursday morning, with the obligatory Yelo muffin as reward, a long run with the boys Sunday with a Clancys pancake as reward and at least one fartlek somewhere in the week and you have a routine.  Repeat this for a minimum of ten weeks and you have a ‘foundation stage’ which becomes the springboard for your target goal race distance.

Lydiard called this the base conditioning stage and was all about developing your aerobic capacity. Lydiard believed that although every runner has a limited anaerobic (speed-building) capacity, that limit is largely set by one’s aerobic potential—the body’s ability to use oxygen. Thus, the aerobic capacity that you develop determines the success of your entire training program.

The foundation of Lydiard-style base conditioning is three long runs per week. These are steady runs done at more than recovery effort. To determine your pace, choose a relatively flat course and run out at a strong pace for 15 minutes, then run back. The goal is to return in the same time or slightly faster. If it takes you longer for the return trip, you paced yourself too fast. The objective of these runs is to be “pleasantly tired,” says Lydiard. Running slower will produce positive effects, but the results will take longer. Do not run to the point of lactic-acid buildup.

An ideal training week during this period includes a two-hour run and two one and one half-hour runs. On the other days do short, easy runs; one run with some light picking up of the pace; and one 5K to 10K tempo run (below lactate-threshold pace). Decrease the times and distances if you don’t have the mileage base to start at such high volume, then build gradually.

The foundation stage needs to become routine and runners need to be able to go-through the motions daily, weekly and monthly to get through this stage before tailoring their plan to their goal race. As a runner you need to be able to know daily what is expected of you and reach each daily goal,  with the end goal always in sight. Personally I need to have a goal to work towards and as soon as I achieve that goal I’m onto the next one.

My year consists of normally 3-4 marathons,  (Perth, City to Surf, Rottnest , Bunbury (sometimes) ) 4-5 half marathons, 4-5 10k’s , a smattering of 5k’s (mainly park runs) and at least two ultra’s ( 6 inch marathon and the Australia Day Ultra). Having so many races in a year has two main benefits. First it helps me maintain my 80-20 Matt Fitzgerald training regime. The 20% running at pace is normally taken care off by adding a bib to my chest and racing. Secondly I always have a goal to work towards and it’s normally on the horizon pretty quickly. This helps keep me motivated, not that I need much encouragement truth be told.  Another benefit, or a curse?, is that I’m always training for a specific race which is normally on me pretty quickly. There really is no time for the odd day off or a down week when I just ‘wasn’t feeling it’.

This is when routine comes into play, when I can run though the sessions in a ‘zombie’ like trance and just ‘get them done’ . Ok maybe not quite as bad as zombie like trances but I have the ability to know what is expected, not hit the snooze button on the alarm, and just get out of bed and put on the trainers.  Adding group runs to the routine is a big motivator as you don’t want to let your fellow runners down and for me it’s the social side afterwards that make these runs more enjoyable than the solo run. (No one likes to eat muffins and drink coffee alone do they ?)

Another option is to join your local running club. As well as meeting like minded people you will also get to work with coaches who will help you be the best you can be. Here in sunny Perth we are lucky to have the Running Centre overseen by Ray Baugh, an ex-top duathlon  champion. ( http://therunningcentre.com.au )Raf has put together a team of coaching superstars  who live and breath everything running. Their passion is infectious and this certainly helps entice you from the bed to the track or park.

The last thing you could do of course is to meet runners over the years in changing rooms all around your local city, band together, get the same tops with a professional design and then run together every lunchtime. The St Georges Terrace Running club can normally be found outside the Woodside building most weekdays at midday. After the obligatory pre-run banter, normally involving either weight issues, injuries or the latest stock to lose money on, we scurry off on one of our many loved running routes before skulking back just before 1pm and returning to the pod where we busily upload our lunchtime run to Strava. Now that is a routine I look forward to every weekday….

As 2016 draws to a close the one thing I can say for sure is distance is king when it comes to improving your running.  Arthur Lydiard got it spot on and his method of training has been mimicked by most of the successful coaches ever since. From the article below  “For Lydiard, running to your potential is about having a substantial mileage base and not overdoing your anaerobic training.”  Matt Fitzgerald, as you will know my go-to man, also advocates this method of training. ( http://mattfitzgerald.org ) and I recommend you purchase any of his books.  This year I have managed to achieve times I though beyond me on a number of occasions and far from slowing down has refocussed my goals for 2017 on faster times and more PB’s.

