atc

1. atc July 2010 Carl Noftsger

2. Educate Yourself • Before choosing a marathon do some research about the marathon. Such as number of particpants, average temp, topography, where to stay, etc. • Research about nutrition, how often you need to change your shoes. • KEEP A LOG!!!! Time of run, temp, weight before and after. Check your resting pulse before getting started. Resting pulse can tell you lots.

3. Psychological Issues • Marathon Training Program: • Psychological Issues • Of all the distance running events, the marathon presents the greatest challenges both physically and mentally. Even after completing all the required training and making it to the race site rested and healthy, arriving at the starting line in less than the ideal state of mind can have a devastating effect on your performance. In this section, a variety of mental strategies will be discussed that will enable you to set realistic goals, complete the necessary training (in particular, the long runs), and be optimally prepared mentally for the challenges that await you in completing the marathon. Please be familiar with the following terminology (described with positive outcomes), as each will be mentioned later in this section: • Mental Rehearsal/Visualization - The process of creating pictures or images in your mind. • Imagery - Playing out/imagining in your mind the way you wish for an event to occur. • Self-Talk - The "voice" in your head that can be trained to provide positive affirmations during adversity and tough times • http://marathontraining.com/marathon/m_psycho.html • Great website above that goes into more detail. • The marathon is a challenging run but fun. I personally feel the race is from mile 20-26 (the last 10K). Not only is it physical but very emotional. The emotions are high and low and all over the place.

4. Base building • http://marathontraining.com/marathon/m_mile.html • Building your base is the utmost important part of marathon training. Above is a great site that talks in depth about this issue. Building a proper base means less injuries and greater benefits from the next stage of the programs.

5. The Hill workout • Got to love em http://www.therunnersguide.com/hill/

6. Tapering • Many runners fail to realize that one of the most important aspects of marathon training is the taper phase. Reducing weekly and long run mileage during these final two weeks is vitally important so that you will be fully recovered from previous workouts while at the same time, be completely rested for the big event. • Physical Preparation • Cut back on the distance and intensity of your training runs during the two-week period prior to the marathon, eliminating long and hard efforts. Listen to your body. Remember, there are no workouts the week prior to the marathon that will enhance your preparedness for the race. An important rule of thumb is "Less is Best", particularly if you are feeling either physically or mentally tired and/or your leg muscles are fatigued/achy, etc. • Keep stretching as much as possible during the couple of weeks prior to the marathon. Consider getting a leg massage no more than two days before the marathon. If you've never had a leg massage, don't try it now! • Clip long toenails and treat blisters and calluses the week or two prior to the marathon.

7. Intervals • During the running period of the interval, lactic acid is produced and a state of oxygen debt is reached. During the recovery period of the interval, the heart and lungs are still stimulated but they re-supplying body with oxygen to help break down the lactic acid. • Low intensity intervals are used to help prepare runners for long races such as the marathon or half marathon. These intervals consist of 1-mile or 2-mile repeats. Low intensity intervals are less demanding on the body. The body usually needs about 1 to 2 minutes to recover between intervals. • High intensity intervals are used to help prepare runners for shorter, faster races such as a mile run or a 5K run. These intervals consist of 400 to 800 meter repeats. High intensity intervals are much harder on the body. More time is needed for the body to recover between repetitions. Very fast sprint intervals need up to 5 minutes of rest between sprints. • Interval training is the keys to running faster. Running long distances alone does not develop the explosive energy systems or the neuromuscular coordination necessary to consistently improve your speed. I am not sure how many times you have heard me say this. INTERVALS ARE IMPORTANT IF YOU WANT TO REACH YOUR GOALS!!! • is defined as a series of repetitions of work with a recovery period following each repetition

8. Tempo runs • Why the Tempo Works...Tempo running improves a crucial physiological variable for running success: our metabolic fitness. "Most runners have trained their cardiovascular system to deliver oxygen to the muscles," says exercise scientist Bill Pierce, chair of the health and exercise science department at Furman University in South Carolina, "but they haven't trained their bodies to use that oxygen once it arrives. Tempo runs do just that by teaching the body to use oxygen for metabolism more efficiently." How? By increasing your lactate threshold (LT), or the point at which the body fatigues at a certain pace. During tempo runs, lactate and hydrogen ions--by-products of metabolism--are released into the muscles, says 2:46 marathoner Carwyn Sharp, Ph.D., an exercise scientist who works with NASA. The ions make the muscles acidic, eventually leading to fatigue. The better trained you become, the higher you push your "threshold," meaning your muscles become better at using these byproducts. The result is less-acidic muscles (that is, muscles that haven't reached their new "threshold"), so they keep on contracting, letting you run farther and faster. • A classic tempo or lactate-threshold run is a sustained, comfortably hard effort for two to four miles. The workouts below are geared toward experience levels and race goals.GOAL: Get Started Coach Gale Bernhardt uses this four-week progression for tempo-newbies. Do a 10- to 15-minute warmup and cooldown.Week 1: 5 x 3 minutes at tempo pace, 60-second easy jog in between each one (if you have to walk during the recovery, you're going too hard).Week 2: 5 x 4 minutes at tempo pace, 60-second easy jog recovery Week 3: 4 x 5 minutes at tempo pace, 90-second easy jog recovery Week 4: 20 minutes steady tempo paceGOAL: 5-K to 10-K Run three easy miles, followed by two repeats of two miles at 10-K pace or one mile at 5-K pace. Recover with one mile easy between repeats. Do a two-mile easy cooldown for a total of eight or 10 miles.GOAL: Half to Full Marathon Do this challenging long run once or twice during your training. After a warmup, run three (half-marathoners) or six (marathoners) miles at the easier end of your tempo pace range (see "The Right Rhythm," below). Jog for five minutes, then do another three or six miles. "Maintaining that comfortably hard pace for so many miles will whip you into shape for long distances," says coach Toby Tanser.

9. What to do after marathon??????????? • http://www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/marathon/recovery.asp • http://www.halhigdon.com/postmarathon/zeroweek0.html • RECOVER, HYDRATE, STRETCH, RECOVER, HYDRATE, STRETCH, HYDRATE............... • Please be sure and read this. Recovery and doing the right way is of the utmost importance.

10. Do I really need shoes?? The kenyans don’t:) • http://www.therunnersguide.com/howlongrunningshoeslast/ • How often to change my shoes while training. Improper wear and tear on shoes can lead to a significant injury.