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Understanding running…

Several recent conversations have prompted me to shift topics for this week.

When people find out I’m a runner, I get all kinds of reactions. Unless the other person is a runner, the core of most reactions would suggest that they view running as a chore, something to be done in order to accomplish a fitness goal. For me, it is not. I don’t define myself as a compulsory or addictive runner but I am very motivated to put on the shoes and hit the road or trail. This motivation stems from enjoyment.

Since passion for running is not something that everyone shares, I’ll outline several experiences which help illuminate the mindset of someone who simply loves running. What follows is not intended to discourage anyone from running and I hope it does the opposite. Maybe it will help unlock a passion for running, or maybe it will help those who does view running as a big pain to acknowledge that it’s a burden and keep going.

I’ve set many running goals along the way and attained some of them. These include time goals for distances, completing different events, placing at different events, achieving certain distances, running in different places, etc. When I was sixteen, I had been running for a couple of years and had gone on at least one distance run of 15 miles. The next logical step in my mind was 18 miles. I couldn’t tell you why it wasn’t 16 or 19, but 18 it was and I picked a Saturday to go for it.

Unfortunately, a nasty storm with torrential rain arrived in my small town in Virginia that Saturday morning. However, this was the day I had chosen and I was going for it. This was not stubbornness or some macho move. There really wasn’t a decision process at all in terms of going or not going as I wanted to get out there and try it because I enjoyed running. In a concession to the weather, I picked a 3-mile loop to do six times that would start and finish at my house. If things got really ugly (lightning, limbs falling out of trees, etc.) I could get back to shelter quickly.

The absurd amount of water coming down created small rivers along the curbs so that every time I crossed a street, and there were many street crossings, my feet got soaked. It was one of the most difficult runs I had experienced and somewhere between miles 12 and 15, I sensed trouble. Not only was I tired, but my clothes had been stuck to my skin since the first quarter mile, my shoes were heavy, and the conditions were not getting any better. By the time I got to mile 15, I adjusted plans and decided to finish off with three one-mile loops that would bring me back to my house. During the first loop, I knew I was done and I stopped at mile 16. Disappointing, but clearly the right decision.

So how does this illuminate an enjoyment of the run? Two ways. The obvious one is that in spite of adverse conditions, I went out anyway. Two, I learned early on when it’s smart to back off. I loathe cutting off a workout early, but you have to know when enough is enough. Come back and tackle it again the next day. Don’t lose running days in the near future due to injury or illness by pushing too hard today.

I went for 18 miles again a couple of weeks later. This time, I chose to combine a 10-mile loop and an 8-mile loop. Though it was frigid outside, it was sunny and calm and on this attempt, I had success. Even better, I was so wiped out by the time I got back to my house that I knew my decision to bail at mile 16 during the storm was a wise one. (Part of my being exhausted was that back then, I didn’t carry or drink any fluids or eat anything on long runs, including the 18-miler. When you’re a teenager, this may work but you still feel the consequences.)

For people who don’t like running, it’s possible they’ll never like it though it’s also possible they’ll grow into it. Fortunately, I never had to grow into it and going on runs like the ones above were not a chore, they were an opportunity to push myself doing something I enjoy.

I mentioned a Chicago preview last week and this one sums it up very well. It also points out that the Americans having the most success at the marathon distance are women runners. The most successful of these, Shalane Flanagan, won’t race until New York next month and that could be her last marathon. But, she and the others have had some impressive accomplishments.

And for safety on the run, that is still coming. Also, I’m in the middle of 7-10 days off and so far, I’ve stuck to it, which is difficult. I’ve read that dedicated down-time is helpful and as much as I hate to admit it, I think that research is correct. Still, I’m itching to get back out there.

Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Gu Blackberry. Tasted like blackberry paste. Nothing particularly remarkable about this one and if it’s ever being handed out for a race, I’ll be fine using it.

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Being a running fan/spectator part five…

In the first four posts about following running as a spectator it was emphasized that the longer the distance, the fewer races an athlete typically does per year. Also, you can make reasonable predictions on how runners will do based on past performances, the weather, meet/event types, and in the case of road running, different types of courses. For ultramarathons, toss all of that out the window. It’s a completely different sport.

Most ultramarathons (any distance that is longer than 26.2 miles) occur on trails. Years ago, I did my first trail 50K (31+ miles) in Virginia. Based on my marathon personal best of 3:11 (at the time), I figured that accounting for the trail surface, I would be done somewhere in the four to four and a half hour range. Six hours and twenty-six minutes after the gun went off, I crossed the line in 9th place overall. Fortunately, a veteran ultra runner had told me to be patient when the race started. I was patient, I felt good the whole way, and I finished strong. That’s when it hit me how different trail racing is from road or track racing. There are some remarkable mountain runners out there who can cover the distances quickly. But, when you look at winning times of ultras on trails versus the world record for the same distances, you can see how the different running surfaces and conditions affect time. The course record at the Leadville 100 is 15:42 whereas the world record for 100 miles is 11:28 (Leadville time source;  100 mile WR source).

(Some ultramarathon runners measure their time in terms of how much elevation they gain over a period of time as opposed to minutes per mile. This makes sense, given that there are long stretches in ultras where you may be climbing for miles, or descending. You’re not going to have the even mile splits that you would find in a road marathon or a track race.)

As I mentioned in an earlier post, most professional marathoners will do two per year, maybe three. By this logic, an ultramarathoner would only be able to do one or two. That is incorrect. Many ultramarathoners do a bunch every year. For some, it’s a lifestyle. The winner of the Western States 100 may not take 90-100 days of recovery time. Scott Jurek won the Western States 100 mile in 2005 and then three weeks later, won the Badwater 135 mile race (Jurek Western States source;  Jurek Badwater source).

