The article below was written by Reid Coolsaet a top ranked marathoner in Canada. At the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon last September his time was 2:11:23 – the fastest by a Canadian in 24 years. Reid spent time in Kenya at Iten, the breeding ground for running superstars. The article is good in that it emphasises all the things I talk about on this blog. As I have said many, many times running is not rocket science,  just common sense really and lots of hard work.  To run faster you need to look at the people who are running the fastest and learn from them, try to be more like them. The main points (for the lazy readers amongst you who won’t finish this post!) are consistency, train hard, rest hard, soft surfaces, group training, proper warm up, nutrition and Hakuna matata.

Kenyan distance runners have been dominating the world scene for more than 30 years. Just last month, a Kenyan, Mary Keitany, was the first woman to break one hour and six minutes in the half-marathon when she set the world record at 1:05:50. Last year, Kenyan men won four of the five world major marathons and lay claim to 60 of the top 100 ranked marathoners.

An astonishing 239 Kenyans broke two hours and fifteen minutes last year in the marathon. (By contrast, Canada had three under the same time – and that was a good year for us.) Factor in the population of the two countries (Kenya, 39 million, Canada, 34 million), and it’s evident just how excellent the East African country is at producing world-class distance runners.

As a marathoner, I wanted to observe first-hand how these great athletes were training and living. For one month this winter, I went to Iten, Kenya, and immersed myself in the culture of Kenyan running. Iten is a small town of 4,000, about 300 kilometres northwest of the capital, Nairobi, and is home to many of the world’s best distance runners and hundreds more who make a living winning road race purses.

It’s not a coincidence that the rural town sits about 2,400 metres (about 8,000 feet) above sea level where athletes benefit from training in thin air. I soon learned, however, that there are many other reasons why Kenyan runners dominate. Here are some tips that all runners can incorporate into their training in order to run like a Kenyan.

Consistency. Running – a lot – is the key to distance running, and the Kenyans are no exception when it comes to logging many kilometres day in, day out. Most of the runners I met run at least twice a day but some run up to three times. If you can squeeze a few more kilometres into your week, without compromising quality, you will reap the benefits.

Train hard. The motto “train hard, win easy” is exemplified by Kenyan runners. If you want to run hard come race day, it’s best to prepare with some sort of speed session (intervals, fartlek, tempo) one to three times a week to get used to the specific effort of your race pace.

Rest hard. After bouts of hard training it is vital that the body has time to repair and recover for the next training session. Kenyan runners incorporate naps into their days and get to bed early. Plus, they don’t run hard all the time; most people would be surprised on how slow they run their recovery runs. Make sure you’re not running hard every day and take it easy the day or two after a hard run.

Soft surfaces. Running on dirt trails rather than pavement is much easier on the body. When I was in Iten, all of my running was on trails and dirt roads (of course, this is easy to do when there is only one paved road in the area). Seek out soft surfaces for most of your running, and your body will thank you.

Group training. Seeing a Kenyan run alone is the exception to the norm. Kenyans run in groups during speed sessions as well as their easy runs. Running with a group can provide that extra push during hard runs and it can help keep the easy runs leisurely with chit-chat. Many running stores offer group runs if your friends are too lazy to join you.

Proper warm-up. Many times while I was running with Kenyans I was surprised how slowly they would start off. It’s best to ease into your runs, and it is especially important to do some easy jogging before any type of speed session or race.

Nutrition. In Iten, a 100-mile diet would seem absurdly long. Kenyans eat fresh food that usually comes from small-scale farms in their region. Ugali (a cornmeal dish) is their staple carbohydrate of choice and is served with beef or chicken stew and veggies. It’s important to replenish carbohydrates and protein soon after a run and get the proper fuel into your body.

Hakuna matata. The Lion King popularized the Swahili phrase “hakuna matata” which, loosely, translates to “no worries.” Kenyans keep stress to a minimum by embracing hakuna matata in their everyday lives. It’s important to leave stress behind to allow your body to perform at its best, and sometimes the best way to relieve stress is to head out the door for a run.

