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Anh Vuong-Phillpotts

Sep 01 2017
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crew challenge

#UAeastside10k Crew Challenge

By | Charity, Eastside 10k | No Comments
Eastside 10k Crew Challenge Detail
  • The crews will be grouped according to the charity they are supporting and will be evaluated by the combined group effort. The group of Crews supporting the same charity is referred to below as the ‘Charity Team’.
  • The winning Charity Team will be the group with the highest total points accumulated across the 5 categories.
  • Each Charity Team must fundraise a minimum of $500 for their charity to be eligible for prizing.
  • Fundraising totals will be tallied based on online fundraising pages as of 6:00am PST race day, Saturday September 16, 2017. But fundraising will remain open 2 weeks after the event.
  • Runners must be registered on their appropriate teams, by the close of online registration, Monday, September 11, 2017 midnight PST to be counted for prizing.
The five scoring categories:
  • Fastest Team
    • Combined time of the three fastest female runners and three fastest male runners.
    • Scoring 3, 2, 1. Highest value = fastest Charity Team.
  • Largest Team
    • Total number of runners registered on your team that finish the run.
    • Scoring 3, 2, 1. Highest value = largest Charity Team.
  • Total Fundraising
    • Total amount of team fundraising for their charity.
    • Scoring 3, 2, 1. Highest value = most raised by Charity Team.
  • Average Fundraising
    • Total Fundraising divided by the number of runners. Giving an advantage to smaller crews.
    • Scoring 3, 2, 1. Highest value = highest average by Charity Team.
  • Charity Influence
    • Each Charity Team will be evaluated by their respective charity and awarded up to 3 bonus points.
    • The charities will evaluate the crew’s participation on Social Media influence (tagging and promoting fundraising), Volunteering (supporting the charity in person)
Prizing:
  • 1st Place
    • Unique placard denoting your 2017 Championship.
    • Canada Running Series Sponsors Prize package.
    • $500 donation to your team’s Charity.
    • 5 – 2018 Canada Running Series West seasons passes.
  • 2nd Place
    • $300 donation to your team’s Charity.
    • 3 – 2018 Canada Running Series West seasons passes.
  • 3rd Place
    • $100 donation to your team’s Charity.
Our 2017 Charity Partners:

DEWC

Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre

The Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre (DEWC) is one of the busiest women’s centres in the country, operating a non-profit Drop-In Centre and Emergency Night Shelter in one of the poorest communities in Canada. DEWC is unique in that it is one of the only safe spaces within the Downtown Eastside specifically and exclusively for all women and their children, and has been a permanent and pertinent part of the community since 1978.

Instagram: @dewcvan
Facebook: @DowntownEastsideWomensCentre
Twitter: @DEWCvancouver

Greater Vancouver Food Bank

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank is a non-profit organization with a mission to empower people to nourish themselves by providing access to healthy food, education and training. The GVFB provides assistance to over 26,500 people weekly through 14 food locations and close to 100 and community agencies located in Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and North Vancouver. The GVFB is committed to its vision of accessible, healthy and sustainable food for all and through community collaboration, is pro-actively working to help end hunger.

Instagram: @VanFoodBank
Facebook: @VanFoodBank
Twitter: @VanFoodBank

 

PHS Community Services SocietyPHS Community Services Society

PHS Community Services Society (PHS) is an innovative and well-established non-profit organization located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) community. The agency has extensive property management experience in complex mixed-use projects and primary care initiatives. The PHS improves the lives of thousands of vulnerable individuals each year through housing, health and support services. Clients served represent the most marginalized populations residing in Vancouver’s DTES and facing multiple barriers due to their mental health and substance use. Through many successful partnerships, PHS contributes to the development of best practices in health, mental health and harm reduction.

Instagram: @PHScss
Facebook: @PHSCommunityServicesSociety
Twitter: @PHScss

Sep 01 2017
0
10 tips for 10k

10 tips for 10k

By | Eastside 10k, Training Tips | No Comments

Dylan Wykes & Rob Watson, two of the coaches at Mile2Marathon, gave us 10 tips for this year’s Under Armour Eastside 10km and how to prepare for the event. Check them out!

1. Be prepared for race morning:

Leave nothing to chance. Know what you are going to eat, know how you are going to get to the race, and know where you are going to stash your gear. Arrive early, as there’s no need for added stress on race day; you are there to compete and perform. Unnecessary stress will affect your performance. Oh, and bring lots of dry clothes!