How do you keep up with ultra news, events, and athletes? Unlike some track or road events that might require a certain television channel or subscription package, many of them have webcasts which you can pull up on your laptop or device free of charge.

The more difficult part, at least for having broad expertise with ultras, is that there are a bunch of them out there. While there are some marquee events, there’s not a nice set of several races/meets where, if someone wins, they are generally considered the best in the world. I attribute this to two things. One, as I mentioned, for many ultramarathon runners, it’s a lifestyle and I’ll discuss that more below. Also, many ultras don’t offer prize money. If there were a $100,000 check waiting at the end of races like Leadville or Badwater, the dynamics of the ultra world might be different.

Also, not all trail races are created equally which can make them difficult to compare. The winning time for the Leadville 100 may be in the 16 hour range whereas the winning time for the Hardrock 100 may be 24 hours. The difference there is in the cumulative elevation gain/descent. Both are held in the mountains of Colorado, but Leadville features approximately 26,000 feet of gain/descent, whereas Hardrock features 66,000 feet of gain/descent (Leadville source; Leadville elevation source; Hardrock source).   Even converting the times if you’re familiar with the courses may not be rock-solid since some runners may be better at climbing whereas others may be exceptionally good in extreme heat or cold.

Furthermore, even if you’re familiar with the events and the relative runners’ strengths and weaknesses, you may not know what they have planned and this is where the ultra lifestyle comes into play. A week prior to this year’s Badwater ultramarathon, Harvey Lewis, a past winner, finished running the complete Appalachian Trail. Only several days after this year’s Badwater, Pete Kostelnick, another past winner, set off on a 5,300+ mile run from Alaska to the Florida Keys (Harvey Lewis source; Pete Kostelnick source).

If ultras interest you, there is a ton of information to read out there. If you’re a casual observer, it can be fun to read up on the race results. Given the length of some of the races, the athletes have plenty of experiences and adventures out there. Or, you can keep track of one or two and enjoy it that way. The only one that I follow thoroughly is Badwater. Even for that, I only look at the list of the current year’s entrants (released in the spring of the race year) and check to see which of the top-ranked folks have competed in prior Badwater races to get an idea of how the race might turn out. One website that has some ultra coverage is irunfar. It’s not as comprehensive relative to the ultra world as LetsRun is to the track and road racing world, but it has good articles and news. Also, the individual races’ websites have lots of good information and you can find further follow-up online.

This concludes my one-post-which-turned-into-five on how to follow running as a spectator. It takes some effort since the format is different from many other sports and you don’t get the 24 hours media coverage. Though it can take a while to get a deep knowledge base, it’s very rewarding. It was nothing short of thrilling to watch Kipchoge break the world record, despite the obnoxious hour of the morning. While it can always be exciting to watch a world record fall, knowing Berlin, knowing his running history, and knowing what he was capable of made it much more compelling. This is also the case for many other distances.

A Chicago preview next week (unfortunately a couple of the elite American women have already pulled out) and safety on the run.

Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Gu Vanilla Bean.  Maybe it’s just me, but I’m weirded out when the term “bean” is used in conjunction with a flavor most commonly used to describe ice cream. However, this tasted just like vanilla and it worked well.

Sources used:

http://www.americanultra.org/news/2002news/23oct02b.html
http://l283s3pxq2ktw6gs37ski16ee.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Leadville-100-Run-thru-2016.pdf

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Being a running fan/spectator part four…

Middle distance and more long distance…

When you watch middle distance, 800M to 3000M, you see races where more strategy is involved but there is still little room for error. Though it may not be as common as sprints, you can see world records at the Olympics in a middle distance race. David Rudisha set the current world record for the 800M, 1:40.91 at the 2012 Olympics (Rudisha record source).

In the 1500M or mile, the total race time at the professional men’s level is under four minutes. For the 800M, it’s under two minutes. There are a couple of basics at these distances to keep an eye on. One, runners don’t want to get boxed in at the beginning of the race. They may give a short burst at the beginning to try and establish position. Two, they will want to maintain a relatively even pace. In other words, besides establishing position at the beginning, they won’t continue an all-out surge then hope to hold on, nor will they conserve excessive energy and hope to make up lots of ground at the end. When you look at their splits (an evenly divided number of segments in a race, such as the four 200M portions of the 800M), they will be somewhat evenly distributed throughout the race. Occasionally, you’ll have someone who puts on an electrifying finish but for the most part, the times will not deviate much. If an 800M runner is capable of a 1:42 but they hit the final 200M at 1:20, they will not be running 1:42 that day. In fact, they’d be lucky to break 1:45.

Long distances, 5000M to 10000M, become even more about strategy. The world records for the 5000M and 10000M are 12:37 and 26:17, respectively. Until this past Friday, August 31, no one had gone under 13:00 in the 5000M in 2018 (5000M time source).  This points to how tactical the distance races are and how the wins are so important. When you watch the Olympics or another track meet and see that they are way off a of a world record pace, this is due to tactics. There have been some races at big meets where people complained that the race was too slow, in that you had people there capable of a low 13:00 or high 12:00 5000M time but were conservative in playing for the win.