Throughout my month in Kenya, I gained fitness, but more importantly, I came away motivated and inspired. To test out my fitness I went to Belgium to compete in a 10-kilometre cross-country race where I surprised myself with a fifth-place finish; the rest of the top eight were African. Training with the best runners and taking advantage of altitude training allowed me to perform much better.

I’ve attached my Golden Rules for all you readers who are still enjoying this post. These are the rules to live by and the key to unlocking your running dreams.. (do you unlock a dream? , probably not but it sounded good when I wrote it so it’s staying…)

1. Run Further. Add distance, not speed.  As you can see from the table my weekly average has steadily increased year on year with this year being the first I will break the 100k a week average for the year. In 2012 I was injured with a nasty calf knot, that I didn’t treat, which explains the delta compared to the previous year.  2014 my training had plateaued which is why I turned to Raf ( http://www.therunningcentre.com.au ) to train me in 2105 where my distance increased by 10%. I have taken this training forward and will probably increase another 10% this year.  Distance first, everything else comes once the ‘foundation of distance’ has been achieved.

2. Run Faster. This is about adding pace after you have got your foundation after rule 1. 2011 was a break out year for me after 3-4 years of building a good running base. I had ran 3 Comrades campaigns in 2008-2010 ( http://www.comrades.com ) so my distance foundation was well and truly complete. In 2011 every time I put on a bib I was confident of a pb.  It was a wonderful year. Unfortunately in 2012 I had a nasty injury which set me back but towards the end of the year I was able to train consistently again and in 2013 I was again rewarded with a magical year of running.  

3. Don’t get injured. This is the hardest rule to obey as you always want to do more of rule 1 and 2 which can result in an injury. (I even hate typing the word!) In 2012 I succumbed to a calf knot which took me out for over a month. I struggled to recover from this and as you can see from the table I only ran 3 pb’s for the year compared to 13 the previous year and 10 the following year when I recovered. If this doesn’t back up this rule nothing does.! Don’t get injured, so easy to type but in reality one of the hardest thing for a runner to do, period.

4. Nutrition, nutrition and nutrition… Did I mention nutrition. It’s all about the proper fuel. So underestimated by so many runners. The number of times I hear the old ‘I run xxx kilometres a week so I can eat what I want’ . Not true, imagine putting low grade fuel in a Porsche, eventually the head gasket blows and you are faced with a serious bill, not to mention a misfiring engine. The human body is a finely tuned machine and should be treated as such, we all know what is good food and what is bad (normally the nice tasting stuff!), avoid the bad and put in the good, easy really. (bar the odd Yelo muffin of course, we are after all only human.)  I’ll be exploring nutrition more next year when I have one more go at a sub 2hr 40minutes marathon.

5. Weight. So important, use to believe because I ran 100k+ a week I could eat what I wanted. Not true. This is another golden rule so often ignored. Runners can run so much faster is they hit their racing weight rather than a running weight. My go to man , Matt Fitzgerald, when it comes to everything running even has a website dedicated to this. ( http://www.racingweight.com/ ) If Matt has a website dedicated to this subject it must be important.

6. Baseline, document and evaluate everything. If it isn’t on www.strava.com it didn’t happen. Once you set a goal you have to be able to know how far you have come to achieving this, small steps but constant feedback. So buy a Garmin and start recording , everything !!! Contentious subject here. I’m a Strava addict and I know it but the purest will be horrified. You need a baseline to see improvement, set new goals and realize your goals. Buy a Garmin and to quote a small clothing company ‘just do it’.

7. Sleep. So underestimated but the bodies way of refuelling and preparing for the next day of running. Common sense but so often ignored. Sometimes the most obvious, common sense tips are the ones ignored. Sleep is when your body repairs itself, the more sleep the more repairs can be completed. It really is that easy, go to bed and dream about running.

