My Personal 5 Steps to Becoming a Better Runner

Date: 9/25/14
Current Weight: 181 lbs
Total Miles Last Week: 49
Long Run This Past Weekend: 15.5 miles at Afton State Park 

This past week was a nice return to more relaxed training after really pushing my body in preparation for the Wheels-Off Half Marathon. Although happy with my result at the race, I would never say I'm satisfied. Just like always, as soon as I reach one goal my eyes are already on the next. 

It was a great week weather wise for training, with our temps ranging from high 30's in the mornings to mid 70's in the afternoons. I actually really like the variation that this time of the year has to offer. You get the best of both worlds, and no real extreme temperatures. That being said, I almost find myself longing for the grind of winter training. Something about winter training in terrible weather really makes you feel like a conqueror of some sort. I rather enjoy it! My training partner, Tony, and I have already talked about some alternate ways of training this winter, that we did not employ last winter. 

- Snowshoeing - Although I never had an interest in this, it is a great way to get out and enjoy the trails during the winter. It is also an activity that will keep you in your aerobic zone from a heart rate and intensity standpoint. This is perfect, because one of my goals this winter is to improve my aerobic base significantly. 

- Hiking - Running on rougher trails in the winter can be almost impossible because of the depth of the snow. That being said, you can still hike them. Again, this is a great way to enjoy the trails and build the aerobic base. 

- Spinning - I did of bit of this last year with video classes at one of the 3CLICK Fitness affiliate fitness centers, Snap Fitness Golden Valley. It is a ton of fun, and a great way to get a good workout indoors. The group fitness room at this gym (which I've worked at or around since I was 18 btw..) has Fitness On Demand, which offers video classes ranging from spinning to yoga. 

- Cross Country Skiing - I live right near Theodore Wirth Park, and see people doing this all of the time. I am anxious to take a few lessons this year (maybe with my Mom) to learn the technique and see if I enjoy it. Again - a great way to enjoy trails in the winter and work on your aerobic base. 

So...as far as running itself. What will I be doing? I love running, probably a little too much, but just like anything else that you have too much of, you start to get burnt out. I did a little quick math, and I've run about 1,200 miles since the beginning of April, an average of ~45 per week. In addition, I did five races greater than marathon distance (including a 50 mile) and two half-marathons. I will continue running all winter, but will dramatically reduce my mileage, and mix in a lot more cross training. In order to get better, I need to realize that my body needs a break. I think my mind does, too. 

That being said, I want to focus on the small things to help myself become a better runner over the next six months so I can return feeling stronger than ever next spring. 

Here are the 5 things I'm going to be focusing on to become a better runner: 

1. 80/20 rule: This is a term that I've heard tossed around before, but never really took much time to look into it prior to the past month. The rule states that 80% of your training should be done at a low intensity...really low. This is a pace that is below your ventillatory threshold (VT). This threshold is the intensity level at which your body begins to experience labored breathing, accumulates lactate in the blood, starts to recruit more fast-twitch muscle fibers, and starts to become more anerobic (meaning 'without oxygen'), meaning a high percentage carbohydrates are being burned for fuel and fat burning starts to shut down. The remaining 20% of your training should be done at a high intensity. This portion of training is made up of tempo runs, intervals, hill repeats etc. I'm going to commit to staying out of the moderate zone in my training, and sticking to the 80/20 rule. There is a wealth of research supporting this rule, and it makes sense when you break down the science. 

2. Focusing on Achieving Racing Weight: What is racing weight? Racing weight is essentially when you have removed as much excess bodyfat from your frame as possible. This level is slightly different for each individual, and varies with genetics, age, and gender. In using an equation presented by Matt Fitzgerald in his book, "Racing Weight," my optimal weight is about 170-174 with around 8% bodyfat. I'm committing to tracking my diet again (I had to initially come down from 210 lbs when I started running), and going to get rid of the excess 'junk' in my diet. I am a food addict, plain and simple. I love food, but that's not the real problem. The problem is that I feel like I've lost some of the control I once had over my eating. I experience all of the normal symptoms an addict would; cravings, withdrawal symptoms (the body/minds urge to eat when nourishment is not really needed), and a need for a fix on a regular basis (every 3ish hours). I am going to take back control of my eating, and I have some good research backed ideas that I am going to employ...more to come on that in my next post. Long story short...for every extra pound you carry, you expend 2.5% more energy per mile. That means if I have 15 pounds to lose, I'm burning an extra 45% more energy per mile than I need to - that's crazy. This has been shown to equate to about a 1% increase in running speed for each 1% bodyfat lost.

3. Using Nasal Breathing: There is good research showing that people who breath rhythmically and through their nostrils actually uptake more oxygen during exercise, effectively lowering perceived exertion. This is also a good strategy to help commit to more low-intensity running, as you cannot go much above your ventiliatory threshold without breathing in through your mouth.

4. Being "Present" While Running: I want to get to know and understand my body better. In an effort to do this, I'm going to focus on being the present when running. So often when running I'm thinking about work, listening to music or a podcast, and not really focusing on being in the moment (I even frequently talk on the phone, even have phone meetings while running). I believe committing to being in the moment when running can help me relieve stress better - there is good research showing doing an activity where you a truly present is very beneficial for stress relief and creating headspace. I am lucky enough to be able to run through some beautiful places on a regular basis, I should be enjoying them to their fullest without distractions. 

5. Working on my Mobility and Muscular Balance: I like most people in the first world, spend a remarkable amount of time on my butt. I would consider myself lightly active (aside from structured exercise) on a daily basis, but even with a reasonable amount of activity during my day, I spend a good amount of time seated. Years and years of this has produced tight hip flexors, shortened hamstrings, and weaker than ideal glutes. I need to focus on becoming more supple and improving the mobility through my hips particularly. I have began a program of muscular inhibition, using self myofacial techniques to relieve the tension through my hip flexors and rectus femoris (one of the muscles of the quadriceps), better allowing my glutes and hamstrings to work effectively during both running and cross training. I am excited to see the longer term effects of this program.