by Marnie Caron
Besides Running
There are many activities besides running that are fun, increase your strength and endurance, and complement your distance-running aspirations. Just about any activity that increases the flow of oxygen is considered cross training. Walking, cycling, swimming pool running, and hiking are all good ways to increase your overall fitness and add some variety to your routine. Cross training can also help your running by strengthening areas of the body that support you as you run.
How to cross train
• Give yourself a few weeks to adjust to your training program before adding cross training to the mix. Doing too much too soon could lead to injury.
• We suggest in this book’s training programs you cross train on one or two of your days off from running.
• Work out once a week at your local pool.
• Consider joining a gym or your local community center.
• Pick an activity you enjoy. If you don’t like getting wet, swimming or pool running might not be for you.
• If you’re new to exercising, or if you’ve taken a long break from any form of fitness, consider walking or stretching as cross-training activities. Again, be careful not to do too much too fast. You don’t want to be sidelined by an injury or burned out from too much exercise.
What cross-training activity best complements my running?
All cross-training activities will help you to increase your strength and stamina, which is valuable for running. If done correctly, running in water most closely replicates running on land.
RUNNER PROFILE
Jeanne
Jeanne had trained for four marathons, but she had never made it to the start line. Over the years she had run numerous half marathons and 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) races, but she couldn’t seem to avoid injuring herself when preparing for a marathon. She had given up hope of ever making it to the marathon finish line in a healthy and safe manner. She had been tempted to run during a recent iliotibial band problem, but her friend Sacha, also a runner, strongly discouraged the idea.
Finally, after reading a book on cross training for runners, Jeanne decided she would try yoga with the hope of loosening her legs and building strength in her core. In her first class, it became clear that she was incredibly tight in key areas of her body. Without doing something to change this, the yoga instructor told her, she would continue to injure herself.
Jeanne loves running; it is not only a hobby but also a passion, and in recent years it’s become a means to meditate. Jeanne may not run a marathon any time soon, but she’s certain that if she sticks with her twice-weekly yoga class she has a better chance of running as she ages. And if she’s lucky, one of these years she may even get to see the 26.2-mile (42-kilometer) finish line.
Here are several tips for water-running beginners:
• Imagine your own running gait. Your knee comes up in front at about a 45-degree angle, your leg extends to allow your heel to plant first, then your ankle flexes so that you can push off the ground with your toes as you drive your leg back behind you, and the opposite leg begins the cycle once again. Your lower body should follow this same pattern in the water.
• Avoid using a dog-paddle arm motion to stay afloat. Instead, concentrate on reproducing the action your arm follows when you run on land. Be sure to bring your arms straight through the water in front of you and extend them all the way back behind you, holding your hands relaxed as you do when you run.
• Start slowly. Structure your water-running program so that you gradually progress toward longer workouts. Before you dive into any of the workouts described, you should be able to comfortably handle a steady 30-minute run in the water.
• Make it as pleasant as possible. Find a pool with a large deep end or diving tank that is available at convenient times and not crowded with swimmers doing their laps or kids just playing around. That way, other swimmers won’t be in your way, and you won’t be in theirs. Sometimes it helps to explain to curious fellow pool users what it is you are trying to accomplish, but the best solution is to work out during quiet times of the day. Avoid lunchtime and after-work hours.
• Scout around for a pool that offers piped-in music. Music really helps pass the time as you work out.
• Find a partner. Make arrangements to meet and go for a “run” at the pool. Good conversation also helps pass the time; workouts are more fun, and there’s always better motivation when someone else shares the load.
• Keep time. Use a waterproof watch to time your runs and intervals, or find a pool with a large pace clock—the kind that lap swimmers use to time their intervals.
RUNNER PROFILE
Rachel
Rachel is a 37-year-old police officer, mother, and wife. As an elite gymnast in her younger days, she had never thought she would like running. The combination of weight training, spinning classes, and cardio workouts on the elliptical trainer at the YMCA where she worked out helped her to stay incredibly fit, but it wasn’t until she met some women there that she began running.
Many of Rachel’s college friends had moved away and she had found she missed having them to exercise with, so when these new friends asked her to join them for the occasional run, she didn’t feel she could decline. Eventually she was joining them for several runs a week, and she entered a few local road races. She loved her new sport, and within a year she was running regularly and starting to train for a marathon. The only problem was with her lower back; after her long training runs, it would bother her for several days. She had experienced back problems in the past due to her days as a gymnast, but now it was starting to interfere with her everyday activities.