8. Consistency. No point running 100k one week and then nothing. Marathon fitness is built up over time and this works hand in hand with rule number 1. I feel the figures from my running log back this up. I’ve steadily increased the duration consistently year in, year out (bar injury) and have reaped the rewards with 2016 being my fastest year yet as I move towards my fifth sixth decade. (Thanks Dave Kennedy) Running is all about getting out there on a regular basis again and again and again. Time on feet initially and then add pace before targeting certain distance with different run types, most important thinkg to note though is always consistently putting on the trainers and just running. ‘If you build it they will come’ type approach, keep running, build the foundation and the personal records will come. (This also works for baseball pitches apparently.)

9. It’s all in the mind. After 32k a marathon is down to mental strength and the ability to persuade your body you can still perform at your desired pace without falling to fatigue, which is the minds way of protecting itself. Never underestimate the power of the mind in long distance racing. Finally another massive part of running, the Noakes ‘central governor’. I’ve talked about this at length in various posts on this site. With experience I believe I can mentally finish a marathon stronger now then when I first started. I know what to expect and to this end can persuade my old friend fatigue to stay away for longer allowing me to achieve better finishing times. The mind is such an important part of running and needs to be trained as much as the body. When you race a marathon you will spend time in the ‘pain box’, the runner who can spend the most time in this little box of joy, before opening the door and embracing the old enemy fatigue, will run the fastest. I spoke to Steve Moneghetti after the Perth Marathon this year after he ran the 3hr30min bus and asked him how the professional athletes are so much faster than us recreational runners. His answer surprised me as he replied that a professional runner can stand more pain and this gives them the advantage need to push through and achieve the faster times. Again turning off the ‘central governor’  and spending more time in the ‘pain box’ avoiding fatigue and thus not slowing down. Common sense really, thanks Steve.

Over the last few months I have been struggling with motivation,  initially due to low iron levels in my blood brought about by poor diet in a vain attempt to lose weight and lately with a bout of every runners worst nightmare, plantar fasciitis. (No, this is not something you pick up in a Swedish brothel, more a tear in the large tendon at the bottom of your foot.) I’ve had Plantar Fasciitis three times in my running career but this is the worst by far.

It is an injury where recovery can take anything from days to months or even years in bad cases. I know it has finished the careers of many fine runners. The previous two times I suffered were probably down to poor show choices when faced with difficult terrain. As you can see from the image below in 2012 I wore Nike Luna Racers when I ran the 6 Inch Trail Ultra Marathon. ( http://www.6inchtrailmarathon.com/ ) Although I ran a great time Luna Racers are  built for track or asphalt, not an off-road trail ultra where the bottom of your foot takes a good old fashioned beating due to poor shoe choice.  I was lucky enough that it was a mild case and I was able to continue training albeit I suffered the morning hobble to the bathroom that all PF sufferers experience as blood returns to the tendon after sleeping horizontally all night. Apparently you can purchase splints to wear while you sleep but I was always wary of these as Mrs. Matthews may think I was being kinky and she can be hard to fight off when she has the bit between her teeth, so to speak … (That was a joke by the way just in case No1 Wife reads this… )

The second time I picked up a small case of PF was when I started to ramp up my running in 2013 and even a cortisone from my favourite Doctor didn’t help. Again it was mild enough that it didn’t affect my training and the ‘hobble to the bathroom’ was soon replaced by my usual ‘gazelle like spring’.

