Run4PRs

Latest Episodes:

201. “Too slow” on easy days: is this possible? And more ask the coaches questions Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

www.run4prs.com OVERTRAINING: How can you recover from & can you salvage a race? We want to learn something from why/how this happened How long has this deterioration going? 12 marathons in 2 years? It’s going to take longer to recover Usually is something that builds up over the course of years Feeling burnt out can be corrected if it’s on a microlevel Elevated RHR How can you run during the first trimester? Symptoms: fatigue & nausea Nausea makes it hard to keep food down or eat Eating small meals Movement helps. Give yourself Fatigue: things might feel harder Is it possible to run too slow on easy days? How much time should you space between racing 5ks or half marathons?

200. Why is easy running so challenging? Tips to slow down & embrace your true easy pace Apr 13, 2023

Show notes

www.run4prs.com Slowing down can be challenging for runners. Most people have seen the extreme fitness ‘no pain no gain’ side of things. When we begin running, we often think that if we aren’t in the pain cave or really pushing it, that our efforts are not going to simulate change. However, running is a unique sport in that way. Our aerobic system is actually developed at lower intensities EASY RUNNING BASED ON HR: Why this is not ideal What is ‘zone 2 work’ How to calculate max HR & your ‘zone 2 HR’ MAF Method: what this is & how to calculate HR off this method Limitations to the HR method Wrist HR monitors are not accurate Medications/stress/sleep impact HR HR zones people get using 220-age are often incorrect READ ARTICLE HERE: https://runnersconnect.net/coach-corner/why-i-dont-recommend-training-by-heart-rate/ EASY RUNNING BASED ON PACES: Can be a good guide Jack Daniels Approach: Watch his video on easy running: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veAQ73OJdwY Easy 60% of effort/vo2max 65% of HR. As you run harder your HR goes up but your stroke volume, the force of contraction plateaus around that 60% of your HR. Inside muscle fibers, contain mitochondria, blood supply provides oxygen which gives us fuel and energy VDOT calculator gives a small window for a pace range, but you can/should go even slower on some days. Think of his range as the ‘speed limit’ for easy running If you are able to still hit workout days consistency you are in the right easy zone VIDEO SUMMARY: Heart muscle gets stronger Stroke volume maxes out at 60% max HR… Heart is beating as hard as it’s every going to beat at 60% max HR—> 120BPM ( Mitochondria increase in size You can run easy for longer and easier on the muscular skeltoal system. On our IG page we often reference 2-4 min per mile slower than 5k pace or 1-3 min per mile slower than marathon pace. The idea is that you go significantly slower than race pace. Most people need to go slower on easy days not faster Can easy days be too easy? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixTO4dtSLGU Make sure you have good mechanics EASY RUNNING BASED ON EFFORT: ideal end point for runners Running Based on effort This method really only works if you have an understanding of how easy running should feel by using either the HR method or running off pace for a number of months/years Running based on effort allows you to listen to your body to adjust the pace on the fly THINGS THAT HELP YOU SLOW DOWN Doing hard workout days for 20% of weekly milage Running enough mileage Running with slower people Not listening to music Not looking at your watch Trying to breathe out of your nose on

199. VDOT Marathon Prediction vs Your Actual Marathon Finish Time: How to actually achieve your VDOT marathon prediction Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

www.run4prs.com Question 1→ VDOT says I can run faster in the marathon by 20 min. My lungs don’t give out but my legs do! I run 50 miles a week (2 speed work days, 1 LR, 3 easy), Fasted marathon was 4hr. Current projection based on a 1/2 marathon Vdot calculation has me set for a 3:40 marathon I often find it hard to breathe for the hour+ following an interval workout. my muscles rarely are sore or give up before my breath gives out. Question 2- Tips for running during pregnancy Two end of the spectrum. You never know how you wil feel. Things will be different. Listen to your body. Adjust your goals. Turn strava off. Run with a slower group like moms on the run. Running will feel harder at some point. Do not compare your pregnancy to others. Comparing your kids to others, etc. Question 3- Can you train consecutive cycles for a 5k or do you still need to periodize Question 4- Breastfeeding race day logistics Question 5-Should I use MAC HR or lactate threshold HR to train in zone 2?

