Holiday Deal for DCRC!

Begin your training with the DC Running Coach holiday sale!

2 months of coaching + 2 sessions of personal training* and/or Running 101* for $300 ($400 value).  

Purchase through 12/31, value expires 6/1/13. Valid for new athletes only.

Purchasing as a holiday gift is a great idea!

Simply contact Mike and mention this blog/ deal!

Happy Holidays!

*contact for session locations.

"Marathoners"

I was always hesitant to be labeled a “marathoner” or a “triathlete,” My rationale is the same rationale I use when setting up training programs for runners, whom I actually prefer to call “athletes” instead.  I’ve run marathons, but I’m not a marathoner.  I’m not a triathlete; I’m “someone who competes in triathlons.”  What’s the difference and what does this have to do with a training program?  What does this have to do with the mental approach to training and racing?

Social psychology tells us that labels can have a positive influence on behavioral change, as noted by the terms self-concept, self-identity, self-schemata, etc.  If someone is frequently describe by co-workers as “driven,” “passionate,” or “energetic,” then he/she will eventually develop a self-concept of being a productive worker, which is wonderful.  If you have a friend trying to get off the couch and start exercising, you can always remind him/her after each spin class that he/she is “turning into a pretty good cyclist.”  Labeling your friend as a cyclist over and over will help him/her define him/herself as an active person, which is very important in shaping new behaviors.  But it can sometimes be a double-edged sword.  The person in the first example might become a work-aholic, the work consumes him/her to the point of stress, or your friend may feel irritable if he/she doesn’t exercise or can’t find any alternatives to cycling.

As it relates to “marathoners,” they sometimes feel that the year wasn't too productive or that they accomplished much unless they are training for the marathon distance, or worse, unless they set a PR in each successive marathon.  I see it often, where anything other than a marathon PR is accompanied by not feeling successful and all the subsequent damage control therein.  I don’t see this issue in runners training for shorter distances, or those who are yet to run a marathon.  The self-identity as a marathoner can dictate everything about the mental approach to training and racing, which indirectly affects mood via the interpretation of progress.  For instance, the weekend long run becomes the magic bean of the program and much emotional stock lies within that run each week.  A marathoner insists he must run a marathon each year (or season) instead of possibly taking a year off from marathons in order to correct muscular imbalances and build speed at other distances.  This is where I, as a coach, enter the picture.

The main service I offer is the mental approach to training and racing.  This means that the exact type of workout the athlete does is always secondary to the reason he/she does it in the first place.  For instance, the question may be posed, “Coach, what speed workouts would I be doing this winter to prepare for a spring marathon?”  My rhetorical question in response, “Does the marathon conflict with any other training or racing goals?”  If the athletes’ answers are sensible, then we build the training to prepare for the marathon, and sure, goals are set easily enough.  I use this anecdote because I find that when people/runners/athletes label themselves as marathoners they are more likely to lose sight of other short-term process goals. 

Marathoners become a breed of runner that can put too much emotional stock into one race, putting all their emotional eggs into one basket.  It consumes them and their training.  To some people, this behavior actually seems positive because it’s interpreted as being motivated, but what gets lost in the shuffle are the important short-term goals, like rest days, running form, strength training and PT.  Therefore, the obstacles that arise are the unwillingness to take rest days, an inability to refrain from signing up for longer races at the wrong time, passing on an off-season that prioritizes ST, and an inability to correct running form because of constant high-mileage training.  Comparing a winter training program preceding a spring marathon vs. a spring half-marathon can be like comparing apples to oranges because preparing for the marathon can get in the way of other important goals.

I attempt to shift my clientele, specifically the beginners, away from “running as exercise,” and into feeling like a runner.  From there, I want them to feel like an athlete.  The latter leaves opens more doors to new/different elements of training and is less likely to trap the individual into a smaller role/identity (entrapment theory).  I teach athletes to recognize short-distance racing as important for myriad reasons.  Again (cover your ears), this can mean not running a marathon one particular year.  Hearing that phrase stings if you’re a marathoner.  If you’re an athlete, then you have other goals in which to focus and you’re okay.  Professional runners are a different breed whose bodily limits have a higher threshold compared to the runners I coach.  Therefore, the training programs I develop, and more importantly, the mental approach to the training, needs to reflect this difference.

