September 12, 2024

Your Best Long-Run Distance & Pace

We’re smack-dab in the middle of the fall marathon-training season now, so of course runners everywhere are asking those eternal questions: How long should I run on my long runs? And how fast?

There’s no universally intelligent answer to that question except for “It depends.” (Sorry.) It depends on many key factors relating to your current training, your fitness, your prior marathon experience, your goals, and so on.

This article delves into these questions, and adds an important reminder: Hey, it’s not only about long runs. Other factors are also important, particularly your total weekly mileage and number of runs per week.

But back to long runs. There’s general agreement among top marathon coaches like Jack Daniels that you should run no more than 2.5 to 3 hours on a long run. Beyond that, the fatigue mounts, and your form and muscle strength disintegrate. Result: The potential risk of injury is greater than your potential endurance improvement.  

What about the pace question? Many runners go long at a relaxed, comfortable pace, and save faster running for tempo and speedwork days. However, marathon-pace training seems to be getting more popular all the time.

To do that correctly, you have to make sure you are training and not racing your long runs. Here’s a practical approach: Do one several modest sections of your long run at marathon pace while keeping the other miles slower. More at Marathon Handbook.

That Olympic Marathon Cooling Band Fails Research Test

If you were looking closely at the Paris Olympic Marathons a month ago, you couldn’t help but notice some strange head wraps. In particular, Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan appeared to be wearing radiator-like headbands from Omius.

Sifan won the women’s marathon, but Kipchoge dropped out, so we don’t have much proof of concept between the two of them. Also, a new research paper gives the Omius device a “thumbs down.” 

On its website, Omius claims: “Using thermally conductive and porous graphite, and a patented coating, the Omius technology increases the evaporative surface area of the skin by as much as 7x. This amplifies the body's natural cooling mechanism and dramatically increases comfort and performance in hot conditions and during strenuous exercise.”

The research trial put 10 “trained runners” through a rigorous protocol to see if the Omius headband boosted their performance. After a 70 minute easy run in a hot, humid lab, the runners completed a 5K time trial going as hard as they could. 

They ran one time with the Omius headband, and another time with a sham headband. They didn’t know and couldn’t tell the difference between the two.

Result: “Time trial performance did not significantly differ” between the Omius band and the sham band. 

Conclusion: “In conclusion, Omius improves forehead thermal comfort and reduces forehead temperature but not rectal temperature, heart rate and perceived exertion during, nor 5-km time trial performance after 70 minutes of easy running in the heat.” More at J of Thermal Biology.

Don’t Underestimate The Severity Of Ankle Sprains

Every runner sprains an ankle at one time or another. These sprain don’t always occur while you’re running--it’s easy to sprain an ankle on the stairs at home or work, or while walking on an uneven sidewalk--but they present an obstacle to your continued training.

Too often the problem is compounded, because we tend to underestimate the severity and longer-term issues relating to ankle sprains.This is a mistake, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis of ankle sprains in runners. 

It notes that “a substantial proportion of people who undergo an ankle sprain experience injury recurrence and long-lasting symptoms that form chronic ankle instability, and may lead to ankle osteoarthritis.”

You can’t easily prevent accidental ankle sprains, but you can be more aware of when and how they occur. The new paper looked at the percent of runners who sprained an ankle during various kinds of running. 

The percentages ranged from a low of 8.5% in distance runners to 27.07% in cross-country to 67.42 % in track. (I don’t fully understand this last figure, but suspect it relates to sprinters and hurdlers.)

Conclusion: “Running practice results in a significant proportion-rate of ankle sprains. Recreational runners exhibit a higher proportion than  elites.” More at Physical Therapy in Sport.

Additional material: Here’s the Position Stand of the National Athletic Trainers Association on managing and preventing ankle sprains. (With free full text.)

SHORT STUFF You Don’t Want To Miss

>>> Support Your Arches: In a 10K race, runners exhibited changes in arch structure indicating a need to wear “running shoes with foot arch support.”