Runners will go into a race with a strategy. This may seem obvious but it gets tricky. One, you need to plan according to what you are capable of. Two, you need to plan according to what your opponents are capable of. Three, you need to plan for wild cards, like unusual weather or your opponents doing something unorthodox. At the 2001 USATF 5000M final, Bob Kennedy, the best 5000M American runner who had held that title for several years, raced against Adam Goucher, who many considered to be Kennedy’s heir apparent. Kennedy employed an unexpected strategy of alternating very fast laps with laps where he backed off. This threw off Goucher and Kennedy won the race. This wouldn’t be how one would race if they were interested in setting a record, but Kennedy wanted the win, and he got it (Kennedy win source).

While you will have some people move from middle distance into long distance, that will largely occur at 1,500M and up. Otherwise, similar to sprints, runners will stay in their categories. When you have someone dominant like David Rudisha, then the distance is a little easier to follow as they become a comparison point for other runners at the same distance. One notable middle distance runner to keep an eye on is Jakob Ingebrigsten. At 17 years old, he has won professional championships in Europe and already has run a 3:52.28 mile.  For comparison, the national high school record for the mile in the US is 3:53.43, posted by 18 year old Alan Webb in 2001 (Ingebrigsten source; Alan Webb source).

In the 1990s, Haile Gebrselassie was a dominant figure on the track, holding the world record at the 5000M and 10000M distances and winning two Olympic gold medals at in the 10000. Recently, it’s been a little murkier, in my view. Kenenisa Bekele holds the world records for the 5000M and 10000M, but Mo Farah dominated the 2012 and 2016 Olympics at both distances. However, he has not posted one of the top 25 fastest 5000M times of all time, and his personal best in the 10000M is the 16th best of all time. Bekele has faster times but Farah is an outstanding tactical runner. While their careers did not directly overlap, there have been other 5000M runners who are faster than Farah but for whatever reason, have not dominated at the championship level. In some ways, this can make the sport more fun but it can also make it more difficult to keep track of (10000M source; 5000M source).

Similar to sprints, Track and Field News and LetsRun will allow you to keep track of what’s going on in the middle distance and long distance categories.

The fifth and final post on how to follow running will cover ultramarathons. However, the Berlin Marathon is in ten days so next week’s post will offer a brief preview of that, as well as some broader thoughts on how soon the two hour marathon barrier will fall.

Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Clif Bloks Ginger Ale: I was concerned that eating this product would be similar to eating mushy-textured blocks that tasted like stale ginger ale. They were nothing like that. The ginger taste was sharp. Not quite as intense as the ginger out of a sushi tray, but more flavorful than a can of ginger ale. I used it before a six mile run on a morning when I’d had lots of coffee, not much breakfast, and had been running errands for a couple of hours. My run went well, so I like this product.

Sources used:

https://www.iaaf.org/news/news/stunning-rudisha-14091-world-record-in-london
http://www.letsrun.com/news/2018/08/legendary-company-selemon-barega-runs-1243-4-time-brussels-join-bekele-geb-komen-sub-1245-club/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Kennedy_(athlete)
http://www.european-athletics.org/news/article=ingebrigtsen-smashes-year-old-european-u20-mile-record-eugene/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Webb_(runner)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10,000_metres
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5000_metres

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Being a running fan/spectator part three…

Sprints are a lot of fun to watch. Some of the fun for me is that I was not a sprinter. I was put into the distance camp on day one and it’s fascinating to watch how people race short distances. Also, sprints are easy to watch, even for my kids, since the races are anywhere from 9+ seconds to 40+ seconds. In the replays, the broadcasters can go down to minute detail to show the little things that happened during the race.

However, sprints are difficult to follow. In track and field, there are many events throughout the year including indoor meets, Diamond League, the World Championships, etc. In contrast to a professional marathoner who will run two marathons per year, sprinters can run multiple races per day during a track meet. Since recovery time is much shorter when sprinters run the 100M or 200M, they can do more than one event. Multiple events are also partly by necessity. If a track has eight lanes but 32 100M contestants are there, then you need to run qualifying heats to get down to the finals. This creates an incredible amount of data.

In the Rio Olympics, Usain Bolt won gold medals in the 100M, 200M, and as a member of the 4X100M relay. Including all the qualifying heats, he ran a total of nine races. In the same Olympics, Mo Farah, who double gold-medaled in the 5000M and 10000M, ran one qualifying race and final for the 5000M and the 10000M final, a total of three races (Usain Bolt source; Mo Farah source; Olympics source).

Unlike a distance race where runners may be able to analyze a course or tweak strategy based on whether they’re good on hills, have a solid final kick, etc., sprints get down to small details. Leading up to the Rio Olympics in 2016, I read that in the 2012 London Olympics, Usain Bolt took 41 steps in the 100M dash; two of the other competitors took 42.5 and 46 steps (Steps source).  In addition, Bolt was not as quick out of the blocks as other sprinters but once he got going, well, we all know what he did in most of his major races. So, when another racer got ahead of Bolt early, they needed to hold off on popping the champagne because his closing speed was ridiculous. Knowing these details and the traits of runners will help create a better understanding of the race once the runners are out of the blocks.

Sprinting is also a very different form of running. They are running but it’s very much a power-based, all-out, quick release form of exertion. Here’s a brief article on sprinting technique for the 100M dash. The arm movement would be the easiest way to highlight the difference between distance running and sprints. If you watch a distance race, the pros have very little arm motion. There may be some towards the end if/when they get into a final kick but largely, they are conserving motion and energy. Sprinters are pumping their arms the entire race to maximize their speed. They need to. When .01 seconds matter, you better be giving it all you’ve got the whole time.

