Runner's Corner

December 2009: Lessons Learned in 2009

Lessons Learned in 2009 plus Gifts that Keep on Giving

December Runner’s Corner

Kitty A. Consolo, Ph.D.

Part I.

1. Allows you to train consistently throughout the year with few days missed due to injury or illness

2. Allows you to complete your realistic goals such as finishing your marathon, running a certain time, completing so many races.

3. Allows you to enjoy your training and still have time to balance your training with the demands of daily life—work, school, family etc. .

How was your training in regard to the above three components?

If you answered yes to the above three, congrats, you have a successful training program and keep on doing what you are doing. If you could not answer yes to all of the above three, can you see where you can learn some lessons? In regard to your training, did you increase mileage more than 10% a week? Did you increase your long run more than 20%? Did you try to add an increase in mileage and increase in miles the same week? Did you ignore signs of overtraining and not rest? Did you allow for an easy day of training for every mile your races? If you see that any of the above apply, vow not to make these mistakes again and learn to gradually increase your training.

How was your racing in regard to your goals?

If you met your goals, keep on doing what you having been doing and congrats.

If you did not meet your goals, before you change your training, ask yourself were there other factors that could have affected your race results?

These factors could be any of the following:

--weather was bad

—high winds, high humidity, high temperature, too cold

--course was in bad shape

—pot holes, muddy etc

--had unexpected stresses such as family member got sick, lost job, work pressures

--any other issue that could have affected your racing other than training issues

If you answered yes to any of these stressors that were not due to your training, keep your training similar next year. If no, and you think your training is a factor, be sure to make changes gradually next year. Only increase mileage 10% a week. Only increase long runs 10-20% each time and do them every 2 or 3 weeks. Do not mix high miles with speedwork. Cut miles for speed work. Allow plenty of rest, go easy for every mile you race before you train hard again. Keep track of your resting heart rate and any 10% or more increase, back off your training until it gets back to normal.

Part II. Gifts that keep Giving

1. Training Log The best tool you can give any runner is a training log. It is the best way to learn what works for you and what doesn’t. I have been using John Jerome’s and now his son Marty Jerome’s logs, The Complete Runner’s Day-by –Day Log 2010 Calender for years. It sells for under $15 and allows you to record daily training, races, make bar graphs for weekly training, is spiral bound and has many nice running tips. You can also make your own training log and below is a template I created that you can feel free to copy and use:

2. Pay for a Race Entry Check out Premierraces.com website and print off an race entry or make a coupon and wrap it up agreeing to pay for the race and even better, take the person you are gifting to the race. Sometimes all someone needs to get started is a little encouragement and races can be fun and rewarding especially if they are for a great cause.

3. Pay for MIT—marathon in training program or half marathon Make a coupon up that says you will be paying for the person to enroll in premierraces marathon or half marathon in training program. These programs are fun and have helped many people complete their first half marathon or marathon and help them to avoid making a lot of mistakes. I wish I would have had the benefit of an MIT when I was first marathoning. Plus these programs get one in touch with other runners and fellowship is so important and helpful when doing longer races.

4.Give away of your medals. Know someone who is very sick and unable to run? If you have a special race medal that you earned running, consider giving it to that person as a special “award” for their courage in fighting their illness. I once gave my mother-in-law my medal for her courage in fighting cancer and she really appreciated it a lot.

Keep in mind running itself is such a gift, and the more you can share it and get others involved, the healthier you make us all.  May 2010 bring you great health and many fast miles and races.  See you on the roads! - Kitty

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