Race Day!

Van One is on their way, and will be starting Re:Run off in Calistoga at 1 p.m. today. The big day is finally here, and we're going to rock this race!

More to come ...

A Few of My Favorite Things

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite Web-based running tools. There's a lot of good stuff out there, but these are the ones I've found most helpful.

McMillan Running Calculator
The McMillan Running Calculator is awesome for figuring out what pace you should be running your training runs, as well as setting goal times for races. All you need to do is plug in a recent race time (or time for a run where you really pushed yourself, if you don't have a race time available), and the calculator will spit out a whole ton of information, including projected race times and the paces you should aim for on tempo runs, intervals, etc.


Map My Run
Map My Run is great for figuring out distances when you're running on roads. The mapping tool is pretty accurate (especially if you use the "follow roads" option), and you can create a profile and save your routes.

The Daily Mile
I haven't used The Daily Mile too much, but it's a cool social-networking tool for runners and other athletes. Definitely a nice way to track and share your mileage, and it has a lot of other features.

What to Wear
One of Runner's World's many helpful tools. If you've ever had a hard time deciding on short sleeves vs. long, or shorts vs. tights, this is super-helpful. Just plug in the current weather, and it will tell you what to wear!

Pace Calculator
Just what it sounds like: Plug in your distance and time, and it will tell you your pace! Simple, but useful.

Training plan for The Relay

As promised, I've come up with a basic training plan for The Relay. Please note that I am not a professional! I've trained for several distance races, but never for a relay, so this plan is based on my own experience and knowledge of general training, as well as relay-specific training plans I found online. I'd consider it an intermediate plan, in that it includes a fair amount of speedwork. If you're newer to running, you might consider substituting easy mileage for some of the speedwork.

So without further ado, here you go:

(Click it if you'd actually like to be able to read it!)

Some things to keep in mind as you train for The Relay, whether you use this plan or not:

• This plan is not written in stone. Be flexible! Rearrange the training days to best suit your weekly schedule. Don't panic if you miss a run or two, and if you do, don't try to make it up with extra mileage. Just resume the training schedule as quickly as you can.
  
• Listen to your body. If it hurts (outside of basic sore muscles), stop! A day or two off is far better than pushing through and really ending up injured.
  
• Hills, hills, hills! We will be running over some tough terrain, so be prepared! Do keep in mind, though, that hills are tough on your body. So make a point to do some hill running each week, but try not to tackle serious hills more than once or twice a week.
• Build your mileage slowly! No more than 10% increase per week.
• Your training can, and should, vary according to which legs you are running. I will be assigning legs as soon as I can, pending a full roster and a good group trail run or two. Once you know how long your legs will be, you'll want to prepare accordingly. If you're a beginner, don't worry--I'll be saving the especially long and tough legs for more experienced runners. If you're more experienced, be afraid! *grin*
• Run some two-a-days, but not too many. You want to get used to running on tired legs, but keep in mind that doing so increases your chance of injury. So be careful, and don't overdo it! You might also want to make a point of doing some of your runs in the morning and some in the evening, just to get used to running at different times of the day.
  
• If you're training for a spring half or full marathon, you should be pretty well prepared for The Relay. The only thing you will probably want to do differently is to add several two-a-day sessions in the month before The Relay to get used to running on already-tired legs.
  

Running 101: Training Runs

As you look at training plans for races, you'll find that most include a variety of "quality" runs--basically anything besides short runs at an easy pace. While it's important for new runners to build up an endurance base with easy-paced runs, it's the quality workouts that will push you, ultimately making you faster and stronger. Here are some of the most common:

Long, Slow Distance: Often abbreviated LSD (yeah, yeah, I know ...), this is the bread-and-butter of any distance training plan. The LSD is just what it sounds like. Long and slow. You want to do this run at 60 to 90 seconds per mile slower than your expected race pace. If you can't carry on a conversation during your LSD, you're running too fast. It's all about building endurance. Most people run their LSD on either Saturday or Sunday each week, since it can be pretty time consuming, particularly if you're training for a marathon. This is arguably the most important run in a given week, so make sure you don't miss it!

Fartlek: A funny-sounding Swedish word that means "speed play." Fartleks are a great workout for those new to speedwork. Just head out for a normal run, and periodically pick up your pace. For example, you might decide to sprint one block, or to the next telephone pole. It's all about getting your body used to running faster, and since you decide when to speed up and when to slow down, it's a perfect way to give speedwork a try.

Intervals: The fartlek's serious older brother. As with a fartlek, you speed up for a period of time, slow down, then repeat, but with intervals you run for a set distance or period of time. An interval workout might be something like 4 x 400, which would mean you run four intervals of 400 meters at a fast pace, with a break after each interval. During the break, you jog slowly, with the goal being to normalize your breathing before the next interval. High school or college tracks are a great place to run intervals.

Tempo: Running at a "comfortably hard" pace (think 6 or 7 on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being a stroll and 10 being an all-out sprint). The goal is to get your body used to holding a challenging pace for an extended length of time. You should run an easy warm-up mile before stepping up to tempo pace, and finish the run with a slow cool-down mile as well.