Track and Field News and LetsRun are outstanding sources for following running. Specifically for track and field, they’ll highlight the big meets and notable times, and help break down what it all means. While there is a large amount of data out there for sprints, certain names will come up again and again. Usain Bolt, though retired from track and field now, is about as close to a household name as one can get for a runner but if you’re interested in the sport, others will start to sound familiar. An American sprinter, Noah Lyles, is starting to get a lot of attention.

I also realized that in covering the marathon last week, I neglected to include the other distance events, so I will do those next time and if there’s space, also go over middle distance.

Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Hammer Gel Tropical Fruit: This tasted like a more mild version of the Honey Stinger fruit smoothie. Like the vanilla Hammer Gel (and other Hammers that I’ve tried) it has the pleasant thinner texture. If I was going for flavor, I’d go with the Honey Stinger fruit smoothie. If I was looking to take down gel fast while in a race, I’d go with the Hammer Gel.

Sources used:

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Being a running fan/spectator part two…

Let’s start with with easiest distance to follow, the marathon. One note for the next couple of posts. If I have information that needs to be cited, there will be a “source” link at the end of the respective sentence that you can click. Also, those articles/websites will have more detail on that point of this discussion.

Pro marathoners will usually do two per year, one in the fall and one in the spring. You may get someone who will do three or more, but two is a standard number. There are six marathon majors. In alphabetical order they are: Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York, and Tokyo. Berlin, Chicago, and New York take place in the fall while Boston, London, and Tokyo are in the spring. (Tokyo is in February, so winter may be a better designation.) Most of the recent world records have been set at Berlin but London is a flat and fast course and has also seen world records (Berlin source; London Source). Both Berlin and London are considered “fast” marathons where there is a legitimate attempt to set the world record. Boston (whose course is not world record eligible) and New York are considered more tactical. In other words, while time is important, the focus is more on strategy and maintaining your place (Marathon source).

You might wonder about the difference between a tactical versus fast marathon. Aren’t they all fast? Yes, the majors are all fast. But, even if the course is world-record eligible, the first goal of the elite runners is to win. It’s simply that a flat, fast course that is world record eligible will lend itself more to record pursuits.

There is a saying that a marathon has two halves, the first 20 miles and the final 6.2. For many runners, mile 20 is where you hit the wall and you hope to maintain your pace over the final 6.2. For many professionals, while there is strategy and jockeying for position in the first 20, the final 6.2 is where the most intense part of the race happens. Usually the leaders who will be contending for the win have broken away from everyone else and quite a lot can still happen among them. If a runner doesn’t have as much closing speed, maybe they try to push sooner in the race to create a gap over the other athletes earlier. If they have good closing speed, maybe they hope the pack stays together a little longer and then they use their superior speed to break away closer to the end.

For a major marathon on a fast, world-record eligible course, there is always hope it will be a good race and that a world record will fall. However, a number of factors can affect the pace including how well any hired pacers perform and weather conditions. If hired pacers go out too fast, the lead runners may use too much gas early in the race to get to a world record or, if the pacers start too slow, the leaders may not be able to make up the time. Since the first goal is to win, the leaders will use their judgement. It does them no good to be on world record pace through mile 23 and have to drop out. It’s much better to win and then hope for a record next time.

On weather conditions. Several days leading up to a race, you can start to see whether the conditions will be favorable for it to be fast. This past year, the weather was forecast to be warm for the London Marathon and thus a world record was less likely (London weather source). I was still up to see the end of it, just in case, but there was no record. Boston was going to be windy and rainy. In those conditions, all bets are off. Professional runners won the race, including a former second overall Boston finisher, but it was a grinder and you could be sure no course records were going to be set that day. In fact, 62.5% of the elite men’s field and 56.25% of the elite women’s field dropped out (2018 Boston source).

Ahead of time, the major marathons will release their roster of the elite field, which would be professional runners who have been invited to run the race and are expected to contend for the win. This can tell you what to expect. In the spring of 2017, Eliud Kipchoge participated in the Breaking2 project and was not going to be at London, which changed the dynamic of that race (Breaking 2 source ).  For the 2017 New York Marathon, Shalane Flanagan was predicted to potentially win the race (New York source). You never know how a race will play out, but seeing the rosters and pre-race analysis will tell you some baseline expectations.

There are many other marathons out there, some small, some mid-sized, and some large ones. Dubai, in January, has the largest prize purse and some of the world’s best have run there (Dubai marathon source). The other smaller and large marathons may not lure in the type of talent you see at the six majors, but there may be newer marathon runners there who are primed to jump to the next level.

How do you actually watch the marathon? This is trickier. Not too long ago, many of them had free live streams. Now, a lot of the majors have switched over to subscription streams, though residents of the area where it’s being held can often watch on a local news station. (Their servers do recognize whether your computer is actually in the area, so you can’t simply visit the local website and get access.) However, they also have Twitter feeds, Facebook posts, and if a local radio station is covering it, you may be able to tune into that station via the internet and listen in. That’s what I did for London this year.

Given that there are only so many major races to watch and that the elite marathoners do two per year, the marathon is one distance that is relatively easy to keep track of, as far as running goes.

This post is not quite marathon-length but to keep the pace reasonable, sprints will be next time…

Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Honey Stinger Fruit Smoothie: This one is pretty good. I ate it around 5:30 one morning before a quick early run and while it didn’t have the texture or temperature of a smoothie, it had the flavor and that’s good enough for me. Even better, on an empty stomach and downed with a glass of water, it went over just fine GI-wise. I was a little tired when I started but once this gel kicked in, I felt much better.

