...a spike in inflammatory cytokines occurred right after the runs (so it preceded the spike in hepcidin). And there was a corresponding dip in serum iron levels around nine hours after the run (following the spike in hepcidin). -Can a Hard Workout Block Iron Absorption?
If you take iron, Alex Hutchinson suggests not supplementing in the 6 hours following your long run.
Showing posts with label long runs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label long runs. Show all posts
Monday, April 9, 2012
Monday, August 15, 2011
The Day After Long Runs
Yes, I probably could have run today after a 15 miler yesterday. My question is, will it help me race faster 2 months from now?
I am banking on the answer being no, but I guess that depends on how much damage my leg muscle fibers have endured and the length of time needed to recover. There is a time and place for overstepping the boundaries of fatigue, but the day following your longest run of the week is probably the best time to lay low or do something else. Intuitively, I like to use 2 hours as a threshold for not running the next day, but that doesn't mean I don't cross train. I feel surprisingly good on the bike the day after a long run!
It's a constant dilema among serious runners- what's more important- a higher weekly mileage total or sacrficing some easy miles in hopes of turning in an extra quality workout? Normally, if I can bounce back with a good session on Tuesday following a Sunday long run, I think I've made the correct decision.
Check out Rethinking Junk Miles- A Fresh Look at Recovery Runs by Matt Fitzgerald
I am banking on the answer being no, but I guess that depends on how much damage my leg muscle fibers have endured and the length of time needed to recover. There is a time and place for overstepping the boundaries of fatigue, but the day following your longest run of the week is probably the best time to lay low or do something else. Intuitively, I like to use 2 hours as a threshold for not running the next day, but that doesn't mean I don't cross train. I feel surprisingly good on the bike the day after a long run!
It's a constant dilema among serious runners- what's more important- a higher weekly mileage total or sacrficing some easy miles in hopes of turning in an extra quality workout? Normally, if I can bounce back with a good session on Tuesday following a Sunday long run, I think I've made the correct decision.
Check out Rethinking Junk Miles- A Fresh Look at Recovery Runs by Matt Fitzgerald
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Ten Tips to Revitalize Your Long Runs
Like it or not, long runs are a crucial piece of any marathon training program. Guilty of neglecting the long one (my definition of long is anything over 2 hours or 14 miles)for some time now, it's time to see if I can get back into it. Here are some of the principles I am putting to work.
1. Run a new route. I find tackling the same route week after week mentally draining, so I've decided to seek out some new places to run. What a difference when you don't really know where you are going to run or maybe for how long! The danger is getting caught running considerably longer than you plan, which may actually be a good thing.
2. If you can, try to put together 4-5 different long run options, but keep one as sort of a time trial course that you periodically can go back to and test your fitness.
3. Find some off-road. If you are running your long ones on roads, see if you can include some off-road miles. I think it helps recovery.
4. Slow down and forget pace, especially in the dead of summer and winter. If it's been a while since your last 2 hour run, keep the pace slow enough so you still feel ok by the time you hit 10 miles. Today I even went so far as to plan one minute walks every 10 minutes of running (yes-Galloway!). There is something to be said for time rather than distance when quantifying the value of your workouts.
5. Take breaks. It's foolish to think that you diminish the effects of a long run by taking a 5 minute break. I routinely take breaks this long, especially to cool down in hot weather.
6. Leave early. In the summer heat, get out the door early.
7. Extra water. Staying hydrated is crucial. Weigh yourself before and after to make sure you are not losing more than 2% of your body weight. Carry water and/or money.
8. Put in some miles the day before. I'm not ready for 20 miles in one day, but I can do that much on consecutive days. Yesterday I put in a comfortable 11 miles, followed by 15 today. Once my fitness level improves I'll drop the miles on that first day and try to make that second day count.
9. If you are training for a marathon, allow yourself at least 3 months to prepare if you currently have a decent base and can run up to 10 miles. If not, then give yourself 6 months to build up.
10. Run with somebody. I run alone 99% of the time, mainly because I like the convenience of running from home, running my own pace, and not being committed to being someplace at a specific time. However, if you are having trouble psyching yourself to get out the door, it's an option to consider.
