Last week we spoke about how to get the most out of your practice. Do you remember only perfect practice makes perfect? And did you do the Cooper test? Whilst you debate your answer or your excuse let’s listen to the –
Just a short recap on last week’s blog because this is one of the most important fundamentals to ensure that the practice we do is mindful to ensure that the practice we do helps us go to new levels of exertion to ensure that we don’t let mental fatigue cause us to have lackluster training.
We spoke about the difference between mental fatigue and physical fatigue
And of course to those of you that really take these methods to heart this will lead to other points such as what about your nutrition? Do you drink enough water? You do know that your brain is 73% water so this obviously reflects on your mental fatigue. And before we discuss pushing the limits it’s also important to discuss regular testing that will ensure you know where you are coming from and whether you are improving or not. So the Cooper test will become one of your routines.
And I know, some runners in certain age groups feel they don’t need to do this, that it is a waste of time. Especially if there is a lack of confidence. Yes, it is often concealed as lack of interest. But I promise you, having worked with so many athletes, every runner wishes to perform on a better level no matter what age. Once we hit that magical 40, making improvements to our runtime requires extra effort and mental effort and this only goes or is only possible with the right preparation and mindset.
So this brings me to the question: what is the goal for the rest of the year? Whatever your goal is, perhaps you’ve said something like fine, I’m going to train harder than before. But hang on, that is exactly the worst thing you can do right now. Because you will be setting yourself up for failure.
If you set yourself up to run faster on the same track on the same route or you are going to try to just run longer and go edit harder that will lead to difficulties. And with difficulties I mean possible injuries, setbacks and heartbreak moments.
So seeing that the blog is all about you becoming a better stronger and smarter runner let me talk to you about the same subject we talked about last week the rev counter, pushing to a new limit yes today it’s about exertion
There are so many studies out there that blog that runners who train extremely hard at improving the VO2 max 469 or 12 weeks that in the beginning after three weeks though is the train at high intensity improve at a incredible pace
And this is where many coaches connect with a business idea by promising fast results and runners actually achieve them. But this is a false promise and I’ll explain to you why
Actually the research claims that the runner that uses high intensity improves the VO to Max more than twice as fast as the runner who uses low intensity workouts.
But hang on Heiko, that’s contradictory to what you said last week. Last week you said we should go all out. That is not entirely correct, what I said is we need to occasionally and systematically go all out.
But who likes to talk about moderation? Who likes to hear the fact that it takes time to change. Or progress is only made over a longer period of time. And with a longer period of time I mean 12 weeks. Beginning of the year it took me over 12 weeks, 16 actually to improve and get a personal best time for a 5K. However
By dividing the level of intensity over a period of time has many advantages and if you do it correctly once you have achieved your personal best, you will still have enough base to remain healthy and continue with your next set of goals.
And by now you can guess what I’m going to say. Perhaps you’ve even experienced it yourself. Trying to take a shortcut or trying to improve your weak areas and going about it as fast as possible will lead to
Injury
Let’s go a little bit deeper into injuries. I’m talking about injuries from the knee downwards. Of course there are others as well but statistically anything from your toes to the knee is addressed if you overexert yourself.
Up to 20% of runners are affected by this injury, which appears when the Achilles tendon(connecting the two major calf muscles to the back of the heel) comes under too much stress.
Foot pain accounts for 15% of all running injuries, with plantar fasciitis at the top of that list.
Also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, this achy pain down your shins makes up about 15% of all running injuries.
It may seem small, but these are actually tears happening around your shinbone and can develop into something more serious.
Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome
When the band that runs along the outside of your thigh—connecting hip to knee and shin—gets irritated, runners experience a pain down the outer area of the knee joint.
At 12% of all running injuries, it’s often mistaken for a knee injury.
For runners, the constant impact of activity can cause too much strain on the shins, feet or heel bones and lead to a stress fracture—the most serious of all running injuries.
Different from an acute fracture that happens in one brief moment, stress fractures happen gradually, which means they can be prevented.
So if you are not used to running on the track and suddenly you start to do that Cooper test we spoke about and you did one and are eager and motivated to get a result. What’s a great way to build strength? Hill repeats.
you have more engagement of motor units—the bundles of muscle fibers that ignite while running. This enhances muscular strength and endurance. You also likely engage a portion of your core more when running uphill because every time you push your legs harder into the ground, your core must stabilize to compensate for the tilt.
pushing yourself up a hill helps you to produce more power as opposed to sprinting on flat surfaces. Running fast on a track requires more than just strength: form matters—it’s why world class sprinters spend so much time perfecting drills. It’s hard to be coordinated when you’re running at a high speed, but, since you aren’t running as fast up a hill, Schwartz explains, “You don’t need to have as much coordination, and therefore you can generate more power.” So though you may not have as much “form skill” as a sprinter, you can generate a similar amount of force when pushing yourself up a hill.
