Tag: Running

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How to Set Great Goals for Race Day

If you are a runner, you know that we live in a world of PB’s. For those of you who may not know, PB means personal best. We runners love to keep track of our times for specific race distances and then try to beat them to measure our progress. But really, if all we do race after race is chase PB’s, then I guarantee we will not be as happy as we could be. Each race is an accomplishment of its own. And, if you run different courses, there are so many variables that can impact your time. My personal best for a half marathon is 1 hour 40 minutes and 44 seconds. The course was fairly flat and the weather was cold, so I didn’t have to battle heat. Today, I ran the same distance with 1500 feet of climbing steep hills and finished in 2 hours and 14 minutes. Was that a “bad” run? No, in fact, runs like that may prepare me to beat my PB later due to all of that hill work!

So how do you set good goals for each race? I believe that you should have multiple tiers of S.M.A.R.T. goals. The acronym S.M.A.R.T. means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. Let’s say that I am running a half marathon, I will set goals like these:

  1. Have fun and smile no matter what, remember; you PAID to do this!
  2. Run within myself and finish. Period.
  3. Achieve my PB for THIS course.
  4. Achieve my PB for THIS distance.
  5. Place top ten in my age group.

The way that I look at it, if I have trained well and start the race relatively healthy, the first three goals are all very achievable. Sure, as discussed, different variables could impact them, heat, rain, injury, etc. but they are all well within reach. Even if I do not hit a PB for the course, I can achieve the first two goals as long as I do not suffer a serious injury or completely bonk! So I can smile at the end of the race knowing I went the distance! Honestly, even if I do get the dreaded DNF (Did Not Finish), I’ll be happy because I am out there taking a risk and living life! Failure simply means you are pushing your boundaries, and that is never a bad thing.

Those last two goals are “stretch goals”. They may or may not be achievable on a particular day, but when I have one of those magical days where I get one or both of them, I REALLY enjoy myself. I walk around with my head in the clouds for a couple of days and just soak in the moment, because nothing feels better then doing the work and then getting a superb result! But, these are not goals that if I do not hit them, will really bother me. It’s all upside with no downside.

Trust me, if you fashion your goals in this format, you will enjoy your running much more. Having goals such as these gives you the opportunity to enjoy every race that you run. And at the end of the day, isn’t that the most important thing? The next time someone asks “How did you do?” start with “I had a great time and I finished the race feeling pretty good!” Let them wiggle a minute or two and then share your time with them!

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How to Run Faster and Injury Free

“Up to about 10k, speed is fast. Past that, strength is fast. In long distance racing, it is very often a case of who slows down the least.” Joe the Runner

Whether it’s in the running community at Fitbit, or in a lot of the running posts on Instagram, I see a ton of well intentioned bad advice around the simple question “How do I run faster?” The reason for it is that there is not a simple answer to go along with that simple question. Unfortunately, the advice being given could lead to injuries if the runner takes it and they are not prepared for it. That is why I decided to write this post. I want to help people to get faster without getting injured. And to do that, you need to answer a couple of questions.

What are you trying to accomplish? Are you a sprinter and you are trying to improve your 400 meter time? Or, are you a marathoner who is trying to qualify for Boston? As you can see, these are two very different goals and they will lead to very different programs to help accomplish them.

The second and probably more important question is where are you currently as a runner? Are you an experienced marathoner that has a great aerobic base but hasn’t achieved a sub 3:30 marathon yet? Or are you a beginner that cannot run 5k without stopping? Again, these are two very different circumstances that will require different programs to improve.

Be careful when you see things like “Do Yasso 800’s every week.” Or “Do lot’s of hill intervals.” Or “Do 10 sets of 400 meter dashes every week.” All of these in a vacuum will work, but depending on your goals and level of experience could just lead to injury and frustration. I am not a track guy so I will stay away from any type of advice on sprinting, but here are some guidelines for improving your speed based on goals and experience.

Beginners

I’ll make the assumption that as a beginner you are focused on trying to maybe lose some weight and run your first 5k with aspirations down the road to move up to 10k’s and beyond. This is when you need to be patient and careful. If you cannot run 5k without stopping, there is no good reason to add speed work to your routine yet. Focus on running slow enough to run 5k without stopping, and work on your form. Just slowly increasing your weekly mileage and improving your running efficiency will lead to increases in your speed. Work your way up to 4 to 5 days a week of running 5k, and do not increase your weekly mileage by more then 10% in any week. Trust me, if you do this and stay consistent, you will see steady improvements in your 5k time. If you want to run a 10k, use the same process to work your way up to the 10k distance. Focus on increasing your weekly mileage slowly and work on form.