Hill Repeats: There are a bunch of ways to do hill repeats, but what I do is find a hill that takes about two or three minutes to run up, then do just that. And repeat! Hill repeats are challenging, but they are great for your endurance, speed and just general toughness! The downhill portions are a great time to practice fast foot turnover, too. If you're training for a hilly race (like, say, the Oakland Marathon ... or The Relay!), hill training is a must. If repeats sound tedious, you can also make a point to run one of your weekly runs on the hilliest route you can find.

Running 101: Shoes

Running is a simple sport--you can do it with very little gear. The one piece of gear that is essential, though, is a good pair of shoes. (Unless of course you're a barefoot runner, but that's a whole 'nother post.)

Running shoes come in a number of types, and the selection can be a bit overwhelming. If you haven't done so before, I would highly recommend going to a local running store (not a big-box store like Sports Authority) and being professionally fit for shoes. At a good running store, they'll watch you run and fit you with shoes that are right for your gait. It's a spendy way to go, but having the right shoes can prevent injuries as your mileage increases, and I can tell you from personal experience that $100 for a pair of shoes is a lot cheaper than visiting the doctor for an injury!

That said ... if being professionally fitted is out of your price range, there are some simple things you can do to make sure you're wearing shoes that work for you.

1. Make sure you're wearing the right size

Because your feet expand during long runs, you'll want running shoes that are a half- or full size larger than what you normally wear. This will help prevent the dreaded black toenail (click at your own risk). You want a good finger's width between your toe and the end of the shoe. (Jesse will tell you otherwise, but look at his toes before you take his advice!)

2. Replace your shoes when they're worn out

The usual recommendation is to replace your running shoes every 300-500 miles. Some people go much longer than this without problems, but running on worn-out shoes is another thing that can lead to injuries. Your joints will likely let you know when it's time for new shoes! If you can see the white midsole material showing through on your soles, or if the heel is visibly crushed, it's past time for new shoes.

3. Determine what kind of arches you have

The "Wet Test" can easily tell you if you have high or low arches. Get the bottom of your foot wet, step on a piece of paper, and take a look at your footprint. Here's a video:

4. Determine your gait pattern

In a "normal" footstrike, your foot rolls about 15 degrees inward after your heel hits the ground. In overpronation, the feet roll too far inward, while in underpronation (or supination), feet don't roll inward enough.

As the above video indicated, your arch type is often a pretty good clue about your gait. Another clue might be found in your old running shoes. If your shoes tend to wear out first along the outside edges, you might be an underpronator, while wear along the inside edge of the forefoot and outside edge of the heel can indicate overpronation.



So, now that you've figured all that out, which shoes should you buy? I'd recommend trying out the Runner's World Shoe Finder, which lets you plug in your arch type, gait and other relevant information, and spits out a list of suggestions. You might also try Road Runner Sports' Shoe Dog. (RRS also has great sales from time to time!) In general, if you overpronate you're looking for Stability or Motion Control shoes, while if you have normal or under pronation, you'll want Neutral or Cushioned shoes. Weight can also make a difference--heavier runners will want additional stability.

So there you have it ... more than you ever wanted to know about running shoes, right?

Marathon/Half-Marathon Training Plans

Since many of us will be training for spring marathons or half-marathons, I thought I'd post links to a few popular training plans. If you're looking for guidance on creating a training plan, these are a good place to start!

Hal Higdon
Hal Higdon's plans are super-popular. They're straightforward and to the point--no frills. His novice plans don't include any speedwork, so if you're just looking to increase your endurance, they might be a good choice for you. Note that the full marathon plans are 18 weeks, so you'll want to jump in ASAP if you're planning on the Oakland Marathon!

Novice Marathon Plans (18 weeks)
Novice Half-Marathon Plan (12 weeks)
Intermediate Marathon Plan (18 weeks)
Intermediate Half-Marathon Plan (12 weeks)

Jeff Galloway
Jeff Galloway is famous for his "run/walk" approach to running. His plans are especially good if you're new to running and you just want to finish. They're long (in fact, if you started his standard marathon plan today, you wouldn't finish it in time for the Oakland Marathon in late March!), build slowly, and encourage mixing running and walking.

Galloway Marathon Plan (30 weeks)

Ryan Hall
The Ryan Hall half-marathon plan is more advanced. It has a lot of challenging speedwork. Jesse and I used it earlier this year and really enjoyed it, but wouldn't recommend it if you're new to running.

Ryan Hall Half-Marathon Plan (10 weeks)

FIRST
If you're injury-prone, or like to do a lot of cross-training, the FIRST plan might be a good choice. It only has you running three days week, so your mileage is lower than in most other plans.

FIRST Half-Marathon Plan (10 weeks, actual plan is on page 7)
FIRST Marathon Plan (16 weeks, actual plan is on page 6)

First Steps

Calistoga to Santa Cruz. 200 miles. 12 people.




In a little over 5 months, we'll be joining hundreds of other teams for The Relay. In the months to come, this blog will be a place for us to share information, tips, plans and our stories. Let's do this!