Recovery runs–more harm than good?

The recovery run is much debated. It is commonly heard that a complete rest day will do you better than a few easy miles. And that might be true for an extremely challenging race effort or while training for short distances. Just so we are on the same page, I define a recovery run as a relatively short run (3 – 6 miles) at a very comfortable pace – for example a minute slower than a long run and about 2 minutes slower than marathon pace.

The truth be told, a recovery run does little for recovery. Sure, it can ease the stiffness from the legs but it does not clear away toxins and other bad stuff from your extremities. Your body does a good job of this on its own within several hours of the intensive session.

So why do I like recovery runs? For triathlon and marathon training these types of runs help develop running fitness, plain and simple. But why? The day after a challenging workout your legs are in a fatigued state. In a tempo run it is not the first mile that is the most valuable but the last couple. The same can be said for the long run. You know when the session gets challenging and the legs are heavy. That is when you are making adaptations to run better, faster, farther. The recovery run can extend this beneficial window without all of the initial workout.

So how do you do a recovery run? You start out easy and stay easy for a relatively short distance. You give the run at least a mile for your legs to wake up – your legs will invariably feel fatigued and sluggish following a hard training session. If after that mile or two you are still struggling then shut the run down. Take it easy. Call it day. However, I would say that 9 times out of 10 if your give the session a fair shake you will find that the legs can and do respond. While I don’t get that huge satisfaction of a perfectly executed tempo run the recovery run is one of my favorite sessions. This is a great run to leave the watch at home and take the time to chat with friends and stop and smell the roses.

Disclaimer: A recovery run is great if the legs are tired and heavy. It is okay if the muscles are a little sore to the touch. However, if after a particularly challenging session the feet, ankles, knees, etc. hurt then I would skip the session entirely. The purpose of the run is not to exacerbate recovery but to build running fitness.

Further reading:

A Fresh Perspective on Recovery Runs By Matt Fitzgerald

What are Recovery Runs By Chaim Wizman

Prioritize your workout objectives for bigger gains.

I was talking with an athlete the other day. We were discussing specific types of workouts. This was concerning running but it applies equally to swimming and cycling. When you do a workout do you think about what you are trying to achieve? What is the most important aspect of the session?  Here are the basics.

LONG RUN - The practice of running longer distances at a "comfortable" pace rather than shorter ones to exhaustion. The comfortable pace allows the runner to go longer and, therefore, gain endurance.

For example, this athlete is working on building endurance for a late summer marathon. Here in the South it was been, how do you say, uncomfortably warm (brutally hot). All runs have been harder than normal. My easy run is anything but easy. So we talked about an upcoming long run. This weekend’s run would be 14 miles. I told her to concentrate on getting the mileage for this run. That is was okay to start a little slower and build into the run. That is was okay to not worry about breaks at the water stations. We discussed that the most important aspect of a long run while building mileage was the volume. The time and pace could slip but to try and achieve the mileage.

TEMPO - Sustained effort training runs, usually 20 to 30 minutes in length, at 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than 10-K race pace.  Another way to gauge the pace of tempo runs: a pace about midway between short-interval training speed and your easy running pace.

Just as the volume is the most important aspect for an endurance building long run, the intensity is the priority during a tempo effort. Tempos are successful in developing speed in the half and full marathons because they increase your lactate threshold. This is the point at which you can sustain a hard effort. For example, if your tempo calls for a 6 mile run at a set pace then it is far more valuable to achieve 4 or 5 miles at effort (8 out 10 in intensity) then it is to slow down or blow up after 4 miles and jog the remaining 2 miles. In a tempo run you will push your limits higher and be able to sustain a longer, faster effort.

SPEED WORK (INTERVALS) - Training in which short, fast "repeats" or "repetitions" often distances from400 meters to a full mile, are alternated with periods of recovery. Intervals are usually based on a format such as 8 x 400 meters fast with 2 minutes recovery. Interval training builds speed, strength and endurance.