What changed for me in 2016? Distance, plain and simple. I achieved the extra time on legs by running twice a day as much as possible and since June this year averaging nearly 140k a week and 10-12 runs. Pace wise I slowed down in the week but tried to race at least once a fortnight, sometimes more often. This allowed me to move into the Matt Fitzgerald 80% slow and steady and 20% at pace training split.  I’ve attached a typical few weeks blow taken from my Strava account ( you have to be on Strava, http://www.strava.com , and feel free to follow me; search on ‘Big Kev’, Perth.)

Last year was a record year for me as I managed to break 5000km for the year, this year I’ll be over 5900km’s and this extra 1000km, I believe, has been the major difference, coupled with the twice a day running. It seems with running the more you do the better you are, it really is that simple. Of course you can add tempo, thresholds, VO2 , Mona fartlek’s , progressive etc. to make the training more interesting but in the end just put on your trainers and get out there more. Of course there is always the issue with injury waiting in the shadows to pounce  when you are at your most vulnerable and by adding all the ‘exciting‘ training methods you leave yourself susceptible to falling victim. Common sense dictates you are more likely to get injured straining your muscles on quicker paced training runs but it really is a two edge sword as the benefits can be worth the risk. Distance running does minimise the risk of injury as you’re putting less strain on the muscles, increased fitness purely by repetition.

Maybe improving isn’t that simple after all ? After reading the last paragraph again I realise that there is no magic bullet for improvement but running distance is probably the best way to stack the odds in your favour. It has many benefits, you get to do what you love most, i.e. run, a lot, it minimises the risk of injury and it is a sure fire way to improve. This is good enough for me. The adding pace bit is a necessary evil I suppose and worth the risk. After all the whole point of this running thing is to improve and run distance faster,  isn’t it ? To do this you need to understand what your goal pace is and also be able to better it at shorter distances.

An article below is a good starter on the Lydiard method and I recommend you adjust your training accordingly. If it can help an ageing runner like myself achieve times beyond my wildest dreams it can make a difference to your running. Finally remember, the best part of this training is you get to do what we all love doing in the first place, run a lot.

Forty years ago at the Rome Olympics, athletes guided by legendary New Zealand coach Arthur Lydiard made history. Among Lydiard’s protégés were a total of 17 Olympic medalists, including Peter Snell (800 and 1,500 meters), Murray Halberg (5,000 meters) and Barry Magee (marathon). Lydiard, now 82, toured the U.S. last fall, speaking to runners on the Lydiard method of training. He was as passionate as ever about sharing the methods he developed 50 years ago.Lydiard hasn’t changed his training advice over the decades, and why should he? His ideas work. Moreover, if you look carefully at the most popular and successful programs today, most have a Lydiard emphasis. For Lydiard, running to your potential is about having a substantial mileage base and not overdoing your anaerobic training. There are no shortcuts.

A Revolutionary Method

Lydiard discovered running for sport when he struggled to run five miles with a friend. Forced to confront his own unfitness, he self-experimented with training, including running more than 250 miles in one week. He developed a plan that he felt confident in using with other runners. Central to his method was the importance of training in phases and peaking for major events.According to Lydiard, any successful training program must culminate in a goal race or racing period. This means planning several months. The ideal training schedule is at least 28 weeks: 12 weeks for base conditioning, eight weeks for hill training and speed development, six weeks for sharpening and 10 days for tapering/rest.

Phase 1: Base Conditioning/Aerobic Training

This three-month period is the most important in the Lydiard system. If you want to give yourself every opportunity to reach your goal, you must commit to developing your aerobic capacity, says Lydiard. Why? Because although every runner has a limited anaerobic (speed-building) capacity, that limit is largely set by one’s aerobic potential—the body’s ability to use oxygen. Thus, the aerobic capacity that you develop determines the success of your entire training program.

The foundation of Lydiard-style base conditioning is three long runs per week. These are steady runs done at more than recovery effort. To determine your pace, choose a relatively flat course and run out at a strong pace for 15 minutes, then run back. The goal is to return in the same time or slightly faster. If it takes you longer for the return trip, you paced yourself too fast. The objective of these runs is to be “pleasantly tired,” says Lydiard. Running slower will produce positive effects, but the results will take longer. Do not run to the point of lactic-acid buildup.

