Negative Splits

Since I began running, I have learned all kinds of jargon associated with the sport. One of the terms that I have seen bandied about in various articles and websites is "negative splits". The concept of negative splits is simple - it is finishing the second half of a race faster than the first half of a race.

While the concept may be simple, executing it is not. My initial response to competing in my first races last summer was to take off as fast as possible at the starting line, giving it my all right at the beginning. Then I would begin to get winded, and slow down as the race went on. By the time I crossed the finish line, I was ready to drop.

When implementing negative splits, you control your pace at the start of a race, and then ramp it up once you get going. This gives you a chance to warm up and once you are hitting your stride, you can pass the other runners who have begun to run out of steam.

Of course, if you want to use this method in a race, you need to train for it. I tried this out today, but running three miles at 8.0 mph, and then inching up the mph by just a .10 mph, until I reached 8.7 mph and ran a total of 5 miles. While this is a small increase in speed, I was able to shave slightly more than three minutes off of my time than if I had stuck with my initial pace.

Find out more about negative splits in this Runner's World article.

Today's workout:
40 min. run (5.29 mi)
60 min. yoga private training
60 min. yoga @ home

Facing my Fears

Today I had a limited amount of time to accomplish my run in order to fit it in with my other obligations. Since yesterday was a "rest" day (being Yom Kippur), I wanted to maximize my mileage. Therefore, I ran a little faster than I normally would. Rather than experiencing the fatigue that I expected, I was not only able to maintain the pace easily for three miles, but I was able to increase the speed by 1.0 mph for an additional mile.

I found myself wondering why I haven't increased my speed sooner for these easy runs. Instead, I have been maintaining a pace during my easy runs that is significantly (about 2.5 mph) slower than my race pace. Part of the reason I haven't being running faster is I am not sure what constitutes a good "easy" pace for me. While I have a plan for the type and distance of running to do each day, there is no set pace pre-determined based on my ability or past performance, so I estimate.

However, it has been quite clear to me for sometime now that my "easy" pace is definitely easy ... so why haven't I moved up sooner?

The answer that I came up with was that I was/am afraid. Of what? I suppose I am afraid of not being able to run as fast as the mileage I set, of getting tired and not being able to complete a run, of getting hurt, of falling off the treadmill or looking ridiculous, of failing.

These week I am going to accept these fears and increase my pace anyway. We'll see how zippy I can get!

Today's workout:
35 min. run (4.17 mi)
60 min. private yoga session

Shavin' off the Seconds

This morning, I did not feel like running. After a wonderful night out with my friends, I most certainly did not feel like going out for a 5K race. However, after I woke up, I realized that I was just going to lie awake there anyway - my husband certainly wasn't getting up - so I might as well go out and run.

It was a beautiful morning - a little chilly, but I wore a long sleeve shirt. The entire Capital University football team came out to support the cause, and the Bexley HS soccer and field hockey teams ran as well.

This 5K raises money to support finding the cure for ALS, an insidious disease that attacks the nervous system. Most of its victims succomb to the illness within the first five years after diagnosis. However, this race honors the courage of Marc Levison, a familiar face in Bexley, who has battled the disease for 20 years with positivity and grace. The facebook page for the Marc Levison 5K describes him in this way:

Though Marc has lost most of his muscular ability, he can still hear, see, and feel. His mind has not been affected at all. This disease breaks it’s victims down and most have a life expectancy of 3 years. This is not the case with Marc. If anything, it has made him realize his love for life and given him a strength that is beyond anything I have seen in anyone. His positive nature has kept Marc alive for over 20 years since his diagnosis, and he continues to fight until a cure is found. Marc has a quote… “Find a cause you’d die for, and live for it.” His cause is finding a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Please stand up for Marc and hundreds of thousands of others with ALS.

He is an inspiration! He was out in support of the race this morning.

After getting to the race, I felt a little better, and it was nice to see a few familiar faces. I ran comfortably, at an even pace and was pleased to pass a few people, and was able to stay at the front of the pack. Ultimately, I shaved 15 seconds off my fastest time so far, with a finish time of 23:29 at a pace of 7.57 min/mi. (~7.6 mph). I finished second in my age group (the one ahead of me was only 5 seconds ahead of me -- my husband says if I hadn't had 3 cosmos the night before I could have beaten her!), and 34th out of 335 runners overall. Not bad!

If you can't have a coach, be a coach!

So says Brad Hudson, former competitive runner and now coach to the athletic elite, in his book Run Faster: From the 5K to the Marathon. His book arrived today from Amazon and I seriously cannot put it down!

He explains his approach to training clearly and outlines the rules and principles behind his method. His theories make a lot of sense and are completely based on the individual needs and abilities of each runner. He has dubbed his style of training "adaptive running" because each runner needs to develop the flexibility to adapt their training regimen to their unique situation.