In sum, think of yourself as an athlete and the doors of perception will be opened to many more aspects of training and racing.  I can often easily identify marathoners from their first email or phone call to me.  I know exactly why they feel unsuccessful and I already know (before I even ask) that they haven’t run a 5k in six or seven years.  Tweak your self-identity in this small yet meaningful way and your progress might sky rocket, your running form might change (due to lower volume training), and you’ll feel more successful more frequently.

Train hard (at all distances)!

Mike

Hope, Luck & Confidence

In conversations with many runners (either those who I coach or those outside my own client base) who are getting ready for big events, I hear a few words routinely pop up, such as nervous, worried, hope, lucky and maybe.  As a coach, when I hear these words I know the runner is either under-prepared, not well-schooled in proper goal setting and/or not interpreting a small dose of nervousness as a positive sign. 

The word that I want to hear more often is confident.  I define confidence as “the lack of uncertainty.”  It’s the feeling of getting to the start line and knowing exactly what will happen after the starting gun (or when the first whistle blows in other sports).  If the goals are clear, there’s no room for worry or anxiety, and if the runner has trained properly, then the goals should be clear with no need for luck. 

We all know that goals should be specific, objective and measurable, but what is often overlooked is how the athletes will reach these numerical goals.  In other words, qualifying for Boston and/or setting a PR are fabulous goals (performance goals); however, runners too often leave it at that.  They don’t have the process goals laid out.  To take a step in the right direction, a runner should hone in on the required pace per mile, but even that focal point is shy of the real beef of what gives athletes confidence, namely, process goals.  Specifically, how do you run an 8:00/mile (for example)?  How do you run sub-3:10:00?  The numbers themselves don’t really give the actual focal points for when one is out there on the course, in-the-moment.

The process goals are breathing patterns, stride length, posture, fueling strategies, frequent reminders to not get caught up in a random pack of runners, and so on.  Hopefully, these are all the things receiving attention during weekly workouts (at least the key workouts).  Focusing on these process goals is why I often persuade the runners I coach to do less training with the Garmin technology.  Focusing too much on pace during training can leave a runner empty handed on race day, when present-moment variables enter the equation.  This is not a rant on being anti-tech, but that last point is very much related to confidence on race day.  When someone is able to hone in on the process of running certain intensities, then the brain has an easier job, thereby increasing confidence.  As more training and racing take place, it becomes easier to hit the goal intensity (and therefore goal paces), which allows the process goals to be kept simple because the mind is operating on auto-pilot.  When the goals are simple, then there is a quieter mind, which is preferred.  In this sense, although the mind is at work during races, it is very simple work (ideally), so this is why I say running is only 10% mental (if goal setting is done correctly).  When goals are incorrectly set, then there is much more mental energy required to make adjustments mid-race.

Thinking during a race is sometimes beneficial, and other times it is counter-productive, and this is the heart of the debate as to whether “running is 90% mental.”  It depends on what the thoughts are.  Typically, we don’t want the mind working too much when competing, as the mind can get in the way of letting the body function in a state of automaticity, which is usually the goal for the coach/athlete.  Like driving a car, racing should be done on autopilot.  We don’t have to think too much about the actual process of driving a car because of its simplicity.  To actually think about the act of driving a car while driving would be dangerous since it would break the state of automaticity.  This is what is meant by paralysis by analysis.  In other words, naturally occurring movements would be interrupted. For this reason, overly cautious drivers can be hazardous on the road due to too much mental activity.  Candid conversations I’ve had with driver’s education instructors only confirms the truth in this statement.  They state, “the kids who think too much are the worst drivers.”   

When a task is perceived to be easy, then the brain has less work to do, the perception of pressure is diminished, and there is less tension in the muscles and therefore no pre-mature muscle fatigue.  In turn, the brain remains quiet because there is no additional, unnecessary feedback coming from the body.  This is why running should not be 90% mental.