2. Warm-up:

For some this is a 20 minute run and active strides. For others this is a 5 minute walk and some
stretches. Either way, get those muscles loose and ready to go, it’ll help avoid injury and have you
primed to go when the gun sounds.

3. Find your place:

Get on the start line and line up with people at the same level, or pace as you. A
45:00 10km is a great accomplishment, but you probably shouldn’t be lining up at the very front- you will get pulled out too hard and will impede faster runners. On the other hand, if you want to run 35:00 get yourself to the front, otherwise you are going to spend too much energy passing people and trampling over slower runners.

4. Get off the line:

The first km of a race is always fast. You will feel fresh and frisky. If you are several seconds faster than your goal pace do not worry, get the fist km in and then settle into your race.

5. Settle and flow:

From 2-6km you should relax and find your flow. If you are pushing too hard at 3km you are going to have a bad time- both literally and figuratively. Have your goal pace in mind and focus on maintaining that effort and rhythm. Being 5 seconds too slow is fine as you can make up time with a strong last 2km, but being 5 seconds too fast can be disastrous as when you blow up you’ll be giving time back in chunks.

6. Enjoy the scenery:

The Under Armour Eastside 10km course takes you on a tour through some of Vancouver’s most beautiful and culturally rich neighbourhoods. Appreciate the city and take it in. We live in a really special place.

7. Find a group:

There is power in numbers when it comes to racing. Working as group can help a lot. A group can pull you along, and you can lock in and roll. Find a friend and roll together… until 9km, then all bets are off!

8. Focus:

This is racing, it is supposed to hurt! Your legs will burn, you’ll fight for breath and you’ll want
to stop. You trained for this. Focus on your goals and stay positive. The pain of racing is brief, and that post run beer/brunch tastes so much better knowing you earned it.

9. Bite your tongue and go:

When you get to 9km it is time to get going! This is where you put your head down and give it hell. Dig deep and push, and when you are 400m out it is time to empty the tank. Give it everything you have until you cross the finish line.

10. Reap the spoils:

Congratulations on finishing the Under Armour Eastside 10km! Now enjoy yourself a bit- go get brunch, drink a beer or just do something to spoil yourself. You have earned it!

More info on the Under Armour Eastside 10k can be found here.

Aug 30 2017
0
VE10k elite list 2017

UA Eastside 10k 2017 Elite Starting List

By | Eastside 10k, Elite Athletes | No Comments

Under Armour Eastside 10k

2017 Elite Starting List

Bib #Last NameFirst NameCityProvince
2MartinsonGeoffVancouverBC
3WykesDylanVancouverBC
4JustinKentBurnabyBC
5CoffeyKevinVancouverBC
6HuntTheoVancouverBC
7NgenoBenardSurreyBC
8MutaiDavidEldoretUG
9GravelChristianVancouverBC
10WatsonRobinVancouverBC
14WilkieMarkVancouverBc
15BrockervilleRyanCoquitlamBC
16ShahmirzadiCamronMenlo ParkCA
17BauerJesseEdmontonAB
18BrowneNicholasVancouverBC
19LogueRobertVancouverBC
20MichieTomVancouverBC
21NicholsonDrewSurreyBC
22LoewenRonaldLangleyBC
23BlazeyPaulVancouverBC
24GomezInakiVancouverBC
25DunfeeEvanRichmondBC
26HopwoodJeremyRichmondBC
27AmundsonGusVancouverBC
28KimuraKyleVancouverBC
31LonerganKillianThunSwitzerland
32BradfordKeithCalgaryAB
33OdermattCraigVictoriaBC
34NapierChrisVancouverBC
35O'ConnorKevinVancouverBC
36BarthChrisWhite RockBC
37AdkinsTimVancouverBC
38HatachiTatsuyaCoquitlamBC
39NewbyJamesSquamishBC
40PortmanBryanNanaimoBC
41PtuchaStephenRichmondBC
Bib #Last NameFirst NameCityProvince
F1SextonLeslieLondonON
F2WodakNatashaNorth VancouverBC
F3CliffRachelVancouverBC
F4MarchantLanniLondonON
F5InglisSarahLangleyBC
F6WilkieSabrinaVancouverBC
F7Lewis-SchneiderMegVancouverBC
F8ElmoreMalindiKelownaBC
F9MorozJenVancouverBC
F10TherrienBrittanyVancouverBC
F12LeeAndreaVancouverBC
F13MooreKatherineVancouverBC
F14LongridgeCorriVancouverBC
F15MacGregorMeredithVancouverBC
F16CherakStephanaCalgaryAB
F17LeeKirstenPort CoquitlamBC
F18PepinCherylNorth VancouverBC
F19ZimmerLissaVancouverBC
F21WatkinsCatherineVancouverBC
F22LovigChristyKelownaBC
F23KasselMelanieChilliwackBC
Aug 28 2017
0
Top Contenders UA Eastside 10k

