Gearwhore/himself Group - FULL (Page 6)

I was just looking through logs, etc. and saw a link for Core Training that AJ had posted in his log. I don't recall if it was him or not that didn't like all of the exercises shown there so the following link is for some other options, most of which are done on a fitball:

http://www.d3multisport.com/articles.php

There are also articles on beginner and intermediate weight training programs. By no means do you have to use them if you've already got your own plan set up, but thought I'd throw it out there as some variety. You'll see the Core Strength workouts on the right hand side. I typically do core at least 3x/week (even though I don't always remember to log it) as part of strength training or after runs. While most of the strength training will burn off as you get into the season because you'll get more sport specific and should be spending that time in the water, on the bike, or running; core strength is something that you should continue with all year long. The article that AJ has in his log highlights some of the benefits of a strong core and it's been discussed in the Forum on this site as well.

westwoodrnr - 2007-01-24 6:58 PM I am planning on morphing the workouts you all have listed with my own. I am looking at 2 days a week total body with emphasis on my chest ( this may sound vain - but I want a bigger chest). I will be doing the workouts in my home gym before work, if I can make myself get up. Just wanted to pat everyone on the back for keeping up with their training so far this year. I know for me I am a bit more apt to do a workout I don't want to just thinking that you all are going to be checking my log ( you do check it don't you?). Carry on My Wayward Friends!!

Did you just quote a Kansas song?  Carry on my wayward son . . . . Okay, a little different, but still maybe too much Q95 (Indiana radio station) for you my friend.

On the lifting thing, I am finally on a program that I'm happy with.  I will post it to this group forum somehow (its in word format) in the next couple of weeks, but it's basically all body work 2-3x/week. 

Nothing wrong with a little vanity, keeps us wanting to stay trim.  But I would say that building a bigger chest takes 3 sessions/week, and then you have to ask yourself how much tri training you're sacrificing for vanity.   With that half iron on the schedule, you'd be better off getting bigger legs from running and biking and not worrying about the chest.  Just my $.02.

Gearwhore - 2007-01-25 8:21 AM

westwoodrnr - 2007-01-24 6:58 PM I am planning on morphing the workouts you all have listed with my own. I am looking at 2 days a week total body with emphasis on my chest ( this may sound vain - but I want a bigger chest). I will be doing the workouts in my home gym before work, if I can make myself get up. Just wanted to pat everyone on the back for keeping up with their training so far this year. I know for me I am a bit more apt to do a workout I don't want to just thinking that you all are going to be checking my log ( you do check it don't you?). Carry on My Wayward Friends!!

Did you just quote a Kansas song?  Carry on my wayward son . . . . Okay, a little different, but still maybe too much Q95 (Indiana radio station) for you my friend.

On the lifting thing, I am finally on a program that I'm happy with.  I will post it to this group forum somehow (its in word format) in the next couple of weeks, but it's basically all body work 2-3x/week. 

Nothing wrong with a little vanity, keeps us wanting to stay trim.  But I would say that building a bigger chest takes 3 sessions/week, and then you have to ask yourself how much tri training you're sacrificing for vanity.   With that half iron on the schedule, you'd be better off getting bigger legs from running and biking and not worrying about the chest.  Just my $.02.

And that's not to mention that rockin abs from all the core work will help make that chest look bigger anyway. And besides, the ladies like the abs better (usually)! Do what you prefer though - just keep staying consistent.

Great news and a huge congratulations!!!!  Drink a toast to your new lifestyle as well as your big promotion!  Thanks for sharing the good news.

Congratulations James, that's great news! Just remember the effects of your recent weight loss on your tolerance when you're tossin' 'em back tonight! Have fun!