           

K.I.S.S. is an acronym that is used frequently by coaches and sport psychologists.  It stands for Keep It Simple and Stupid, and is a reminder for athletes to avoid paralysis by analysis and helps to reduce anxiety.  What is anxiety?  It’s uncertainty about what will happen next.  Too much brain activity and too much self-talk only compound this problem.  When an athlete has too many goals or if the goals are not clear, then there is too much left-brain activity, lots of processing, and very little room to “Just Do It.”  Great athletes don’t engage in much analytical thinking when they compete.  If an athlete is engaging in analytical thinking then perhaps the goals may not be specific enough, not simple enough, or the focus is on the outcome instead of the process.  Confident athletes are masters of proper goal setting.  From this logic it can be reasoned that simple process goals alleviate much doubt and nervousness, but perhaps not all nervousness. 

           

A small dose of nervousness is good, and I would even distinguish it from anxiety or worry.  Being slightly nervous shows that you value your performance and that your leisure time activity isn’t a waste of your time and energy.  The people who aren’t nervous before a marathon might be those whose goal is simply to finish the race alongside their coworkers, or those who are extremely confident in their goals, the latter of which explains the perceived “arrogance” of so many professional athletes.  Nervousness is a sign that the body is alert and therefore prepared, versus not having a care in the world about the outcome.  “Butterflies in the stomach” are fine; it’s just a matter of getting them to fly in formation.  There are relatively few athletes in the world who are not nervous before an event, and you can spot them every so often because they might paint their shoes gold before the race to show that there’s not a doubt in their minds that they’ll win the gold medal.  (American sprinter Michael Johnson donned a custom-designed pair of golden-colored racing spikes during the 1996 Summer Olympics on his way to winning the gold medal in the 200m and 400m.  Confidence to the max!)  Anytime you have a good race despite a dose of nervousness beforehand, file that away for future reference.  All is not as bleak as it seems with a dose of nervousness (it can be good energy).

           

What I offer to the reader is that if you know you have too much nervousness before a race, if you’re hoping you hit your goal time, or looking to catch a lucky break, or think maybe you’ll have a good race, then it’s time to restructure how your goals are phrased on paper and in your brain.  Make sure you are focusing on specific tasks in your control.  When a college basketball player makes the sign of the cross before he takes his foul shots, the announcer Dick Vitale will exclaim, “No confidence, baby!”  So don’t look for divine intervention on race day and don’t hope to get lucky.  Control your own destiny and plan to know exactly what will unfold when the starting gun fires.

Train hard!

Mike

You Have the Right to Remain Selfish

If you believe in reaching a peak level of fitness at some point in the year, then you have to act like it.  There is a time and a place to be selfish.  I’m aware that the term selfish has a negative connotation.  Research shows that as long as there isn’t any guilt attached to a seemingly selfish behavior, then we are happier as a result of that behavior, and as long as our selfish behavior doesn’t detract from anyone else’s happiness. 

What does this mean for running?  If you believe in reaching a peak level of fitness at some point in the year, then you have to act like it—by being selfish.  This implies that at a certain point in the year, namely, peak season, a runner may have to put him/herself first when it comes to altering the weekly schedule and prioritizing aspects of his/her life, especially in terms of key workouts and meal selection.  During other times of the year, when key races are far away on the calendar, there is much more room for leniency with workouts and meals.  Because of the ceiling effect, it becomes harder for experienced runners to hit a PR, so these runners need to be firing on all cylinders in order to peak.  All aspects of the training must be in tip-top shape.  If we accept that advanced/experienced athletes can only be in peak condition for about three weeks, then that’s a relatively small window.  Therefore, athletes should take steps to ensure that the build-up to the A-race, or peak race, is not sabotaged.  True beginners need not pay as close attention to this premise.

In practical terms, being selfish might mean deviating from the usual workout done with a training group, such as a runner skipping a group long run if she is instead scheduled for a shorter, faster run.  Or a runner may need to do a scheduled run when he would otherwise choose a social activity detrimental to training that day.  Learning how to say “no” becomes a skill, like saying “no” to some activities if/when they conflict with morning workout plans, or saying “yes” to social activities if a recovery day was needed anyway.  When people talk about “keeping the balance” among running, work, and leisure, I can’t help but remark that following a periodized training program naturally builds this balance into the equation.  Of course, this all assumes a runner is following a training program to begin with, no matter how structured or unstructured it may be.  If there’s no general plan being followed, then this section probably won’t resonate. 