Hudson builds on his vast knowledge of a training techniques from coaches around the world and uses his own experience, including his own mistakes, to help improve the speed and performance of his athletes. His workouts strive to improve three aspects: aerobic capacity, neuromuscular strength and specific race endurance. I really love that he is telling us to listen to our bodies and modify as needed. He points out that if we are constantly pushing ourselves beyond our limits, then we will become injured or over-fatigued and ultimately sabotage ourselves. Instead, if we modify as necessary and challenge ourselves at appropriate levels, then we can maximize our performance.

I haven't finished the book yet, but I can't wait to get into the "meatier" chapters and apply his principles to my own workouts!

Today's workout:
15 min. stretch
45 min. tempo run (4.29 miles)
25 min. strength training
60 min. yoga

Running Music

I am a relatively new runner, and have been searching for tools to help me improve since I started. One of my favorites that I have found is Podrunner - free downloadable podcasts of running music. What makes these special is that they are more than just a playlist. The music is carefully tempo-controlled and the podcasts are labelled with the BPM (beats per minute) range. This helps you reach your stride and run smoothly. You can choose the mix that best matches your desired pace - mixes start at 130 bpm and go up to 180 bpm.

Today, I used the other type of podcast DJ Steveboy has created, Podrunner Interval. He has developed sequential podcasts to be used for runners training towards a 5K, 8K or 10K. Each training program contains several increasingly difficult interval workouts. The mixes increase in length and tempo as the weeks go on. In each podcast, a tone will sound indicating that the runner should speed up, and then sound again to notify the runner to slow back down. The tempo of the music speeds up accordingly with the interval.

The music is all electronica/house/techno music, with no or few lyrics. I find it energizing without being distracting. The podcasts provide enough direction to make me feel as though I am progressing, but give me the freedom to set my own pace. I would recommend them, particularly for a runner who needs a training regimen.

Today's workout:
30 min. interval run
30 min. strength training, focus on legs

Jump up!

Cross-training in general is a good idea to add to your workout regimen.  Even if your main focus is running, adding new exercises and routines will increase your motivation and improve your overall performance by strengthening and toning different muscles.

Plyometric exercises are those designed to produce fast, powerful movements to improve sports performance. "Plyometric movements, in which a muscle is loaded and then contracted in rapid sequence, use the strength, elasticity and innervation of muscle and surrounding tissues to jump higher, run faster, throw farther, or hit harder, depending on the desired training goal. Plyometrics is used to increase the speed or force of muscular contractions, often with the goal of increasing the height of a jump." (Wikipedia.org)

I incorporated some plyometrics into my workout today as a part of my ongoing goal of increasing my speed.  These exercises can easily be modified by changing the number repetitions or the height of the platform.  I used a Reebok Step with one set of risers.

Side Jump

Stand to the right of the bench.  Jump up laterally to your left, onto the bench.  Immediately jump back down.  Continue jumping without coming to a full stop between jumps.  Do 20 repetitions, then change to the other side.

Platform Side Hurdle

Stand to the right of the bench.  Jump up laterally and completely over the bench to the left side.  You will need to propel yourself higher into the air for this jump.  As soon as you land, jump back over to the other side.  This is one repetition - do 20.

Single Leg Jumps

This exercise improves leg strength as well as balance.  Go to the short end of the bench and face the bench.  Stand on your left leg only.  Jump forward onto the bench and land on your left leg, keeping your right leg lifted.  Jump back down onto your left leg.  Complete 20 reps, and then switch to your right.  Keep the non-working leg lifted for the entire set.

After you are done with these jumps, complete the entire routine again.  If this much jumping is difficult for you, try doing squats or another exercise in between sets.

Today's workout:

30 min. elliptical (weight loss interval)

30 min. strength training & plyometrics

Getting Zippy with It!

Since I have started running, one of my main goals has been to increase speed. I have no desire to run a marathon; the 5K distance is perfect for me. I have steadily been chipping away at my run times since my first 5K race.

I looked to this month's Women's Running magazine article, "Get Faster!" for tips on improving my speed. I tried the VO2 Max workout on the treadmill today and it was fantastic! I was working hard and sweating! I attempted the workout, but quickly aborted it, yesterday after I felt like I was going to fall off the treadmill - I was pushing myself too hard. Today, I slowed the speed down to a more manageable pace where I was still challenged, but could explore a new workout without reaching the point of complete exhaustion or risking injury.

Women's Running defines VO2 Max as "maximum oxygen uptake ... describes the body' ability to utilize oxygen to create energy during exercise." They suggest running at 90-95% of your perceived effort. Today, I was probably running at 80%, and next time I will push it up a notch. Here's what I did today:

warm-up: 1 mile - 0% incline - 5.0 mph

.25 miles - 3% incline - 8.5 mph
.25 miles - 0% incline - 5.0 mph
(these two sequences were repeated 6 times)

cool down: 1 mile - 0% incline - I started at 5.0 mph and continually increased speed at random intervals until I finished at 6.5 mph.

I ended up running 5 miles in a little less than an hour. The magazine suggests mixing VO2 Max workouts in with basic speed runs as well as runs for lactate threshold. I am going to try out these other plans and we'll see what our next race results show!!