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Training
Basics
Running is a wonderfully simple sport. You're in charge, and you
can run where you want, when you want. Best of all, if you follow
these principles, you can make it last a lifetime
1. Walk before
you run
Few people are able to run a mile the on their first day of running,
so don't try it. You'll soon feel discouraged and give in. Instead,
begin by mixing running with walking.
For example, run for 30 seconds then walk for 90 seconds, repeating
this for a total of 20 minutes. When you can comfortably manage
this four times a week, adjust your walk/run ratio to 45/75 seconds
four times a week. Then try 60/60, 75/45, and 90/30. In time you'll
be running for several minutes without breaks, and then - hallelujah!
- you will be able to run for 20 minutes without stopping!
2. Build
steadily
If your running is to progress you will need to work harder over
time, but if you punish your body too hard too soon you won't improve
and you'll increase the risk of injury.
American coaching legend Jack Daniels advises his athletes to make
a plan of their intended weekly training and then increase mileage
or intensity only every third or fourth week.
For example, if your current mileage is 20 miles a week and you're
aiming to build that up to 40 miles, add five to seven miles every
three to four weeks. Apply this same principle to increases in speed.
3. Warm up,
cool down
Warm-ups let your body gradually adjust to the exercise, preparing
you for the harder work to come and actually making the session
easier. Five to 10 minutes of running or walking before you start
putting your body through its paces will also lessen the strain
on your heart and reduce the chances of injury.
After you've run hard the first thing you want to do is head straight
for the sofa to crash; don't. An abrupt finish to exercise can cause
cramps, dizziness, abnormal strain on the heart, and hamper the
removal of the body's waste products such as lactic acid. Just spend
five minutes longer on your feet at a gentle pace to cool your body.
4. Choose
your running surface carefully
Most runners clock their miles on the open roads. Roads aren't the
worst places to run, but try to run on the Tarmac no more than three
times a week. Certainly steer clear of concrete pavements, which
will pound your body. Running tracks are okay for speed-work - although
they are draining on the mind - but avoid them for recovery runs
or fitness running.
Grassy areas are the softest surface to run on, but they can be
uneven. Perhaps the best surface is a dirt track; it's easy on the
body and relaxing for the mind.
5. Set goals
Staying fit and healthy is great reward in itself, but setting a
goal can make you more motivated and help you enjoy your running
more. When you sit down and set yourself a goal consider four elements,
incorporated in the acronym RACE. Firstly, choose a goal with a
noticeable Reward. It could be a medal, a time, or a new set of
clothes if your goal is weight loss. Secondly, make that goal Attainable
- within your reach. Thirdly, make it Challenging. If your goal
is going to be a cinch, you won't work to achieve it. Finally, be
Explicit: set out specific races, precise target times, and the
crucial points along the path to achieving your ambition.
6. Run by
time not by miles
This advice is especially valuable for beginners and those hoping
to build endurance. When you find that you can gradually spend more
and more time on your feet, all that hard work seems to be paying
off. If you're a more experienced runner, you'll find that thinking
of time can prevent you tearing round your training routes at breakneck
speed trying to set a PB. This can ensure that your 'recovery' runs
actually provide the rest and recuperation all runners need.
7. Build
a base
'You can't fire a cannon out of a canoe.' That's how one coach once
summed up the need for an aerobic base before the fast times will
come. Once you've built that platform of steady work, and only then,
should you start thinking about speedwork, hillwork and fartlek.
This base of running can last from six months to as long as a year,
and should consist of steady running and jogging. Enjoy this period;
if you're an ambitious new runner this may be a useful stress-free
period of running when you can gauge which distances may be right
for you to race over in the future.
8. Learn
the hard-easy routine
Whether you're one of the world's elite or a beginner, stick to
the 'hard-easy' method of vigorous exercise followed by either a
rest day or a recovery run.
Even if you do feel fantastic the day after a hard run, temper yourself.
If you don't do that, you will struggle the following day, or worse,
become injured. Stress on top of rest equals improvement, but stress
on top of stress equals breakdown.
Still, just how gentle should a recovery be? The key is to listen
to your body for warning signs - sore muscles, aches, pains and
fatigue - and err on the side of caution. Remember, too, that as
you get older you will need longer to recover.
9. Build
up your long run
Long runs are the definitive way to build endurance; strengthening
the heart, the legs and the ligaments in the process. They also
burn fat and boost confidence. Sounds good? It certainly does, but
be cautious. If the longest you are used to running for is 30 minutes,
gradually build up to an hour by adding five minutes to your run
each week. Just minutes of extra running make a difference - but
too much and you're setting yourself up for injury or illness.
10. Make
running a part of your life
'Holistic running' was a term coined by athlete Kenneth Doherty
in 1964. He believed that the runner trains 24 hours a day, not
just for an hour or so of running. Take a look at the way you organise
your life, how much you sleep, eat, and drink.
Then consider the balance within your training programme. Are you
racing too much? Are you not making time to run those routes that
are personal favourites? Are you running too much speed-work with
little time to recover? Just as you should keep the balance in your
training, do so with the other areas of life.
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