Intermediate

Once you can run the desired distance comfortably, you can add some proper speed work to your weekly routine. NOW, things like 800 meter repeats and hill repeats make sense, and will make a difference. I would start by adding one speed session a week to your routine and make sure that you do a nice little warm up of maybe 1k before jumping in. Start with something like 4 x 800 meters repeats with a minutes rest in between, and add one extra repeat each week until you get to 10. You need to be pushing the pace for the 800 meters so that you are a little uncomfortable. These are faster then your 5k or 10k pace. To keep things interesting, you can alternate weeks with hill intervals. To do these, find a nice hill that gives you 500 meters to 800 meters of climbing, and then run up the hill as quickly as you can, then jog back down for recovery. Start with 4 reps and add 1 rep each week until you get to 10.

There are a lot of different things you can do, fartlek sessions, 400 meter repeats, etc. but the principal is the same. If you run faster for these bursts and hills, you will strengthen your legs, improve your VO2 max, and build those fast twitch muscle fibers all resulting in the ability to run faster longer. I highly suggest that you Google various speed sessions once you have moved from beginner to intermediate and if you can afford it, find an on-line coach who can really help you if you have some big goals like a Boston Qualifier.

Ok, to summarize, don’t worry about “speed sessions” until you can run 5k to 10k comfortably and you are running at least 20k each week. Do not increase your weekly mileage more then 10% each week. During this phase of your running focus on form, running efficiency, and slowly increasing your weekly mileage. You will see an improvement in your speed I guarantee it! Once you are here, add one speed session to your weekly training routine by doing some research on-line, so you can mix things up and keep it interesting! Best of luck!

Put some of your favorite “Speed Sessions” in the comments below!

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5 Must Have Manners ALL Runners Need

“I draw the line on (lack of) coverage when I start to look like a running chia pet.” Joe the Runner

Wash Your A$$

Look, I am a runner too. I know. I know… Our sport is a stinky sport. We run, we sweat, and we even ooze at times. Toenails fall off, we bleed through our socks. I know! BUT, please, wash your clothes, wash your body, and generously apply deodorant every single day. If we all do this, everyone will all be a lot happier and will breath easier too!

Watch Your Snot Rocket

Me, I’m not a snot rocket guy, but I do see the appeal! I mean, when you are just getting in to your stride and really starting to feel it, and suddenly your nose starts to run and it gets harder to breathe… I get it. With one simple pinch of a nostril and a massive blow, you’re clear! Awesome for you; but not so much for the dude or dudette you snotted on. Take a second and make sure you’re clear on both sides and behind before you conduct your emergency blow. Thank you.

Use the F%*&ing Porta Potty

Man, I cannot believe that I even have to say this, but I do. Yes, the lines can be long. Yes, the race director could have put more porta potties out there. Yes, I know you really need to go and the race is about to start. And, and, and… I DON’T CARE. Plan your morning better. Think of it this way, you probably would not appreciate it if someone walking through your neighborhood had to go really bad, so they popped a squat on your lawn. Well, that’s how the host city feels. Pull yourself together!

NO BODY Wants to See All That

One of the best side affects of running is what it does to our bodies. I have massive calves and solid thighs. When I’m peaking for a race, my body fat gets below 10%, not bad for a guy with a dad bod! But trust me, NO BODY wants to see it all hanging out while I run around the street sweating and oozing! I’m not saying to not be comfortable, but if your shorts are so short, that squirrels are paying attention, that might be a problem. I’m a very hairy guy; I draw the line on (lack of) coverage when I start to look like a running chia pet. You get the point. Let’s be a little modest. If you can’t do it for yourself, think of the children!

If You Have Dressed Up in a Full on Outfit, Stay Out of My Finish Line Picture!

This one is probably more on me then the other person. If I haven’t trained hard enough to beat the panda bear that is pushing the wheel barrel for 10k, then I probably haven’t trained hard enough!

PLEASE add your own manners that I may have missed in the comments section below!

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Handy Little Hydration and Calorie Guidlines by Distance

As requested, here are my guidelines to hydration and calories by distance. First I’ll start with an explanation for each distance, and then you will see a handy little chart that I created. Before we start, disclaimer time: I am not a physician, I am a runner. This information is based on my experience and research that I have done for my own performance. Please be sure to remember that these are guidelines, and that you will have to experiment to see what works best for you! I do believe that this is a good place to start in regards to working on your own plan. Ok, that’s out of the way!

