Hello Athletes!
I want to first extend a sincere CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who is getting
outside and braving the elements! I have witnessed (and heard about)
the Warrior come out of people! There have been some very cold days,
but I can assure you that for the vast majority of athletes, completing workouts
outdoors (whenever possible) vs indoors, will hold greater benefits, because
you are simulating race conditions. One of your coaches sent me a noteworthy
comment from one of his participants last year. She was referencing rain,
but the inclement weather principle still applies. "Running in the rain
is the most hard core thing I have ever done. I finally feel like a real runner!”
I love that. Please apply this to all types of weather. Dig deep. This
is part of the process. Training for a spring race in Virginia requires cold
weather (and perhaps rainy) workouts.
For those that are very new to this and may still be struggling, our
hope is that you will have (if you haven’t already) a “break-through” workout.
This usually comes when you’ve put in the genuine and consistent time and
effort, and your fitness level is reflective of this dedication. Then, one
day, after completing an outdoor workout, you actually feel great! So great,
that you feel that you could have gone even further (but actually resisted)…
In other words, everything seemed to click! This is one of many definitions
of a “break-through” workout, and typically fuels motivation. I hope everyone
reaches this wonderful stage, but please remain patient, and don’t get discouraged.
Everyone progresses at different rates. This Saturday, you will have
completed 4 full weeks of training and, provided you've been consistent,
your workouts should be getting somewhat easier.
I'm still receiving questions about what to wear, eat, drink, and how to pace.
Right now, everyone should be in full EXPERIMENTATION
mode. This is a very important training component. These are the days and
weeks (while it's still early in the game) that you should be experimenting
with anything pertaining to this process. With every OUTDOOR workout, you
should be practicing... what clothes work for YOU, what food(s) work for YOU,
what fluids work for YOU, and what pacing (if that's important to you) works
for YOU. The reason I capitalize "YOU" is because everyone is different.
What works for YOU may definitely not work for someone else. At a clinic last
year, a woman asked me to tell her what to wear and what to eat/drink for
the training, and the race. I wish it were that easy. It’s actually very subjective.
There is no “cookie-cutter” approach to this. NOW is the time to hammer all
of that out. Trial and error is the best tactic. If something doesn't
work clothes-wise or nutritionally, try something different until you figure
out what works for YOU. Varied weather is a good thing because we don't
know what the weather will be like on April 5th. What you're trying to
do is reduce, if not eliminate, as many questions as possible, by EXPERIMENTING,
so that on race day you are as prepared as you can be. The fewer surprises
you encounter on the "big day” the better. On April 5th, you
should know exactly how to execute your plan, because you've practiced all
of the unknown variables in training. YOU SHOULD DO NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY!
Think of these days as rehearsal days. That's where keeping some
sort of DAILY TRAINING LOG/diary comes in handy. Quickly jot down, how far
you went, how you felt, what you wore, what you ate/drank, how much sleep
you got the night before, etc., and determine “what worked”. Then, you can
access that information later, to re-create that great workout (or workouts),
and in theory give you that “break-through” workout! With a journal, you have
documentation on what works and what doesn't. Many people pick up their training
log a couple days before (or the week before) the big day and highlight those
great workouts, then, piece-by-piece, try to duplicate every facet of that
workout. It's a great training tool and it's just fun to chart your
progress!
Briefly, from a nutritional standpoint, I can pass along some general
guidelines that have worked well for many, but again, you have to determine
what works for you. Soft, digestible foods are a good place to
start. Foods such as, bananas, oatmeal, yogurt and a sports drink have
worked well for many, but I can't emphasize enough to seek out YOUR NEEDS. Generally,
having something in your tank for fuel is recommended in addition to
being hydrated; whether it's cold, warm or hot. Always drink lots of
fluids. Coffee can be a bit tricky. Runners/walkers vary in
their response to caffeine; some are very sensitive and prefer to abstain
rather than get over stimulated. Others thrive on a jumbo cup of brew.
If you're used to having coffee every day, then it may be worse to not have
a cup. Again, trial & error... Please talk to your coaches
about EXPERIMENTING…A VERY IMPORTANT training component!
Remember athletes, all we can focus on are CONTROLLABLE FACTORS if you think
about it. Let’s not worry about things that we CANNOT control! We can't control
the weather, but we CAN control how we dress for it and if we tackle it. We
(basically) can't control getting injured, but we CAN control injury prevention
and treatment. You CAN control apathy and motivation, and to a large degree
you CAN control your daily schedule.
Cross-training discussion
next week…I promise! (Sorry, had to do some topic shifting)
I am looking forward to working out with the Tuckahoe YMCA Training Team
this Saturday.…
Gotta' run!
Danny (10ktrainingteamheadcoach@sportsbackers.org)