Training at altitude

TIP from RunningDutch:

Tips for running at altitude:

• Eat more;
• Drink more;
• Sleep more;
• Watch you iron intake.

other tips

Maybe this article is better suited for the beginning of the summer season with people heading of for the Alps or the Tatra or any other high mountains suitable for a summer holiday. This post contains some facts/tips on training at altitude.

• Due to less oxygen your boy will produce more of the hormone EPO (the natural way) and increase the production of red blood cells that transport oxygen in your blood. For this your body needs iron which you can get from meat, fish, poultry, broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin, tomatoes or citrus-fruits;
• With these extra red blood cells you can transport more oxygen and perform at the same level as on lower attitudes. Back at sea level you can even perform better for some time before your blood levels return to their usual values;
• 3 or 4 days to bring the production of red cells up to speed;
• It takes some 10 days before your body is used to the altitude, having enough extra red blood cells and the stress on your body of adapting to altitude has worn off;
• This 'stress' due to this adaptation usually sets in between 48 hours to 7 days after arriving at altitude;
• After some 30 days your blood levels are at the levels that match the altitude you are staying at. This means the useful effect is still their but no longer increases. 

Giewont in the Polish Tatra

Can you prepare yourself for a stay at high altitude?

You can if you mind the following tips:

1. Increase your iron intake. This is a important building block for red blood cells;
2. Take extra antioxidants: The lack of oxygen at the will produce more free radicals during exercise. Vitamin C is an antioxidant;
3. Eat enough!: Your appetite will decrease at altitude but your body needs more energy! Nice for loosing weight but no so nice for your (training)results.

Now some tips for during your training at altitude;

1. Adapt: Try not to maintain your normal pace-training levels but check out your heart rate. Pay no attention to speed or pace per kilometre. This goes for intervals, tempo runs and duration runs;
2. With intervals: take longer periods for recovery. Would you usually run 2 minutes and recover 1. Change this around while at altitude;
3. Get extra sleep: You give your body more time to recover and adapt to the altitude;
4. Drink extra: You will breath more frequent and more shallow losing more moisture. Next to this effect is the air at altitude dryer. Both effect makes you loose your fluids faster!

This article is a summary of an article on running competitor.

The Stimulator: A training in preparation for the marathon

This is a nice training for anyone who is preparing for a marathon. Run 16 miles, which equals 26,2 kilometres, in the pace you have in mind for the marathon race day.

.

interview with both gents

Why 26,2? Well this has to do with both Americans that came up with this training Keith and Kevin Hanson of  Hansons-Brooks Distance Project (see video).

For those who think in miles the marathon is 26.2 miles in stead fo 42.195 kilometres. Furthermore it is more than your average duration training and it will help tp prepare yourself mentally for the big day. It gives you the feeling what it is like to maintain your marathon tempo for a longer period.

On the other hand: It is short enough to recover within a few days to continue your marathon training.

TIP from RunningDutch:

You can copy this idea for other distances:

• 13,1 kilometre for your half marathon pace;
• 10 K in preparation for the !) mile race;
• etc.

other tips

The Hansons will have their elite runners do this training some 5 weeks before the marathon.

I myself would look at my training schedule and pick a training day which lists a 25K run in the week leading up to the marathon.
Most likely you can find on of those in the 6 to 3 weeks leading up to the marathon.
Just do this training in your marathon pace in stead of the more leisurely Long Slow Distance (LSD) pace.

You can also use this training to practise your eating and drinking strategy for the race. Try to find out which sports drink is provided at the refreshing points during the race. Quit often this is one of the sponsors so simply look at the race website.
Do you consider to Carry your own drinks and gels? If so, than carry it with you during this training as well. If not, find someone to help you who can be your refreshing point en route.

As this training is carried out at marathon pace find a route with clear markers or use a GPS watch or have some with you on a bike with a distance meter.

If you are training for a marathon just to finish it and you don't have the ambition of a certain time? Than the usual 20miles run is still the best (which equals 32km and this is a nice route).

Trail running: tips for running uphill

Like the previous posting: Some advice from Scott Jurek. This time on running uphill.