This is a post I was going to put in Keith's log since he, Adam, and I have had a brief discussion on building up his run the last couple days. However, I thought there might be some public benefit for all of us. Talking with Adam a little more, we also thought there's some benefit to having a few posts on running form and economy based on some things we've learned. Neither of us are close to being expert runners, much less running coaches, but both of us have the benefit of having been coached and received input from Bobby McGee (www.bobbymcgee.com) who is considered one of the top running coaches around. So basically, we'll just be passing along some thoughts that he shared with us (individually) about running form in general and letting you determine whether or not it applies to you. And for the record, this Bobby McGee is completely separate from the one that Kris Kristofferson (not Janis Joplin) wrote about (though Janis Joplin sang it - I think she was the 3rd to record it - and even though Kris didn't know her at the time he said it was always written for her to sing).

Keith was asking about building up his run and the need for a few walking recoveries since it felt like his legs (and probably body in general) were taking some extra pounding as he was getting back into the swing of things. One of the things that came to my mind was pre- and post-run stretching. I think the norm is for a lot of people to do static stretching on the floor before they go out and run (I did as well), whether it be hamstring stretches, toe touches, etc. and often times probably pushing harder and stretching farther than need be, which can lead to injury. Since stretching like that basically puts your muscles to "sleep," asking them to perform at a certain degree of intensity thereafter doesn't really help your cause of feeling good and loose. One of the things that we were told is to incorporate more active stretching (I forget the term) into your pre-run warm-up. So instead of making the muscles dormant, you're waking them up and preparing them to perform. Among the stretches/actions recommended were 1. Butt Kicks; 2. Alternate Toe Touches; 3. Crossover Shuffling (I made up that term b/c I don't know the real one); 4. Calf Raises. There are others but Adam can speak to those.

1. Alternate Toe Touches - While walking, as your left leg comes forward, lift it up a bit higher and reach out to touch it (or get as close as possible without too much strain) with your opposite (right) hand. Then as your right leg comes forward, reach out touch it with your left hand. You'll almost look and feel like a toy soldier. Or a Communist Soldier - whatever your prefer.

2. Butt Kicks - Jogging very slowly, kick your heels to your butt (or close without straining). You don't need to do it on every step, but maybe every 3rd. So it would be left, right, kick left to your butt, right, left, kick right to your butt......... Pretty easy.

3. Calf Raises - While walking, lift up on to your toes like you're doing a calf raise. You can do this on every step.

4. Crossover Shuffles - I think anyone that's ever played football (American for James) has done these. Standing sideways, move in one direction (L or R, not front or back) crossing one leg in front of the other and then behind it. Then turn around 180* so you're crossing the other leg in front and behind.

You can move from one right into the other with these drills and there's not a big need for them to take much more than about 5-10'. We'll usually move through the cycle twice and then be ready to start our actual workout. And on the day of a race we do the same thing as part of our run warm-ups.

After you run the option's yours. Often times I'll do 10-15' of core, sometimes I'll do light, static stretching, and other times I'll just do nothing. If you do static stretching after, make sure it's being done at a very low intensity. Your body has already undergone enough stress from the run so trying to force it into a new position that you're holding is only creating additional stress, rather than helping it relax. The number one rule of stretching for the amount of force to use is Less Is Best. Also, hold the stretch for a minimum of 30", let it go, and then repeat it.

Beyond that, Bobby has a really good book called Magical Running that may be worth taking a look at, which addresses a mental approach to running that can be applied to the other sports as well. He also has a forum on his site that includes several articles he's written. From his site, if you click on "What's New? Click Here For Bobby's Forum" it will take you there. Among the articles I just saw was using the Run/Walk approach. I'm sure there are several other good ones in there as he's contributed to Runner's World and numerous other publications.

Good luck!

The only thing I would add to Ryan's running stretching post is that most people refer to this type of a warm up as "dynamic stretching" or simply dynamic movements instead of stretching.  Mostly, the old school school of thought where you start with cold muscles and push really hard in a static position has been debunked as nonsense, and possibly even the cause of some running injuries.

Oh, and also, the crossover shuffles are called "grapevines" if that makes the term easier to understand.  We probably all learned that term somewhere along the line, so maybe that helps.