This time though the ‘hobble to the bathroom’ turned into a limp/hop, at best, and running was a no-no. Another cortisone was dispatched but yet again with little effect. My old mate Voltaren helped but popping pills, long term, never ends well. So it was a few weeks of no running and lots of ‘rolling the water bottle filled with ice’. This is the tried and tested best method for treating PF and has always worked for me.  As you can see from the Strava image below ( In Strava we trust… http://www.strava.com , follow me on Strava by clicking on the link on the main page , towards the bottom) PF can cause large blocks of ‘rest’  which for a runner is not something we enjoy doing. As I’ve always said ‘I’ll rest in my box!’………

So is there light at the end of the tunnel ? . At the moment I can say ‘maybe’, I have ramped up the mileage this week and I am confident I’m on top of my PF issues but it means running on trails and grass only and avoiding my beloved asphalt. I’ve made the training more interesting by running in Kings Park, which is stunning and trying to hit as many sandy trails as possible. Adding elevation also helps and I’m confident with 6 weeks to go until the Perth City to Surf Marathon I’ll be in with a good chance to continue my 27 in a row sub 3 streak.

So what brought on PF case number three, probably the infamous steeplechase in racing flats in April this year for the Australian Masters championships, I feel maybe, just maybe, my water jump technique needs something to be desired….maybe.

For all those sufferers of the ‘bathroom hobble’ I recommend these activities, in no order of importance.

• Never go bare feet anywhere and if possible trainers at all time.
• Calf raises as much as possible, and off a step is best. This will strengthen the calf and stop it pulling on the PF tendon.
• Anti-inflammatories help but these are not a long term solution of course. (Voltaren is my poison of choice)
• Rolling a water bottle filled with ice under your affected foot is another exercise that helps.

If you need more information on Plantar Fasciitis it’s all on the interweb , like all things these days, so let your fingers do the walking…

As I seem to have lost my running mojo at the moment I am unable to post anything new and feel after a morose post last week I cannot continue down this path. Thus I’ll do another trawl through the archives of my previous posts in 2016 when I had a following of one, thanks Mum. This post from December 2016 explains the main road to improvement is doing what we all love to do most, that is run. No real pressure of pace just pure distance. This is the number one rule in my nine golden rules of running, 1. Add distance. There really is no alternative really, if you want to be a good runner you need to run as much as possible and if you want to see improvements you need to run more than you are running now.

It amazes me how coaches can come up with all different scenarios on how to improve and authors write all new books and papers on the subject but, trust me people, if you run more you will improve. I am certainly proof that this theory is sound after a big 2016 and 2017 resulted in times I though beyond me as I turned 50 years old. Even now in 2018 I am still setting track PB’s and distance PB’s for 100km races, even Australian records. I put all this down to distance and double-up days.  As I have said many times running ain’t rocket science. (They don’t call me Sherlock Holmes for nothing!)

Of course a good coach will use other methods to aid in the improvement process but I don’t know anybody who say ‘don’t bother to run to improve, let’s concentrate on <insert exercise here>‘ , doesn’t happen. Of course there are great cross training exercises that will help but when we take it down to the bare basics of improvements doing more is the number one benefit, the most bang for your buck so to speak.

So to improve look at your weekly or monthly totals and add more , be it 10% , 25% , 100% , any percent really. I’ll even go so far as to say ignore the +10% rule for adding kilometres to your weekly totals. As long as you’re slow and don’t stress the body too much you can add as many kilometres as you can make time for.  The only caveat here is you must listen to your body and at the first sign of a ‘twinge’, ‘tear’, ‘niggle’ etc., drop back or take some time off. It is good to add distance but you must make sure you don’t get injured (golden rule number 3).  Injury will set you back to square one and you’ll be starting again so it is imperative you know when to step back. This is when some cross training can help. (my favourite cross training is my Elliptigo of course. http://www.elliptigo.com.au )

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.

After so many positives posts on this blog, probably just about all of them, it’s time for a not-so positive one. Wow, that really was a pretty poor opening line, I’d actually be surprised if you’re still reading but assuming you are here goes.

Just over a week ago I managed to win four gold medals at the Australian Masters (as well as four state gold medals). This had been a goal of mine for the last few months and a big release when I finally finished the cross country on Sunday morning after four days of racing. Truth be told I had underestimated the mental side of racing and the affect it can have after the event. Of course I expected the ‘runners low’ and have described this feeling in a few posts over the years but what I didn’t expect was the total local of motivation that became a by-product of the Masters event.