Instead of giving up on her marathon goal, Rachel researched the various cross-training options that would provide the maximum benefit for running. Everything she read suggested pool running was her best bet. In the lead-up to her marathon, she pool ran twice a week in place of shorter and medium-length runs. “I found running in the water to be a great way to build core strength, minimize my back problems, and increase my running endurance. Without pool running, I would never have made it to the marathon start line in one piece!”
8
Including the Family
FOR MANY ADULTS, THE ACT OF BALANCING FAMILY, HOME, and career bears all the hallmarks of a marathon: non-stop hard work. For others, training for and running 26.2 or 13.1 miles (42 or 21 kilometers) is the ultimate challenge. Without question, training for a marathon alongside the competing demands that families face requires significant planning and a lot of organizing. But it can be done. From running with a jogging stroller to finding a good training partner, this chapter provides facts on family fitness and simple strategies for busy families making it to the marathon finish line.
Marathon Women
Women’s recent entry into marathoning
Much has changed for women over the past 30 years. As a result of the women’s movement, the opportunities open to females in Western cultures have never been greater.
Today women work in almost all fields and professions, and it seems the woman who doesn’t work outside the home is becoming the exception. The vast opportunities for women are also seen in sport, and the marathon and half marathon are great examples. Nowadays women make up over half the number of participants in most races.
Why the slow start?
Women are increasingly attracted to distance events in part because they’ve had a slower entry to the sport than men. Initially it was thought distance running was too taxing on the female body. As recently as the early 1970s it was commonly thought that women could not run long distances, the general assumption being that it was hazardous to women’s health. In fact, numerous critiques were written by doctors warning women of the harm they would do to their bodies if they attempted to run farther than a few thousand yards. The articles suggested that women who ran long distances were likely to permanently damage their bodies. These concerns were followed by research claiming that female athletes who engaged in
rigorous training schedules risked their ability to conceive children. It was not until the 1984 Olympic Games that the marathon race was sanctioned for women.
Run clinics have a big role
Vancouver International Marathon organizer Derek Hodge attributes the boom in women running half and full marathons in large part to the increasing availability of run clinics. The clinics provide a safe and simple solution for female runners, some of whom will never before have seen large groups of women running. The experience of meeting women who are faster, slower, older, or younger than you can be motivating and empowering. In contrast, women can find it discouraging if they run exclusively with men who are faster and stronger. This is not to say that there aren’t superb women runners and men who make great training partners. The key is to figure out what combination works best for you.
The Marathon Clinic
Regardless of whether you’re a man or woman, a marathon-training clinic can provide expert advice, guidance, and companionship on the road to achieving your marathon goal. Most running stores offer clinics, as do private fitness clubs and community centers. Clinics vary in size, cost, and general approach to marathon training, so it’s important to try a few to find one that best meets your needs. Most clinics provide a free introductory session or request a nominal fee.
If you feel a little awkward or even a little intimidated at the prospect of joining a running clinic, rest assured that you’re not alone. As adults we generally move in groups and within communities that we have known for years. The prospect of entering a new environment to perform an unfamiliar task is something rare and can be unnerving for even the most confident individual. Beforehand, tell yourself that at some point everyone who joins has experienced similar feelings. After a few training sessions, your uncertainty will disappear, and before you know it you will be comfortable with the other runners.
How the marathon clinic works
Prior to each training session, there is usually a short presentation by the clinic coordinator on a running-related issue such as stretching or nutrition. This is followed by a brief explanation of the upcoming training session. Afterward, participants separate into their designated pace groups. Most marathon clinics group people according to each individual’s running pace; some ask that registrants list their approximate 10-kilometer running time in order to assign them to the appropriate pace group. If you are a beginner, and you don’t have a clear sense of your running ability or 10-kilometer time, you may want to start in a slower group for the first few sessions. Once you complete a couple of runs with your training group, you will get a sense of which group works best for you. Runners are allowed to change groups if, for example, they improve faster than the others in the group, or if they feel the need to move to a slower group because of missed sessions.
Most people tend to push too hard right from the start of a run. Be conservative. You can always switch to a faster group, but starting too quickly and aggressively may lead to injury and frustration.
Each pace group is assigned at least one leader who will run at the front or back of the group. Clinics usually design a course that is some sort of loop, in order to allow run leaders to easily move forward or backward within the group. This way everyone still feels they are part of a group, and it minimizes the risk of participants getting lost or running at a speed that is too fast for their current fitness levels.
What to look for in a marathon-training clinic
• Make sure the clinic leaders are knowledgeable. They should understand the various elements of marathon training, such as the physical and mental demands, as well as injury-prevention and pacing strategies.