Speed work is covering very short distances at a very fast pace. Depending on the distance these are almost always done at a hard effort (9+ out of 10 in intensity). For this session the priority is the pace (speed). The most important aspect is the time that it takes you to cover the distance. For example, your speed work sessions calls for you to complete 6 x 800 meters @ 6:10 pace (3:05 per 800 meters) with 90 seconds recovery. You start fading hard during the 4^th interval. You cross the line @ a 6:30 pace (3:15 per 800 meters). In this case you would be better off adding 15 seconds to the recovery and getting back on your pace your pace. The alternative is to continue with the same recovery time (90 seconds) and slowing further down for the remaining intervals. The key for this workout is to run the intervals at a fast pace; not a pretty fast pace or a kind of fast pace. If your times are slipping and you are failing, take the necessary recovery to get back on pace.

Think about your workouts. What is the session trying to achieve? Prioritize your workout objectives for bigger gains.

Do all of your workouts have clear objectives? Why not?

Discomfort is your friend

One of my hero’s is Jon at Emergence.  He writes some deep stuff about training, from a recent blog post:

… this endurance training bit we are all into - the real work doesn't begin until you are outside your comfort zone.

It made me think about a self help book I have read.  It talked about discomfort.

The comfortzone is made up of the familiar – the things, thoughts, feelings and behaviors that we are used to.  IT’s comfortable staying with the familiar, and it’s often uncomfortable to change.  But on the other hand change is what we want.  So we have to move into the discomfort zone.  This is the zone of possibilities.  This is where the change is.  So feelings of discomfort as we begin a new change program are good signs that we are moving forward – discomfort really is out friend when we want to make real change.

This is a book about life coaching but I think it applies.

…

This morning in Masters Swim we had a solid 3000 yard workout.  The set kicked off we a straight 500 yard swim with no workout.  I actually like this kind of workout.  I see it as more of a race simulation.  No real warm-up; just GO!  On these type of sets my lats really light up.  It takes a couple of hundred yards before everything settles down.  Next was 3 x 100, 4 x 50 and then a 100 yard all out time trial.  Repeat twice.

discomfort?

The first 500 yard set was in 7:45 (1:33 per 100 yards).  If you remember, my 200 yard time trial time was 2:58 at the beginning of the year – that is 1:29 per 100 yards).  I may not have much speed but I don’t drop off much either.

The first 100 was in 1:19.2.  I did not get a time for the second 500 time – oh well.  We were told to improve on out 100 TT – I finished up with a 1:20.0 100 yard effort.  Close but no cigar.  I was still pleased.

 

Today, I was not far out of my comfortzone – just a little.  But that is all it takes.

Running frequency

I attended a seminar by Justin Trolle back in September. As a side topic he mentioned that he had been training a young female that was prone to stress fractures. He prescribed a high frequency of running. Something in the order of 25 – 30 runs per week. Of course these runs would have to be short in duration. He proclaimed that this would increase her durability. In fact, in as little as 3 weeks Justin claimed that the athlete was able to perform at a high duration and intensity and has not experienced any additional stress fractures.

Recently, I have adopted a similar training program. Thankfully, I am not plagued by injuries or stress fractures but when I have increased my mileage in the past I have had some soreness. To combat this I have started running twice a day – morning and at noon. I started out with a limit of 6 miles per run – mainly just as a time constraint. I am trying to run this pattern 4 days a week and keeping the longer / faster run for the weekend. For example, leading up to the Baton Rouge Beach Half marathon, I ran a total of 44 miles during the week and then tapered for two days and ran the race. This gave me around city miles for the week – I ran a couple of miles after the race as a cool down. Granted, there is no intensity in these weekday runs – I keep these runs at my comfortable, conversational pace which is just under 8 minutes per mile.

I have noticed that as the number of runs accumulate, the first mile of each run I feel tired. However, after this first mile the fatigue subsides. Although I have mentioned that it is difficult for me to schedule cycling while trying to achieve my best marathon I am being hard headed and keeping two regimented trainer sessions during the week – these are scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

I believe that this progression will allow for me to build my mileage into the high 60’s / low 70’s with very little chance of injury. Once I have the mileage established I will be able to add some sharpening – quarters, Yasso 800’s and mile repeats. The bread and butter of this training plan will be volume and weekend long runs / tempos. Sounds like fun to me!

My next race is the Ole Man River Half in New Orleans on 12/19/2010. This should be flat, fast and cold – I had a PR at this race last year and I look to repeat! Last years race report.

