Runner's Corner

November 2007 :: Index of issues

Runner’s Corner December 2007
By Dr. Kitty Consolo Ph.D.
A New Year, A New Start

Welcome to 2008. What a great time to start fresh and new with your running, a time to celebrate past successes and to learn from any mistakes.

Learn from the Logbook

One of the first tools you can rely on when embarking on this new start, is your logbook (if you don’t keep one then this could be the year you start). Logbooks are great if you have recorded enough detail to help yourself learn what works and what doesn’t work for you. Here are some areas to focus on which can help you formulate a successful running program this year.

Study your weekly miles or time running, was it enough or too much?
Study your goals last year. Did you reach them? Why or why not and what can you do to improve?
Was your training adequate for the racing you choose?
Were there any areas you can improve on during race day? (look at nutrition, warm up, clothing, pacing)

Remember, “there are no mistakes in life, only lessons to learn.” Use the above information to help yourself improve this year but avoid using it to bash yourself for making mistakes, mistakes help us grow and improve.

Setting Goals for This Year

Go for Inspiration

When setting your goals for this year, follow your heart first, your passion. What have you always wanted to run? A marathon? A certain race? In a certain country? For a certain charity? This is the year for follow your heart first, don’t listen to your head. When you follow your heart, you are choosing a goal that you love, that brings you passion. Once your heart is on board, it’s easy to get your head to follow.

Be Specific

Once you have your running goals, determine what training it will take to get you there and be very specific. Be sure to determine how many miles or how much time each week you will need to get there as well as how much speed work and long runs.

For those of you who many be uncertain how to determine some of these specifics, here are some guidelines:

Guidelines for Mileage (To stay healthy, gradually increase 10% a week)

For weekly mileage, if you are focusing on 5kms or less, aim for around 20 miles a week mileage.
For over 5km up to 10km, aim for around 40 miles per week.
For over half marathons and marathons aim for a minimum of 40 miles a week and more importantly, a long run that builds to close your race distance. Be sure to gradually increase the mileage of the long run just 10% each week or every 2 weeks. Also be sure this long run is no closer than 3 weeks before your race.

Guidelines for Speed Work (the shorter the race distance, the more speed, the longer, the less speed)

For 5km or less, take 20% of you total mileage and devote it to “speed” work. Early in the season you can focus on tempo runs which are more continuous ranging from 5 to 20 minutes at a pace 20 seconds slower than race pace. As the season progresses, you can try faster runs with rest breaks until your race pace goal becomes comfortable.
For over 5km up to 10km, take 10% of your total mileage and devote it to “speed” work. See guidelines as above.
For the half marathon and marathon, take 5% of your total mileage and devote it to “speed” work. In addition to the guidelines above, you can use 5km and 10km races as speed work too.

Be consistent

There is no magic workout that suddenly transforms you into a super runner, rather it is the methodical building up of your miles and quality over time. Thus a training program that is consistent and allows you to train weekly without injury or illness is the most successful one you can find.

Other Great Resources

Two people that I have been fortunate to meet and also use their books are Jeff Galloway and Jack Daniels. Both have great websites and books and can give you great info. Also Jeff coaches by email and has helped several first time marathoners as well as many others reach their goals.

Finding Races

Besides setting a few big running goals, it helps to have several small goals along the way. If you are looking for some great races, check out Runner’s World.com for races around the country and the Premierraces race schedule for great local races in Ohio.

May 2008 bring you great success as well as faith, hope and love!

See you on the roads!

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