Top contenders for the 2017 Under Armour Eastside 10k

By | Uncategorised | No Comments

From defending champions to Olympians, the contenders for this year’s Under Armour Eastside 10k will ensure it will be a great battle for the top spot on the podium.  Here are the top four women and men to watch out for:

Leslie SextonLeslie Sexton –

Returning to defend her 2016 Eastside 10k title, Leslie Sexton has been putting in the mileage this summer.  Upwards of 200km per week, her Strava account tells no lies about the work she’s been putting in.  Winning the Toronto Waterfront 10k this past June in 34:48, Sexton is gearing up for this fall’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon where she will try and break her personal best of 2:33:00.

Lanni MarchantLanni Marchant –

An Olympian in both the 10,000m and marathon at the Rio Olympics, and the Canadian record holder in the marathon, Under Armour athlete Lanni Marchant will be racing in her first UA Eastside 10k.  Battling health issues earlier this year, Marchant was unable to compete at the 2017 World Track and Field Championships in the marathon this summer, but has her eyes set on hitting a fast marathon in Berlin this fall.

Natasha WodakNatasha Wodak –

2016 Olympian, and the 10,000m Canadian record holder, Natasha Wodak will be contending for the top spot on the podium at this year’s Under Armour Eastside 10k.  After placing 16th at this summer’s World Track and Field Championships in the 10,000m, Wodak has shown she’s back to her top form after being forced to take a break this winter after having surgery on her foot.

Rachel CliffRachel Cliff –

After hitting the Olympic standard last year, Rachel Cliff has proved again and again that she can contend with the best in the world.  Improving her 10,000m time by 15 seconds to 32:07 which put her on her first World Track and Field Championship team this summer in London. Cliff went on to improve that time in London by 7 seconds, for a new personal best of 32:00.  She will be a force to be reckoned with at this year’s Under Armour Eastside 10k.

Geoff MartinsonGeoff Martinson –

Geoff Martinson is the defending champion of the 2015 #Uaeastside 10k.  Martinson has a history in specializing in shorter distances, with a semi final appearance in the 1500m at the 2011 World Track and Field Championships.  With many podium finishes at local road races, he was the former BC Champ in the 5k, the 10k will cater to Martinson’s speedy side.

Dylan WykesDylan Wykes –

One of Canada’s fastest marathoners, Dylan Wykes is a past champion of the #UAEastside10k.  Although Wykes is known best for his blazing marathon times, notably his 2:10:47 at the 2012 Rotterdam Marathon, and his 20th place at the London 2012 Olympic Games, don’t discount him on being able to knock of a speedy 10k.

Kevin CoffeyKevin Coffey –

A recent resident to Vancouver, Coffey made the move out west for better training opportunities and more temperate running weather.  His efforts haven’t been for naught.  Clocking personal bests in both the 5000m and 10,000m, Coffey’s consistent training has steadily lowered his times showing he will be a sure contender on the 2017 UA Eastside 10k start line.

Theo HuntTheo Hunt –

Working as a full-time teacher during the school year, Theo hasn’t let that deter him from training and achieving personal bests along the way.  In 2017, Hunt has bettered his personal bests in the 3000m and 5000m, and has produced competitive times on the local road running circuit too.  Having the speed work in his legs from focusing on track this summer, he’ll be looking to translate that onto the roads at this year’s UA Eastside 10k.

Aug 21 2017
0
fortius vo2max testing

A Behind-The-Scenes Look at VO2max Testing

By | General, Training Tips | No Comments

HOW A VO2MAX ANALYSIS CAN HELP RUNNERS OPTIMIZE THEIR TRAINING

The Fortius Lab, located within Fortius Sport & Health in Burnaby, is a state-of-the-art human performance lab that is accessible to all levels of athletes. In collaboration with their integrated team of sport medicine and science practitioners, the focus of the lab is to provide a series of tests and analyses.  They offer support in injury management, injury prevention, and optimize performance for athletes and active individuals.