And here is where there lurk some dangers. If you haven’t practiced hills before, and now you are ready to push that rev counter to its limit Because it involves repetitive loading of the same joints, tendons and muscles. This type of loading leads to overuse injuries including shin splints, achilles tendon pain, “runner’s knee” and ITBS. So same here it needs to be done over a 12 week period.
Training Sonnenkopf ran 10K 1ooo meter uphill 6,2 miles 3200 feet incline.
So what happens if you overdo it? What will happen to the fitness gains that I made in the past three weeks? The increased intensity brings with it the higher risk of injury meaning the harder and faster you suddenly charge up your new milestone the bigger the chances you’re going to get injured.
So we need to distinguish between pushing oneself and time for improving.
Which brings me to a point why I don’t recommend these training programs. This is what the pros do or this is how Olympians do it. Here are your tips to learn from the professional runner.
Obviously as I always say on the blog a professional runner has a different lifestyle than you do. As though I need to remind you of that. Whilst you work from 9 to 5 managed to put in a run between going for a walk with the dog running errands having a social life taking care of family and friends the pro runner can regenerate most probably enjoy a drink with all the nutritional content he needs from a sponsor gets a whilst receiving a massage relieving his body or any tension by a professional physiotherapist.
Plus the professional athlete has got a certain race in mind for example the Olympics or a marathon and thereafter will allow enough time to recuperate and recharge his energy level. Whilst we have hobby runners prefer to have a cycle that helps us stay consistent and be steady performance.
Now if you are the sort of runner that has a run coach that follows a training plan, and you consistently do a bit more. When it says recovery and you feel great you tend to make it a bit faster pace. When it says long slow run you try to go for a personal-best on that route? On rest days you sneak in a quick 5K just to loosen up the legs.
Sure this may have worked for you in the past, and who knows you might be lucky with this approach again however the higher your age and the more injuries you have had in the past and of course your success or lack thereof affect us you need to think of before continuing on this route. Fact is, the long-term approach over 48 week period statistically löhlein you up for success.
There are enough stories out there of runners that improved immensely and then they suffer from one of the above mentioned in one of the previous mentioned injuries they need to take a week off one week becomes two weeks. Then they lack behind in their training of course then the pressure is there to do more in the following week but the body isn’t ready yet. So what is the solution?
Okay, stick to the original plan. Mediocre training with occasional spikes over a longer time period and this depends I’m specifically being vague on your current level. If we were in a coaching environment one-to-one I would be able to be more specific as I would have your data your personal bests, your cooper tests, your average mileage per week etc. in front of me you would have shared it with me and we could really go in detail so for this blog I’m just keeping a general.
What I want you to do is to start training like a smarter runner by using that time where you want to exert yourself when you’re feeling on a high with those dope means of being released and you feel fully motivated to go further, stop yourself. Stop yourself and use that time to develop your mental training, your mental skills, where are you going to build resilience, where are you going to build a new mindset that will help you overcome situations during a race. Use that time where you want to go further to do at least one of the many different variations of visualization exercises. Get into the habit by disciplining yourself to allocate time and even if you’re not feeling a result do the exercise.
If you’re wondering which exercise to do, you can drop me a letter. I will send you one or go to our website. I’ll be glad to help. This is the beginning step that one of the first cornerstones on your road to become a better stronger and smarter runner
Philippians 2:3-4 NLT
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves
I hope this gets you from thinking about running better to actually running better. Thanks for your time, do share this blog with someone who you think needs to hear this. And if you perhaps feel like you want some more notes or perhaps even a guide, I want to encourage you, you are going to go to amazon anyway right? You are going to need some batteries, or an ink cartridge, or hey perhaps a lawn mower. Can you believe it? I bought a lawnmower online. That’s another blog right there, I will tell you Next episode so whilst you are on Amazon go check out Brain Training for runners, and enter my name Heiko Stribl. It is such a compact, easy to read and USE guide for getting you off to a flying start. With tools that ensure you stay on track to becoming a better stronger and smarter runner. My name is Heiko, God bless you and remember, take it easy.
Your 365 Day Run Streak, one whole year of running Why who or what would you want to do that?
And if your first thought is “I couldn’t do that” then definitely you should get the book.
Remember that our minds sometimes cruise around the same negative thoughts
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Thanks for your interest. Do leave me a rating and share the blog to someone who needs to hear it. My name is Heiko thanks for reading.
God Bless You and remember, take it easy.