List of sources used:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Marathon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Marathon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon
https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20854533/so-close-kipchoge-runs-a-2-00-25-in-the-breaking2-attempt/
https://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2017/11/new_york_marathon_shalane_flan.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-43836614
http://www.letsrun.com/news/2018/04/trying-make-sense-crazy-2018-boston-marathon/
http://www.dubaimarathon.org/

 

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Being a running fan/spectator…

How to follow running. It’s difficult to follow running as a spectator for several reasons. Running doesn’t get nearly the same amount of television coverage as other sports. There are no teams beyond the college level and even there, it’s how the individuals perform in their respective events that dictates how many points are scored. There are hundreds of professional athletes doing hundreds of races and events. While some of them stay at the top of their respective sport for several years or more, there is a lot of change among the participants so keeping track of athletes requires a fair amount of time, especially since there are not a set number of teams that they’re attached to. Like any team sport pro athlete, such as a pitcher or a quarterback, pro runners have days where they’re outstanding and days where they’re less than outstanding. With running, less than outstanding might mean finishing fifth in a major race as opposed to first. In that case, you’re unlikely to see their name in the running headlines, meaning it’s more difficult to keep track of them. There are qualification standards for many series and races, but they might be different. For the Olympics, some countries have trial meets, others select their runners by committee, and at least one does a hybrid.

Consider this against following the NFL. There are 32 teams, 8 divisions, 16 regular season games, and a short playoff system that relies on number of wins for entry and final scores for advancement. The media reports so much on football that it would be difficult to not be aware of the several best players in the league. If you have any interest in the sport at all, you can be fairly well-informed without having to search too hard.  Most Americans can probably name at least three to five pro football players, especially if you allow them to include players from the past few years who recently retired. Besides Usain Bolt, most people would probably have a hard time naming one prominent professional runner from the past five years.

When the Olympics roll around every four years, that is the most exposure the vast majority of people will have to track and field and running. However, the athletes who are there are constantly racing from year to year, leading up to and following the Olympics. If you follow running, you go into the Olympics with a basic idea of what to expect. If not, the commentators will give you background, but it’s fun to either be informed and agree with them, or know that there are other likely finishing scenarios for the races.

Runners race within a certain type of race distance. Here’s how those break down: sprints, middle distance, long distance, and ultramarathons.  Sprinters will cover distances from 60M to 400M. Middle distance is 800M to 3000M and sometimes the mile, though that is an American-centric race. Long distance would be 5000M to 10000M on the track. Once you’re off the track, you mainly have 5Ks, 10Ks,  ten milers, half marathons, and the marathon. (On the track, they’re called 5000M and 10000M and off the track they’re referred to as 5K and 10K.) Elite distance runners at first will typically stay in the 5000M-10000M range, maybe the half marathon. Once an elite runner moves into the marathon, they will stay there though they may do some half marathons, too. (As with everything, there are exceptions and these are not hard and fast rules.)

Unless it happens very early in a career, runners usually stay within their sprint or middle distance or distance or ultra categories. Middle and long distance can have more crossover, especially once you get to the 1500M and 3000M. That being said, Usain Bolt is not going to become a 5000M contender. Eliud Kipchoge will not be competing in the 800M. David Rudisha will not be running the 100M. Why is this? Here’s an example. Moving from the 400M to the 800M is more difficult than moving from the 10000M to the marathon. While the distance from 400M to 800M is obviously much shorter, the training plans for 10000M and marathon are more similar. A professional 10000M runner may log 90-110 miles per week and go on distance runs. A large component of their training will be speedwork, such as a certain number of 400M sprints (1 lap) with an equal amount of rest between each one. The marathon will have more focus on distance and a training plan would cover 120 to 150 miles per week, though there will be some speed work.

A sprinter’s workouts are about not only building up the person’s speed but also their power, training to get out of the blocks faster, and making tiny adjustments to their form and technique so as to maximize every moment on the track in the short amount of time they’re going to race. Without the longer runs that middle distance and long distance runners have in their training plans, sprinters’ bodies will not be built for success at those longer distances.

Here’s a good article on a phenomenal 400m runner, Jeremy Wariner, who people thought might be able to convert to the 800M. On top of that, he wanted to go for that distance. Ultimately he ran a 1:53. This is much faster than most people can run but it’s around 13 seconds off the world record (a lifetime in the 800) and around 7 seconds off the national high school record. Wariner was an elite 400M runner and while he probably would have gotten faster at the 800 had he made more official attempts, it’s highly unlikely he could have dropped enough time to be competitive at the world level.

On the flip side, you won’t see any long-distance runners moving down to sprints. Their bodies and technique have not been developed in a way where they will be competitive at those distances, at least not at the world level.

Why do I mention all of this? If you pick a certain distance to follow, you can be fairly sure that the runners who are good at that distance will be staying in that category as long as they are able. Also, it illustrates that there are a variety of running and training styles and specialties, which in my view makes it more interesting than just watching the tv to see who can run fast. In a sprint, you get to look at every step to see how it will impact a short race. In a longer race, you can see how often a runner may look over their shoulder, which can cost them a tiny amount of time.

This post isn’t too long yet but I’m not even to the four categories. So, part two next time…

Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): VFuel Cool Lime drink mix. I drank this prior to a 12-mile run in fairly warm conditions. Some beverages have an intense taste. This one, despite packing in a lot of energy, does not. In that sense, it lives up to its “light citrus taste” description. I felt fine on the run and kept my pace at under 7:30/mile. However, there is a mental aspect to energy drinks/food and with the light flavor, it’s more difficult to wrap my head around the energy it contains. If you like an intense flavor, this does not have that. But if you’re in a long race (like an ultra) and are feeling bloated on food/drinks, this could be a welcome respite.

