Las Vegas Half Marathon

1. Get a good nights sleep 2 days before the marathon

2. Set reasonable goals. Have a desirable back up goal if you don’t make your primary goal. Be flexible at the start of the race and be prepared to modify your goals if the weather is uncooperative.

3. Stop eating 3 hours before the race.

4. (Optional) If you like coffee, drink 1 cup about 90 minutes prior to the race. Don’t drink more than this.

5. Drink liberally up to 90 minutes before the race. For the next 30 minutes only sip water if needed. prior to the race. You don’t want to end up with a full bladder.

6. Apply body glide or vaseline to areas that might chaffe or blister. Toes, heals, any place that clothing might rub.

7. Apply suncreen if it’s sunny or hot.

8. Wear a hat to protect from the sun or rain.

9. Tie your shoes in a double knot.

10. Start in the appropriate group.  If you run 9 min pace, line up with the 9 minute group.  

Relax and have fun! 

This weekend is our last long run! Can you believe it? After this weekend the hard part is over. Congratulations on your dedication and hard work!

We have one more group run of 12-13 miles. After this run you’ll feel confident going into the half marathon. Next week you’ll taper down.

Tapering down takes about 2 weeks. The purpose of tapering is to recuperate from all the hard training you’ve done and to build back up your energy reserves. Tapering requires balance. You are trying to keep the training effect, while allowing your body to recover.

It’s okay to do a little faster running to keep you race ready, but don’t deplete all your energy. Keep your training light. Remember to stretch afterwards.

Seattle Run Group:
Peet’s Coffee(Saturday 11/17 at 8am)
17887 Redmond Way
Redmond, WA
(Next to Whole Foods, by 520)
RSVP
206-920-2247 or Lisa@Sweat365.com

We have now covered 10-11 miles in our training.  Most of you are noticing that you are adapting to the workouts and recovering faster.  Amazing huh?  This week our goal is to run 10-12 miles. 

Next week is our last long run.  We’ll definitely run 12 next week, so this week my advice is to listen to your body.  If you’re feeling really tired, just run 10.  If you are body feels strong and fresh, go ahead and run a little longer.

Remember to  stretch and ice any hot spots.  Fuel your body and rehydrate.  Get plenty of rest.

We’re almost there! Vive Las Vegas!

Can you believe we ran 10 miles last week?  We are in week #8 and our goal is in site. This week we are up to 11 miles.

Running on soft surfaces when possible will help prevent injuries. Concrete is an unforgiving surface. Trails and gravel or woodchip paths are easier on the joints and ligaments. Mixing up hills and flat running also breaks up the repetitve impact by changing the stress on the body.

Don’t forget to stretch after running. Rehydrate and fuel appropriately. Now might be a nice time to treat yourself to a massage to aid in recovery.

Seattle Run Group:
Peet’s Coffee(Saturday 11/3 at 8am)
17887 Redmond Way
Redmond, WA
(Next to Whole Foods, by 520)
RSVP
206-920-2247 or Lisa@Sweat365.com

A lot of people are asking if they can run with us. The answer is yes, but I am only coaching runners who are signed up for the Las Vegas Half Marathon, so our running is geared towards completing a half marathon in December. That means that we will increase our mileage by about 1 mile or so each week. You are welcome to join us, just know that you are responsible for your health and wellbeing.

Hey runners, it’s hard to believe we are on week 7. Each week you are getting closer to your goal. Your cardiovasular conditioning is improving as we continue to ramp up our mileage.

You may notice little aches and pains as your joints and ligaments get used to the distance. Icing hot spots helps reduce inflammation. Don’t forget to stretch and replenish fluids.

Now that our long run is well over an hour, sports drinks, sports gels and water are very important. Continue to experiment with what works for you. This weeks long run is 9 - 10 miles. Good luck everyone!

The training continues. Each week we are increasing our long run. Our bodies are adapting to distance training. We are increasing our mileage by no more than 10% per week.