I’m talking more than a runners low here, this was a ‘sit down’ in the middle of a run and contemplate ‘why am I doing this ?’  type feeling.  Legs heavy and unresponsive and mentally just not enjoying the whole running experience. Couple this with plantar fasciitis and a blister from the depths of hell and you have one unhappy runner. On my recovery week I managed four runs for a grand total of 41 kilometres, on a normal week I call that Tuesday ! There was no running at all over the weekend and even on week two things have only improved marginally. I have managed to lace up on both days so far this week but begrudgingly  at best and the runs have been a chore. (albeit good company today running with my work colleague, so if you’re reading this don’t take offence at my morose tone)

What worries me is this feeling has been brewing since I left my family home of 10 years in May last year, it seems becoming a property developer can play havoc with your running. Of course the real reason is when you have so many issues outside running to deal with, life in general I suppose, it can start to affect what you love to do. Running can suffer just because you have too many other distractions, I remember reading an article on why Kenyans are so much better than American runners and one of the main reasons was their ‘uncluttered life’s’. All Kenyans do is run, sleep, drink sweet tea and eat carbohydrates disguised as food. There is nothing else, everything is about running and the search for continual improvement. Of course we, as amateur runners, cannot afford this luxury and have to at least pretend to be interested in life around us be it a career, family matters, paying the bills or the latest episode of the ‘Games of Thrones’. (I have no idea what the Game of Thrones is about but believe it is popular with normal people?)

One of the main reasons I believe my mojo has deserted me is after  the house move I lost my ‘old faithful’ run. This is one where I just fall out of bed into my trainers and next thing you know I’m home after running 10k and excited about the lunchtime run ahead of me. This last 12 months my morning runs, which were daily, have become quarterly, so many times I have planned to get up and run and thought of an excuse not to. This is still an ongoing problem unfortunately and one I don’t expect to solve any time soon.  (Bar my Thursday morning Yelo progressive run but the coffee and muffin at the end makes that run a no-brainer. Maybe I need to do this every morning , could be the answer but probably not an ideal solution ?)

Did someone say muffin and coffee, the Yelo progressive Thursday morning run may save me?

So assuming I can’t run from Yelo every morning (more’s the pity?)  what is the answer ? For me I need to get ‘fixed’ physically and mentally. I have a small case of plantar fasciitis which, although it hasn’t stopped me running, is making it uncomfortable. Mental issue is the real problem. I have been hitting my racing targets this year but each one seems to take a little but more effort than the previous one and a lot more effort than the previous year. Times are holding fast but it really has become a big task to achieve this and any thoughts of PB’s are well and truly shelved, probably for good.  Am I returning to the pack after such a long time at the front ? I hope I’ll get a bit longer but at 51 how long can I hold off the tide of ‘slowing down’ due to ‘getting older’, who knows, a few more years, maybe even fight to last until I’m nearer sixty where I hear you really do ‘jump off a pb cliff’ when it comes to running times, in a bad way unfortunately.

With the Perth Marathon coming in June I need to pull my finger out as I certainly ain’t ready to give up my marathon  sub 3 streak, currently sitting at 27 (I think?). At the moment confidence is high as this is just a temporary road bump on the highway of running and once I negotiate over, or around it, it’ll be back to smooth sailing (on a highway, you get the picture?). i have 4-5 big weeks of training but need to build slowly. A couple of weeks of running once a day but consistently running, improvement is all about consistency. After two weeks I can start to aim for some bigger weekly totals, maybe nudge a 100 mile week towards the end of this training block.

