As I sit here, legs up after the morning run, taking in the warmth of my sun room overlooking the snow drenched Park City mountains, I realize that two good friends are running the Boston marathon this year. (Another is sadly gone) I can't join them, despite having over 35 or more qualifiers; none are current since I am 8 months recovering from a partial knee replacement, a CONFORMIS compartmental medial knee replacement. Que Sera Sera!
Never the less, after 58 marathons, and coaching friends for years, there are a few bozo no no's that I think every runner should try and avoid, so bear with me as I explain. It may help you run a great Boston Marathon, or any marathon in the future.
On race day, most runners can vastly improve performance and race times by not violating TWO key rules, that almost all runners fail, yes overwhelming fail, to heed. One can be adjusted and dealt with on race day. The other is my topic for this afternoon, and its seeds of destruction are planted weeks and months before race day. Like the first, it's a MENTAL problem.
The #2 MAJOR problem of all racers towing the start line at ANY marathon on race day is...........
2. Overtraining. ESPECIALLY a long run "test" within 8 weeks of race date.
Yes, the insidious siren's call of better performance is actually a ruse embraced and caressed by the OC's of the world who deny less is sometimes better, reject periodization schedules as weakness, and exhort that high quality lower mile schedules are only for wimps. Poor folks, they are doomed to eventually plateau out, and run agonizingly boring schedules with mucho hurt and mediocre performance. They FIXATE on how today's race really isn't as good as they are, they should have done better, but mysteriously don't. The answer is.... MORE MILES! They suffer from Alberto Salazar ism. I figure somewhere north of 80% or more of runners are overtrained on race day, any marathon, any time.
So here's a few, but not all, EDisms for your perusal:
a. The running culture top 20% are mostly obsessive compulsive types. Do YOU want to be one?
Hang with any group of committed runners, like a club, and there will be mucho denial, little "balance" and large doses of OC behavior. If this is the peer group you depend on for guidance, you'll have a good marathon or two, but good luck on translating it to a lifetime behavior.
60, 80, 100 miles a week? Kiss your girlfriend, or boyfriend, kids or spouse........... good bye!
b. Most written training advice is from the Truly gifted, and genetically sifted. (TGGS's)
Do you REALLY think you have a VO2max above 70, a body mass of fat below 5%, and weigh under 120lbs. (male) /100lbs (female)? Are you willing to quit your job, family, extra curricular activities and Dove bars, no less some pizza occasionally? Well, with respect to them, these are the people who are writing books, and programming training schedules, not full time professionals with unrelated 50 hour workweeks, 190lb bruisers, knock kneed, bowlegged (like me), slower than hell, middle/ back of the pack 'ers like you and me.
c. Lower Miles, Higher Intensity will serve a broad spectrum of the running population. (highly likely that's you, unless you have some NCAA medals around your neck)
d. Cross training is fantastic, and long riding, especially mountain biking, can serve to substitute for long runs.
e. All programs should be adjusted to age and body weight. Period!
f. Most training programs for 30 year olds and above should ADD muscle strength and mass, not remove it.
Want to deplete already age related depleting muscle mass? Why, just go out and crank a 22 miler. You'll surely lose more that fat tissue, and most likey, run slower unless you are gifted, sifted, and young! Run a bunch of them, and you'll thin out, get weaker, crabby, and piss off friends. Glycogen will be a thing of the past, and sore muscles will be like underwear, on you every day.
g. IT'S JUST A RACE!
Unless you are running for the Benz, nobody gives a crap about your times. It won't be on your gravestone. I certainly CHEER for you to be the best you can be, all things considered, and once in a while it's fun to "go for it", but let's keep some perspective here puhleeeze!
h. Woe be the runner of absurd goals, for he/she shall sacrifice performance and satisfaction at the ALTAR of FALSE EXPECTATION. This leads to........
i. The THREE most important things in racing are:
Negative Splits
Negative Splits
Negative Splits
Command the course, or it will surely command YOU!
There are myriad precursors that will almost exactly predict your marathon time.
Hello McFly, is anybody in there? Why not chart them, enjoy the race, kill it on the back half, and collect the medal? Within minutes or seconds of your predicted time!
There's a lot more EDisms, but let's not drink from the firehose today. ReRead this,and if you are interested, check back for my next blog, which will specifically address #2, how to avoid overtraining, and the detriment of LONG runs within 8 weeks of a race.
Enjoy the Day
Fasteddie Knapp
FUTURE BLOGS:
#2 Overtraining..... the LONG RUN
The #1 mistake of almost ALL runners on race day
The "Road Trip" and how to minimize pre race jitters
Extrapolating YOUR marathon time from training performance
Race course management?Running after injuries The 2/1 rule
Running Knees after bone on bone
Training with your buddies
The race event SPOUSAL TRAP
The THREE best workouts
What the hell is Periodization?
Who's Advice should you really follow?
Foresee Injuries before they occur
5K,10K half and full
Crosstrain What to specifically do for performance
What subject would YOU like me to blog
and more.........
Was going to call you and float some training questions by you, then discovered your blog. now I can just drink from the fire hose at my leisure. Will be testing some of the principles at Napa next week.
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