Recovery is equally as important as training. If recovery is insufficient, you’ll break down more than you build up. I recommend taking at least one day off per week.

Some of us runners are so disciplined that we run even when we don’t feel good. The exercise habit is ingrained in our DNA it seems. This is not necessarily a good thing. We may fall into the trap of overtraining which can set us up for injury.

One way to tell if you need a rest day is to monitor your heart rate. Check your resting heart rate in the morning before you get out of bed. Do a 60 second count. If your HR is 20% higher than normal, take the day off.

Another way to determine if you need a rest is to check your Delta HR. Delta HR is the difference between your standing HR and your HR while you are lying down. If the difference is 20-30 beats take the day off.

Last week our long run was 8 miles. This week we are bumping it up to 9 miles. As our long run increases over an hour, it’s important to remember to stay hydrated, and replace glycogen lost during the run. Sports drinks and sports gels work well during the run. There are a lot of different brands on the market. I recommend experimenting to see what works for you. Hard candies or shot bloks work equally as well.

Seattle Running Group NEW VENUE:
Saturday 8 am
Starbucks (Leschi)
121 Lakeside Ave #F
Seattle, WA (206)720-4803
RSVP
206-920-2247

A lot of people are asking if they can run with us. The answer is yes, but I am only coaching runners who are signed up for the Las Vegas Half Marathon, so our running is geared towards completing a half marathon in December. That means that we will increase our mileage by about 1 mile or so each week. You are welcome to join us, just know that you are responsible for your health and wellbeing.

Recommendations for stretching may seem to change from year to year. Experts debate the benefits of stretching. Stretching prevents injuries, decreases muscle soreness, increases body awareness, and improves posture and muscle symmetry. Stretching can prevent muscle soreness after exercise, but there is little evidence that stretching before exercise has any benefit.

Runners can benefit from stretching after exercise. Running tends to strengthen and tighten the muscles of the lower back, calves and hamstrings. Stretching helps elongate the muscles and keep them supple. When muscles tighten they pull on the connective points and can cause imbalances, which may lead to injury. Incorporating stretching into your routine can prevent this.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 10 minutes of stretching activities 3-4 days per week. When stretching it is important to never bounce. Static stretching, holding each stretch for 10-30 seconds, for 3-4 repetitions per stretch is the safest way to increase flexibility.

5 Great Stretches For Runners:

Hamstring stretch:
Place foot on solid object, keeps hips even, gently lean forward anteriorly tilting the pelvis to stretch the back of the thigh.

Quadraceps/Hip Flexor:
Place foot on a solid object of the appropriate height; slightly push the hips forward into a posterior pelvic tilt to stretch the front of the thigh and hip.

Piriformis:
Stand holding onto a solid object for support, cross one leg over the other, put body weight into backside as if sitting in a chair, gently apply pressure with your hand to open up the knee and stretch the hip/glute.

Gastrocnemius:
Place hands on a wall or solid object, feet pointing forward, legs straight, bend the front knee and push the back heel towards the ground, stretching the back of the calf.

Soleus:
Kneel down on one knee, place body weight onto leg of foot that is on the ground, stretching the calf and achillies tendon.

Resources:

American College Of Sports Medicine, Updated Physical Activity Guidelines 2007
Len Kravitz Ph.D and Vivian H. Heyward Ph.D , Flexibility Training, articles

The training is going fast. We are already half way there! Last week our long run was 7 miles give or take. Running during the week is moderate for beginners. Speed work is included for intermediate and advanced runners. The long run is designed to work on developing an aerobic base.

Remember to add no more than 10% total mileage every week. Our long run increases by about 1 mile each week. This week we are up to 8 miles.

Make sure you are staying hydrated. Bring water with you or stash it somewhere along the course of your running route. As our long run creeps past an hour, fueling also becomes important. You may consider bringing along a sports gel or sports drink to replace lost fluids and electorlytes.