WHAT IS A VO2MAX ANALYSIS?

A VO2max test is a more scientific look at an athlete’s physical capacity for cardiovascular fitness.  It’s a rigorous incremental exercise test performed cycling or running that informs the athlete about the maximum amount of oxygen the body can consume to produce energy. This is directly related to performance. The faster oxygen can be delivered to your muscles, the faster you will be able to run at a much less given effort.  Lots of data is found in the VO2max testing, including various heart rates and speed/power levels.  These can be used to set appropriate training zones that can be applied to everyday training.  From the zones, the athlete will be able to train at heart rate specific intensities and paces, giving them more bang for their buck in each session.

At the end of the testing, the practitioner explains their findings and how the athlete can utilize this data for even more effective training. The test provides valuable information about one’s current aerobic fitness. This can used as a baseline for your training and allow you to set new goals. When returning for a re-test, you can then see how effective your training plan was.

Preston, a runner of only three years, undertook the challenge of going through two of the tests that Fortius offers: a 3D gait analysis and VO2max test.  He then shared his experience with our readers.

PRESTON’S STORY

prestonOver the past 3 years my fitness goals have shifted dramatically. My journey started with a desire to lose weight and improve my health after a break-up. As I began to see results, I started getting curious about my potential. After losing approximately 98 lbs and vastly improving my cardiovascular fitness, I met an experienced runner who invited me on my first 10K run and I was hooked.

My first goal was to complete a 10K in under an hour.  I did it (barely) in the spring of 2015. I ran my first half-marathon 2 months later.  With a goal time of 2 hours, I missed it by a few minutes. I had enjoyed the training and knew was able to break the 2-hour mark at another race later in 2015. By the end of 2015 my times plateaued due to inexperience or knowledge of how to train for speed. I knew I enjoyed hitting the pavement and I ran frequently throughout the week. However, most of my half marathon times over the next 8 months remained consistently around 2 hours.

I met my coach from Mile2Marathon in the summer of 2016. At first, I didn’t know what I was in for. Who knew how much more there was to training than just running consistently through the week! The changes to my workout routine began to pay dividends quickly. Over the last year I’ve knocked approximately 20 minutes off of my half-marathon time. Additionally, I’ve reduced my recovery period after long runs significantly.

PRESTON’S VO2MAX EXPERIENCE

vo2max testing prestonI’ve seen VO2max testing done before in movies and on TV so I had a good idea of what I was in for before arriving. But, it’s different watching something versus doing it yourself. My experience scuba diving was definitely helpful as the mouth piece used in the VO2max felt very similar to the regulator I use when I scuba dive. Being comfortable with the mouth piece attached and your nose plugged can take some time. The staff were great about ensuring a comfortable fit and I found it easy to adjust to after a few minutes.

As the treadmill speed and incline increased minute by minute I found myself pushing. I was curious to know what the last 3 years of work have done to my body. I wish that I had done one of these tests before I started getting fit so I would be able to more accurately measure my progress. Each stage felt harder and I dug deeper until I eventually reached my limit. The treadmill began to slow to a stop leaving me gasping for air.  As the mouthpiece was removed and we waited for my results.

A bump in the road

Since I work in IT, I took being told that my results had not been recorded by the computer as a funny IT joke at first. I am very familiar with technical issues and while it wasn’t a joke, manual records had been kept of my heart rate information when the computer’s VO2 data wasn’t recorded. Thankfully there was a verification phase that I could do to recreate and verify the results from the first test. I took a few minutes to catch my breath, my spit valve was emptied from the mouthpiece and I was hooked back up to the machine for round 2. The second time around the VO2max was definitely harder than the first but I was warmed up and had a better idea of what I should expect which helped me hit the exact same speed, incline and max heart rate as my first run. It was an incredible feeling and validates that I really did find my personal max during this test.

Knowing that 3 years ago I struggled to complete the grouse grind in 2.5 hours and was winded walking up a single flight of stairs it was a really proud moment seeing my results. Seeing the tangible impact of hundreds of hours on the elliptical and treadmill, countless runs through Vancouver in the cold, wind and rain and the time spent doing hill repeats in New Westminster were all worth it. Now I have a number that I could put next to all of that effort, at least until I go back and do even better.