An ideal training week during this period includes a two-hour run and two one and one half-hour runs. On the other days do short, easy runs; one run with some light picking up of the pace; and one 5K to 10K tempo run (below lactate-threshold pace). Decrease the times and distances if you don’t have the mileage base to start at such high volume, then build gradually.

Phase 2: Hill Training/Speed Development

Lydiard-style hill training, the focus of the first four weeks of this period, involves a circuit that includes bounding uphill, running quickly downhill and sprinting. These workouts develop power, flexibility and good form, all of which produce a more economical running style. Ideally, you should find a hill with three parts: a flat 200- to 400-meter area at the base for sprints, a 200- to 300-meter rise for bounding and a recovery area or moderate downhill segment at the top. Alternatively you can work out on a treadmill with an adjustable incline.

After a warm-up, bound uphill with hips forward and knees high. Lydiard describes the stride as “springing with a bouncing action and slow forward progression.” If you can’t make it all the way up, jog, then continue bounding. At the top jog easily for about three minutes or run down a slight incline with a fast, relaxed stride. Then return to the base of the hill for the next bounding segment. Every 15 minutes (after about every third or fourth hill), intersperse several 50- to 400-meter sprints on flat ground. These sprints mark the end of one complete circuit. Lydiard recommends a total workout time of one hour (plus warm-up and cool-down). Do this hill circuit three days per week.

On three of the four remaining days, focus on developing leg speed. Lydiard suggests 10 repetitions of 120 to 150 meters over a flat or very slight downhill surface. Warm up and cool down thoroughly.) The seventh day is a one and one-half to two-hour steady-state run.

During the second four weeks, shift from hills to traditional track workouts. The objective here, says Lydiard, is to “finish knowing that you could not do much more nor any better.” This sensation of fatigue matters less than how many intervals you do at what speeds, though the workout should total about three miles of fast running. Perform these track sessions three times per week. Use the remaining four days for a long run, leg-speed work and sprint-training drills traditionally done by sprinters to develop strength, form and speed.

Phase 3: Sharpening

How many times have you died in the last half of your race? Or alternatively, finished with too much left? Sharpening allows you to test for your strengths and weaknesses as you prepare for your goal race. Three workouts do not vary. The first is the long run, done at a relaxed pace. The second is an anaerobic training session done at a greater intensity and lower volume. Lydiard suggests five laps of a 400-meter track (about seven to eight minutes of running) alternating 50 meters of sprinting and 50 meters of easy, but strong, running.

The third consistent workout is a weekly time trial at or below the distance for which you are training. A 10K runner would do a 5K to 10K trial; a 1,500 meter runner would do 1,200 to meters. Ideally, do this workout on a track and record every lap to determine your weaknesses, and work on them throughout the rest of that week and the following week. For example, if the second half of your trial is slower than the first half, run a longer tune-up race that week and a longer time trial the next week. If the pace felt difficult but you were able to maintain it pretty evenly, work on your leg speed.

Round out your training week with a sprint-training session, a pace judgment day (4 x 400 meters at goal race pace), a leg-speed workout and a tune-up race. All these workouts should be geared to your goal distance and pace.

Phase 4: Tapering and Rest

Lydiard calls the final 10 days before goal race “freshening up.” This involves lightening your training to build up your physical and mental reserves for the target competition. Train every day but keep the faster running low in volume and the longer runs light in effort.

Unquestionably, Lydiard’s program tests your commitment and desire, and it requires a solid understanding of your individual needs. If you are serious, start counting out those 28 weeks.

Christine Junkermann has a 10K PR of 33:34 and lives in Woodbridge, CT. She recommends Run the Lydiard Way and Running With Lydiard, both by Arthur Lydiard with Garth Gilmour, for more information on the Lydiard method.

This morning I had a 90 minutes easy run planned with a 7am finish at our favourite go to cafe Yelo. ( http://yelocornerstore.com.au ; they still serve the best muffins in the Southern Hemisphere !) There were seven of us who started at 5:30am with Mark L. meeting us at 7am as he was running for an hour and progressively. We were again joined by Mark Lee who you may remember came along on our last 90 minutes easy and fidgeted the whole time. Mark is a ‘speedster’ who loves the sorter distances and finds the running slow and long run alien to his training regime. This is obvious to all as he struggles to maintain the easy pace we all quite happily settle into. This morning it was too much for Mark and after a 5k warm up with us he bounded off to run a Mona Fartlek alone. By the time we got back to Yelo he had ordered his coffee and muffins for the whole family and was on his way back to the family home.  As you can see from the photo below, no Mark Lee. !