1. Run a new route. I find tackling the same route week after week mentally draining, so I've decided to seek out some new places to run. What a difference when you don't really know where you are going to run or maybe for how long! The danger is getting caught running considerably longer than you plan, which may actually be a good thing.
2. If you can, try to put together 4-5 different long run options, but keep one as sort of a time trial course that you periodically can go back to and test your fitness.
3. Find some off-road. If you are running your long ones on roads, see if you can include some off-road miles. I think it helps recovery.
4. Slow down and forget pace, especially in the dead of summer and winter. If it's been a while since your last 2 hour run, keep the pace slow enough so you still feel ok by the time you hit 10 miles. Today I even went so far as to plan one minute walks every 10 minutes of running (yes-Galloway!). There is something to be said for time rather than distance when quantifying the value of your workouts.
5. Take breaks. It's foolish to think that you diminish the effects of a long run by taking a 5 minute break. I routinely take breaks this long, especially to cool down in hot weather.
6. Leave early. In the summer heat, get out the door early.
7. Extra water. Staying hydrated is crucial. Weigh yourself before and after to make sure you are not losing more than 2% of your body weight. Carry water and/or money.
8. Put in some miles the day before. I'm not ready for 20 miles in one day, but I can do that much on consecutive days. Yesterday I put in a comfortable 11 miles, followed by 15 today. Once my fitness level improves I'll drop the miles on that first day and try to make that second day count.
9. If you are training for a marathon, allow yourself at least 3 months to prepare if you currently have a decent base and can run up to 10 miles. If not, then give yourself 6 months to build up.
10. Run with somebody. I run alone 99% of the time, mainly because I like the convenience of running from home, running my own pace, and not being committed to being someplace at a specific time. However, if you are having trouble psyching yourself to get out the door, it's an option to consider.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Don't Ignore the Long Run!
The biggest difference for me was the long run. That was probably the biggest deal. Maybe I'm a great elevation trainer and it didn't translate to sea level (at Oregon) for me. There are some coaches that are interval-based coaches and you're on the track and you're working out three or four times a week. I don't consider our (Colorado's) program much like that. But for me, it was really focusing on a significant long run for me. For me, that's a huge factor. We had long runs with (OTC) but there wasn't a lot of emphasis put on it. That was definitely one big difference. I'm sure there are a lot of little differences in the programs that added up to one big thing, but that was the most significant thing for me.
-Billy Nelson, who will represent the US at the World Championships in the steeplechase, commenting on two different types of training. After moving to Oregon and not seeing any progress in my racing or fitness, he packed up and moved back to Boulder. Looks like he made the right decision.
Read the complete interview at runnersworld.com.
-Billy Nelson, who will represent the US at the World Championships in the steeplechase, commenting on two different types of training. After moving to Oregon and not seeing any progress in my racing or fitness, he packed up and moved back to Boulder. Looks like he made the right decision.
Read the complete interview at runnersworld.com.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
New Ideas to Enhance Your Running Performance- or Not!
The main goals of long runs are to improve our carbohydrate storage capacity and to become more efficient at using our fuel. The long run works by sending our bodies into crisis during those last few miles when our fuel supply is running low, which signals our bodies to adapt so that the next time we run long, our bodies are prepared to cope with that stress. When we take in a carbohydrate drink or supplement during training, it prevents us from reaching the decreases in fuel stores that lead to adaptation. Essentially, since the stress is reduced, the adaptation is reduced. -When Damage is a Good Thing
MY COMMENT: This well written article by Steve Magness poses some interesting questions about recovery, and optimal running performance. I'm always intrigued by "out of the box" training ideas.
Is it possible that long runs are more beneficial when you don't take carbohydrates? Yes! (see related post here)
The problem is every time you do this, expect a significant drop in performance during the latter stages of your run and perhaps a longer recovery. In addition, it's imperative that you practice fuel intake you'll be doing in a marathon. For this reason Magness suggests you alternate no calorie long runs and runs with fuel.
My training back in the 70s consisted of a heavy dose of 90 minute tempo runs (or longer), with a 2 hour plus jaunt on the weekends, and I don't remember drinking or eating anything, especially in winter! Did it help? The scientific evidence isn't clear on this one.