Trail Running: Avoid some common mistakes

Heading out on a trail for the first time? Ultra runner Scott Jurek will give you some advice how to avoid some of the common mistakes made by runners who leave the road for the first time:

How to run: lesson 1

As most people on the web are aware YouTube is a fine source of videos on lotst of different topices. Browsing trough them you'll get across some nice ones about running. This one gives a nice overview of thetechnique of running.

A few remarks before we start:

Maybe the running lady in the intro should have worn a (better) sportsbra. As the voiceover mentions that a wrong posture can lead to injuries so can wrong gear.

The voiceover mentions that the body should be slightly tilted forwards...I have watched closely but to me it is straight up with the runner.

No it is not a muppet popping up. The video was, I think German, and this fellow is the original commentator.

When they switch from addressing the boy to addressing the legs you might say that they manage to state THE BLOODY OBVIOUS with the voice-over "Your legts are the most important part of your body for running".

The text "Most runners are forefoot runners by nature"is not incorrect persee. But lets face it... Most runners only use this technique at high speed. OTherwise the land on their heel. Just take a look at an average sunday in the park neer you or at the next running event you watch in your town.

Well besides these remarks from a grumpy old man...enjoy the film:

Trail running

Spring is there on the northern hemisphere. A good time to leave the beaten tracks or pavement of the city parks behind en hit some trails outside the city limits. As it differs from your regular running you should be aware of the tips given on About Running.

• Choose Trails Wisely: Run on trails that are appropriate for fitness level. Flat trails are recommended if you're a beginner, while more experienced runners can choose hilly, challenging trails.
• Get the Right Gear: Wear trail-running shoes, and dress in synthetic fabric running clothes that are appropriate for the weather conditions.
• Buddy Up: If possible, get a friend to run with you. If you're running alone, always make sure you tell someone which trail you'll be running on.
• Slow It Down: Trail running is usually harder on the body than road running, so plan to run fewer miles at a slower pace on trails than you do on the roads.
• Pay Attention: Keep your head up and your eyes on the trail ahead. Try not to look down at your feet, so you can watch ahead for obstacles such as rocks, roots, logs and branches.
• Careful on the Downhills: Don't get out of control on steep downhills. Control your speed and keep your head up, so you can avoid obstacles.

In the Netherlands large stretches of unspoiled nature are far en few between. Advantage is that most 'nature' has plenty of footpaths with walking trails, cyclepaths with routes of various lengths etc. This enbales you as a runner to pick your own route as you go. If you run without a buddy it is wise to take along your cellphone for safety. As the country has full coverage you are always able to give some one a ring in case of emergency.

When going for a run on a trail as refered to in the article on About Running it might even be a good idea to take your cell phone. As trails won't be to far away from inhabited areas it is very likely that there is some coverage. Better be safe than sorry. It is no fun to be on your own without any means of communication if you sprain your foot on a tree stub or take a tumble on a downhill (in spite of the last tip).

Seen on TV: The Truth about Food

Yesterday the Belgian television showed a BBC documentry: 'The Truth About Food' (see BBC site). Yesterdays episode had the subtitle 'How to be the Best' (site from this episode). This episode had some nice topics for runners.
The diea from the programm is to anwser questions about food by doing some experiments. The next questions were interesting for runners:
Grazing Vs Bingeing? (see clip)
Is there a way to eat your food so you can perform better? Could eating little and often be better than having three square meals?
Eating little and often makes you more productive because a square meal drwas your blood towards your stomic and bowels leaving you with less energy for your work. Everybody know the famous lunchdip;-)
Carb Power? (see clip)
Two genetically identical teams battle it out to see what’s better for long endurance activities – a diet high in carbohydrates or a diet packed full of protein and fat. Runners knwo the answer: a diet high in carbohydrates.
Is just tasting carbohydrates enough?
A strange question but the answer is yes. Apparently you have receptors on you tongue that makes you releasing energy by just tasing carbohydrates. This part of the documentry is not available online:-(
Meat to Beat? (see clip)
The filmmakers convinced six staunch vegetarians to embrace the carnivore way for eight weeks to test whether they would become stronger athletes by eating meat. Did it work? Fortunate for the vegatarians amonst us: No there was statsically relevant improvement in their strength. SO you can keep combining your healthy running with the healthy vegetarian way of life.