Well, I would say that you need to consider this potential race in the context of your hard training run this weekend.  I'm not saying that you were at full on race pace out running with your coach, but it appears from your pace and heart rate that you were pretty close.  With that in mind, they say it takes 1 day/mile to recover from every hard run.  So since you guys knocked out a really hard 7 miles, you won't be fully recovered from that run before the race suggested.  Therefore, the logic goes, skip it.

Having said that, if you do it, and you want to actually go out and race it, you could use this as an opportunity to conduct an LT Field Test.  Run the whole thing at full race pace, using the first two miles to allow your HR to stabilize at LT, then getting avg. HR for the last 3 miles.  That last 3 mile average HR would then be your run LT, and you could base your HR training zones on that race. 

Still, I think the better idea is probably to run a race later in the spring sometime.  It's just too early to be pounding out a bunch of race intensity.

So Ryan and I were talking this weekend, and we thought we would do a series of posts on running form and technique.  Well, really, just on running stuff in general.  There's a lot to say on this topic, which is weird because running is in some ways the least complicated of the three sports.  Nevertheless, it is also by far (IMO) the most physically demanding.  So getting things right in the running arena will help your season along in a lot of ways, not the least of which is injury avoidance.

For today, I just have a relatively simple thought about running, which is not really form related except in the bio-mechanical sense of getting your gear right: GO TO A GOOD RUNNING STORE TO GET SHOES!  Dick's Sporting Goods does not count, neither does Galyan's nor Foot Locker, etc.  I'm talking about a running specialty store.  Out here we have Runners Roost, Boulder Running Company, Fleet Feet Sports, etc.  Not a chain store, but a store where people who have a passion for running work and can help you understand the shoes.

When you find this store, walk in and immediately ask for help.  Don't be shy, you're not supposed to know what's going on with these shoes, that's their job.  Get on the treadmill and have them videotape your stride.  If the running store you're at doesn't do this, find another running store!  EVERY good running store uses video and a treadmill to figure out whether you over-pronate, have a netural stride, or under-pronate. 

Once they figure that out, they'll typically have you try on 3-5 pairs of shoes from different manufacturers.  Try them on for fit, not style.  The best pair for you has a lot to do with the last (foot mold) that the shoe is built on, and it's different for everyone.  Color couldn't matter less, and you should ignore the stripes and gee-gaws on the shoe.  Just find the one that fits and feels the best, and buy it, even if it's neon green and purple and you think your daughter or wife would like the color scheme better than you do.

Then, go run on that shoe for 15-20 miles on the treadmill during the return period.  Again, most if not all good running stores will let you return shoes during a short period of time so long as they've only been used on the treadmill.  Make sure they don't give you blisters or hot spots, that they feel comfortably snug but not too tight. 

I can't say enough about the importance of this issue.  If you're on the wrong shoe, you could quickly ruin your knees and ankles, and not only be done for the tri season but jeopardize the long term health of your joints.  The shoes at these specialties stores are not much more, and in many cases not any more, expensive than what you can find at the big box retailers.  GET THIS RIGHT, DON'T BE CHEAP ABOUT RUNNING SHOES!

For what it's worth, I'd second Adam's opinion in skipping the race this month. It almost seems like 5Ks (rather than 5-milers) are all over the place. If there's one a month from now, consider that. While you may feel good by Friday and decide to run hard this weekend, the combination of the two hard efforts may not really set in for a couple weeks and out of nowhere have you feeling grouchy, unmotivated, etc. and not recovering as well. In the meantime, I'd calculate your running zones off of a 190 bpm HR and do your training according to those zones without going above Z2, even if it's slower than what you've been hammering out.

Your training zones would then be as follows:

Z1 - < 162

Z2 - 162-172

Z3 - 173-181

Z4 - 182-189

Z5a - 190-193

Z5b - 194-201

Z5c - 202+

Also, don't compare your zones to others; completely irrelevant. Something to try is maybe run 5 miles in Z2 in the beginning of February. Record your time and avg HR. Don't run above Z2 for the entire month, and then at the end of Feb/early March, run another 5 miles in Z2 (recording time and avg HR) and compare it to the first test to see improvements.