Are you a satisficer or a maximizer? (from the Happiness Project)

Jon over at SwiCycloRun asked why do you buy product x on his blog earlier this week. It reminded me of a post from last year on the Happiness Project -

Are you a satisficer or a maximizer?

Last night, at dinner with some friends, we talked about whether we were satisficers or maximizers.

Satisficers (yes, satisfice is a word, I checked) are those who make a decision or take action once their criteria are met. That doesn’t mean they’ll settle for mediocrity; their criteria can be very high; but as soon as they find the car, the hotel, or the pasta sauce that has the qualities they want, they’re satisfied.

Maximizers want to make the optimal decision. So even if they see a bicycle or a photographer that would seem to meet their requirements, they can’t make a decision until after they’ve examined every option, so they know they’re making the best possible choice.

Most people are a mix of both approaches. For example, one friend was a satisficer about renting an apartment, but a maximizer about buying an apartment. As a consequence, he and his wife are renting an apartment now, because they had to move, and they're still searching for the perfect apartment to buy.

In a fascinating book, The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz argues that satisficers tend to be happier than maximizers. Maximizers must spend a lot more time and energy to reach a decision, and they’re often anxious about whether they are, in fact, making the best choice.

My mother is a good example of what I’d call a “happy limited maximizer.” In certain distinct categories, she’s a maximizer, and she loves the very process of investigating every possibility. My sister is getting married next year, and I know that my mother would love nothing more than to see her try on practically every possible wedding dress, just for the fun of it. But too often maximizers find the research process exhausting—yet can’t let themselves “settle” for anything but the best.

The difference between the two approaches may be one reason some people find a big city like New York overwhelming. If you’re a maximizer, and you live in New York, you could spend months surveying your options for bedroom furniture or even wooden hangers. In a smaller city, like Kansas City, even the most zealous maximizer can size up the available options pretty quickly.

In almost every category, I’m a satisficer, and until I read the Schwartz book, I felt guilty about the fact that often I make decisions without doing more research. For example, when I wanted to start a weight-training program, I didn’t study the options at all. A friend of mine told me she loved her trainer and regime, and I just got the number and called. In law school, one friend interviewed with something like fifty law firms before she decided where she wanted to go as a summer associate; I think I interviewed with six. And we ended up at the same firm (which I found both reassuring and vindicating).

It’s one of Life’s True Rules: let someone else do the research.

I am a major maximizer but I am trying to be more of a satisficer.

Adult swim and FIRST training

So Sunday afternoon we met at the race site to set up the racks. We had enough people that including travel and pounding the posts into the ground for the fencing it still only took about 3 hours.


Morning came quick for Adult Swim. I was very tired – I tossed and turned – probably too much sleep from the night before. The working set was demanding. It consisted of 200’s, 100’s and 50’s times 2. I have noticed, as well as Coach Steve, that there is very little difference between my speeds at different distances. It takes so much more energy to go just a little bit faster. I was trying to slow down for the 200’s and finish them on 3:15 but the first few sets I was coming in at 3:00. And then on the 100’s I was coming in at about 1:28-29 and the 50’s it was like 42 seconds.

My endurance trumps my speed. This happens in cycling and running as well. I guess I am built for distance but I sure am working on the improving the fast stuff.

I have actually put pen to paper (pixel is screen) and I wrote a training plan that should help me achieve my running goals without allowing my swim and cycling to deteriorate. The main difference is replacing quantity with quality. The running and cycling will follow more of a FIRST (Furman Institute) training plan – just three demanding breakthrough workouts a week – intervals, tempos, and long distance.

On a side note I received my USAT Level I Coaching Certificate!
 

USAT Coaching Clinic - list of presentations - powermultisport.com

I will blog more about the clinic in the next couple of weeks but I will give you brief run down. The clinic was a full two and half days. The information was valuable. It reinforced a lot of my beliefs and may have taught me a few things. One of the most valuable parts of the clinic was being in a room with 30 like minded people. Just sharing stories and experiences was worth the trip.

There were presentations on following:

• Exercise Physiology
• Traditional Nutritional Strategies
• Triathlon Specific Strength Training
• Running Skills and Economy Training
• Sports Psychology and Mental Skills
• Swimming Skills and Economy Training
• Dynamics of Coaching Youth and juniors
• Cycling Skills
• Triathlon Specific Training and Key Workouts
• Periodization and Planning

As a first step to being a certified triathlon coach it was invaluable. In addition it provides coaching network and affordable insurance.