Learn about Preston’s 3D Gait Analysis experience.

ENTER NOW TO WIN A FREE VO2MAX ANALYSIS

Do you want the opportunity to test your exercise physiology like Preston?

Like, comment, or share for a chance to win a free VO2MAX Analysis!

To learn more about the Fortius Lab and VO2max Analyses, visit their website at

http://www.fortiussport.com/Lab @FortiusCentre

 

Aug 18 2017
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lanni goal setting UA

Setting goals like an Olympian: Lanni Marchant

By | Eastside 10k, Elite Athletes, Training Tips | No Comments

Setting Goals like an Olympian: Lanni Marchant

under armour lanni

Whether it’s your first race or your 100th, you always need to set a goal.

Best Health web editor Lisa Hannam had the chance to interview Canadian Olympian and Under Armour athlete Lanni Marchant about realistic goal setting and the runner’s greatest accomplishments.

In the interview, Lanni explains her strategy for goal setting, in which she utilizes a work-backwards approach and vocally shares her goals with others.

“In 2012, I wanted to go to the Rio Olympics, so [my coach and I] worked backwards, in terms of how to qualify. But we also had goals for each season leading up to my qualifiers, [like the] Canadian records, Championship races, and medal contention etc.

UA Bandit banner ad

“For life goals, I’ll always keep that target in mind but I know that there might be some different paths and bends in the road to get there.

“Regardless of the goal, I have learned that I have to be vocal and share my goals with those around me. Keeping it a secret means I am carrying the risk of failure solely on my shoulders. When I share my goals with my family, close friends and coach, it means they are there to help me when I hit a bump or come to a crossroad and need help.”

To read the complete interview click here.

With less than two months until the Under Armour Eastside 10k, it’s time to set your goals!

Aug 14 2017
0
recovery properly after a race

How to recover properly after a race

By | General, Training Tips, Uncategorised | No Comments

As soon as you step over the finish line, it’s important to think about recovering properly after a race.  It’s usually overlooked, but is a crucial component of one’s training program.  Accomplishing any race distance is certainly something that should be celebrated with post-race festivities, and a little rest and relaxation.  But what happens after that?  It’s easy to get through the pre-race taper, hit the ground running on race day, and bask in your success. But what’s the best way to get back into running?  How long does recovery take?  What’s the best way to recover?

Immediately after:

As soon as you cross the finish line don’t stop moving.  Keep walking towards your medal, post-race food, and to see any friends and family that have come to support you.  Working hard during a race causes your heart to pump blood and oxygen rapidly through your body, and will continue to do so even after you cross the line.  By walking around for a good 15-20 minutes afterwards will help to avoid any blood from pooling in your extremities if you were to stop abruptly.  Moving will help to flush out the metabolic waste that’s accumulated in your muscles from the race, and will aid in active recovery.  Continue to move for the rets of the day too – nothing crazy, but after you’ve had a nap opt to go for a short walk in the evening to keep your muscles from tightening up.

Within one to two hours

Get some fluids and food in you as soon as you can.  Burning through your energy stores, and sweating throughout a race can leave you depleted.  Races will have some post-race food that will be great to bridge the gap between the end of the race and your next meal.  Try to get a good amount of carbohydrates and protein to feed your exhausted muscles.  It’s important to rehydrate with 16-20 oz of water for every pound of body weight you’ve lost during the race.  Add in electrolytes, or grab a sports drink to replenish electrolytes lost through sweating.  The amount you have to drink to rehydrate will depend on your sweat rate, the heat/humidity of the day, and how much you hydrated throughout the race.  Keeping an eye on the colour of your urine is a good indicator: light yellow/lemonade is the colour to strive for.  Try to avoid alcohol immediately after the race, or at least until you’ve had some water/electrolytes.  Having depleted your body’s stores, the effects of the alcohol are much greater post-race and can impede your recovery.

24 hours after:

Getting a good night’s sleep after a big race is key.  It can be difficult falling asleep after big efforts due to achy and restless legs.  Avoid taking anti-inflammatories – your body elicits an inflammatory response as part of it’s healing process.  The sore muscles may suck initially, but it’s all part of the process.  If you’re having a tough time sleeping, look into taking melatonin. It is a natural substance created in our pineal gland that helps to regulate our sleep-wake cycle.

