Those darn hills...

SNAPSHOT

"I was flying until I hit that hill."

"I hate hills!"

"I am so bad at hills."

DIGGING DEEPER

You either dread them or secretly wish for them. Those that wish to climb elevation have come to terms with the pain and determination hill running commands. Birthed out of the moment where you declared hills to be your conquered enemy, you learned how to climb with determination. 

There are a few techniques that you could employ to reach the top with energy.  However, don’t get lost in these tips, because truly it is your will that will get you there.  More on that after I cover the basics of hill running.

Thanks to Youtube for this example of uphill running form.  This runner will make it to the top!

1. Break the hill into sections. Climb each section one at a time. Small goals are easier to reach.  Many small goals add up to the big goal you want to achieve.
2. Slightly lean into the hill.  From your heels, not your hips, lean with the hill.
3. Knees up, strong arms
4. Use the same effort over the top of the hill and let gravity pull you down the decline.  Gravity will do a portion of the work, giving you a chance to rest.
5. Don’t lean back while running downhill, you are breaking yourself and causing extra stress and wasting the free speed of the downhill.
6. Run hilly routes, don’t avoid them.  I remember one run with my 3 boys on bikes and my daughter in the stroller, in addition my friend with her daughter in her stroller where we were in search of all hills in the nearby neighborhoods. This was at the request of my bikers since flying downhill was what kept them from giving up on our adventure.  Look forward to hills. See the upside of hills.
7. Hills are cardio and strength training at one time: multi-tasking as a runner.
8. WHAT GOES UP, gets to go DOWN. Unless your start and finish are in different locations, you will have the opportunity to run downhill as much as you ran uphill. 

My first 5 years of running consisted of conquering Colorado foothills and flying down the backside of high grade “hills”.  The Death Quest hill workout was a Monday staple and summer Wednesdays at six A.M.  brought a fierce fight to the top of the Horsetooth Reservoir switchbacks where you look out at the city of Fort Collins. Most cross country races were ruthless all the while a mile high in elevation.  This was normal.  This is what I had to conquer over and over.  And I liked it. I liked the challenge.

More experience, more determination will rid you of fear. Map out the hills near your running routes and loop them into your miles.  Use the tips above to make the most of your steps.

Hill Lovers Challenge - Bridge of Flowers 10K in August - The elevation map above is from this race through a small town in MA. "You said it was hard, but that was unspeakably hard." Yet, we still keep coming back.

SOLUTION

This coach is proclaiming, “You got this!”

Comment below with your favorite hills.

Perseverance

SNAPSHOT

Expect Pain

DIGGING DEEPER

Kristen’s Story

Remembering a snippet from a conversation at the summer pool enabled Kristen to train for her first marathon. “It is ok to feel pain while and after running.  However, you don’t want it to get out of hand and change your running stride,” were the words that kept her on track to obtain her goal.

Yes, I said it will hurt to run.  Your body is not accustomed to jumping from one foot to the other in a continual quick motion.  You are shocking it.  Even if you have run ten miles before and are only running one more extra mile, your body has not run this extra mile recently or perhaps even ever.  It is ok to feel pain.  You will make it.  Keep putting one foot in front of the other and you will reach the end.

However, there is a bad pain that is not good.  It leads to injury.  You will know if it is a bad pain if it causes you to change your stride or limp.  At this point stop running and seek rest and help. It does not mean that you are done running forever and need to lay on the couch for the next two weeks in mourning. If often means your training will change to cross-training until your amazing body heals itself.

For the pains that are not changing your stride try this method. When you have pain, pause and stretch the area.  Try to relieve the pain.  Then attempt to run again. 

If your pain decreased, continue for your allotted distance.  

Pain that increases will change how you land or move through the air, causing a more serious injury. This is the point where you rest and seek professional help.

Runners persevere through hardship and strive forward through pain and discomfort.  The reward is worth the effort.

SOLUTION  

Your determination will yield rewards, but be wise.

Share with me your perseverance stories by clicking comment below. I am so curious.

CHANGING THE WORLD by Passing On the Joy of Running

SNAPSHOT

How can you introduce and include running in a child's formable years?  Freedom

Run alongside a child this week. You will change their world.