At the other end of the scale Jon joined us at the start of the run, after already running 10k, and then carried on for a 55k total, again not stopping for the best part of running, the apre-run muffin and coffee. Actually while I type this Jon is probably still running. (..and eating as he was carrying a handful of treats which apparently you’re allowed to do if you run ultras.)

Two different training approaches for two people training for different distances. Jon is training for the ADU ( http://australiadayultra.com ) and has gone down the path of several long runs (50k+) compared to my double up days and no real longer distance runs. Mark is more focused on pace rather than distance as he aims for the 5k and 10k races he excels in.

Me and the posse just do enough to justify the coffee and muffin at Yelo and we actually discussed the calories in (via the coffee and muffin) compared to the calories out gained after the 19k easy run. We all agreed we’d be calorie negative after the 19k run and this certainly made the muffin taste that bit sweeter.

Should you train differently for different distances or can one training method be a good fit for all running distances. ? I believe building distance first , as a foundation, concentrating on time on legs, does benefit all distance running. The change occurs when you fine tune your training for your specific race distance. Myself, being a jack of all trades, I have built a big foundation through years of injury free running. (I hate even typing those words..) This has then allowed me to fine tune to a specific race distance given a few weeks notice. For example if I have a 10k or half marathon coming up I’ll concentrate on more speed work like a mona fartlek or some 5k park runs. These will get me use to the pace I need to maintain during the upcoming race. Also helps the fast twitch muscles fire ( http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/training/the-role-of-muscle-fibers-in-running_82416 A good article on the different muscle fibres) For marathons I concentrate on longer tempo runs at marathon pace getting use to running for longer at the pace I need to maintain for the marathon. I’ll also keep working on the shorter, faster runs as these will still add value, if nothing else if feels good to run fast.

Ultra running is all about time on legs and Jon’s approach is certainly the ‘normal’ way of training. Slow and steady and all about time rather than distance, the most important factor is finishing fresh as you move towards the required distance. Obviously you aren’t going to run a 100k training run for a 100k ultra but you should probably get up in the 50k area , probably ? This is from a runner who doesn’t intend to run past 30k but what can go wrong after 8 hours of running ? (Also there is a parachute clause that you can stop at 50k and claim a 50k ultra medal. Funnily enough my friend Rhys used this to his advantage when he entered the 50k and bailed after 25k. The RD insisted on giving Rhys a 25k race medal so really he’d won that race albeit he started 3 hours before anybody else as they were staggered starts. A technicality according to Rhys.)

So back to Mark Lee and his inability to run slow. Is this causing him a disservice in his training , probably not as he has been at the front of the pack for a number of years and continues to record great running times. Would he benefit from a 3-4 month period of slow, high mileage training; undoubtably. Will he ever be able to achieve this ? Not a chance, far too much time fidgeting , looking at his watch, adjusting his shorts and top, looking at his watch etc etc Some people just don’t get the beauty of slowing down to speed up. Saying that I’ve raced Mark many times of the years and am yet to beat him so maybe I need to fidget more or just run faster ?

One of my favourite runners growing up in the UK in the early eighties was Sebastian Coe who , together with Steve Ovett and Steve Cram, dominated middle distance running between 1980 and 1984. Coe and Ovett between them won four gold medals at a time when the UK middle distance scene was in disarray with Brendan Foster the only real athlete of note.  My favourite all time Seb Coe quote is below and I have mentioned this before on my blog.

It was a harsh winter (harsh enough to bring down a government) but I ran 12 miles on Christmas morning. It was a hard session and I got home, showered and felt pretty happy with what I had done.

Later that afternoon, sitting back after Christmas lunch, I began to feel uneasy but was not quite sure why. Suddenly it dawned on me. I thought: “I bet [Steve] Ovett’s out there doing his second training session of the day.” I put the kit back on, faced the snow and ice and did a second training session. I ran several miles, including some hill work.

Not long ago, over supper in Melbourne, I told him the story. He laughed. ‘Did you only go out twice that day?’ he asked.

