Run-Down Forums

[Dan]

Here's something new that will hopefully be fun for folks and foster some more group participation. I'm a "bit" behind on answering submitted questions for the Run-Down Running FAQ, so I thought I'd post the questions I have here for any of you to take a shot at answering. Some of them are not general enough to really fit the nature of the FAQ, but they will still provide a good all around resource here.

[bold items have been answered below in the thread]

Some have already been answered or alluded to elsewhere in the forum. Others are just, well, odd... Read on:

1) I'm brand new at running, but a very experienced walker. I run .5 miles of my 2.5 mile trek and towards the end of that run and throughout the rest of my walk I get a burning sensation in the back of my nose and throat. I'd like to increase my running, but the burning hurts too badly. Is this normal? Should I run through it?

2) I would like to know about the recommended breathing pace for general running. I always heard about doing it in 4 strokes: 3 inhales and 1 exhalation. I also know people that like to do 2 X 2. But, is there any physiological reason for any of these modes? Is there a better pace option depending on the run type? For example, long distance (more than 6 miles) X short distance; fat reduction X working out.

3) I am interested in training for extreme racing, where do I find information on training for this kind of event? (ie Canadian Death Race, etc)

4) how do i avoid and cure foot blisters?

5) I haven't been doing "distance" running for a while meaning i just started this year i am heading into 9th grade and i wanted to know what actually counts as distance running, how many miles?

6) I'm in the army and I'm trying to bring down my times in the 2 mile run. What kind of running and speed programs do you recommend in order to accomplish this. I f you can give an example of a running schedule, even better. I also need to do the same for 5 mile run which i need to complete in 40 minutes or less.

7) What is the best way to ensure optmial muscle recovery, especially during the summer and there is s greater loss of minerals in sweating?

How should one breath comfortably on running? Some suggested using nose while some said mouth or a combination of both. I've tried all but not one seems to make me run faster and farther.

9) How do I get rid of stomach cramps?

10) When should I run? Should I run in the morning right when I wake up, before meals or shortly after?

11) I would like to improve muscle definition in my calves and thighs, so thought I'd give running a try. How long does it take to build up these muscles? I've only been running for a couple of weeks, but I haven't noticed much (if any!) improvement.

12) how many New York City blocks equals one mile?

13) What does it mean when they refer to a runner being seeded?

14) what is the best way to train for the run leg of a triathlon considering that it is the the last event and your legs have sort of died from the previous two events?

15) I run a lot, but when it comes time for my distance race I have a hard time breathing during my event, and this has caused me to not perform at my best. What can I do to ease my breathing?

16) Why does your sweat sometimes smell like ammonia on long runs?

17) I am in the military and find myself gasping for air early on in the runs. What tips do you have to help control my breathing? Do you have any to help me increase my stride as well?

1 I have tried several things to make me run faster? Does anyone have any suggestions of drills or things that i may do to make me quicker? Please help! I am very dedicated and i really want to become quick. Thanks!

19) I always win the preliminary rounds (in the 100m and 200m) easily, but when the finals come, I feel that I drop of a lot. How can I run the finals as fast as I run the preliminaries?

20) What does it mean when you've reached your Lactic Threshold?

21) What is the cause of a pain in the joints of the shoulder for track runners? How can this be prevented?

22) This is somewhat embarrassing but I began jogging recently and have developed a chafing on my upper-inner thighs. I have tried vaseline but it is difficultr to remove. Any ideas? Thanks

23) Do the positive effects of jogging outweigh the negatives? And specifically what are the negatives?

24) What are the most common injuries for jogging?

Thanks, and enjoy!
Dan

[ This Message was edited by: Dan on 2001-09-27 01:37 ]

[Dan]

Here are a few more I had started answering many months ago and didn't get very far with...

25) What's the slowest pace you can run during easy runs and still benefit? I know the general rule is about 2 minutes slower than 10K pace, but if you run even slower than this does it still contribute to your aerobic base or are you just needlessly increasing stress on your body?

26) What base training should a 800/1600 runner use for the high school track season.

27) Hi. My question is this. I always train with 2kg weights on my legs be it for running or hiking. When I remove them to run, my calves would hurt pretty badly for a few days. Is this due to wrong footwear, over-developed calves or a different running style upon removing the weights? Your help in this matter would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Dan

[ This Message was edited by: Dan on 2001-09-27 01:37 ]

[Micah Ward]

In the words of the immortal Harry Carey, "Holy Cow!"

Where to start? With a caveat. I am not a profesional runner but I have been doing it for 24 years and reading an enormous amount of the literature. I have raced and been injured and helped coach a few other runners.

Concerning how to breath. Forget trying to use specific patterns. Just relax and breath whatever way seems natural. The body has an amazing capacity to take care of itself that way.

How to get faster. Run fast. No that is not a joke, it is a comment on specificity. Long slow running makes for long slow runners. When trying to improve 2 and 5 mile times I go against the "sacred" 400's. You are not training to run 400's so why practice them? Warm up for 10 minutes or so, then run a hard sustained 10 minutes, then a 10 minute cool down. That should improve two mile times. To get faster for 5 miles run hard 3 milers about twice a week but not on successive days. Your weekend run should be a relaxed 7-8 miles. The pace for those hard runs should be faster than the pace you need to run in your fitness test. Good luck soldier.

I too have suffered from chaffed thighs. The best remedy is lightweight soccer shorts.

What time of day to run. Run any time it is convenient and weather permits.

Finally for this time. Everybody relax. Running is simple. Don't try to make it too complicated. And feel free to e-mail me if you want to discuss anything off the forum.
Micah

[Conway]

Wow ... Just put us to work why don't you ... Let's see ..

#19 - I would need to know how the person trains .. My first guess is that the training may be too light .. Needs to put some type of sprinting AFTER some hard work .. Has to teach the body to run fast when fatigued .. Of course I am assuming that he is talking about preliminaries and finals on the same day ... The other thing the person needs to look at is the approach to each race .. Is he approaching the preliminaries as the final putting all the eggs in that basket and then coming up dry for the final .. Would be glad to help with some advise but would like some more information so we make th right call ...

#18 - Micah is right .. Have to run faster !! If the person is a sprinter that could mean some downhill running or being "towed" by someone .. Angled running .. But you have to train the muscles to work faster ..

Gotta do some work that i get paid for but will try to ansawer some more tomorrow ..

[Dan]

[Micah Ward]

Check off number 6. I was addressing that one mostly with the speed advice.

Concerning chaffing. The long shorts chaff you? I got a pretty good set of "thunder thighs" and the long shorts (if they are not baggy in the straddle) have always worked for me. Vaseline works fine up to about 10 miles then it kind of wears off. But I guess that is an example of how one solution doesn't work for everyone.

[Dan]

[Adam]

Whoa! Huge list. I'll try #25 (do runs a lot slower than 10k pace help build an aerobic base?).



If someone's out of condition, then I would say yes. Almost any kind of training would result in improvement of the aerobic capacity.



If someone is getting fairly strong and fit, it doesn't seem like there's any reason to keep plowing the same ground and doing a lot of very easy running. At that point you can get plenty of that just warming up for harder workouts without making it a workout by itself.



Running at a lot slower than 10k pace would have most people running at only 50-60% of their maximum aerobic capacity. It's hard to believe that would be enough of a stress on the aerobic energy system to improve its capabilities.



Something else to consider is what the logic might be behind using easy, aerobic training as a base for all subsequent training. I'm not sure how easier, primarily-aerobic running prepares an athlete to do race-pace and sprint workouts.



It makes just as much if not more sense to start with shorter workouts at near race-pace or faster, then build up to longer workouts at near race-pace or faster. This way you can simultaneously build up a base of aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, whereas slower running only helps aerobic conditioning.

[Dan]

Whoa, Adam's back!

[Micah Ward]

I don't mind questioning conventional wisdom, but the idea of speed work before building an adequate endurance base goes against most conventional training plans that I have seen. Have you done this type of training and if so what were the results? I'm rehabbing from a stress fracture and I wouldn't mind trying something new to prepare for racing in a few months. But again, most training regimens I have seen do not even introduce speed work until a 20 mile a week base has been established. The key behind that being injury provention.
Micah

[Dan]

[Conway]

I am going to throw a sprinter's view on this since it is really in line with what is already being said .. In college (back in the day) We trained like this .. The goal was always to be developing speed - while building the base .. So for example during the fall after doing hill work and some distance we would do sprints - at as close to maximum as possible .. IN the beginning the sprints would be say 70 yds .. Ooops ... meters .. As proficiency increased THE DISTANCE increased .. to say 100 meters .. As you got stronger and faster the distance again increased .. By say Jan/Feb we were now doing high speed short sprints (60 - 150 repeats) AND very hard long sprints (300 - 400).. Hard being in the 50 flat range or so .. We never plodded .. Everything we did wsa based on trying to increase speed even while building a base .. I think the same thingcan be applied to distance training .. To me long slow distance develops long slow distance runners as has already been said .. Speed cannot be built unless you run fast .. OR am I off target ???

[Dan]

No, you're not off target. You're saying exactly the same thing Adam and I are. Impressive, you've exactly described my training philosophy! It's really a very simple concept, but as Micah said, goes against conventional wisdom and is very hard to accept for most people.

Dan

[Conway]

I think the long slow distance thing became popular some time during the 70's .. Its guru - Arthur Lydiard I believe was the coach of Dick Quax and maybe had done some work with John Walker (Lydiard was from New Zealand) .. Whenever you have a coach that has had some success their philosophy becomes somewhat of a mantra .. I think more so even in the distance world becasue distance runners don't seem to experiment as much as sprinters and hurdlers do .. I think the fact that he had some successful athletes AND the fact that it is easy to follow (just run long !!!) Made it easy for coaches to adopt .. And not let go of .. After all only a few are elite so if you don't train anyone to a great level doesn't mean your methods are poor right ???

Reality is that LSD (long slow distance) is what the general populace does and how many elite athletes do you see produced that way ?? I'm not going to pretend to know how the Africans (East or West)train, but I can tell you from the surges that they are able to put into the middle of races that they have learned to run fast under "adverse" conditions (ie while tired) .. The problem with STeve Scott as great a miler as he was, was that he could never answer a surge .. He could "kick" at the end of a race, but couldn't surge .. See to kick means you are able to run a sprint after running at a controlled pace .. That is different than putting yhourself into aerobic debt and sprinting .. And then repeating it again within the same race one or more times .. THAT is different than kicking .. Is why in my humble opinion that so many "kickers" get outkicked in European / "tactical" races .. Their kick gets burned during the tactical phase of the race .. Even when the overall pace is SLOW !!!! But hey what's an overwight sprinter know about distance running

[Jodie]

Hi! What I found that works wonders for thigh chaffing is a product called Body Glide. The Running Room carries this and I found it 100x better than Vaseline which tends to wear off after about 45 minutes of running. Good Luck!