DIGGING DEEPER

Set aside your usual view of children's running and foster a theory of freedom. Children intuitively train their bodies through the phases of early growth. From rolling to walking to running from you, they challenge their bodies to develop stronger muscles and greater stamina. The child who falls asleep half way through his or her dinner has eaten just enough to let the need for sleep take over. This is intuitive and natural. They know when to rest and when to play. Read more of the Passing on the Joy of Running, Adirondack Sports article.

SOLUTION

Share the benefits of movement with the young around you.  Volunteer and support groups that provide running teams for children. See links below for local youth programs. 

Girls on the Run 

Just Run

USATF Adirondack Association

I must add STEM RUNNING to the list even though they are a group for adults.  They are passing on the joy of running with great passion!

The Registering Dilemma

So many choices...

SNAPSHOT

To register or not, that is the question.

DIGGING DEEPER

The options are swirling around.  One training group is running the Philly Marathon this year, another one is going for casual 5Ks, you are stuck in between not knowing what to choose? All the while your heart has been stuck on trying a mountain trail race.

Here is a simple guide to help your registering nightmare become blissful!

1. What do you love, distance or speed?

2. What do you need, distance or speed?

3. If this was your last chance to race in America, what event would you participate in?

4. Which race would you drive 3 extra hours out of your way to pick up a friend or family member in order to run the race together?

5. What race will you get up at 5 am or stay out on the road after work in order to train for?

6. Will training for this race distance prepare you for your lifetime running goals?

7. Does your coach or experienced training partners agree that your top choice is within reach?

I hope through answering these questions you have found your "A" race of the year!  Now go and put your heart into it each and every day.  

If you would like more help sorting through what is the best choice for you, contact me for a coaching session where we can plan out your training and racing seasons.

SOLUTION

Read my NO DAYS OFF post (following post) about spending every day recovering from yesterday and preparing for the next day.

Colleen Cahill in her glory after a CA trail race.

No Days Off

SNAPSHOT

No Days Off encompasses awareness, honesty, and devotion.

DIGGING DEEPER

"KEEP YOURSELF HONEST...No Days Off is not a race towards your physical breaking point, but rather a call for moderation – a daily greasing of the groove where today’s run is only as important as what you are able to do tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that . . ." Tracksmith

I have fallen in love with the concept of being aware of your body's needs every day.  To care for your body and mind with honesty and devotion.

My body does not need to run 365 days a year but it does need to recovery from yesterday and prepare for tomorrow. I strongly suggest for a runner to have days off from running, to give the body rest.  It is only during rest that the body can repair itself and prepare for the same feats in the near future.

However, there is also a need for perseverance and devotion in order to strengthen the body and mind.  We need to run often in order to increase our abilities. Running most days for an intermediate runner causes the correct amount of adaptions.  It is when a runner gets too greedy and doesn't allow for recovery that injury and exhaustion occur.

The fine line between these two zones of recovery and training is where awareness and honesty keep us healthy. Awareness of how much we are asking of the body and the need to rest in order to become stronger keep us from overtraining.  An honest look at our weaknesses, and devotion to continue when we don't feel like it, pulls us up to our potential.

When training a runner, I seek to balance to training and recovery.  Here is a sample of an average week for an average runner that I coach.

Look at how hard days of running are balanced with easier days.  Notice that there are two days of no running but instead, they are replaced with either core strength or active recovery.  Every day the runner is progressing toward their potential and yet giving the body and mind the rest that is needed.  

Special Note: Please don't use this training schedule next week.  This runner has spent many months preparing themselves for this volume and intensity of running.  On the other side, don't be afraid of it.  This runner was not a runner one year ago.

RECOMMENDATION

I recommend using Tracksmith's No Days Off Desk Calendar or Poster.  I am giving them away on my Facebook live video on New Year's Day!

This instrument can help to keep you aware of your devotion through honestly evaluating if you cared for your body that day.  If you ran when you needed a run, then mark the calendar.  If you performed your yoga or Pilates routine in order to give yourself core strength and active recovery then mark the calendar.  On the day you truly needed an hour laying comfortably while reading instead of pounding the pavement then mark the calendar.  

The day you don't mark the calendar is when you turned away from your planned training or recovery to eat nachos and feel guilty. There will be the next day when you can accomplish and mark your calendar as a reward for your awareness, honesty, and devotion.

SOLUTION

Every day embark upon becoming stronger through either running or recovering.