The day after a race, if your muscles are still sore and achy, take an ice bath.  This will help speed up the recovery process by assisting the body in reducing the inflammation in the tissues.  Use the day after a race to debrief about the race, go for a walk, and just relax.  The down time after a race is just as important as the hard work before a race.

The week after the race:

Going back into training doesn’t need to be done right away.  A lot of people will take a few days off, and go for walks/light cross training to keep their body moving and loose.  The rule of thumb is in the first couple weeks after a race, follow the structure of the taper week, but in reverse.  It’s a great guideline for easing back into intensity without overdoing it.  Avoid too much intensity until about 10-14 days after the race to allow your muscles to fully recover before getting back into the swing of things.  Also, don’t forget the importance of rolling and stretching.  Many runners will book a massage or physio appointment for the week after a race to help flush their legs out.  Both these options help your recovery by increasing blood flow to your recovering muscles.

Keep in mind that these guidelines are just suggestions.  Everyone takes different times to heal and recover.  Listen to your body to figure out the best approach for your return to training.

Aug 11 2017
0

Feature Friday – PHS Community Services Society

By | Charity, Eastside 10k | No Comments

Founded in 1993, PHS Community Services Society (PHS) is a non-profit housing, health care and community development agency providing services in Vancouver and Victoria, B.C.  PHS develops, maintains and advocates for affordable housing for adults who have been marginalized as a result of homelessness, physical, mental health and behavioural issues, substance dependencies and more. They also provide low-barrier harm reduction, drug treatment and primary health care services. 

PHS operates and manages 21 low-barrier residences and over 1,200 units of rental housing that include emergency shelters and transitional housing. In addition to providing housing, PHS offers a range of health care services that are both embedded in their housing, and available to the broader community. Their multidisciplinary team of physicians, specialists, nurses and social workers offers comprehensive primary care, mental health and addiction treatment services. They also offer monthly internal medicine, gynecology and women’s health clinics. 

In an effort to foster and grow a sense of community for marginalized people, PHS aims to empower, generate trusting relationships and help them to determine their own course of recovery. They see people, not their pathology, and work hard to offer stability, compassion and love to those who need it most. PHS believes that there are solutions to homelessness and the opioid crisis, and that implementing them will require love, resiliency and – most importantly – political will. 

PHS has developed a range of innovative community based programs to meet the diverse needs of the thousands of people they serve each year. Programs include needle distribution and collection, community gardens, low-barrier methadone treatment, managed alcohol programs, dental care, alternatives to traditional detox, and more.    

Above all, PHS strives to be a champion for social inclusion, a leader in social innovation, and an advocate for marginalized people whose voices are rarely heard.  PHS is perhaps best known for leading the advocacy effort to open North America’s first supervised injection site, Insite, in 2003. Advocacy remains a major focus for PHS today, and their work continues to yield remarkable results for the community. For example, PHS was there to fight against the closure of the low-barrier New Fountain Shelter 2011, and later this year, PHS will be operating the ‘new’ New Fountain Shelter on East Hastings that will open in 2017, thanks to the innovative planning and renewed funding of BC Housing. 

To learn more or make a donation, click here. 

Aug 04 2017
0

Workouts to get you out of a training rut

By | Training Tips | No Comments

We all have time where the last thing we want to do is run or work out.  These “slumps” are normal, and either come about due to boredom or fatigue.  The repetition of tempos, long runs, and hill repeats can be enough to make you dread having to do another workout. If you’re stuck in a training rut, it might be time to try something new to reignite the fire.  Switching up workout types, or who you’re running with, can be enough to motivate you again. Here are some ways to mix up the monotony of running:

Find a group

If you’re used to doing every workout or easy run on your own, it might be time to hop into a group environment.  Casual chatter and comraderie can help ease the pain of a workout, or at least create enough distraction that the miles fly by.  Most cities have a running group of some kind whether it’s a local running crew or a group out of a running store.  Do a little bit of research and find one that’s convenient and works with your schedule.

Group fartlek

We’ve all heard of the fartlek workout, which is essentially just speed play.  Paces and interval duration are varied to keep the workout fun.  Another way of doing this workout is with a group of at least 5 people.  In a single file line, the runner at the front sets the pace.  Then, the runner at the end of the line must surge to the front of the pack to settle in as the new leader at their desired pace.  The person at the rear can choose to surge whenever they choose which keeps the rest of the group on their toes.  It’s a great way to challenge each other and do a speedy workout without too much thought.