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Untamed Running…

Why an untamed running post? I run with a variety of people in terms of abilities, how often they race, their preferred distances, etc. My hope is that for runners of any level, you’ll either realize you’re at a place where you’re enjoying the running or you’ll start working towards getting to that place. I’m using my own experience to illustrate how I’ve gotten here.

In my “About” section I allude to why I define myself as an untamed runner. It’s important to distinguish between untamed and undisciplined. When it comes to running, I take it very seriously and am, for the most part, disciplined. My training plans are based on past experience and research, I listen to my body and adjust my running accordingly, and I attempt to keep my goals tough but attainable, changing them if they don’t satisfy those parameters.

The untamed part comes in where I enjoy running to the point where it’s next to impossible to hold me back from a run, even if the conditions are terrible or the time of day (or night) is absurd. Also, I’m willing to go out on a limb with new routes, weather, running gear, etc. to see what works or is at least enjoyable.

When you started running, you had ideas and goals in mind for what you want to accomplish whether it was related to competition, health, or something else. Ideally this means you’ll enjoy putting on the shoes and heading out the door for a run but that may turn out not to be the case. Does this mean you need to stop? No. It may just indicate you need to reevaluate what you want to do with running.

During college, I opted to not run on the cross-country or track teams but I did run three marathons. Back then, I didn’t spend time ruminating on this decision but I realize now that while I absolutely loved cross-country in high school (that’s where my love for running was ignited and sustained) and did run track, I was also looking forward to different types of running and doing so in a way that reflected my passion and abilities. Running has always been something that’s in my blood. I wouldn’t say I need to do it in an obsessive way. I balance out my running life, but there is an enjoyment that transcends any minor inconvenience created by it. Going out on my own during college allowed me to realize and grow into this love of the run.

And that’s what it boils down to for me. While I will adhere to training plans and advice, while I will listen to my body, I run because it’s fun and I want to keep logging miles. I’ll go on a random long-distance run later at night or in a driving snowstorm because it’s fun. There’s no rationale to it and that is where I am untamed.

My point of all this is that it’s important to recognize what fulfills you most as a runner. There will be, especially if you’re preparing for a race, some guidelines/plans you need to follow. It’s not all about what you want to do all the time. You’ll need to increase mileage at certain incremental rate, you’ll need to run certain distances to prepare for longer races, you’ll need to do speedwork. There will be tough workouts and pain. There will be days where you may not want to go out and do the prescribed workout. There will also be days where you need to back off, even if you feel like pushing it. But you’ll also want to figure out the most enjoyable way to do this. Do you want to run with a group? Do you want a coach? Do you really want to run a marathon, or is perhaps a 10K your best distance? Do you want to do an ultramarathon? Do you want to run trails or do you prefer local sidewalks?

Set aside your ego for a few minutes or longer and figure this out. If you jump into a running program because it sounds cool or because it’s what you think you should be doing, make sure it’s what you want to be doing. Be smart and disciplined, but also have fun and be untamed.

Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Hüma Blueberries Energy Gel: Just like eating the filling of a blueberry pie. I ate this right before a 5:30 a.m. run and it was gentle on the stomach and, having been on a quick 5-mile run in 90+ temps the day before, it definitely gave me a good boost.

Next time, how to follow the sport of running…
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Death Valley and having your cake, eating it too (these are not related)…

It was on a trip to Death Valley this past winter that I had one of my favorite runs ever. Why was I there? My in-laws were on a longer western road trip and invited me to spend a couple of days with them in the park. Having followed the Badwater Ultramarathon for several years, I eagerly agreed to it. Besides being a good road trip with extended family, it was an opportunity to run in a desert with a legendary history. We were staying about 30 minutes outside of the park and would have two full days there. The first morning, I chose to do a 3 mile run outside our hotel (this was still in the middle of the desert and I could mostly run down the double-yellow line on the road as there was zero traffic) to shake out the travel kinks, and then a distance run the second morning.

Fair warning–this adventure does not involved getting lost in the desert, running out of water, or having my shoes melt to the pavement as I struggle through a final few miles. The reason this was one of my favorite runs is that often there may be small glitches on a highly anticipated run, such as race nerves, less-then-ideal conditions, not preparing well enough the morning of, etc. It probably would have been a favorite given the location, but you never know with certainty how a run will go.

My first idea for running in Death Valley was to do a point-to-point run along Badwater Road and Highway 190 and have my family pick me up at a pre-determined time and place. Among that and other variations, I ultimately chose to do an out-and-back from the Furnace Creek Visitor Center along 190 and I covered somewhere between 11 and 12 miles. I was training for some spring and summer 5Ks and 10Ks so this distance worked within my overall training schedule.

The morning of the run, the temperature was approximately 63 degrees when I started–much cooler than the summer temps. On the drive down into the valley as I was making final adjustments to my running backpack, the excitement of running there was difficult to contain. I’d been looking forward to this for a long time. We arrived at the Furnace Creek visitor center, I took a last swig of Gatorade, and hit the road.

While there was minor traffic along the highway, this is an empty and wide open place. The desert, salt flats, and surrounding mountain ranges are gorgeous in their desolate way. Many people might find it tedious or worrisome, but I could run unhindered by anything except my own abilities.

There was a slight headwind on the way out. It was gentle enough that I didn’t have to push extra hard, but it was also enough that it was more difficult to hear. With almost no traffic, that wasn’t a big issue but I was on a highway where people may not expect to see a runner. Not to worry, given how flat the area is I had wide views behind and ahead of me and could see cars long before they would be near me.