Other episodes in the series are a.. 'how to be healthy' and 'how to be sexy'. The first one can be relavant for runners. The second....well with our athletic bodies we don't need advice on that front;-)

Shoe laces

On the My Asics forum (dutch part) a runner is complaining about bad circulation in her feet during running. One of the responses suggests the use of an extra loop in the laces near the top holes. I think most runners are familiar with 'the loop' but as it is difficult to descripe I use an image to explain what to do.

In the left image you see the right shoe which has its laces in the normal fasion. The left shoe uses the loop. So instead of crossing over with the lace to the other side of the shoe for the last hole stay on the same side and loop back trough the top hole (outside in) and than cross back to the other side where you pull the lace trough the loop.
The right image shows the loop 'in action' with tied shoelaces.

In this way you can vary the tention of the laces on the top of your foot and you bring the knot a little bit lower. Most shoes, these Brooks as well, have an additional hole that you can use. This gives you plenty of possibilities to vary the way you tie your laces. So experiment a little to find out which configuration is the most comfortable for you.

Running with music: Analyze BPM

Like I wrote in a previous blog I seldom run with music. However, every now and then, for the long endurance runs I do carry music with me. The trick then is to select music that helps you trough your run.
Of course you can choose music that fits your mood but the best way is to select music that has the right beats per minute so you can run to the beet: Every beat a stride.
OK, easier said than done. First you would have to figure out which BPM corresponds with your training plans. Going for a long endurance? Run the pace and count your steps for a minute. Do this for every running mode you want to train in.
Now you know the various BPM's for the various stages of your traning your next step is to select the music with the right BPM. But how do you know which tracks have which BPMs? Not every audio player shows this info allthough some fancy software even allows you to speed up songs or slow them down to manipulate the BMP. BUt maybe this is something for DJ's. Want to use tracks at their original pace? Then f.e. MixMeister analyses BPM's from MP3 tracks. You can download it here or hit google to find other packages.

If you go to the site run2rythm you can download three podcasts (in righthand column) on this topic with examples of music with various beats. Not really my cup of tea the music they use.

Want a bit more reading on the topic of carrying music for your run? You can do this with this article on about.com.

For those gadget oriented runners, you can consider to go for the Apple / Nike combination with their Nikeplus product. Advertised with the commercial with the voice over from Edward Norton with these words:

“I am addicted. I’ve collected footsteps before dawn, seen places I never knew
existed, run to the moon and back, been a rabbit for the neighborhood dogs,
obeyed the voice in my head, let music carry me when I couldn’t, raced against
yesterday, let the world be my witness, measured myself in metres, kilometres
and finally character. I’ve plugged into a higher purpose, left this world and
come back changed. I am addicted.” > “Run Like You’ve Never Run Before.
Nikeplus.com”

View the commercial:

Stretching: lower calf muscle

Many of the less experienced runnners do just one sort of stretching for the calf muscle. The regular stretch. They tend to forget the lower calf muscle which is connected to the achillesheel and not paying the proper attention can cause injuries to the heel. Stretching the lower calf muscle is quite simple
1) place your feet alngo side eachother and make one step with your hips (your centre of gravity) between your feet as with the regular calf muscle stretch.
2) Keep your upper body vertical but lower your centre of gravity (i.e. your hips) by bending both kness. You feel the strain building in the lower extremities of your calf of your 'hind'leg.

Pay attention to:
- Keeping your heel on the ground
- DOn't bring your knees in front of the toe of your foot. If you do before you feel the straing increase your step a little at 1.)

Stretching: The Quadriceps

A few times before I have written about stretching.