HERE’S WHAT ELSE YOU WOULD HAVE RECEIVED this week if you were a subscriber to the complete, full-text edition of “Run Long, Run Healthy.”  SUBSCRIBE HERE​. Thru Substack.        SUBSCRIBE HERE. Thru MH

# Surprising secret to choosing the best super shoe for you

# The genius of Percy Cerutty’s “Stotan” training system

# The enduring mystery of optimal recovery

# Astounding! Another paper supports carbon monoxide to boost endurance

# The miracle of exercise vs breast cancer

# A high-tech insole can help you change your running form

# Forget about BMI. There’s a better body composition measure--Body Roundness

# Keira D’Amato explains how she became America’s second-fastest female marathon runner

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading. See  you again next week. Amby

September 5, 2024

Hot Tip: How Micro-Periodization Leads To Max Performance 

Everyone knows that you can’t train hard every day. As a result, we have developed many varieties of “periodization” in training.

The simplest works like this: Alternate hard days and easy days. Some would say, “Take two easy days after every hard day.” (Or three, or … ???) Your age and fitness determine the number of recovery days you need.

Marathon coaches and runners often take entire “cutback weeks” during their 12- to 16-week buildups. These allow you to build your weekly mileage and long-run distance without hitting the wall pre-race. I’ve always supported this schema.

However, new technologies might provide a better way. Instead of using heavy-handed, non-physiological math to determine training patterns--take a cutback week once every month--you could monitor your stress-fatigue more precisely.

That’s the argument made in a recent editorial on “the new frontier of micro periodization for endurance.” The authors, a team of endurance-training experts, believe that older periodization systems are wasteful and limiting.

Why? Because they ask athletes to take too many easy days that aren’t necessary according to daily biological data. Instead, if body measurements say, “I’m good to go,” the athlete can train hard. Even if (s)he trained hard the previous day.

In this system, you forget about the calendar. Instead, you use objective tools like heart rate variability, sleep, muscle-damage enzymes, and hormone fluctuations. These can help you “eliminate unnecessary unloading weeks, which entail an unjustified reduction in training load.”

The authors believe this system allows for “maximizing the training load and achievable adaptations” while also limiting injuries and overtraining.

Conclusion: “Microperiodization emerges as a new frontier in periodization of endurance disciplines.” This is indeed an exciting new frontier. 

At the same time, I still like cutback weeks.  If you’re not aiming for Olympic gold or a Marathon Majors win, it’s better to be safe than sorry. More at The J of Sports Medicine & Physical Fitness. More details in this great podcast at KoopCast.

Complete Guide To Headwinds & Tailwinds

We runners love tailwinds and hate headwinds. There’s a good scientific explanation for this, as performance PhD and blogger John Davis points out here.

He writes: “A headwind will slow you down by two or three times as much as the equivalent tailwind will speed you up.” So whenever you qualify for the Boston Marathon, you’d better hope you don’t get a headwind blowing against you from the East.

On the other hand, a circular urban marathon can give you some protection from the wind. Davis says: “In a dense urban area, the actual wind speed you encounter might be less than half the nominal wind speed measured by a weather station.”

His article on tailwinds and headwinds is longer, more technical, and more mathematical than most will care to read in full. But you can jump down to his “Recap” for the summary. Then you’ll want to head over to his amazing Calculator. 

First, set it to your expected running pace in minutes/mile (other units available). The default wind is a headwind, which you can adjust with the < > buttons. To see the effect of a tailwind, grab the blue wind infographic (set at “N” for north) with your cursor, and rotate it to “S.” Now you can play with various tailwinds.

In either case, the Calculator instantly adjusts your pace depending on the headwind or tailwind you selected. It’s a very clever tool.

You can’t do much to change the winds you encounter on race day. But this tool makes it easy to adjust race outcomes, if you want. It also helps you understand why drafting makes a difference, since it cuts down headwinds. More at Running Writings.

Face It: Strange Facial Expressions Can Boost Endurance

Top U.S. distance runner Colleen Quigley, a 2016 Olympian in the steeplechase, caused more than a few raised eyebrows with a recent post on Instagram. She shared a video of herself doing a tongue-pulling exercise intended to relieve tension in the pelvis. This, in turn, improves her running.