Although there are undoubtedly favourable metabolic changes after low-glycogen training, the results are rather mixed as to whether these changes translate into performance gains. -pponline.com
Here is another thought- let's say you encounter severe depletion on your every other week no carbohydrate runs, and that delays your recovery by one extra day. Over a period of a 16 week marathon build-up, you'll lose 7 valuble days of training.
Magness also suggests that antioxidant supplements reduce adaptation to training and therefore may limit the benefits. There are a couple of problems I have with this theory. First, isn't it true that immune system is suppessed for a period of time following a hard workout or race? I'm pretty sure antioxidants have never been found to enhance performance, but I'm also not aware of any studies reporting their use inhibits performance. I am not an expert, but doesn't antioxidant supplementation take some time to optimize free radical protection? I for one, am sticking with my two doses per day of Cooper Elite Athlete multi-vitamin and mineral supplement (see my previous post on the benefits here). I find it hard to believe that elevated C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation following hard exercise, is a good thing.
The article also suggests delaying ice baths (if you use them) until the day following a hard workout giving your body's natural recovery process time to work. I find it funny that NIKE is touting their latest training toy, the cryosauna, a device that uses liquid nitrogen to cool down runners after workouts. They even flew one out to New York for Dathan Ritzenhein prior to the marathon, which to me makes absolutely no sense (by that time, his hard workouts were a thing of the past- it might have made more sense for Ritz to heat train those last few days!).
I don't know if Magness is right on with this or not, but my gut feeling is telling me this idea is also a bit of a stretch. If you tear down during a workout, your body repairs itself to become stronger. I believe the level of stress is probably the key to improvement, not the length of recovery.
MY COMMENT: This well written article by Steve Magness poses some interesting questions about recovery, and optimal running performance. I'm always intrigued by "out of the box" training ideas.
Is it possible that long runs are more beneficial when you don't take carbohydrates? Yes! (see related post here)
The problem is every time you do this, expect a significant drop in performance during the latter stages of your run and perhaps a longer recovery. In addition, it's imperative that you practice fuel intake you'll be doing in a marathon. For this reason Magness suggests you alternate no calorie long runs and runs with fuel.
My training back in the 70s consisted of a heavy dose of 90 minute tempo runs (or longer), with a 2 hour plus jaunt on the weekends, and I don't remember drinking or eating anything, especially in winter! Did it help? The scientific evidence isn't clear on this one.
Although there are undoubtedly favourable metabolic changes after low-glycogen training, the results are rather mixed as to whether these changes translate into performance gains. -pponline.com
Here is another thought- let's say you encounter severe depletion on your every other week no carbohydrate runs, and that delays your recovery by one extra day. Over a period of a 16 week marathon build-up, you'll lose 7 valuble days of training.
Magness also suggests that antioxidant supplements reduce adaptation to training and therefore may limit the benefits. There are a couple of problems I have with this theory. First, isn't it true that immune system is suppessed for a period of time following a hard workout or race? I'm pretty sure antioxidants have never been found to enhance performance, but I'm also not aware of any studies reporting their use inhibits performance. I am not an expert, but doesn't antioxidant supplementation take some time to optimize free radical protection? I for one, am sticking with my two doses per day of Cooper Elite Athlete multi-vitamin and mineral supplement (see my previous post on the benefits here). I find it hard to believe that elevated C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation following hard exercise, is a good thing.
The article also suggests delaying ice baths (if you use them) until the day following a hard workout giving your body's natural recovery process time to work. I find it funny that NIKE is touting their latest training toy, the cryosauna, a device that uses liquid nitrogen to cool down runners after workouts. They even flew one out to New York for Dathan Ritzenhein prior to the marathon, which to me makes absolutely no sense (by that time, his hard workouts were a thing of the past- it might have made more sense for Ritz to heat train those last few days!).
I don't know if Magness is right on with this or not, but my gut feeling is telling me this idea is also a bit of a stretch. If you tear down during a workout, your body repairs itself to become stronger. I believe the level of stress is probably the key to improvement, not the length of recovery.
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