198. Transitioning From Treadmill Back Outside After Winter Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

www.run4prs.com It has been a tough and long winter for those of us living in the upper regions of the US. A lot of runners in the midwest will use the treadmill for the majority of the winter due to poor footing or sub zero temps. The treadmill is a great tool for runners to stay consistent in the winter, however, we know that as the spring approaches runners are eager to say goodbye to the treadmill and transition outside. We wanted to do an episode about transitioning back outside because while it can seem like a relatively straightforward task, we should approach cautiously because outdoor running can be harder on the body than the treadmill Cite studies about treadmill surface being softer/more bounce/give than outdoor running The surface is softer on your joints: Treadmills are typically a much softer surface to run on, and therefore softer on the joints. Looking after your joints can help you reduce injuries, and keep running for longer. Research on the differences between treadmill and outside More muscle activation: Compared to running on the treadmill, when you run on the road, or the trail, you’re having to use more muscles to grab the ground and push off. One of the downsides of running on the treadmill is that the belt assists leg turnover, meaning you don't have to work quite as hard. When running outside, you’re also forced to not just move in a linear motion, as you’ll often find you have to dodge people, cars, and objects on the sidewalk as you move. Moving on the lateral plans vs side to side Incorporating band work side to side? https://breakingmuscle.com/train-the-lateral-plane-for-maximum-athleticism/ https://www.kinetic-revolution.com/multi-planar-strength-for-triathlon-and-running/ Assess how many miles per week were on the treadmill Example: averaged 30 miles a week the past 6 weeks and 25 of them were on the treadmill Week 1 transition outside aim for 10-15 miles outside Week 2 translation outside aim for 15-20 miles outside Week 3 transition outside aim for 20-25 miles outside Week 4 transition outside aim for 25-30 miles outside It might be good to ease into things and give yourself 4-6 weeks to go from majority treadmill to 100% outside. Can you get away with more? Possibly but we would rather be safe Running on softer surfaces may also help: consider the trails Try not to add in too many variables at once. If you haven’t been running workouts or long runs, try not to add that in during this transition time.

197. Big Time Goals: How To Train Safely To Achieve The Times You Want Mar 24, 2023

Show notes

www.run4prs.com for a free 7 day coaching trial. It can be tempting to want to go all in on a new plan or type of training because after months of doing not-a-lot or less than we did in the summer, we feel like we need to do something really BIG to motivate us. The truth is that this is not the best approach. We want to talk about the progressive overload principle today & why sometimes doing less will lead to more optimal results. The reality is more is not always better sometimes it is just more!

How often do you see people overtrain?
How do we know if it is the right amount of stress?
Why do people not like to do less?
1. Comparison trap
2. Fear of not being ready for their race
3. Thinking that more is always better.
Can you still improve by doing more than you should?

196. Workouts vs Racing: What is the difference? Mar 16, 2023

Show notes

We often see people do workouts on strava or social media and sometimes we think, if I could just hit those paces in a workout, I could be as fast as them? This might lead an athlete to run workouts faster than they should. The whole point of this podcast is that each workout has a purpose. Even a workout like 6 x 800 meters could be a threshold workout or a VO2MAX workout. The purpose of the workout will dictate the pace you run for the intervals. If you are doing a threshold workout, you would run this reps slower and have shorter recovery inbetween. If you are doing a VO2MAX workout, you would be running these much faster and have maximum rest inbetween. Racing DEFINED! What really is racing? Max effort 1 max rep at the gym Takes time to be able to push yourself: don’t know how to push it Beginner Intimate Advanced The purpose of each workout VO2MAX Threshold Upper end Aerobic/Marathon Pace Easy run Why faster/more isn’t always better 4x 1 mi @ threshold pace @ 6:30 Let’s say you go out and run 6:10 pace (5k If you do 4 miles of work at 5k pace, that is hella stress If you do 4 miles of work at threshold pace, it’s less than a race effort Overtraining Giving 100% effort is harder to recover from Saving racing for racing Is it better to do less? Not always→ sometimes you have to do more.. Law of diminishing returns You need to stress the body just enough to make a change→ progressive overload Signs you might be racing your workouts Unable to consistently hit workouts Feeling like you always need additional recovery between reps Feeling like you are not recovering inbetween workouts/overtraining Not wanting to do workouts Injury

