Workout Summary July 23-29

Total Miles Run = 47.2
Long Run = 7
Quality Miles = 14  (sub 7 min pace or hills)
Moderate Miles= 4 

Highlights
Mon .1 x 10 strides
Tues 3 x 1 mile 6:20s;  
Wed  6 x 800m 3:30s very hot!
Thurs .1 mile x 20 6:30s per mile ave   
Fri  5K hard 6:57 pace very hot!
Sat:  16x100m, 8 x 200m, 4x400m intervals 6:26 per mile ave;
Sun .22 mile x 13 just under 7 min pace ave on dirt in the shade

Other:  5 swim workouts

Comments:  I've abondoned longer runs for now and am trying for higher quality most if not every day by adding .1 mile strides and short intervals.  Ran the same 5K as last week 11 sec faster but still very slow https://www.strava.com/athletes/1333811/training/log

Workout Summary July 16-22

Total Miles = 50.4
Long Run = 8 miles
Quality Miles = 15 total 
Moderate Miles= 9 total  , 
Other:  5 swim workouts

Highlights
Mon 4 miles @ 7:40s on roads
Tues 16x100m, 8x200m, 4x400m, 8x200m, 16x100m intervals ave 6:13 per mile on turf
Wed hills- 2 miles hard
Thurs 5K @ 7 min pace very hot on bike trail
Fri 8 slow miles
Sat 5 miles of various sub 8 min pace on trails
Sun 5 miles just over 7 min pace in the heat on turf

Comments:  Heat heat heat!  More time in the shade, shorter distances, intervals with water breaks.  Disappointed the 5K on Wed and 5 mile on Sun were not a little faster.
 https://www.strava.com/athletes/1333811/training/log

Workout Summary July 9-15

Total Miles = 58.6
Long Run = 13.2 miles
Quality Miles = 12.5 miles:   Tues 16 x 100m; Wed 5 miles at 7:10 pace; Thurs- hill repeats (1.5 miles); Sun- 2 sets of 5 x 800m on Turf- 6:32 mile pace in very hot humid conditions. 
Other:  5 swim workouts

Comment:  Quality workouts are very tough in warm humid conditions.  Trying to get out the door earlier!  https://www.strava.com/athletes/1333811/training/log

Workout Summary July 2-8

Total Miles = 45.8
Long Run = 9.2
Quality Miles =   15 total.   Wed 10K race; Fri 20 x .2 miles; Sun 20 x 400m on the track @ 5:51 per mile ave
Other:  3 swim workouts; one short bike day to the track and back.

Best workout in a while!  https://www.strava.com/activities/1687846603

Workout Summary June 25-July 1

Total Miles= 47.8
Long Run=  9.5
Quality Miles= 6.5 (4 mile progressive run 6:35 ave; 10 x 400m).  Hard 5 miler at 7:32 pace in Yonago
Other= 4 swim workouts

strava

Workout Summary June 18-24

Total Miles Run= 42.6
 Long Run= 10 miles on Fri
Quality Miles = 9 (5K @ 6:27 pace on Tues; 6 x 1 mile @ 7 min pace indoors on Sun)
Other: 2 swim workouts; 11 mile bike

strava

Workout- Tuesday, June 19: Easy Run

Easy run with Peter through the 8A trails.

Foot Changes Following the Switch to Minimalist Running Shoes

In summary, this is anecdotal, but these are the changes we are seeing in runners who have transitioned to less of a shoe. These results were seen and described by many in the barefoot running community and now we are exponentially increasing numbers as runners are switching to minimalist type shoes -Dr. Nick's Running Blog

MY COMMENT: Dr Nick admits this evidence is strictly anecdotal, but may be something to experiment with if your feet look anything like his photos. The key is not to transition too fast. One easy trick is to remove the insoles in your regular training flats on some short runs.