• Check that the clinic has a training program that meets your needs by inquiring as to the suggested level of fitness for their programs, and make sure you’re honest with yourself regarding your current level of fitness.
• Each clinic has a different atmosphere. Some are friendlier than others, and you will learn what works best for you after trying a few.
• By visiting a clinic, you will get a sense of whether or not the coordinator is organized and punctual. If you are a busy parent or a single person with a demanding career, you may want a clinic that runs like clockwork. Some clinics are not as structured as you might prefer. This may seem a minor issue, but over the course of several months it can become incredibly frustrating.
• The location of the clinic should be a consideration. If it is conveniently located in your neighborhood or close to work, you are more likely to regularly attend the training sessions.
• If you plan to drive to the clinic, make sure there will be adequate parking. The last thing you want to do each week is spend 15 minutes searching for a parking spot before your training clinic.
Finding a Running Partner
Most marathoners would agree a good training partner is one of the most precious gifts any runner can find. Besides providing safety and security for the runner, a running cohort motivates, supports, and keeps you true to your training program. But before you ask your closest friend or spouse if he or she wants to fill this position, take some time to figure out your training needs, time limitations, and other responsibilities that will compete with your marathon schedule. Also, it’s a good idea to figure out the areas in which you can be flexible. For example, you may have some leeway as to the days of the week you could join your partner, but you know the runs must occur in the morning hours before work. Once you have itemized your own needs, you can ponder which of your friends might be a good fit. At this point, consider the following questions to narrow your choice of running partner, as you want to be confident he or she can hold up one end of the partnership:
• Is she at a similar running level?
• Does he share your enthusiasm for the sport, or will you have to continually motivate him to train?
• Is he supportive of your marathon goals?
• Do you have similar schedules?
• Will it be easy and convenient to coordinate runs?
• Is she a consistent and reliable person?
• Do you enjoy spending extended periods of time with this person?
Making a plan with your running partner
Once you and your partner have agreed to try running together, it might be a good idea to start with one group run per week to establish whether the partnership will work. Make sure you organize a specific meeting place and time. Remember to be courteous and on time. It may not seem an issue to be 15 minutes late for a dinner date, but if you are regularly late in meeting your running partner, it can become a deal breaker. Waiting in the wind and rain is different from waiting inside a warm coffee shop, watching the rain beat down on the window. If you can, try to meet your partner in the foyer of a building or in a bus shelter. Some running groups have a 5- or 10-minute rule whereby they meet at a given time, and if others are not there within the set time frame they commence the run; the late party is left to his or her own devices. This is a good way of making sure that people show up on time!
Even if you have a running partner, occasionally join another friend for some extra motivation and company. He or she may accompany you on a bike, or simply drive along your route and be there for you every mile or two along the way.
Pregnancy and Running: Some Questions
Can sedentary women start running once they conceive?
The short answer is, yes! It may seem strange, but if you’re a woman who was sedentary prior to becoming pregnant, now might be the time to take up a gradual and progressive walk/run program. Sport medicine physician Dr. Liz Joy of Salt Lake City, Utah, says, “It’s a myth that it is dangerous for sedentary women to start exercising once they become pregnant. I encourage all of my pregnant patients to keep moving, especially the ones who are at risk of gestational diabetes.” For most previously sedentary women, Dr. Joy encourages a regular walking program during the first trimester. Once the nausea—which is usually limited to the first trimester— is over, she suggests tha
t these women take the same approach to exercise as the rest of her non-pregnant patients. Dr. Joy believes everyone, including mom and baby, can benefit from a gradual and progressive walk/run program.
RUNNER PROFILE
Colleen
Colleen is now a stay-at-home mom getting back into shape after having her son Kai 10 months ago. She finds that exercising on her own is what works best, giving her the flexibility to go out when she wants and to run at the speed that suits her. But this was not always the case, and as she says, her routine may change again in the future. For now, she often walks and runs with Kai in a stroller.
While Colleen was working on her doctorate in women’s health, she found a great running partner in her friend Jacquie. Colleen and Jacquie would often meet several times a week. “We had similar schedules and were able to be flexible in the times we got out for our runs. Sometimes we met in the morning for a long run along the beach near my home, and other times we met at a park in Jacquie’s neighborhood. As well, we were both at a similar fitness level, and most days we would run almost stride for stride. But the best part about running with Jacquie was that it meant we were able to get in a regular visit while we both maintained our busy schedules. If we didn’t run together, we would have seen a lot less of each other.”
Depending on how they feel, pregnant women can begin a gradual walk/jog program, perhaps working up to a 5- or 10-kilometer (3- or 6-mile) distance, but this is definitely not the time to embark on a half- or full-marathon journey.