Well Christmas Day was too good an opportunity not to try and repeat what Seb had ran on that cold day in 1979. Admittedly it was a tad warmer in Perth, mid thirties I think, but it was about getting out there after a ‘monster Christmas dinner with all the trimmings’ cooked so beautifully by my lovely Wife. I did give myself a break after wolfing down the meal by watching ‘the Trolls’ on TV with the family before announcing to my Wife I was off for a second run for the day. (I had sneaked in a 10k earlier after the kids had devoured their presents and it was quiet time as they scurried off to their rooms to do whatever young girls do in the privacy of their bedrooms?)

So I off went on another 10k thinking how much fun this was going to be as I had noted on Strava earlier in the day there was quite a bit of activity earlier in the morning but so far no double runners, to good an opportunity to miss. Initially my bravado was rewarded with a 4k pleasant enough run into Star Swamp and I must admit to feeling quite smug with myself. This feeling was not one that was to continue with me on the rest of the run unfortunately when, around 5k, the wheels fell off big time. Actually thinking about it now it wasn’t just the wheels that were ejected I suspect the head gasket, cylinder head and all accompanying items on the engine decided to seize at the same time. This was not good 5k into a 10k loop. I had nowhere to go but forward and to finish it was a 5k run in either direction.

The next 5k was a regressive run at it’s best (or worst?), each kilometre got progressively slower and more painful and luckily I managed to find some comfort in a toilet break at 8k. I say comfort in the broadest sense of the word by the way, more a place to sit down for 5 minutes and try and regain my faculties. I did eventually get home where I stumbled past the onlooking Wife mumbled something about being ‘ill’ , survived a shower and straight to bed. It wasn’t even 8 O’Clock on Christmas Day but my day was over, big time. ! Luckily I had arranged to meet the BK posse for a 90 minutes easy run at 5am the next morning. As you can imagine this gave me great comfort as I lay in bed replaying the whole sorry affair.

In my defence , as a family, we all suffered a small dose of food poising on Christmas Eve eating some fish and chips while watching the sunset. (Funnily enough we all remarked at the time how good the meal was.?) I’m not sure Lord Coe had this issue before his run, and if he did he never mentioned it? Anyhow the moral of this story is two fold. First never ever attempt to run a second run after a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings (luckily I was too full for sweet and had planned to eat it after my run ! Yeah right ! It’s still in the fridge). Secondly I now realise why  Sebastian Coe has two gold medals and two silver medals at two Olympics and I haven’t and never will. It takes a Olympian , and a bloody good one at that, to run twice on Christmas day.

Next year I’m goint stay with the family and go for the Trolls and Dr. Seuss’s ‘How the Gringe Stole Christmas ‘ double header…….

It was a big night in the Matthews running household tonight. I got to run my go-to 10k for the 200th time (Well 200th time on Strava  ( http://www.strava.com ) and if it wasn’t on Strava it didn’t happen.) I’ve ran this route so many times it has a name , ‘Old Faithful’. 

As you can see from the image above my 10k loop takes in Star Swamp where I get to watch the sunrise in Summer and race the sunset in Winter. There a couple of nice rises which can test you if you’re fatigued, especially the last one after the Kings Straight. (The King of Carine has a 1k segment which he runs ridiculously quick. Nic, The King of Carine, Harman will one day represent Australia at either the Commonwealth or Olympic Games, mark my word.  The only downside in having young Nic in the neighbourhood is you don’t get to keep any Strava segment records because as they appear on Nic’s radar they disappear from mine. ! )

The run itself starts with a nice downhill to ease you into it before a small rise as you register your first 1k. It’s downhill again to the corner of Marmion Avenue as you hit the 2k mark just before you cross the road into the Star Swamp. It’s here you get to watch the sunrise most mornings and it really is like the first time, every time. It certainly inspires me and puts a smile on my face every time as I think of the rest of the population of Perth in the land of Nod missing this spectacular show of nature at her best. As you pop out of Star Swamp, just after the 4k mark,  onto Beach Road and into a kilometre rise on a bike path before a nice downhill section that encourages pace and sets you up for the Carine Park section of the run. You hit 7k as you enter the park and normally you have the park to yourself in the early morning light. If you time it right you get to watch the suns tentacles move through the trees and long lines of sunlight dance around you as you continue on you way.

You hit the top of the King Straight just over 8k and you have a decision to make either taking the Kings bike path and steeping up a gear or slowing it down and cruise on the grass. Must admit lately the cruise has been my route of choice. At the end of the Kings Straight is the third road crossing where you can prepare yourself for the last hill and the final small section back to the house.