Fatalities in Running

A 42-year-old man has died after collapsing at the finish line of the London Marathon. The man, who has not been named, was given medical attention immediately after finishing the race, but was pronounced dead at hospital. Officials said that the news had left the event "tinged with sadness". One of the women’s elite runners, Mami Konneh Lahun from Sierra Leone, has disappeared after finishing the race in 20th place. -The Telegraph..................................................................... Dr. Jeff Bytomski, head medical team physician at Duke University, said medical problems usually rise toward the end of the half-marathon. In news reports of deaths at races, most are said to occur near the finish line. Bytomski said they may experience an adrenaline rush in the excitement of the race and decide to sprint in -Stonehearth News ...................................................................................... MY COMMENT: No, I am not convinced adrenalin has anything to do with these deaths. I'll keep checking for follow-up stories.

Lower Extremity Changes with Minimalist Shoes!

These results were seen and described by many in the barefoot running community and now we are exponentially increasing numbers as runners are switching to minimalist type shoes. This is just one documented example of many with photographic evidence that I have seen in my practice. Why is this so significant? Because this is proof that running in a minimalist shoe can strengthen intrinsic foot musculature which can then change the shape of the foot and arch over time. I hope to soon have more similar objective results published!! Dr. Nick's Running Blog MY COMMENT: Not surprised by this but fascinating!

Marathon in North Korea

My comment: Why do I get the feeling those spectators in the stadium had better things to do? I've never seen such sparse crowd support in a major city marathon.

Ryan Hall Impressive Tempo Run 3 Weeks Before His 2:04:58 at Boston in 2011

Nice workout, but I was shocked to see Hall's apparent reliance on sports supplements. Hopefully he was just going over the top to endorse his sponsors and doesn't actually eat that way. Unfortunately, Hall hasn't finished a marathon since the 2012 Olympic Trials.

Speed Training for Runners

Speed Training for Runners at competitor.com serves up a reminder to distance runners who consider higher weekly mileage as the only road to better performance at 5K and above. Although I've seen some comparatively slow runners put up impressive times at long distances, improving top end sprint speed may be the missing piece for many, especially if you are beginning to notice an age related slowdown. The article offers up a few workout ideas including the value of a good warm-up, but no need to get fancy. Once every week or 2 seek out a soft surface and run some repeats from 50m to 200m with plenty of rest. If you don't mind the pain or embarrassment, run a timed mile before implementing speed training workouts to serve as a benchmark for measuring progress down the road. If you aren't able to improve your mile time, chances are sprint workouts aren't going to help you run faster at longer distances either.

Push-Ups for Runners from Competitior.com

Bob Schul-5000 Meters- Never Forget Your American Olympic Champions!

Americans Bob Schul and Bill Dellinger won Olympic gold and bronze in the 5,000 meters at Tokyo in 1964- imagine!

Great Circuit Workout for Runners by Jay Johnson!

Circuit Workouts for Running Times - Third Circuit from CoachJayJohnson on Vimeo.

MY COMMENTS: I have to write these down- can't wait to try some in Youth Running Club!

Great Hip Stretch for Distance Runners!

Great for relief of IT band tightness, piriformis tightness/pain, and improved hip range of motion. This is one I am going to try!

Should Your Recovery Runs be Faster?

Perhaps I should reconsider my belief that recovery runs need to be slow in order to be ready for the hard workouts. You can't argue with his success.

Is Barefoot Running Good or Bad ?

Supporters of barefoot running make a variety of claims about its virtues -- but what does the scientific evidence actually say?  Give Barefoot Running the Boot?

Based on personal experience, I'm surprised by a couple of points:  first, that shoe weight (up to 300 g, or 10.58 oz) did not have a negative impact on performance, and second,   the researchers found no difference between shod and barefoot movements in their ability to strengthen certain muscles.

Not surprising, researchers did not go out on a limb to support the use of shoes, rather made the point:  "it is not known whether people running barefoot have more, equal, or fewer injuries than people running in conventional running shoes."

Keep in mind this was not an actual study, rather a review of current studies already published.   You can be sure there is more to come on this. 

My take is this- barefoot running is probably optimal if everybody ran on a soft grassy surface.  The amount of protection required to run on roads is purely individual, and some of the minimalist shoes out there probably don't offer enough for the majority of runners, particularly those running high mileage. 

What's the Muscle AdaptationTimeline Following a Hard Workout?