0 – 12 KM or 0 – 7.4 Miles

When you are a brand new runner, it’s probably a good idea to have some water, Gatorade, or Tailwind with you until you can run 5k comfortably. But once you become more advanced, I have found that I do not need any type of hydration or calories at this distance. If it is a hot day, let’s say above 70 degrees, I may decide to take some Tailwind with me as heat does change everything. But normally, I’m good at this distance just going out for a run.

12 – 15 KM or 7.4 Miles – 9.3 Miles

This is the distance where I will take along a handheld water bottle with Tailwind. Tailwind is my preference as it is has plenty of electrolytes, but a very light taste and is easy on my stomach. You may prefer water or Gatorade, you’ll have to experiment. I will take a couple of mouthfuls every 5 KM’s. At this distance, my runs last 65 minutes to 90 minutes.

15 – 42 KM or 9.3 Miles – 26 Miles

Things start to get interesting here! When your runs start to approach that 90 minute to 120 minute range, you need to start thinking electrolytes and calories. If you do not take anything this is when you will start to feel the effects of dehydration and depleted glycogen levels. The dreaded bonk! For this distance I will take an SIS Isotonic Energy Gel every 5 KM’s and then a couple of gulps of Tailwind at the following KM. So it looks like this for a 20 KM run. At KM 5 gel, KM 6 Tailwind, KM 10 gel, KM 11 Tailwind, KM 15 gel, KM 16 Tailwind, KM 20 the run ends and I finish my Tailwind and then move on to recovery nutrition. You need to start taking in electrolytes early and often to avoid hitting the wall. If you don’t take in any calories or electrolytes until 10 or 15 KM’s in, you will be behind the curve. At this distance my runs last 90 minutes to 240 minutes.

Ultra Marathon Distances

The plan is the same as above except I will start to mix in real food as a substitute for the gels. So I will have gels every 5 KM and/or food. SIS GO Energy Bars are great for me, but you will have to find what works for you. Also, I have eaten dried fruit and nuts, cookies, ham and cheese wrap, bananas, salted potatoes, and anything else that strikes my fancy at aid stations. The key thing is to regularly get in the calories and the electrolytes as at distances above 26 miles, it is a must. I have been very lucky so far and I have not had any stomach issues, but it is not unusual for runners to have issues keeping calories down, and then the fun can really start. So I try to train my stomach and eat on my long runs, I suggest you do the same. I shoot for about 300 to 500 calories per hour.

Hydration and Calorie Guidelines

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15 Underappreciated Work Out Songs

White Limo – Foo Fighters

What’s the Frequency Kenneth – REM

Going the Distance – Bill Conti

Take Me Out – Atomic Tom

Like I Roll – Black Stone Cherry

Black Skinhead – Kanye West

Float On – Modest Mouse

Sabotage – Beastie Boys

I Wanna Be Sedated – Ramones

Anna Sun – Walk the Moon

One Vision – Queen

I’m Shipping Up to Boston – Dropkick Murphy’s

Tick Tick Boom – The Hives

Last Breath – Future

Shining – DJ Khaled

Follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner to see behind the scenes photos and comments on training and everyday life.

Click here to see my Guilty Pleasure Play List.

Add your underappreciated workout songs in the comments section below!

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Push Up Hack: “Drop and Give Me 20!”

Some of my followers on Instagram: joe_the_runner, see when I post my weekly totals that I may do 1500 push-ups in a week, and they have asked me to share how I do that. I was in the US Navy when I was younger, and I’ll tell you this, during boot camp, the drill sergeants did not allow us to waste a second. If we were waiting for something, like chow, or the next training session, we were guaranteed to here the infamous “Drop and give me 20!” This could happen 10 or 15 times every day. So that was a sneaky 200 to 300 extra push-ups and that added up! I never did the math, but we easily were doing 2000 push-ups a week without even a thought.

It occurred to me, as I was struggling to find time to do core work and strength conditioning due to work and all of my running, that I could apply the same concept to myself and “sneak” in that work through out the week. Being out of shape as I was, I started by building a base. Each night, I would do as many push-ups as I could, which initially was about 10, and then set a timer for one minute and do as many as I could, for five sets. It was a surprisingly quick progression, as within a week or so, I was up to 20 push-ups without stopping!

Once I got to that point, instead of doing push-ups every night, I simply do them throughout the day when the opportunity arises. I literally will “Drop and give myself 20!” Actually now I usually do 35 or 40, but you get the point.

If there is a commercial on TV “Drop!”, food in the microwave “Drop!”, waiting on the wife “Drop!” (I get a lot this way.) This all adds up without even realizing that you’re doing it. And I have seen a huge difference in my strength, my running, and my waistline! So, there you go. That is my push-up hack, and if you do it every day, you will see and feel the results!

For behind the scenes photos and comments on my training and personal life, follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner

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