So what makes this run so interesting that I’ve ran it 200 times. I believe it has everything you need in a running route, some nice hill sections, some off road trails, a section that encourages speed, the King’s Straight if you are really excited and a park section that reminds you how lucky you are to live in this wonderful country. I’m as excited about running it tomorrow (probably) as I was the first time I ran it and hope to run it another 200 times and more, assuming the status quo is maintained. If I was to move I would find another old faithful and I’m sure I’d start to rack up the mileage but this route will always have a special place in my running heart and sometimes familiarity does not breed contempt.

Did I make a big deal of the 200th running, not really, just me and the old girl doing what we do best, enjoying each others company. As runners we all need an Old Faithful…….

This morning it was meant to be an easy 10k as the last run pre-6 inch ultra marathon on Sunday. As Thursday is normally a progressive run day and we normally run 14k, starting at 5:30am outside Yelo thus finishing at 6:30am when Yelo opens,  it was decided to start 10 minutes later and slow the pace and shorten the distance. If all went to plan we would run for 50 minutes at 5min/k pace and be back ay Yelo for the 6:30am opening, as per usual.

Off we went,  myself and ‘Marky’ Mark Lommers meeting with with Mike Kowal after the first kilometre before being joined by Mark Lee who had been running a Fartlek but decided to slow down the pace for company. The four of us headed south for the planned 5k before turning to complete the morning 10k. As always with our group the banter was fast, relentless and amusing. That’s the good thing about company the time just disappears and before we knew it we were 6k into our run, unfortunately with all the banter I had lost track of distance and 6k into the run would have been fine if we had turned a kilometre ago, we hadn’t.

Thus my 50 minute, 10k run was now going to be at least a 12k run and nowhere near the 50 minute time allowed to get back to Yelo for opening. I blame Mark Lee myself but I’m sure he’d say the same thing about me. That is the point, the four of us were having such a laugh we forgot all about distance and time, just ran with good friends having a great time, well I was anyway. This is the point of the post, friends really do make running seem easier and actually a more enjoyable experience all round. It gets even better as you get to sit down with them afterwards , over a muffin/pancakes and good coffee and ‘chew the fat’ for an hour. How good is that ? I can never understand how people say running is ‘boring’, they obviously haven’t spent anytime with my group of runners, we are many things but boring ain’t one of them.

It gets even better on the Sunday long runs as we have 2 hours to kill and the banter is again normally continuous, like a tsunami of useless facts (and fiction) or putting the world to right. The topics can be humorous or thought provoking but never dull. Lately the state of American politics has been a constant source of amusement and on a couple of occasions the run itself has vanished in a blink of an eye as we discuss the merits of a Donald Trump led superpower (How did that ever happen, it’s a joke right ?)  Admittedly towards the end of the run, when you have the normal last 5k pace pick up as you smell the coffee (literally),   conversation can temporarily stop as all energy is reserved for keeping up with your fellow runners and not coming in last for fear of verbal retribution over the obligatory pancakes, or maybe banished to the table of shame.

Friends will also keep you honest. Apparently some people find it hard to get out of bed in the morning and go for a run. (go figure?)  Meeting a friend will give the extra impudence to make an effort and actually get out of bed and go meet them. (There is the Mark Lee card of course, though give Mark his due there’s always a valid excuse for not turning up, normally involving alien abduction, Lord Lucan, bears or the like…) Also if you are going to run fast go alone but if you want distance I highly recommend friends. I love my running (you may have gathered that already.) but a long run alone can test even me. As I mentioned earlier in the post a good conversation can last for miles.

Working towards a common goal is another benefit of finding like minded people. Every year my group and I train for the same marathons and ultra’s. The ADU in January ( http://australiadayultra.com) Bunbury in April (for Jon, http://bunburyrunnersclub.org/3-waters-marathon/), Perth in June ( https://www.wamc.org.au/major-events/perth-marathon-relay/)  , City to Surf in August,( http://perthcitytosurf.com ), Rottnest in October  ( https://www.wamc.org.au/major-events/rottnest-marathon-fun-run/ ) and finally the 6 inch ultra in December. ( http://www.6inchtrailmarathon.com ) Add in a smattering of half marathons and shorter distance and you’ve always got a lift to the race and a partner to warm up with and then normally discuss the race with afterwards. Joined together by a common goal and bond. Wow, this post is getting deep.

Finally if you are really keen you can all get together and form your own club and then buy tops so you all look the same. Now that is living….