195. Can Trail Running Make You Faster? & other ask the coaches questions Mar 09, 2023

Show notes

www.run4prs.com 1.Trail running vs road running: How can running in trails be a benefit? - not ultras, just getting miles in on the trail during training blocks. I run alot of my long days on the trails, it kind of forces you to run slower, and i feel way more ab engagement than just on the road. Any recommendations on how often to trail run? I’m a New England runner so lots of great trails out here. 2. I am getting ready for the Murph workout this year, and the workout is bookended with a 1 mile runs wearing a 20 weighted vest. What about wearing a weighted vest once or twice a week for runs? Too much on the joints? Good way to increase strength? Very hard on the joints. Risk for injury unless you increase slowly. Rucking involves wearing a weighted pack. DO NOT: Run with a weight vest if you’ve never run before or never lifted weights before. Run with a weight vest if you have a serious injury. Wear a weight vest all day. Run with a weight vest over long distances. Wear a weight vest that is too heavy for you. You might go on some runs after lifting to account for the fatigue 3. Eye injury– 2 weeks off running go straight into it? 2 weeks isn’t enough time to really lose a ton of fitness, but with any time off I usually recommend easing back into things slightly and see how the body responds. Also considering eyewear? 4. If I have been training at a BQ pace, how should I pace the marathon? Training at exactly BQ pace is tricky because it doesn’t give a ton of room for error. Often marathon courses measure 26.4 miles. A sub 3 hour marathon is 6:52/mi pace but even 6:50 per mile on most courses will not be enough to break 3 on your watch. It is nice if you calculate the pace you need to run based on the assumption that your watch will measure the course as 26.5 miles AND that you will want to run something with a 30-60 second buffer. For example A 3:29:30 on a 26.5 mile course is actually 7:54 per mile instead of the 8:00 per mile A 8:00 pace for 26.5 miles in 3:32- 2 min shy of the goal. I would take this into consideration for pacing 5. How do I lower my heart rate while running? I tried running really slow like 13 min pace and it is still not working Make sure you are measuring with something that is accurate. Wrist HR monitor is NOT accurate. The chest strap is better. Then, be realistic with the paces. 13:00 pace is not that slow. If you run a 5k at 8:00 or 9:00 per mile, 13:00 pace might be your easy pace at a low heart rate as your body adapts. It could also be a sign of overtraining. Other things also impact HR such as stress, caffeine, medications. I would look at all the things that could be impacting HR and see if we can’t find a reason.

194. Has running become a “chore”? Tips to reignite that running spark Mar 02, 2023

Show notes

Ever have a day where you just don't feel like running? This can be common especially this time of year if the weather is tough. You are not alone in feeling like running can sometimes feel like a chore. This mindset makes consistency very challenging. We have talked about the power of consistency so many times in this podcast. If we are able to be consistent with training over time, we will be able to transform as runners and reach our potential. Things to do if you feel like you are stuck in a rut Find a running friend/partner Talk to someone on the phone Netflix New running routes Mentally what might be going on Lack of goals/direction Not excited about your goals/direction Something else might be off in your life Not enough time to workout Not enough energy “Everyone should meditate for 10 min a day unless you are too busy then you need an hour”

