I read a great training tip from running coach and author Hal Higdon today:

Tip of the Day: I believe in undertraining runners, rather than overtraining them. The upper limit for my advanced marathon training programs falls somewhat below 60 weekly miles. I do not tell runners not to run more miles weekly; I simply believe they better know what they are doing before pursuing a more aggressive program. Those who regularly run more than 60 miles a week and whose systems have adapted to that high load, may not be at increased risk. Instead of being overtrained, they may be well trained. - Hal Higdon

Most endurance athletes have no trouble finding motivation and drive.  We set long term goals, map out a plan and then execute the plan.  We know there are no short cuts or "magic workouts".  It is about doing the work.   Training for endurance events stresses the body.  It causes tremendous fatigue and a steady dose of aches and pains.  The key is knowing when to back off and allow the body to recover and prepare for the next key workout.  A half-marathon or marathon training program is not dependent on ONE workout.  The key is staying consistent and healthy over the course of the training plan.  Missing a workout occassionally or taking an extra day off will NOT ruin your race.  It can actually improve your fitness over time by allowing you to arrive at your next run fresh and energized.   Ignoring your body's warning signs and continually running yourself into the ground week after week leads to injury and illness.   Stay focused on your goals but do not become so fixated on reaching the finish line that you fail to ever get to the start!

Ya Gotta Believe

Coach Kevin

CAUTION!  It is summer.  It gets hot in the summer.  After a somewhat mild Spring... the heat and humidity have arrived.  Yesterday's ride felt like I was riding on flat tires and today's run was the first really hot and muggy run of the summer and it was a struggle.  I always forget just how much the first dose of heat affects performance.

I can always count on getting a message this time of year from one of my athletes... "hey coach... i went for a run today and I completely blew up.  I could not hold my pace, my legs felt like cement...how did I fall out of shape in one day??"   My answer:  it's hot!   It will take a few weeks to get accustomed to the heat so give yourself a break and relax.   

Tips for early summer:

1. Your pace will be affected so don't worry about it for two weeks.  If you live and die by your Garmin feedback... leave the GPS watch at home.

2. Run off of perceived exertion.  If you have intervals or a tempo run planned you should adjust your pace accordingly or just run for time not pace/ distance.

3. Hydrate.  Before and after your run.  Be sure you are getting some electrolytes in your system not just water.   Many runners also use an electrolyte supplement like "Endurolytes" by Hammer Nutrition to get an extra supply of magnesium, potassium, sodium etc...

4. If you are running for more than an hour carry fluids or plan your route to get fluids along the way.

5. Racing in the heat?  You cannot beat the heat,  you can only try to make peace with it.  Adjust your pace accordingly.  The longer the race the bigger the adjustment.

Ya Gotta Believe,  Coach Kevin

Chicago Marathon, October 12, 2008                                                   

The Chicago Marathon course is known as being very flat and very fast. It has produced several world records over the years. It is also one of the largest marathons with 30,000+ runners. This was my first try at the course and also Team McGraw's first Chicago Marathon. Running and coaching Team McGraw added an additional element of excitement, motivation and celebration to the weekend. We had a great Welcome Luncheon on Saturday where everyone gets to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. It is typically a very uplifting, emotional time where everyone introduces themselves and shares their reasons for running with the Tug McGraw Foundation. The post-race Victory Party was a great celebration right down the street from Wrigley Field.

10 Day Forecast

I had been monitoring the weather forecast for two weeks. Ideal marathon weather is in the 40 - 55 degree range. Ten days out the temp range was low of 45 and a high of 65. As each day passed the predicted temperature inched up towards hot. When we woke up on race morning it was 65 degrees, humid with an high expected to reach 80. A great day for tourists and spectators. Not so good for marathoners. I went to Chicago with a PR in mind. My training had gone well, I had trained in the Memphis heat all summer and the flat course was too tempting. I decided to stick to my plan and hope that the heat did not get to me before the finish. It was a calculated risk/reward gamble.

Marathon

The Marathon is extremely well organized. It starts and finishes in Grant Park with the city skyline on one side and Lake Michigan on the other. We met for our Team picture at 6:45 and then scattered to find our respective bag check tents and start corrals. It was very easy to get through the chaos of the Park and I was in my corral by 7:40. Twenty minutes to relax and stretch. The race started on time and I crossed the starting line within 45 seconds so we were able to get up to our race pace right away. The crowds were huge in the opening miles as we worked our way through downtown towards the Wrigley Field neighborhood. I felt great from the start. I was able to get on my goal pace right away and it felt very easy. It did not feel too warm yet so I decided to keep rolling. I noticed that I was in between two pace groups with 3:10 signs. I was aiming to break 3:15 so I settled in and relaxed. Around 3 miles I found myself next to Jason from Florida. I knew his name because he had written it on his chest and I must have heard it screamed out 200 times. We quickly discovered our matching race goals and decided to keep each other on pace. We ran side-by-side until mile 21.

What Happened To The Shade?

The course is flat and fast as advertised. The crowds were huge and the weather was perfect... for the spectators. I rolled through halfway in 1:36.

(Internal self-assessment: "Hmmm... that felt kinda easy. I do not feel hot yet... we are still shaded from the sun... let's keep pushing")

Somewhere around mile 18 the shade runs out. It near mile 20 that I noticed that there were no clouds in the sky and it was getting warm. By mile 21 I realized it was hot. I also had the first very subtle twinge of a cramp in my right quad. It was light, like someone gently tapping you on the leg. I know this warning sign well.

(Internal self-assessment: " hmmm... that is not a good sign. Should I back off and take it easy? I can run in relaxed and have a decent finish time. Or should I keep pushing? I did not come to Chicago to just finish. I have come this far... no risk no reward... let's keep pushing and see what happens")

My pace was slowing but I still had my eyes on breaking 3:15. Mile 22 brought some more gentle twinges... right quad, right calf, left calf. My pace slowed further but I was still running. I wondered how long I could hold off the cramps. How long could I hold off the inevitable. I could lose a few minutes over the next 4 miles or an hour. Mile 23 was lonely. Jason had pulled away at mile 22. I knew there was a beating coming my way I just did not know exactly when or how bad it would be. There would be no speeding up so my new goal was finishing under 3:20. The amount of math going on in the final miles of a marathon is amazing.

The Beating

The fun really started just before mile 24. From the sidewalk I am sure it was quite a scene. I had my last energy gel packet in my right hand. I was preparing to tear it open and wash it down at the next water station. My right hamstring went into full cramp mode. It happened so suddenly that in one split second I let out a high-pitched yelp and as I reached to grab the back of my leg that final energy gel went flying through the air. I am sure that a slow motion replay would be great YouTube viewing. It landed a few yards behind me. It might as well have been in the sewer because I was not going back for it nor could I have reached the ground to retrieve it. I punched and massaged my hamstring in hopes of loosening it. I was able to walk after a few seconds and kept moving. After a few minutes I started running again.

(Internal self-assessment: "Cramps really HURT. I have 1.5 miles to go and if I cannot keep these cramps under control I might be on the curb. Wish I had that gel packet.")

The Finish

Mile 25 got... fuzzy. Not warm and inviting. Fuzzy like blurry static. I was moving along at my survival pace when I had a moment of dizziness and took a stride... sideways.

(Internal self-assessment: "Oh ****")

I caught myself and realized I was in danger of making the "agony of defeat" footage staggering from curb to curb. I was intent on moving forward and staying upright. I could see the trees of Grant Park just in the distance. There was no more math. There was only survival mode. Get to the finish and then you can stop. Somehow I managed to trot the final ¼ mile. There was no glorious kick down the finish stretch but I do remember huge crowds and lots of energy. I made it to the line in 3:23:18. Missed my goal but still managed to salvage a Boston qualifying time. I felt bad for a few hours afterward. I made two trips to the medical tent after nearly passing out a few times. I kept hydrating and about 3 hours later the fog lifted and I felt fine. I was able to enjoy the beautiful sunny weather in Grant Park as we celebrated each Team McGraw member's arrival.