Recently I read an article in 'Gym Kaderinfo' a magazine about gymnastics (which used to do for some 15 years when I was a bit younger). In the article, the doctor John Mens discusses the use of stretching and basically he states that it is useless. However with the article is a picture of this good man stretching his Quadriceps. I have no scanner at hand so you´ll have to do with my figures. It looked a bit like this:

Added 2/1/08 scanned image from article:

I could be wrong but to me this is not the right way to stretch your quadriceps. Body to the front, the leg he is standing on overstretched. With this kind of examples I can understand that to him stretching is nog usefoull;-)
This is how I learned your quadriceps should be stretched:

1. raise your heel to your buttocks
   
2. genlty bend the leg your standing on


3. tilt your pelvis a bit (in the direction of the arrow, belly in)


4. bring the knee of your raise leg slowly to the back building the tention in the muscle

Your pose will look like this figure:

Or use the clip from the asics site as inspiration.

Zoladztest

On my Dutch site I have shown my test results on the Zoladz tests before and discribed how it should be performed (for those who want to give it a try check it out here).
What is the test? Like a coopertest it give you an indication of your level of fitness. However where the coopertest only gives you one figure: The distance run in 12 minutes. The Zoladztest gives you your fitness level in relation to your heartrate. Let me explain how.
Before you start you have to do a bit of homework > you have to figure out your Maximum Heart Rate (HRmax). If you have not measured it you can calculate as follows: HRmax = 220 - (80% of your age). So lets say you are 35 like me, your calculated HRmax will be 220-28=192. This is just an indication as I know for sure that my HRmax is higher. Besides this figure you need a track of other means to measure your distance.
Do a moderate warming up with a few accelerations and some stretching just as you do your usual warming up. Than start your test.
Run 6 minutes at a average heartrate interval of HRmax - 50 (in this example = 142) than rest for 2 minutes and write down the distance you have run.
Run 6 minutes at HRmax-40
Rest 2 minutes
Run 6 minutes at HRmax-30
Rest 2 minutes
Run 6 minutes at HRmax-20
Rest 2 minutes
Run 6 minutes at HRmax-10

Relax and do your cooling down!
For every interval you write down the distance run. Take care, te last interval can be to strenuos for some runners and with my last test I did not manage to run this highest interval. If you are not sure about your own level of fitness than do this test under supervision of an expert.

Know you have gathers 5 distances (or 4). Plot them in a graph as shown below where you see the results of a couple of test I have done.
What can you learn from this test? Like with the cooper test: The more you can run in the intervals the more fit you are. But there is more. Ideally al the measured distances should be on a straight line. If there are measurements below this line you know that you have put more effort in training in the heartrate zone and the best thing is...this will help to lift the whole line higher, thus increasing your level of fitness overall. So in the last measurement from oktober 2007 you can see that I have to work on my lower heartrate (around 150bmp) where on some of the older measurements I had to work on the higher heartrates around 170 bmp (temporuns and interval).
So compared to the cooper test it is not only a measurement of fitness but it also gives you insight where you should put your training effort!

An Elliptical Trainer: what to keep in mind?

On about running a nice article on elliptical trainer. For me the most relevant information in in the tail of the article: An elliptical trainer can offer the same intensity of training as a treadmill but the impact is far lower, closer to that of walking. This is interesting for those runners that look for an alternative to keep in shape while suffering from (small) injuries that will heal if you can avoid the impact that running has on your legs, knees etc... A treadmill has the same impact as running on the road so this will not help.

As for buying a ellipitcal trainer? The article offers a checklist wat to keep in mind while deciding which trainer to buy:

• Check out the space the trainers requires and you have available


• If the trainer has constraints considering length or weigth of user: make sure you (and the other users you have in mind) can use the trainer given these constraints


• Ask you self if you want to move it around or not and if so to what extend (havier frame is sturdier but..)


• Do you want to control the resistance of your trainer to do your workout at different levels?


• Do you want adjustable pedals for the different users?


• The length of the stride (which is more important than the up and down movement).


• Do you want displays and programmable workouts?


• Do you want to adjust rampsettings/incline?

It is possible to order trainers online.

Videotips on running techniques

Yesterday I was browsing YouTube for clips on running. I liked this one as it gives you as a runner a scan that you can perform during your training. You can scan your posture form head to toe and adjust if you lie trying to achieve a more efficient running technique. When I went running yesterday I paid atention to my arms and found that indeed I move them a little bith sideways. I was able to reduce this and it did not feel uncomfortable. It helped me also keep my shoulders a bit more to the back and lower and therefore more relaxed. See for yourself if it contains usefull tips for you.