On the way out, I was relatively conservative with my pace. (For the purposes of safety, I had told my in-laws I’d be back within 90 minutes and I didn’t want to go outside of that.) The goal of the run was to enjoy it and not have to push myself to an extreme on the way back. I had decided on 40 minutes out and then however long it took to get back. Based on how I was feeling, which was good, I went a little longer than 40, figuring I could do a negative split on the return. When I stopped to turn around, I took some photos, then started the trek back. With the time I took for the stop, I was going to have to do a healthy negative split to make it under 90 minutes but as I was running back and feeling better and better, I remembered that I was at, and actually below, sea level. No wonder I felt good. I picked up the pace some more, taking advantage of the pleasant temperature and ample oxygen. There was a point where I knew it would be close on whether I would get back in under 90 minutes. I had paced myself well enough that, though the last mile or so turned into an all-out race to the finish, I had the all-too-rare feeling of being able to run faster and faster with no limits. With moments to spare before I knew my father-in-law would jump into the car and start combing the road for a lost runner, I cruised in with the exact negative split I needed.

Is this meant to brag? Nope, just to show that your best planned runs can go as you envisioned them. Based on a previous post, you can see why making adjustments could become necessary, but do hold out hope for the runs that go the way you want.

I didn’t get to go back to Death Valley the following morning as we needed to head to Vegas for my flight. However, I did another 4+ miler outside the hotel along the desert highway. Our hotel was at an elevation of 3,000 feet or so and with it being February, it was 34 degrees. I had only brought shorts and a t-shirt for running. Related to my post about running while traveling, I didn’t have the ideal attire but for a 30 minute run, no big deal. My hands and ears got a little chilly but by the time I was back and packed to leave, I was thawed out.

Death Valley is hallowed running ground for me. The 11-12 miler fulfilled the desire to run there, but also whetted my appetite for more. Desert running may not be for everyone for various reasons, but from my view it’s the ultimate untamed running experience.

Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Gu Birthday Cake. This is the “having your cake and eating it too” portion. This Gu tasted like a Costco or Target sheet cake and not just the cake part. They blended in an icing flavor so it was the same taste as a big mouthful of cake with the icing on top. Did it work? How could it not? Yes, nice energy boost, and probably better than the simple sugar rush you’d get from using actual cake. So, you can have your cake and eat it, too, at least until you’re down to your last packet.

One final note: the photo this week is a close-up of salt crystals on Devil’s Golf Course in Death Valley National Park. I did not run on the golf course, obviously the crystals are not running-friendly.

Next time–a lot going on in the running world so the next topic will have to be a surprise…

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Road runner…

The new menu item, Running Food Reviews, is up and live–check it out while you’re here.

One of my favorite events of the year is coming up. But first, how to prepare for running while you travel.

I love running when I’m on the road be it in London, Death Valley, traveling for business, or visiting family. How do you pack and prepare? This is pretty easy. When traveling, I have a few dedicated articles of clothing: a bright orange shirt, a bright white running hat, and a pair of shorts with a decent-sized zippered pocket. The first two items are all about visibility. People in some areas of the country may not be used to seeing runners and even if you’re on sidewalks, it’s good to make yourself as visible as possible. If I’m on a road and sidewalks are not an option, when I see a car coming, I’ll weave back and forth a little to add to my visibility. It may sound odd and look weird, but it’s better than getting smashed by a car.

For the shorts, the zippered pocket means I can stash my ID and credit card without them falling out, as well as a hotel key if that’s where I’m staying. It keeps my hands free so I don’t have to worry about dropping something if I need to push sidewalk crossing buttons or hold my hand up to make sure a car sees me. The items in your pocket can get sweaty. What to do? Stick in a few plastic baggies to wrap them in. If you fold them right, they’ll keep all the moisture off and you can toss the bags when you’re done.

If the weather is colder, I can either pack a long-sleeve short to wear under the bright orange one, or I have a bright yellow pullover. A hat and light gloves don’t take up very much room. Typically when I’m traveling, I’m keeping my runs to 3-6 miles so if my wardrobe isn’t complete, it may be a little less comfortable in cold or inclement weather but it’s not the end of the world.

So far when I’ve traveled, my running has occurred during daylight hours. If you know it will be dark when you run or you’re not sure, stick a flashlight or headlamp in.

I do a couple of things before I pack the car and/or head to the airport. I’ll take a quick look at Google Maps to get a sense of the area. Once I’m there, I may ask the hotel clerk if there are areas I should try, or avoid. If you’re staying with friends or family, they will have ideas for places you can go.

If you’re in a new area, you want to be focused on the run and staying safe. While you always need to use common sense and make sure you’re aware of what’s going on around you (enhanced visibility doesn’t make you car accident-proof) a couple of simple items can go a long way in helping you stay safe and running.

On to Badwater. I first learned about Badwater in 2005 and have enjoyed following the race ever since. All facts, numbers, etc. are from badwater.com (except for the Scott Jurek and Marshall Ulrich details which are from their Wikipedia pages).

The course and start times have seen a couple of changes over the years. This year’s race is on July 23rd and goes from Badwater Basin to Whitney Portals. 99 runners will leave in equal-numbered waves at 8:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m., and 11:00 p.m.

I have never run the race or seen it in person. If you look at the last point under the spectator section, they actually request that spectators not attend. However, they do have a webcast and more recently added GPS trackers to the runners so you have stride by stride updates on the race. There is also a Twitter feed.