Layers of clothing usually work best for cooler weather. Some people like to be really warm and want to wear running tights. Others can wear shorts until the temperature drops into the 40’s. Long sleeve technical fabric shirts and light rain jackets work well in the rain. You may want a hat to shield from the rain.

Seattle Running Group NEW VENUE:
Saturday 8 am
Greenlake Park
5500 E. Green Lake Way N.
Seattle, WA 98103
RSVP
206-920-2247

Park in the lot in front of the track on Green Lake Way N.

A lot of people are asking if they can run with us. The answer is yes, but I am only coaching runners who are signed up for the Las Vegas Half Marathon, so our running is geared towards completing a half marathon in December. That means that we will increase our mileage by about 1 mile or so each week. You are welcome to join us, just know that you are responsible for your health and wellbeing.

Performance is governed by developing a sold aerobic base. Long steady running is the foundation of running faster. Aerobic means with air, there is plenty of oxygen for the working muscles. The pace is easy and can be sustained for a long period of time. Steady aerobic training develops a more effiecient circulatory system. Oxygen and nutrients move more quickly to the working muscles and waste products are removed. Muscles are able to do more work with less effort.

As you are laying the foundation for running faster and farther, don’t worry about pace. Easy running during the week is your goal. Once an aerobic base is developed speed work such as tempo running and intervals may be added to the program.

Tempo training trains your body to hold a faster pace. Warm up for 10 minutes, then pick up the pace to sustain a pace usually 20-30 seconds slower than 10K pace.(intermediate and advanced runners) Finish the run with a cool down run of about 10 minutes. Tempo running trains your body to be able to tolerate and sustain running with lactic acid present. Lactic acid is a waste product from anaerobic gylcolysis. The body isn’t able to deliver oxygen quickly enough, the cells dump electrons into pyruvic acid which is converted lactic acid. The burning sensation that is felt is the result of high levels of lactate in the blood.

Interval training is training faster than race pace, with a ratio of 1/1 work and recovery.(intermediate and advanced runners)Warm up for 10 minutes, run interval such as 400m or 800m at goal pace. Recover from work interval spending equal time walking or jogging. Repeat cycle. Finish the work out with a cool down run of about 10 minutes. Interval training trains the body to be able to tolerate lactic acid.

Long runs develop cardiovascular efficiency to it’s maximum. They are the most important part of an endurance program. The long run is a must for runners of all levels who want to complete a half marathon or marathon. Runners who compete in any distance should include a long run in their training program.

Typically the long run increases by about 1 mile each week until 12 miles. This base training will take you up to the half marathon. After the long run has increased to 12 miles, long runs increase by about 2 miles every other week as you build up to marathon level.

Hey runners, how are you doing? We are over half way to the half marathon distance. Our mileage is increasing a little bit more each week.

Last week the intermediate runners ran between 6-7 miles for their long run. Beginners ran closer to 6 miles. Great job everyone!

This week intermediate runners long run will be 7-8 miles. Beginners will run 7 miles. We are slightly off track from the workout plan, you may have noticed. Don’t worry though, we are on track to meet our goal. The goal of the long run is to train your body aerobically, that means 65-75% of Max HR. The pace should be 60 to 75 seconds slower that 10K time. The pace should feel easy.

As the weather starts getting unpredictable, you may want to bring layers of clothing for running. Long sleeve technical shirts work well, when layer underneath a rain jacket. Hats and gloves help keep you warm and dry. Read about What to wear.

You may also want to bring water with you. Staying hydrated is important. Read about proper fueling.

Seattle Run Group:
Peet’s Coffee(Saturday 10/6 at 8am)
17887 Redmond Way
Redmond, WA
(Next to Whole Foods, by 520)
RSVP
206-920-2247 or Lisa@Sweat365.com

A lot of people are asking if they can run with us. The answer is yes, but I am only coaching runners who are signed up for the Las Vegas Half Marathon, so our running is geared towards completing a half marathon in December. That means that we will increase our mileage by about 1 mile or so each week. You are welcome to join us, just know that you are responsible for your health and wellbeing.