Be a broken record

Repeats are a simple yet effective workout for any distance.  The intensity and distance of the interval will determine the recovery.  Long intervals or short intense bursts will require longer rest periods than moderate intensity repeats.  The rest period should be longer enough that your heart rate settles and you’re able to talk.  Aim to keep the intervals consistent; blowing it out of the water on the first rep will leave you gassed for the rest of the workout and won’t provide the most beneficial training effects.

Go up and down a ladder

Pyramid or ladder workouts are a fun mix up to interval training.  Choose to do the intervals by distance or by duration.  For example, a ladder workout on the track could look something like: 200m-400m-600m-800m-1000m-1000m-800m-600m-400m-200m.  For recovery, match the hard interval distance and try to keep the paces consistent.  Much like coming down a hill, climbing down the ladder will feel easier with decreasing interval distances!  These workouts can be as long or as short as you wish, and can be done based on time so you don’t have to find a track.

Race!

A great way to get back into shape, or fuel the fire is to actually step onto the starting line again.  Use the pre-race nerves and adrenaline to pump you up to run.  The crowds of people will be great to push you, plus having a closed course with no traffic is ideal!  Check out your local running scene for upcoming races and sign up.  It could be enough to get booted out of a training rut.

Rest

If nothing seems to be working, it might be that you just need a couple days off of running.  Many people forget the importance of rest and recovery.  It’s just as important as running workouts!  Take a few days to sleep in, try a new activity, catch up on some reading, or try a new recipe.  Stepping away from a regimented training schedule for a short time won’t decrease your overall fitness.  It could be actually be exactly what you need to get to the next level of fitness and boost your training.

Jul 31 2017
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benefits of track work

The benefits of hitting the track

By | General, Training Tips | No Comments

The benefits of track work when training for anything longer than 5k aren’t often discussed during a race build. Track workouts have their time and place for any race distance.  While crucial for typical track events of 5000m and under, they also provide many benefits for any distance up to the marathon.  Even ultra marathoners do track workouts sometimes!  It can feel intimidating heading to the perfectly marked 400m oval. The fear of the workout’s intensity, not knowing how to pace, or pressure to perform an a perfectly flat and manicured surface can steer runners away.  Try to ignore those barriers and remember the benefits a track workout will provide.

Learn to pace

On the track, the terrain is consistent and is perfectly flat.  These characteristics help runners learn how to properly pace themselves and understand what difference paces feel like. When running on the track, you must mentally push yourself to keep on pace. This helps build mental strength as well as physical strength, which is the opposite of treadmill running that forcefully keeps you moving at the same speed.  Understand that not every interval needs to be an all-out effort.  Being able to keep tabs on the pace by checking splits every half-lap (200m) or full lap (400m), will provide timely feedback so you know how and when to adjust your pace.

Improved running economy/efficiency

Running easy is exactly what it sounds like: easy.  It builds a tolerance to pavement pounding and slowly creates an aerobic base, but it also only teaches how to run at a leisurely pace.  Track workouts encourage a faster turnover. Therefore, it teaches your body how to run fast by adapting neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, and respiratory systems.  Faster turnover helps recruit and stimulate fast-twitch muscle fibers.  The amount in which it helps to make you run faster is very individual, but it will certainly help you from getting slower!  By building an aerobic foundation, it enhances the amount of oxygen that is consumed at a given pace. Meaning you’re able to hold a higher intensity for an extended duration before running out of steam.

Mental toughness

The thought of running around in 400m ovals isn’t exactly appealing. The monotony of the unchanging terrain and elevation can make it hard to remain motivated throughout a workout.  However, that’s exactly what makes the track great.  It requires mental toughness to remain on task throughout the workout especially with the workout’s heightened intensity. Seemingly unnecessary to do 400m repeats when training for a half or full marathon, it’s actually incredibly helpful.  When busting out shorter and faster intervals, it forces your legs to get out of an easy run shuffle and into a more powerful stride. By pushing a pace that can only be held for a short period of time, it makes the speed of threshold/tempo runs feel much more manageable.

So when training for your next goal race, be sure to include some speedy track sessions into your build.  Ideally grab a group of friends to accompany you and push the pace.  Do a full warmup to fully prepare your muscles for the intensity of the workout and don’t forget to have fun!