Quigley does this tongue-pulling before hard workouts and races. “1000% the weirdest muscle release I’ve ever done, but I swear it works,” she wrote. 

Most respondents got a good laugh from the unusual reel, while a few said they had done the same thing in their operatic careers, or when working with horses. 

Here’s an explanatory article on Quigley’s tongue exercise with a link to the original Instagram post. I couldn’t find any evidence-based support for Quigley’s practice, but that doesn’t mean none exists. Some in the strength-training world advocate that that tongue placement in the mouth--towards the roof of the mouth vs lower--affects muscle performance. 

Quigley reminded me of faces I’ve seen among Maori rugby players. I think a bit of tongue pulling and haka on road race starting lines could liven things up a bit. 

In addition, we’ve heard that a smile can help you run faster. Also, we’ve all seen runners wearing nasal strips, while some research has supported jaw-repositioning mouthguards “for performance enhancement in both aerobic and anaerobic performances.” Maybe the face, tongue, and jaw deserve more attention.

SHORT STUFF You Don’t Want To Miss

>>> Lacking confidence? Some runners suffer from a sort of “imposter syndrome” that limits their potential. Here’s how to surmount that hurdle.

HERE’S WHAT ELSE YOU WOULD HAVE RECEIVED this week if you were a subscriber to the complete, full-text edition of “Run Long, Run Healthy.” SUBSCRIBE HERE.

# The single best high-intensity workout for your lifetime of running

# Which is better--caffeine vs sodium bicarbonate?

# 5 evidence-based tips for successful run-walk training

# How to decrease triathlon-training injuries

# Don’t be carb-smart and carb-dumb at the same time

# Lacking runner confidence? Not any more

# How aerobic fitness makes your heart 20 years younger

# What Australian great Rob de Castella can tell you about marathon running

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading. See  you again next week. Amby

August 22, 2024

“Double Threshold” Workouts Vs Singles: Which Is Best?

Double threshold workouts are all the rage. They’re thought to be instrumental in the big successes of Norwegian runners like Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and also the country’s triathletes and nordic skiers.

Essentially, “double thresholds” mean two workouts (the same day) at/around tempo pace. They’re not easy runs, they’re not speed sessions. They’re in between--where athletes can gain a genuine fitness boost without the risking injury, excessive fatigue, and burnout. 

But no one has tested this 2 vs 1 theory in a controlled trial. Until now. “This study represents the first attempt to compare acute physiological responses between different methods of organizing moderate-intensity endurance training, specifically contrasting one long session with the increasingly popular “double-threshold training” approach.”

The research subjects were 14 national class Norwegian skiers or runners, aged 18 to 35, who had been training hard for at least 5 years with at least 5 endurance workouts per week. In a cross-over design, each subject did both a single session of 6 x 10 minutes, or a double session of 3 x 10 minutes (one in the morning, another 6.5 hours later.) Both sessions were performed at the same intensity, roughly equal to the race pace they could maintain for one hour.

Main finding: The “one long” workout produced more stress (hence: more potential training gain) than “two short” workouts. On the other hand, it would also require more recovery, which must then be factored into upcoming workouts.

The stress came in measured amounts of things like heart rate, blood lactate and relative perceived exertion.

Also: “The lower cost of the two shorter sessions indicates that such organization could allow more accumulated time at this intensity.”

The researchers are astute enough to know that they answered several important questions, but can’t say which workout is better. That’s one for the coach and athlete to determine according to their priorities.

If you’re training for a marathon, for example, you might opt to focus on longer sessions. Or you could add extra time to both the morning and evening sessions without exceeding the stress of the one longer run. You might do 4 x 10 minutes in both the morning and evening, getting a total of 80 minutes at threshold pace with no more stress than a single 60 minute workout.

Or, if you’re aiming for shorter, faster races, you could run the double 3 x 10s at a faster pace than your 6 x 10s. This could improve your endurance speed without pushing you into true speedwork territory.