193. Are you running too much or not enough? Weekly mileage podcast Feb 23, 2023

Show notes

Www.Run4prs.com for a free week or personalized workouts! Many people show off their monthly mileage totals on social media. It is a great way to track your progress in some respects, but in other respects, it is easy to get ‘caught up in the numbers game’ of running. Two runners of the same abilities might run vastly different peak mileages in marathon training yet run the same finishing time. It is less about what your weekly mileage is and more about finding the sweet spot of mileage for you during this season of your training. 1. Progressive overload: more usually is better until it’s not 1. Aerobic base: science Legendary coach Arthur Lydiard’s philosophy was that it all starts with mileage. That's because endurance training stimulates many physiological, biochemical and molecular adaptations. All his training programs would consist of an 8-10 week base building phase. 1. stimulates more fuel (glycogen) to be stored in your muscles 2. increases the use of intramuscular fat at the same speed to spare glycogen 3. improves your blood vessels' oxygen-carrying capability by increasing the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin 4. creates a greater capillary network for a more rapid diffusion of oxygen into the muscles 5. increases mitochondrial density and the number of aerobic enzymes through the complex activation of gene expression. This increases your aerobic metabolic capacity. 2. Time of feet: science Time on Feet follows the principles of Lydiard training to reach peak performance. This is achieved by using a systematic approach to training. The emphasis is on conditioning in the early stages of a programme, in order to give the individual a feeling of a 'tireless state.' This is looked at as a crucial phase if achievements are to be made later. 2. There becomes a point where running more is not productive 1. Overtraining signs Constant niggles Feeling run down Mentally feeling down in the dumps Train smarter not harder: How much running can you physically and psychologically handle? For example, the mitochondrial enzyme content of rats has been shown to reach its maximum adaptation with running 60 minutes per day, five days per week. A study published in European Journal of Physiology in 1998 on horses training for 34 weeks found that increases in muscle fiber, # of capillaries number of capillaries per fiber plateaued after 16 weeks of training. After the first 16 weeks, the horses were divided into two groups: a control group and an overload training group, which trained with higher mileage. Both groups increased mitochondrial volume and VO2 max with the increased mileage over the next 18 weeks, but there was no difference in those variables or in muscle fiber area and capillarization after 34 weeks despite the two-fold difference in training volume between groups over the final 18 weeks. Clearly, there is a limit to muscles' adaptive response to training. If you look at the training data of elite athletes, you find that the optimum training volume for the world's best athletes lies somewhere between 75 and 110 miles per week What is REDS syndrome? Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S) syndrome, or what’s more commonly known as the Female Athlete Triad. Not eating appropriately for the amount of energy an athlete expends

192. How fast should you run on race day? & more ask the coaches questions Feb 16, 2023

Show notes

1 .What pace should I am to race at for a 5k or half marathon? Threshold? Intervals? Slightly slower? Slightly faster? Answer: if you download our guide at www.run4prs.com it will go over this in great detail written out. We will summarize here. First, it’s important to do a fitness test. This fitness test usually looks like a time trial of running 1-3 miles ‘all out effort’ to see where your current fitness is at. If you have absolutely no idea where your fitness is at, start at a pace 30-45 seconds faster than you run on a good ‘moderate/harder’ effort run. We can’t establish paces without first understanding where you are at currently. If you totally bomb the time trial, that is okay, we can always test again. The result will still be a good guide within reason. Your 5k pace is usually the same (slightly slower) than your time trial pace. Intervals are going to be done anywhere from slightly faster than 5k pace to threshold pace.. It depends on the purpose of the workout Your threshold pace is about 20-30 seconds per mile slower than time trial pace Your half marathon pace is 5-20 seconds per mile slower than threshold pace Whenever we do an event for the first time or even if it’s the 5th time, but you feel newer to racing, we might not go out at that exact pace I said above. We might want to ease into things and start slower. We build confidence by having positive racing experiences. 2. What are the worst things to eat before a long run? Depends on the person. The worst thing you can probably do is not eat. Next, anything with insanely high fiber content. Like multiple fiber one bars. Spicy foods, etc. Some people have very strong stomachs and could literally tolerate anything. I have a friend who can’t eat veggie straws the day before a run. Knowing your body is key! Usually they say to avoid fiber and greasy foods. Also if you have food intolerances, avoid that! 3. What are the effects of birth control on female runner performance I would look into the book roar by Tracy Sims. Anytime you take synthetic hormones, you are changing systems in the body. There can be some benefits to taking birth control, but are there some drawbacks? I think it’s important for people to do their research and have this discussion with their doctors. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32666247/ Oct 2020: The Effects of Oral Contraceptives on Exercise Performance in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Conclusions: OCP use might result in slightly inferior exercise performance on average when compared to naturally menstruating women, although any group-level effect is most likely to be trivial. Practically, as effects tended to be trivial and variable across studies, the current evidence does not warrant general guidance on OCP use compared with non-use. Therefore, when exercise performance is a priority, an individualised approach might be more appropriate. The analysis also indicated that exercise performance was consistent across the OCP cycle. What exercises/workouts/circuits can I incorporate in the gym to help my running? Running is going to be the best thing you can do that directly makes you a better runner. Other workouts the strengthen the endurance of the muscles that are used for running can help but nothing helps as much as running. Biking, stairs, etc. Why do runners lift then? Strength training can help you stay injury free. The longer you are able to stay injury free, the better you will be able to run consistently. Runners need: Postural alignment, stabilization, strength and power Train for strength 8-12 reps

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected