Basic Training Principles

There are two basic training principles to every workout program. The first is the FITT principle, the foundation for every training program.

Frequency
Intensity
Time
Type

Frequency: how often you work out. You need to be exercising AT LEAST three times a week for there to be any benefit/change to your body
Intensity: how hard you are working out. Some days you should go easy and other days you need to push yourself
Time: how long you work out for. The national recommendation is at least 30 minutes a day
Type: what kind of exercise you are doing. This can be running, biking, hiking, swimming, walking, soccer, etc.

The second is the overload principle. I think this is one of the most important concepts to understand as you are training. The overload principle states that your body responds to the stresses placed on it, and if you want to improve you need to stress your body. So if you run 3 miles every day at the same pace, it is going to become really easy for you. You are also going to stop getting as much benefit from it because your body has adapted to that stress. You need to increase time and/or speed. If you apply it to weight lifting-once a weight and reps set becomes easy, you need to increase the weight or add more reps to each set. You need to keep your body in a constant state of adaptation.

The overload principle and FITT work hand in hand. You need to apply the overload principle to each of the FITT areas. Overload even applies to Type.....e.g. Type could be running and then you can classify it even further into hill running, speed running, recovery running, etc. Apply these principles to your training program and start seeing improvement! Set a goal, choose a race, and as you train, think about these things as you strive to become a faster, stronger, better runner.

Why Local Running Stores Are the Best Choice

Most of us are tempted to go to our nearest Big 5, Sporting Goods, Kohl's.....even Payless to buy our running shoes. Why is this a good idea? Because they are cheap. Why is this a bad idea? Because you are not going to get the quality that you need as a runner. Cheap shoes are okay. I bought a $40 pair once. But they lasted me only about 2 months and I could immediately tell the difference in quality. However, the shoes I spend $80-$100 on last me 5-6 months. They cost twice as much, but they last more than twice as long. You do the math...its worth the expense.

That being said, I am a strong advocate for local running stores. The employees are almost always highly trained and very experienced runners. They will watch your gait and fit you with the shoe best for your running style. They know so much about the different kinds of shoes and what the differences are between them all. They can help you decide if you want a really light shoe or if you want more cushion. They can help you overcome that "but this shoe is prettier" mentality.

Not only are local running stores good for helping you find the right shoe, they offer a myriad of stuff you won't find at the big name retailers. They will offer things like running clubs,  fun local runs, and running seminars.

My local go-to running store is Runner's Corner. The staff is professional, friendly and so incredibly helpful. Every single employee is a competitive and knowledgeable runner. They know their stuff. I trust them completely to help me find the best shoe for me. I am so impressed with their staff because they aren't salesy or pushy. They aren't there to make you buy the most expensive shoe. They are there to help you find the shoe that is going to make you love running. The employees make you feel cared about as an individual and not just as a customer.

Runner's Corner---Personalized shoe fitting and analysis with an emphasis on prevention, technique, strengthening, and independence... running gear of every imaginable type! www.runnerscornerutah.com

Runner's Corner also has a large running club called the Sojourners. This club is awesome. They have a few different "teams" that allow any level of runner to participate. They have their elite running team that trains like crazy and wins races and they also have their fun running team for anyone who wants to join. Many of the local running stores will have some sort of club or team. The Sojourners is fun because they usually meet at least once a week for group runs. This helps you get to know your area and to discover new runs. You will meet other runners and be motivated. It is fun running with groups and having friends to chat with. Any runner is welcome no matter your skill level. If you are anywhere within 40 minutes of the Sojourners it is definitely worth the effort to make it to their group runs.

The other thing I love about Runner's Corner is their seminars. They invite well known runners, coaches, nutritionists, etc. to speak. The seminars are fun and informative.

Hawk Harper, owner of Runner's Corner is one of the nicest and most generous people I have ever met. He runs his store the same way. You know you can trust them. He gives generously to the running community through his service, time and knowledge. You will not find a more genuine running store owner.



Visit Runner's Corner on Facebook, at their website and in Orem to check out their awesome stuff and amazing staff. 

Check back on the blog tomorrow for a FREE GIVEAWAY of some sweet running gear from Runner's Corner!!

Why It's Important to Eat Before You Run

If you run in the afternoon or evening, you are probably fine on running fuel because you've eaten throughout the day. But if you are a morning runner, you need to get fuel in you before you run!

Why is this so important? What if you aren't a breakfast person? What if you can't run on a full stomach?

We've all heard how important of a meal breakfast is. Why? It gets your metabolism going, it gives you energy for the day......etc. etc. But breakfast is even more important as a runner. Sleeping is a form of fasting. Think about it. When you wake up in the morning, you haven't eaten for hours! You can't expect your body to perform well when it has no energy to draw from. Even if you are trying to lose weight, you can't deprive your body of the calories it needs. Many people have the idea that if they run on an empty stomach they will lost weight faster and burn more calories. This is simply a myth. It is not possible to run on an empty tank, so if you haven't eaten, your body will turn to other sources of energy than carbs and fat. Your body will technically start to "eat" itself. Your body uses carbohydrates and fats as energy and when those aren't available it will turn to whatever it can get. This means you will break down your muscles and bones as your body struggles to get the energy it needs.

Let's focus on where the body gets its energy during exercise in order to better understand the importance of providing adequate nutrition to your body. At any given level of activity, your body uses a mixture of fuels. Your body prefers fat energy because it provides more energy per gram than carbohydrates or protein. But fat, unlike carbs isn't an efficient fuel for vigorous exercise and it is not as easily accessible. Therefore carbs are the preferred food for exercisers, especially endurance athletes. For a  20-30 minute run at a moderate pace, your body will rely on about 50% fat energy and 50% carbohydrate energy. We all have enough fat energy stored in our bodies to keep us going for hours, its the carbohydrate/glycogen energy we need to make sure we have enough of.

When you don't eat before you run, you risk experiencing hypoglycemia- low blood sugar. This will cause needless fatigue, light-headedness, blurred vision and confusion. None of that sounds fun!

To avoid this and to properly fuel your body, here are a few pre-exercise eating tips.

1. Avoid foods with a high sugar content, especially in the hour before running. You don't want to get that sugar high.....and that sugar crash that inevitably comes with it. If you are craving something sweet and have to have it, eat it within 5-10 minutes of running because it won't give your body enough time to secret insulin...meaning you won't get that sugar crash.
2. Avoid high fat proteins like cheese and red meat that take a long time to digest.
3. Fruit sugar, fructose, will not help fuel your body (it needs glucose) and causes stomach distress in many runners.

So what can you eat before you run?? Every person's stomach handles foods differently. It may take a couple of trials and errors before you find what works best for you. I do best on a granola bar or a bowl of non-sugary cereal (like Corn Chex). Milk is really hard on many runner's stomach, even in cereal. I am lactose intolerant so I only use almond milk and it doesn't affect my stomach the same way cow's milk does. My mom loves to eat yogurt and a banana before she exercises. Some people like to make a smoothie or shake for their pre-workout fuel. As you experiment with what it best for your stomach, just remember to stay away from high fat, sugary options.

What if you aren't a breakfast person? What if you can't eat for at least 2 hours before exercise?? Well, like anything, you can train your body. I wake up early enough in the morning to give myself time to digest my breakfast for about 30 minutes if its more than 200 calories. Usually I can eat a granola bar on my way out the door and handle it okay. But it does take training. My husband isn't hungry for breakfast when he first wakes up like I am. Many people are like this. But you need to force yourself to eat at least 100 calories before leaving on a run. Eventually your body will get use to the routine and you will be able to handle it better. If you feel like you need a long time to digest food before exercising, it may be that you aren't choosing the right things that your body can handle. You don't need to have a huge breakfast or meal before you run, but at least 100 calories is a good rule of thumb to go by.

What do you like to eat before exercising? How long before exercise to you eat? What is your favorite pre-run meal?

Stretching: The How, the Why and the When

Before we start I have to define the two types of stretching I am going to focus on. The first, static stretching. This is when you hold a stretch in a stationary position for a certain amount of time. Dynamic stretching uses controlled movements to improve range of motion, increase heart rate and warm up your muscles.

There is no evidence that static stretching immediately prior to running has an effect on injury prevention. There is also some evidence that static stretching before running can cause decreased strength and negatively affect performance.

Therefore, you do not want to static stretch before you run. The best way to warm up and stretch your muscles is through dynamic stretching. I will describe a few of these "stretches", but this link and article at Runner's World is awesome and I highly suggest you take a look at it
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-287--13442-0,00.html

With all dynamic stretch movements you want to land on the ball or mid-sole of your foot. Also, keep your foot dorsi-flexed (this means don't point your toe...like a dancer would, keep it flat)

High knees: In a standing position lift your leg straight in front of you. You want your knee to make a right angle and your thigh to be parallel to the ground. Look at this position in a mirror or reflective surface so you can get it in your mind. Now do this motion quickly with each leg as you move forward. It helps to put your hands out and have your knees touch your hands so you know you are getting them high enough. Remember, do NOT land on your heels.

Frankenstein: Keeping your back and knees straight, walk forward lifting your legs straight out in front of you. Its kind of like a toe touch, with your leg in front of you instead of to the side. This is great for your hamstrings.

Carioca: I don't exactly know how to explain this one except you might know it as grapevine.



I really like this video to show you all the different exercises. Except that in the very first exercise, high knees, the guy is landing on his heels! Ah!!! Rookie mistake, please don't do it!!!


This video is also pretty good. You can start it around :40 and you can disregard step 5 at the very end of the sport specific part. The drills described here are a little different than the ones I generally do but they are really good as well.



So there is some dynamic stretching for you. I don't do this before every run, but it is good to. I usually do it on days where I am going to be doing a tempo run or a speed workout.

So on to static stretching. Don't think that static stretching is bad for you; quite the contrary. Static stretching is great for you. Just don't do it before a run. But DEFINITELY do it after EVERY run. Hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds. This will keep you from cramping, being as sore the next day and help prevent injuries. You can do any stretches you want, but here are a few that I highly suggest you always do.

IT Band stretch: This may be the most important stretch you will do. IT band syndrome sucks bad and can keep you from running. If you remember to stretch it after every run you will hopefully avoid getting this injury. There are a bunch of different ways to do it, but this one is the one I personally like best. The leg that you aren't grabbing doesn't have to be bent, it can be straight, or you can bend it up and use it to support your other leg.

Hamstring stretch: My hamstrings are always tight. And did you know, tight hamstrings can cause lower back pain? As with every stretch, there are different ways to do it. This picture is just one example.

Quadriceps stretch: I like this picture because it shows the guy grabbing his opposite leg. Grabbing your right leg with your left hand and vice versa prevents putting extra strain on your knee which could cause injury.

Calf stretch: My calves also get really tight and if you are incorporating a mid-foot strike (like you should) then your calves will definitely need this stretch.

 

It is not necessarily important to be flexible as a runner, but it is definitely important to stretch your muscles, both before and after you run. Hopefully now you can do it safely and effectively! 

Questions? Comments? Why do/don't you stretch?