Conclusion: “These findings serve as a starting point to better understand the pros and cons of organizing moderate-intensity training as one long versus shorter sessions more frequently (“double threshold training”) in endurance athletes.” More at Frontiers in Physiology with free full text that’s well worth the read.

From Genes To Glory: How DNA Affects Your Performance

We all wonder if our endurance ability (or lack thereof) comes from our genes, our training, the altitude we were born at, or even our diet. When Alex Hutchinson looked at new twin-based research in this arena, he learned that flexibility had a higher genetic influence than other physical tests.

This didn’t surprise him. He remembered that, in third grade, he was the worst in his class at touching his toes. This early failure was clearly from genes--not from sloth. 

A new twin study looked into the contribution of our DNA to specific physical performances. For example, genes contributed a lowish 52% to long jump ability. At the high end, genes explained 79% of success at a sit-reach flexibility test.

 

The 12 minute run-walk also came in high--at 75 percent. Happily for many of us, a low/modest score on one test doesn’t have much influence on others. 

Hutchinson sucked at flexibility, but later in life almost broke 4 minutes in the mile. So don’t worry too much about your genetics. Do what you can with what you’ve got. And remember that you get many health benefits even if your half-marathon time isn’t what you’d like. More at Outside Online.

If you’re curious how your genes compare with some famous Olympians, Ancestry.com now claims to offer such a service. The company’s analysis showed that you need more than physical talent. 

It says: “Mental toughness may be one of the most important factors in athletic success. AncestryDNA Traits showing likeliness to be competitive (88%) and have self-confidence (69%) showed up in the majority of champion athletes' DNA.” More at Ancestry.com

Yes, You Should Consider Skin (And Hair) Cosmetics

Has anyone else noticed a new marketing trend in the running world? I’m talking about cosmetic products aimed mostly at female runners.

I first saw this at the Boston Marathon Expo in April. There, one of the biggest, most popular booths was selling hair tools for women. My wife tried the product, was dazzled, and is still using it 6 months later. 

Olympians pay attention to their hair, too. Especially when they get free salon treatments in the Olympic Village.

During the Olympic TV broadcasts, we saw Neutrogena ads for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Olay ads featuring Sha'Carri Richardson. Last week the New York City Marathon announced that Maybelline would become its first “cosmetics partner.” The company’s senior vp of marketing said Maybelline was proud to champion “the endurance of our high-performance makeup.”

No, I’m not trying to promote cosmetics. Or to make fun of them. I’m simply introducing a new Run Outside article about “5 common skin problems” that runners encounter. 

When I first started running in the 1960s, we only worried about blisters and jock rash. Now there’s much more to consider, and I suspect we’ll see more cosmetic products in the running marketplace. After all, healthy skin is part of a healthy body. 

A recent scientific review of “dermatologic concerns” in runners focused on hazards of ultraviolet radiation, friction, and environmental conditions like heat/humidity that could increase blisters and runner’s nipples. More at Quality in Sport.  

SHORT STUFF You Don’t Want To Miss

>>> What causes medical issues in road races? The leading “intrinsic” triggers are too-fast paces (and too-slow), along with female sex. Extrinsic triggers: heat/humidity, and downhill courses.

HERE’S WHAT ELSE YOU WOULD HAVE RECEIVED this week if you were a subscriber to the complete, full-text edition of “Run Long, Run Healthy.”

SUBSCRIBE HERE​.      

# The 10 worst training tips for runners (plus, one bonus)

# What shoes won the Olympic Marathon? (And what “heel drop” did they have?)

# “Bounding” is the best plyo exercise for ankle power and running economy

# Follow this simple guideline to stay injury free

# To live longer, try the pole vault. 

# How to run away from obstructive sleep apnea

# Here’s a great web site full of endurance advice for women

# How the marathon is like a thorny but beautiful rose bush

SUBSCRIBE HERE​.

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading. RLRH will not be published next week. You’ll receive your next edition on Sept. 5. See you then. Amby