Cerials versus sportdrink for recovery

On the Belgian site gezondheid.be you can find an article on the effect of cerails with milk on recovery after an excercise in cmoparison to the effect of sportdrinks. I don't know about you but in the Netherland we make jokes about the Belgian but as this article is on some amrican research...well judge for yourself.

In is some small scale research that has shown the following effects:

• The effect on the levels of glucose and insuline in the blood and on glycogen were simular
• The cerials resulted in a stronger dercrease in lactate, a better synthesis of proteins and a higher glycogen level in the muscles.

So you see that a simple bolw of cerials is better thant the chemical mixtures from a sportsdrink. I have to admit. this sportdrinks is easier to carry along in your sportsbag to use directly after you have done your excercises or your run.

Stretching: how to be done?

Last week during the marathon I looked in surprise at a man leaning into a lamp post almost horizontaly stretching his calfmuscle. Hand at about a meter height and heel from the ground. This urges me to write once more about stretching. This time stretching in general.
Is stretching usefull?
exploring the web you'll find that there is some debate on the usefulness of stretching. Almost every runners does it in the belief that it helps to lengthen the muscles en increases its resistance to injuries. It also decreases muscle pain after excersises when stretching is applied during the cooling down.
The purpose of stretching
By stretching the muscle you lengthen it and put tension on the fibers. After the stretching the muscle relaxes and is in a more relaxed mode than before.
During the cooling down stretching keeps the bloodflow going, helping to get rid off the waste products in the muscle (hence the reduction of musclepain afterwards). I also thinks that the relaxation of the muscle has a good healthy effect on the tendon reducing the risk of injuries but i could not find proof of tihs quickly.
Static versus dynamic
there are different ways of stretching:

• Static
• Dynamic
• Ballistic
• PNF

Best knwon are static and dynamic. The second was out of fashion after the appearance of the book 'The Stretching Methode' by Bob Anderson.

Sequence of stretching
I never gave much thought to the sequeance in which I did my stretching untill recently someone pointed out that stretching the muscles in the upper leg first stimulates the blood flow so that when stretching the muscles in the lower leg the waste products from these muscles are better transported. Makes sence, doesn´t it?

When to stretch?
Most runners do a warming up first and then stretch before starting with some serious excercises. Taking into account the point made above you realize you should not stretch to fanatical before starting you excersises otherwise your muscles will be completely relaxed.

Other good moments for stretching are, under the assumption that it is healthy, after your excercise, during your cooling down or when you have muscle cramps.

Now let us return to the runner and his lamppost. Taking everything into account you realize stretching has no use when you put strain/force on the muscle because it won't relaxe. I don't know about you but I cannot lean into a lamppost and lift my heal from the floor without straining my calf muscle. So his pose was not effective and he still had to do another 15k.

In spite of all the fact that the debate about the use of stretching has not settled I myself find it useful. I think that on 50% of the runs I do, I do stretch it after some warming up and on 90% of the runs I stretch afterwards. (I skip when I am in a hurry).
Before I was not albe to reach my toes as the lady does in the picture...now I can. So to me it helps. And in the book on running from Haile G. he spends a few pages on stretching and it helped him to run the worldrecord so who am I to argue with him.

Sleep as part of your training

Rightly so about running asks the question if runners look at their sleeping habits.A good nights rest is as important for your fitness as is a training. That is why they refer to this site with 10 tips for a good sleep. The ten tips are:

1. Light exersises: yoga or walking helps to lower stress levels. With me runnig works as well even relatively short before going to sleep I can run but I nkow this will not be the case for everyone For some sport in the evening can be killing to get to sleep (see point 10)


2. Listening to music: Of course this should be the relaxing kind


3. Cleaning up: It might sound crazy but this appears to be working but I think I skip this one


4. Games instead of TV: Think of stress relieving memory games. Train your brain in the same time


5. A bubble bath


6. A massage: Lets hope your partner has the skills and can pay some extra attention to the muscles important to a runner


7. Write in your journal: Empty your head by writing down thought or experiences. The blog is of course the modern journal


8. Meditation: It relaxes, lower stress levels. I have it sometimes during running that it works like meditation. Repeating thoughts like a mantra or having a completely empty mind. Running is meditation to me.