I want another crack at this great course on a cloudy 45 degree day. It is a great marathon in a great city.

!http://community.active.com/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadImage/38-10657-6078/StartV_Chicago08.jpg                                                                               

Trust the Taper

Ok Team McGraw... time to taper. If you are running the Chicago Marathon it is time to start tapering. Our New York City Team still has a few weeks of hard training to go. Depending on your experience and health the recommended length of a proper taper for a marathon is 14 - 20 days. Individual athletes respond differently to training and rest so listen to your body.

We have been training hard for many months. We are getting close to race day. You must resist the urge to hit the panic button and try to cram in some extra mileage or speedwork. You want to maintain your fitness and rid your body of the accumulated fatigue that has been living deep inside your muscles. You cannot make any meaningful improvements in these last two weeks but you can do plenty of damage. Trust the taper.

Tapering does not mean stop training. It does not mean we are done with our plan. Tapering is a vital part of the overall training cycle. Basically you should keep running at the same intensity but start cutting your mileage. Cut back by 20 - 25% this week and an additional 20% next week. This allows you to maintain your peak fitness while allowing your muscles to rest and recover. It is crucial to listen to your body. It usually speaks very clearly.

Symptoms of tapering: Feelings of losing fitness, sluggishness, panic that the race is approaching. These are all normal. Your body has been pushed to its limits for months and now it does not want to stop. That is your mind telling you that you are going to be out of shape in a week. Trust me... and the taper. By the middle of race week most of your nagging aches and pains will be minimized, your legs will be screaming to go for a long run and your workouts will feel extremely easy. You will be ready to race.

Ya Gotta Believe.

Coach Kevin - Team McGraw

There are a few frequently asked pace-related questions that always get asked: "How fast should I run my long runs?" "How do I choose my goal race pace?" "How fast is a tempo run?"

Yes, there are specific paces that should be run for long runs, tempo runs, easy runs, etc... The answers are specific to each runner's current fitness levels and race pace goals. There is an excellent running calculator on mcmillanrunning.com.

Plug in a recent race time and distance (less than 2 months old) and the calculator produces a very nice spreadsheet that identifies: (1) predicted race times from 100m to marathon (2) suggested pace for endurance and speed workouts. You can then print out the report and never have to guess how fast to run. Not only will this information insure that you are on pace but it will hopefully keep you from running too fast, which can lead to injury.

McMillan Running Calculator

Ya Gotta Believe

Coach Kevin

Be sure and read this article by Matt Fitzgerald at active.com. He makes some very good points about the importance of training at goal marathon pace and proper pacing on race day. Two important keys to successful marathoning:

1) training at goal marathon pace in order to condition your body and mind to recognize how race pace "feels".

2) shorter runs at slightly faster than goal marathon pace. This will make goal marathon pace feel easier and more comfortable.

http://www.active.com/running/Articles/5_Tips_for_Marathon_Pacing.htm

Ya Gotta Believe

Coach Kevin, Team McGraw

I run. I have always run. At least it feels that way. I have been a runner for nearly 30 years. That seems like an absurd statement. I do not feel old enough to have done anything for 30 years. But yes, 30 years. The only thing close is my 20 years of marriage. I am tickled that my old favorite running shoes from high school are now part of Nike's "vintage collection". Me, vintage? Dang.

I often get asked by old friends and acquaintances, "do you still run?" Well, yes of course. That question seems so silly to me. Running is such a natural part of my life ...it is like asking "do you still brush your teeth?"... "do you still eat?". Yes, why wouldn't I still run? I am a runner.