Funnily enough the Bk crew is suffering as well, Mark C. has returned from Boston, where he ran a great marathon, with the same ankle injury he left with, he’s out at the moment. Barts and Mark L. both have issues with blood clots and their hearts, so they’re out. Phil returned to the UK for family reasons, so he’s out. The T-train is out there somewhere doing secret men’s business (and you didn’t hear that from me!), so he’s out. Gareth has hammy issues, so he’s out. Dean has a bad knee apparently, though he just ran a 2:04 for the Perth 32 and third place finish so that knee issues may be more mental than physical,? That’s half the crew missing, luckily Jon, Ross, Damon, Jeff and Mike K. are all fighting fit so I have some company when I find my mojo.

Tonight, to cheer myself up, I ordered a couple of pairs of Nike Air Zoom Pegasus trainers, retail therapy it seems works even for us runners, we’ll see. Certainly feeling a lot better than 10 minutes ago ? It’s amazing what a couple of pair of trainers can do for someone’s mojo, maybe it was there all the time, hiding in my wallet next to my MasterCard ?

So finally some tips to get your mojo back and make reading this sorry post worthwhile.

1. Find like minded people and go run with them, if you can persuade them to drink coffee and muffins afterwards that’s a bonus.
2. Retail therapy. Buying running related items may be the boost you need, works for me and shoes ?
3. Give yourself a goal race to aim for, remember without a goal we morph into ‘joggers’. !
4. Start slow and give yourself easily achievable weekly targets. Nothing boots your confidence more than hitting goals be it a certain pace or weekly distance, running is goal orientated and the more goals we can achieve the happier we are. Some of my favourite runs have been ‘smelling the roses’ type outings where it’s all about just enjoying the sensation of running and enjoying your surrounding without the constant pressure of that annoying Garmin watch.
5. Treat finding your mojo like recovering from an injury because this is where you are really albeit a mental rather than physical injury. Slow and steady for a few weeks to gain some confidence back and also, more importantly, rekindling the joy of running.
6. If you need time off than take it. Go spend some time with your family and friends as this can often remind you why to run so much in the first place, to avoid such un-pleasantries. Only joking but seriously take some down time and maybe even let yourself go for a while, instead of walking past that dunkin’ donuts stand, shaking your head, go and indulge, see what all the fuss is about.  This is basically the same thing you’d do after a marathon or ultra, a down week.  (Just make sure it’s only a week as those dunkin’ donuts can be addictive, apparently?)
7. Try some cross training, maybe some crossfit classes to work on the core or even dust down the bike, or better still the elliptigo ( http://www.elliptigo.com ) Anything to get the heart rate up and maintain the cardio fitness while you take a sabbatical from the thing you love most.

After an outstanding four days of completing at the Australian Masters in Perth I have been spending the week contemplating the next goal in my never ending journey of ‘running’. I have mentioned on numerous occasions all runners need goals otherwise they morph into joggers or even worse get taken by the dark side that is triathlons. All joking aside I respect all forms and types of exercise, really anything that gets the heart pumping faster and burns a few calories is fine with me. (Note: keep it clean people, my mum reads all my posts religiously. Hi Mum ..) I admit to trying and enjoying triathlons in my younger days but found I was a back of the pack swimmer (at best, I have British roots remember) , a middle of the pack cyclist but a reasonable runner. This , in my view, is the perfect way to run a triathlon as you spend the whole time overtaking people. Not to say maybe the odd swimming lesson wound’t have gone a miss as I swim like a brick attached to another brick; and thats probably being kind to me not bricks.

As always I’ve digressed, the point of this post is to highlight that after the runners high you need to experience the runners low. Yin and Yan, chalk and cheese, night and day, Trump and common sense; you get the picture. After training for an event, and completing it, the high you experience has to finish and you ‘come down‘ to quote drug addicts everywhere. (I’m assuming this is the case, we run a clean ship here.)  The runner’s low starts probably the next day proper, or maybe a few days after, the main event. Suddenly the memories of the finish are fading and all you have is muscle soreness and some shiny bling. You normally take training easy the week after (unless you follow the Tony T-train’ Smith method of recovery , which normally entails threshold pace the day after a marathon, more to wind me up that serving any purpose I’m thinking?) and struggle to find the motivation to make those early morning wake-up alarms. The main issue here is normally we haven’t set a goal and so we are like a rudderless ship floating about on the ocean without a destination, becalmed even. We need to get some wind in the sails and to do this we need to search the internet and enter another race, preferably longer and harder than the last one. This gives you your next challenge and a reason to make that 5AM wake up when it’s dark, freezing and uninviting outside. With your new goal you will be oblivious to the elements , focused on the task ahead, and the end race, where yet again you will experience that runners high we all crave.