During the tapering period, a runner should be less concerned with what everyone else is doing and be more concerned with how he is feeling day-to-day.  It’s okay to skip a group workout if it conflicts with a personal schedule or energy levels.  If a runner has sacrificed much of his time, energy, and money in the past year in hopes of achieving some meaningful running goal, then he shouldn’t let it be sabotaged in the final lead-up to the race.  Be confident in telling training partners that you need a day of rest, or that you want to run on your own in order to hit the target pace for a workout.  We claim that exercise and health are strongly correlated with positive self-esteem, so let’s put that self-esteem into action!  Have enough self-esteem that your friends and family will still be there for you as you engage if some “selfish acts” in the few weeks before an A-race. 

Make some “me time” for yourself.  As much as running does add a social element into many people’s lives, running is very much an individual endeavor.  During peak season, stick to your workouts on your specified days of the week and eat your chosen foods/drinks at your chosen time of day, especially in choosing the specific meal the night before the main event.  Your body will thank you for it on race day, and you’ll be able to thank yourself.  Selectively during the year, treat yourself like an athlete.

Those are some of the practical tips as it relates to “taking running seriously.”  Many runners go overboard with this mentality and it becomes socially maladaptive, but all I’m encouraging runners to do is to put their race goals in the proper context.  If someone isn’t training like an athlete and/or doesn’t have a peak-race slated, then there’s no need to develop this approach.  Otherwise, a runner should take a month out of the year to do it all his/her own way.  After the peak race, there is usually a recovery period where the opposite approach takes places and there’s much more time for to catch up on aspects of one’s personal and professional life.

As peak season nears, ask yourself what kind of social support you have (or could create) to help you reach your goals.  I certainly enjoy being a part of a runner’s support crew, but consider how friends, co-workers, and family can pitch-in.  Are they aware of your goals?  Do they need to be?  Support goes a long way with goal setting.  There may come a time during race season when you need to be a bit selfish.  Don’t wait until the week of a big event to consider how your routine may significantly affect family and friends, or vice versa.  Talk to your support crew early; give them an advanced heads-up on your plans (if needed).  This does not mean you’ll ignore your loved ones and neglect your pets that week; rather, it’s just the subtleties that need consideration.  These steps are part of what it means to be good to ourselves, which we, as humans, need to do.  Otherwise, you have to take a month out of the year to do it your way.

Train hard!

Mike

Just Say No!

I developed an anecdote during a recent 10k race. I'll give away the punch line now: How do you know if the person running next to you during a race is someone you want to pace with? 

When the starting gun went off for a recent 10k, I was in 4th place, enjoying the view of lakes and trees in the opening minutes.  I could hear a guy coming up behind me, but he wasn't right behind me, he was about 30 meters back.  I heard him because his breathing sounded like he was kicking to the finish in a track race.  I thought, "This guy won't last through the 2-mile mark."  He decided to settle in next to me, and as I tried looking past him to catch another view of the lake, he asked if I was trying to stick with 5:45 pace.  "Sure," I said. "Great," he replied, "run with me, I need someone to help push me."  Now you may be thinking, "that's great, running with someone helps your race performance!"  Wrong.  What is the one uber-important disclaimer to put on that tactic? Anyone, anyone? Let's read on and find out. 

Because he was breathing like we were on Mt. Everest, I knew he was in over his head at 5:45/mile.  Who cares what his stride looked like or the fact we were shoulder to shoulder, his breathing was out of control.  So, I looked at him and said, "nah, I'm okay, go ahead".  He went ahead just before the 1-mile mark, then slowed a bit as I passed him on a gradual incline.  As we crested the hill, we hit the Mile 1 mark at 5:45 exactly.  It was a rolling mile and I don't believe in Garmins, so how did I do that?  Stride, breathing, discipline.  Just Say No to peer pressure.  Experience helps a great deal; I know what 5:45 feels like.  Effort.  Intensity.  Perceived Exertion.  These are all more important than pace and/or "running with someone". 

As we crested the Mile 1 mark, we had a looooong downhill, my favorite.  I passed him easily, which told me that we had two different running styles and strengths, so that was another clue I knew not to pace with him.  I didn't say 'no' 3 minutes into the race because I thought he was a faster runner.  I said 'no' because I knew he was too slow, even though he went ahead of me.  After that downhill, I never saw (or heard) him again and beat him by 3-4 minutes, all of which I could predict from 10 seconds of data collection at the half-mile mark. 