I have been putting together a coaching website – www.powermultisport.com/ – please let me know what you think.

Make sure you check out that ‘fat James’ picture – www.powermultisport.com/coach-james  .

The Big Easy

I survived the Big Easy without incident. The USAT coaching clinic was actually quite good. It reinforced a lot of things and also taught me a few things. I will be going into some of this in greater detail in the next couple of weeks.


So I hitched a ride with a guy named Bill from Atlanta. I am glad that I did – it was a lot more fun roaming around the French Quarter with someone. The day that we arrived was NFL kickoff. The city closed down Decatur for a parade. Not only were there floats and beads and all the regular parade stuff but Dave Mathews was there (as well as Taylor Swift). It was very crowded so I did not get much of an actual view but I was pretty close to one of the jumbo-trons.

I also got a bit of a run in a couple of nights after class. Nothing structured but just trying to keep up a little fitness. On Saturday night Bill, another classmate Mark and I went to eat in the French Quarter. I had a wonderfully delicious Muffalatta. Wow – talk about good. As we were heading back to the room for some homework we passed by Café Du monde. Bill said that he had not had a beignet before. So we had to stop. We only order 1 serving (3 beignets) and Mark got a coffee.

It was about 10 PM and the café was not crowded at all. However, up came an older bald guy with a tall Latin woman on his arm. She had huge fake boobs just popping out of her dress. She approached our table and with a perky thick accent (I’m from Mex-He-Co) and said that she had never had a beignet. She took the one from Mark’s hand. She took a big bite. Then she said she needed a little drink and picked up Marks coffee and took a sip. They talked and flirted with us for a few minutes. Boy, you could smell the alcohol.

As they walked away one of the workers at the Café asked if we should tell the guy that he was with a man. Wow – you have to love NOLA!
 

Wednesday night ride and New Orleans bound

I forgot to look for my sleep shorts on my ride home, oh well. I rode home after work and dropped my bag off at the house. I then rode back to Jackson Station for the Wednesday night ride. There were not many takers tonight. It was Butch, Ed, Mark, Chad and me. The ride started off rather sedate. Even though the pace was not that high I looked down at my legs. They were already getting splotchy from the heat. They were starting to itch. Man, I am tired of this ‘prickly heat’; however it really is getting better. Once we got off the trace Ed lead us out and pulled most of the time. The pace was just fast enough that no one was willing to attack. After about 15 miles Butch took the lead and poured it on uphill. I think that is his favorite form of attack. Long gradual hills at a good clip and he just watches the riders fall off. Once we started to regroup I took off. I really tried to keep my exertion under control. I wanted to ride out hard – but not too hard and just blow up. I got a good jump and it felt like I was creating a gap. The sun was getting low in the sky behind me and I was looking for shadows. But my heart rate started to creep up and I was getting spent. I kept the pace high for as long as possible. I started to fade and sat up – the guys were on my wheel. I had no idea. I moved to the right and tried to jump on the train. I was dying but I did not want to get dropped. Fortunately the road came to an end just ahead and I was able to get back on. It was a good solid effort. No guts no glory – maybe one of these days I will be able to get away (not likely).

I am out of town this weekend. I am going to New Orleans for a USA Triathlon coaching clinic. I am pretty excited. I was lucky enough to book a room back in June for like $50 a night. So I contacted some of the other clinic attendees to see if they wanted to split the cost of the hotel. However, being downtown the parking is $30 a night. I also wanted to find a ride. Everything fell into place. I found someone to split the room and give me a lift to New Orleans.

So I am having someone pick me up on campus in Hattiesburg and sharing a room for the weekend in New Orleans. A couple of people have told me this is risky. I guess I am a trusting person. I did not see the risk. However, I have written a post to be published at 5PM on Friday giving all of the details on my whereabouts just in case something happens. So, if I do not cancel the post please come looking for me.

All joking aside, I did think about the person picking me up. They are also taking a risk. I wonder how they would react if when they pulled up to pick me up if I was dressed as a mid-evil warrior in full regalia. I think it would be hilarious.