Answer:  That's difficult to pinpoint exactly, but, says Pfitzinger, they're typically realized in about eight to 10 days. Joe Rubio, a two-time U.S. Olympic trials marathon qualifier and head coach of the ASICS Aggies, says that "most athletes will see a benefit from an individual workout 10-14 days after it is completed - How Long Does it Take to Benefit from a Hard Workout?

According to this article, long intervals take the longest to recover from (8-10 days according to Pete Pfitzinger).  It looks like they suggest short 200 meter repeats are the least taxing. 

Ovett!

The autobiography of Steve Ovett offers an inside look at 70s-80s middle distance running by an Olympic Champion (800 meters, 1980), and former world record holder (1500 meters and 1 mile).

By today's standards, Ovett's racing schedule is something from another planet.  In 1980, Ovett set world records in the one mile run (3:48.8) and the 1500 meters (3:31.36), not to mention winning an 800m Olympic gold medal (1:45.4) and bronze in the 1500m ( 3:39). From April 30- Sept. 6, Ovett competed in  25 races.   He raced June 27 (1500 meters), July 1 (Bislett Games mile world record), July 3 (800 meters), and July 6 (3000 meters) prior to his July 15 world record 1500 meter run and first Olympic race on July 24.  

He set the 1 mile world record just 4 days following a 3:35 effort in the 1500 meter run, and the 1500 meter world best just 2 days after running a 3:52 mile.

Ovett followed up with another great year in 1981, competing in an eye popping 27 races between April 19 and Oct 13, setting another one mile world record (3:48.4) and winning the Dream Mile and World Cup,

What an amazing talent!

Is 30 Miles Per Week a "Health Threshold For Runners"

Recent research shows that the extra six years of longevity gained by running regularly may disappear beyond the 30-mile per week mark
Read more at http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/15908/20130525/long-distance-running-endurance-exercises-limited-health.htm#1F0vqVWGDPhQgafk.99

And Now a Word from Our Sponsors... Are America’s Nutrition Professionals in the Pocket of Big Food?

Virtually all of the major junk food purveyors buy sponsorships to be at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ annual trade meetings. Besides showcasing their food products in the largest booths on the expo floor, they’re also allowed to hold educational sessions, teaching dietitians about everything from the virtues of aspartame to the appropriate place of sugar in a child’s diet

Food companies are equally as powerful and pervasive as the pharmaceutical industry, and perhaps even more pernicious in their influence on people’s health because more often than not it’s your food choices that produce the disease

A group of concerned registered dieticians have formed a more formal organization called Dietitians for Professional Integrity, aimed at pushing for more transparency and independence from industry   Are America's Nutrition Professionals in the Pocket of Big Food?

Distance Running and Osteoarthritis

Although the existing evidence on whether long-term long-distance running causes osteoarthritis is currently insufficient for researchers to draw unequivocal conclusions, the preponderance of data seems to indicate that moderate levels of running do not increase the risk of osteoarthritis of the knees and hips for healthy people and that this activity might even have a protective effect."

Read more: Medical studies: Long-term long-distance running - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/running/ci_23326932/medical-studies-long-term-long-distance-running#ixzz2UXSzgeRy

Warming Up for Running: Less May Be Better in the Heat

In this particular study, runners completed 3 treadmill runs to exhaustion in a warm environment:  One trial was precluded by a 20 min warm-up, one wearing a cooling vest for 20 min, and one "without particular preparation." 

Runners ran for 32.5 minutes after pre cooling, 26.9 min after the 20 min warm-up, and 30.3 min after doing nothing.  Effects of warm-up and precooling on endurance performance in the heat.

In this small study that controlled for increase in body temperature, runners did better on a 4 min maximal treadmill run  with lower levels of lactic acid produced and a higher blood pH maintained (blood pH decreases when lactic acid increases).  Effects of active, passive or no warm-up on the physiological response to heavy exercise.

MY COMMENT: Adjust your warm-up to the conditions, and do whatever you can do stay cool: stay inside if an air conditioned room is convenient, jump in a lake, or take a cold shower).