Once I passed the other guy ahead of me at mile 3, I knew he would fade because I watched his stride as I came up behind him.  His cadence was just too slow to be running at that pace.  I came in 2nd place to a great runner, who I actually beat in a 10k two months ago.  I let him go right off the gate, and he pulled away further each mile, no way I would beat him today.  The effort required would have sunk me.

The moral of the story: Be very selective in deciding who you're going to run next to in a race.  And be very selective when you do it.  It's safe to say that trying to "run with someone" (a stranger) from the opening mile is a recipe for disaster.  Either you're too fast, or they're too fast.  Monitor your own breathing and stride and be disciplined.  If you know it's too much effort, back off.  If you find yourself pulling ahead of your group or doing lots of passing, then check your body.  Much of the time it means you're doing great, keep it steady.  Get in tune, which is aided by consistent track work.  The goal of track workouts is to hit the same...pace...every...lap!  iPod runners may have to read this story again :)

Train hard (and don't follow strangers)!

Mike

Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover

During an interview with Competitor Magazine I was asked for “the biggest mistakes runners make.”  One of my answers was the same point of this blog, the misinterpretation of race results.  Are we supposed to become faster with each race we run?  Should every race be a PR?  Are we supposed to PR at every distance during the same time of year?  How do we know when to shoot for a PR and when to have other goals in mind?   

First, the short answer: You are not supposed to set a PR every race, so let’s have a round of applause for that peace of mind.  For a beginner it is easier to hit PRs with each successive race because the room for improvement seems almost endless.  However, for experienced runners and/or as fitness increases, the window for opportunity becomes increasingly smaller, which is known as the ceiling effect.  Race day conditions and the runner’s state of being that day also need to be factored prior to solidifying race goals.  Unfortunately, not all runners engage in this foresight, so damage control becomes the name of their mental game, without realizing that the goals weren't accurate to begin with.  How do we prevent the need for damage control?  The answer is by setting appropriate goals for each race (and perhaps better race selection in general).   

Our human psyche is very good at making ourselves feel better after a subpar performance (whether it was actually subpar or whether it was perceived that way).  It’s what some researchers call cognitive ease or the psychological immune system.  It goes like this: You finish a race, see your results, think you could have done better and feel more unsuccessful than you should, but then the psychological defense mechanisms (rationalization, cognitive dissonance) turn on to make you feel better.  In other words, after the race, some runners will begin to factor in the heat, humidity, hills, wind, etc., so that they feel better about the finish time.  However, what if they were able to make all of those calculations and predictions before the race began? 

The main point is that foresight is a more powerful tool than hindsight.  Hindsight is always 20/20, but again, it deals with rationalization and damage control.  What if there wasn’t any damage at all?  Meaning, what if your goals were properly adjusted ahead of time (and mid-race as well) so that you felt successful as soon as you crossed the finish line?  Goal setting done properly is a wonderful tool for avoiding damage control.  Factor in as many variables as possible before setting concrete goals.

The Technology & Psychology blog relates to this one.  When training is going well, yes, it is much easier to rip one PR after another.  But as a runner becomes faster and keeps improving, there’s a greater need to more closely weigh the conditions, both internal and external.  If you’re not improving every race, then relax, it may simply mean that you’re getting closer to your full potential; this is not something to fear.  If one race isn’t a PR, it’s okay; it’s just one race.  Don’t judge a book by its cover.

Train hard!

Mike

It's Only Water

 

I don't harbor any negative thoughts about rainy weather.  This is usually the time of year when everyone is wishing for a break from the 90-degree heat and humidity, so make the most of the rain.  With or without the preceding conditions, you'd be foolish not to run outside in the rain.  On paper, it could be your best week of summer training!  

Rainy days can often be perfect running conditions for this time of year, knowing that it could be worse.  A heat wave, an earthquake, a hurricane, and a week of rain equates to all the more reason never to let the weather dictate your training routine (only tweaks to the pacing/intensity).  If you always view Mother Nature as your compadre on a year-round basis, then there's never a reason to let Her dictate your mood. 

So, I looking forward to workouts in the rain with the DCRC crew.  

Contrary to Jimmy Buffett's advice, we can try to reason with the hurricane season and can run at this pace for a long time.

Pack a hat and then stuff your shoes with paper towels when your done,

Mike