Running - psychological preparation

Last weekend I went to a RRCA Coaching Clinic. And after 16 hours of lecture and an examination I am now an officially RRCA Certified Coach. I enjoyed the clinic and found it rewarding. I also learned quite a bit about the science, art and craft of coaching.

As part of the class materials we received Marathoning Start to Finish by Patti & Warren Finke. There is no flash to this book.  It has a lot of basic information.  But as was stressed in the clinic, many times the basics are forgotten. There is a chapter on psychological preparation. Let me share the bullet points:

TOOLS

Have a training plan

• Long term goals
• Short term goals
• Strategy

Keep a training log

• Daily plans and goals
• Daily results
• Comments

PRE-WORKOUT

Revisit plan and goals

• How far 
• How fast 
• What is the purpose of this workout 

Plan rewards

• For major workouts 
• For achieving goals

Visualize workout as a positive experience (2-3minutes) 

• Yourself exercising 
• Your route 
• What you feel, see, hear, smell and taste 
• Completing as planned 
• Any post workout reward 

DURING WORKOUT

Develop self awareness

• Listen to body 
• Listen to thoughts 

Develop self control

• Generate positive thoughts and relaxation 
• Deal with negative thoughts and tension
• Focus on the present
• Visualize yourself in the present

AFTER WORKOUT

Log results

Log any positive / negative influences

• Plan means of using positives in the future
• Plan ways to minimize negatives

Reward yourself for accomplishing major goals

I have never seen a list this thorough. I do like to plan my goals and make my plans.  I also make sure my sessions have purpose.  But have I been missing some of the quality? I have always just taken a cursory look at the workout and then immediately jumped in head first. This works most of the time. However, could I have greater success if I really read the workout, planned for the workout, thought about its purpose and then executed? Would that allow the workouts to have more quality – for the workouts to become breakthrough sessions? I have started planning my goals and making my plans. Now I need to make sure I get the maximum out of out of each workout.

Why I (YOU) need a triathlon coach. (overview)

Yesterday I was perusing the blog-o-sphere and came across a question that I have asked myself many times. Matty O over at Staying strong and positive was questioning a training plan that he has been following (for a couple of days anyway). He wrote, “I feel that the training sessions I was doing before I started this program were MUCH more well rounded and intense than this program recommends. … Do you typically add more mileage or time on your workouts across the board? I feel that I am slacking pretty hardcore now and yet I say, this is what the plan says I need to do???”

I have written a number of training plans for myself and for others. But when it comes down to following the training plans I always want to add more – more intensity, more volume, more speed, more reps – you get the picture.

Time to get a pair of coaches shorts

This is so short sighted. As self-trained athletes we only see the workouts in front of us. When I have used generic training plans I have rarely even looked past the current day much less the current week. I certainly have not looked at the entire training plan. I do not take into account all of the thought that has gone into the plan. Even in the simplest of plans there should be a base, build and a peak to prepare you for your A priority races.

Now when I follow my plans I always forget (disregard) why I have put these steps in place. I have a group of cyclist that I love to go out and hammer it. I have a group of runners that I love to go out and smash it. It is hard for me to have the discipline to not DO IT ALL – everyday. It is hard for me to take recovery into consideration. I have a bias when it comes to my training. I believe that I know best on a day to day basis but I am not looking at the big picture.

The times that I have followed a training plan, and I mean really followed a plan has been few and far between. But this is where I have seen the most progress. This is where I have done the best. It takes discipline and trust to follow a structured plan but the rewards are great.

To be fair, Matty O has only been following this plan for a couple of days and it may indeed need a lot of tweaking. It would appear that his current fitness is greater than the new plan recognizes.

It would be much easier to rely on a coach to make these training decisions for you. A coach can put an end to all of the second guessing. They can tailor the training plan to your lifestyle – your strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. You just have to get up and just do the workout.  The training and the workouts are the easy part.

A good coach should provide the following (I did a quick brain storming session and put these in alpha order - I will elaborate on these in coming posts):

Accountability
Belief
Confidence
Goal Setting
Information
Knowledge
Mentoring
Motivation
Objectivity
Organization
Personalization
Purpose
Race strategies
Race weight management
Responsibility
Restraint
Sounding board
Structure