Given how poor internet and cell reception are in Death Valley, it can be a tricky race to follow. But, it’s a lot of fun. The first time station is in Furnace Creek, 17 miles from Badwater Basin, so the initial splits don’t come in for a few hours. As the race moves along, it’s a full day of checking time splits, looking at the Twitter feed, and watching as some runners, even seasoned veterans, fall back while others make up large chunks of time in the latter stages of the course. Many remarkable accomplishments have been witnessed here. Marshall Ulrich did the event self-supported one year, pulling a cart loaded with his own supplies and water (most runners have a multi-person crew with vehicles). Scott Jurek won the 2005 edition and set the course record a mere few weeks after winning his seventh straight Western States 100. Pam Reed was the first female to win the overall race in 2002 and repeated as overall champion in 2003.

This year’s race will feature many Badwater veterans, including past champions and runners up: Pete Kostelnick, Oswaldo Lopez, Amy Costa, Brenda Guajardo to name just a few. You never know how it will turn out. Enjoy following it.

Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Mandarin Orange Gu. This one is interesting. For the flavor, it has an orange flavor when you first eat it, but the mandarin-orange specific flavor hits more as an aftertaste. The important factor, does it work, is a yes. It does give a pleasant boost of energy.

Badwater recap next time, leading off with my own Death Valley running adventure…

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Racing well, finishing strong…

Racing hard at any distance, including sprints, involves pain. There are a few ways to cope with the pain of a race. Some involve training and some you can use during the race. (Regardless of how you choose to handle pain, there’s a line between pushing yourself and hurting yourself. Be wise and don’t hurt yourself, either in preparation or during the race.)

Ahead of the race, good preparation is key. Doing speed workouts (intervals, track work, fartleks), even for a half or full marathon, will get your body adjusted to discomfort. On race day, you’ll still have the discomfort but you will have experienced it and it may not throw you off as much. Also, through tough workouts you’ll get accustomed to different kinds of pain. For example, sheer exhaustion and continuing to push your body may result in abdominal discomfort. This may be different than the burn of pushing hard up a a hill. Or, if you’re climbing a hill at the end of a race, you may end up with both types of pain. Though you’ll still feel it, it will be more familiar and you’ll know how much you can push through it. Speed workouts are not fun. If you can find someone to do them with you, that helps. Either way they pay off, both in adjusting your body’s expectations and making you faster.

A set of goals ahead of a race is helpful as you can focus on tweaking your pace and strategy mid-race instead of thinking about pain. Let’s say you believe you can break 19:00 in a 5K, you’re pretty sure you can go under 19:25, and you know you can go under 19:45. Study the course map ahead of time and determine the mile and half-mile points. In a 5K, a mile is a significant percentage of the race and you don’t have much room for error if you cross a mile marker and you’re off pace. Knowing the halves is very valuable as you  have smaller increments to work with and less time to wonder how your pace is matching up with your goal time. This will help you adjust more efficiently. It also keeps your brain more focused on the clock and less on the pain.

Back to the 5K example above. If you cross the 2.5 mile point in 15:17 and feel like you have gas in the tank, you can still hit under 19:00. However, if you hit 2.5 in 15:30 but are sucking wind, your 19:25 goal may be more reasonable. Know when you may flame out trying to chase something that is out of reach versus settling in to your plan B so you can finish strong and not lose out on all three goals.

Another mechanism to cope with race pain is an attainable goal combined with desperation. There’s a local 5K where I know the course well. The last quarter mile is downhill so I always figure that if I’m within 90 seconds of my goal time when I hit that stretch, I have a good chance of getting the goal. Twice I’ve hit that stretch with only 87 seconds to reach my goal. Both times, I’ve gotten my goal time. I churn into a next level where there is pain but it’s masked by an effort where I only see the finish line and run all-out for it. This can’t be sustained for long, but I’ll take it for a quarter mile. (This may seem contrary to some advice below, but it is an area where you can tell yourself “just a little bit more!”) Of course, as I mentioned in the opening, don’t hurt yourself. It’s not worth that.

If you can, group races. I recently did a 10K and then about a month later, did three races over three weekends (two more 5Ks and a 10K). By the third and fourth races, I was acclimated to the atmosphere enough that while there was still race pain, I was better able to manage the discomfort. Going forward, I may continue to group races because though I’ve done many races over the last twenty-plus years, recent experience clearly matters. If you’re running a marathon or half or ultra, grouping may not work as well. But, check out my post on how to choose races. There are ways to group them in preparation for a longer distance event.

Though it’s tempting, and maybe inevitable, one strategy that does not work well (except for the final sprint as mentioned above) is calculating how much time/distance is left and saying “Only X more minutes/miles until the end.” While those thoughts will cross my mind, there is the risk that you may be selling yourself short mentally. Instead of thinking about whether you can shave a few seconds off the next half mile or how to use an upcoming downhill to gain some time, you’re giving your body a message that you only need to hang on for a it longer. Your approach becomes more about surviving at a certain pace and less about getting after the race. In the throes of race pain, these thoughts may be inevitable, but try to shrug them off and focus on your goals and pace.

Despite the pain, races are fun. There is an adrenaline factor and there is great satisfaction in accomplishment. Learn to manage the pain and they’ll become even more fun.

Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Gu Lemon Sublime: The flavor on this one was “eh” for me. It is slightly citrus-based but it didn’t blow me away. It does have caffeine which I noticed. While it didn’t have a negative impact on my running, the flavor didn’t warrant my buying another one.

Good stuff next week. How to pack for running when you travel and a brief Badwater overview/preview…