9. Sex: I the order of the tips is saying something about the effectiveness I think this one should be on number one. Everyone knows it helps against stress. You relax while doing your exercises from tip 1. Your body releases soothing hormones and it is healthy for your relationship as well...realy shouldn't it be on 1?


10. Avoid arguments or stressful situations or stimulating activities. This can also be a TV show or film. Sport can also be stimulating (see also my remark about running at 1.) For me it was the case with volleybal.

I hope these tips might help to sleep better and improve your performance as a runner. Beauty of itis: some of the tips are useful for runners in the same time.

Stretching; Calf Muscle

Do you recognize this: People in sporting gear trying to push over a wall or lamppost? I don't think that is the proper way to stretch your calf muscle. Because you should be stretching it and not put strain on it which you'll do the minute you start pushing. So how should it be done?

1) place you feet next to eachother and make a step of normal length with your center of gravity (your hips) between your feet.
2) Bend the knee of your front leg and have your upper body and back leg in a straigth line. Keep the heel of your back foot on the ground. DOn't push an against a wall;-)
If you need support try to grab something on your side so you use it just for that: balance.

Hold this position for at least eight seconds. Than come back to the starting position and repeat the motion with the other leg. In video it looks like this (thanks to the Asics site):

Running Dutch = Running Cheap???

I know that in English the word Dutch has a rather negative ring to it. 'Going Dutch', 'Double Dutch', 'Dutch role' (aviation), etc. Furthermore I know that abroad the Dutch are, like the Scots famous for their greediness therefore a nice article to start with....'How to save money' when running is you favorite sport. The text is a copy from a blog on the complete running network .

It has been said more than once that running is a cheap sport. However,
when adding up the money I spend on it over a year, I’m not sure I agree. As
with everything you do, there are plenty of ways to spend your money. If you
want to run along at a budget, try a few of those things:

• Sports drinks are expensive. A cheaper alternative is to mix water and fruit
  juice. A 50/50 mix results in an isotonic drink, but you can water it down more
  if you find that easier to swallow during a run. Also, most sport drinks contain
  sodium, so add salt if you feel like it.
• Energy gels are ridiculously expensive, considering that they mainly consist of some sugary paste. I used to take one gel if I ran 15 miles or more, and 2 gels for any 20 miler (or more). I have since completely given up on gels, apart from during marathon races. And guess what? My distance runs don’t feel any more difficult as a result.
• Spending a lot of money on recovery drinks? According to coach Greg McMillan, the perfect recovery boost comes from a glass of Slim-Fast, because it contains the perfect mixture of carbohydrates and protein. My local supermarket even had it on a buy-one-get-one-free offer a few weeks ago, further driving down my expenses.
• Energy bars are an expensive snack. I can think of two
  alternatives straight away: many “normal” snack bars contain pretty much the
  same amount of carbohydrates than the sport ones, but at a lower price. Just
  look at the ingredients. Even better, try some fruit. An apple, orange, plum,
  kiwi, peach or any other fruit you can think of will give you the same energy
  boost, but is both cheaper and healthier.
• Running shoes are a major cost factor. Many shops have sales at the end of the year. Try and stock up on several pairs of runners then. You can literally save hundred of dollars/euros that way. (Disclaimer: I don’t have a local running shop to support.) Are you planning on an out-of-town marathon as well as a big holiday? Why not combine the two. Next time you take your spouse to Paris, why not do it in the middle of April? Just don’t get too romantic the evening before the race though, or you might come to regret it.

The tip on shoes is somewhat doubtful. Real running shoes are not very frequently on sale (at least not in the Netherlands). However I am not a fashion victim so I don't need matching running gear so I do buy al my other gear in the SALE.
I also found that a bar of mars delight also works in stead of a gel package. Easy to eat, enough calories to last another few miles.