Like a heroin junkie working towards that next big hit of quality ‘smack‘ us runners crave that feeling that only finishing a marathon , or better, gives us. On the bright side the harder the race the better the runners high, I feel sometimes maybe I should try a marathon with little or no training, maybe add a few kilos, how good would that runners high be then ? Unfortunately not so much, as with all drugs the quality is important,  (apparently? , I watched Trainspotting recently thus all the drug related references are from this film  ) just finishing with no real challenge would be nice but not satisfying and here lies the crux of the issue. You have to earn it to really experience the full monty of the runner’s high, you have to have trained to breaking point, put your life on hold, upset you family on a number of occasions and generally ostracised yourself from the world in general. Then add a goal time to aim for, and make is very, very difficult to achieve this, then and only then will you experience the runners high.

So the runners low will hang around until to have that new goal, allowing you to start to move towards it,  one step at a time. You don’t need pace or even distance to start, just slowly start moving in the right direction. Momentum will come as move closer to your goal and a good training plan will help you plan the structure of the assault on your next race because it is an assault and you need to be prepared for more of the same, just the way we like it. If it was easy everybody would be doing it , right ?

I have attached a post I wrote on this subject in October if you need to keep reading but not too long mind, you have a runners high to work towards…..

After the Runners high comes the Runners low…

Everybody talks about the runners high, this sense of euphoria one experiences when they cross the line at a major goal event. I’ve discussed what I feel it is, a sudden overwhelming sense of relief, or release,  after you achieve something after putting yourself either under pressure or into the ‘pain box’. Anyway, after this ‘runners high’ you can sometimes come a cropper and experience what I term the ‘runners low’.

This feeling is the same in all sports and happens after achieving something you have worked so hard to do. There’s a classic scene (there are so many classic scenes in this movie of course.) in ‘Chariots of Fire’ when Harold Abrahams has just won the 100m gold and everybody else is celebrating while Harold himself is reserved and alone in the changing rooms. What Abrahams is struggling to come to terms with is success after so many years working towards that one 10 second race. All of a sudden he has no purpose, no target, no reason to do what he has been doing for so long. It must be daunting ?

The same can be true for us recreational marathon runners, albeit probably not as severe. Once we have completed the marathon and achieved the ‘runners high’ the next day all of sudden we have no goal. No reason to put in that early morning 5am start, no reason to double up or run a threshold until your lungs feel they are about to explode. There is no purpose after so many months of having something to achieve, a target to overcome. This feeling , coupled with the emotions of the previous few days of finishing a marathon, makes the runners high seem so long ago.

There is hope though and it as easy as getting on the internet and searching for the next goal, the next target, the next reason to structure a long term plan. Before you know it you’ve signed up for another race and it’s back on. Another phase begins towards another goal race which will probably have a target finish time just that little bit quicker than the previous race. Let’s face it we don’t do all this to slow down !

So my advice is to get back on the horse (so to speak, if you actually get on a horse you’ll probably get disqualified, remember this is a running blog!) and set yourself your next goal. It works for me, no off season, the next race is normally a few months away at worst but I know it’s there for me, waiting. Admittedly after a marathon I do feel low for a few days because I love to run marathons and the feeling you get when you finish one is why we do what we do. It has never let me down in 40 runs so far . (and the 16 ultra-marathons have also delivered of course)

Remember we are runners, we need a goal, something to make those 5am alarm calls worthwhile. What else is there to do at 5am in the morning anyway?