ACF Walk to Run Training Newsletter #11

Walk to Run Trainees:


Welcome to the sixth week of our program.


1)  We meet again on Saturday, February 14, at 9AM, in the parking lot
for Columbia Island Marina, in LBJ Park.


If you are still having difficulty finding our meeting location, please
call me at 703-371-5171.


Our posted training distance for this Saturday [found at
http://www.marathoncharitypartners.org/walktorun/calendar.doc] is 2.0
miles.   Our route is posted at:


http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2557487




2)  Running Shoes


I am heading out this afternoon to buy new running shoes, and I HOPE you 
have done so already within the past two months.


Remember at the Orientation, when I asked you to obtain running shoes by 
the Presidents' Day Weekend?   Well, that weekend is upon us.  And if 
you don't have the right shoes _for you_ on your feet, it will become 
increasing more uncomfortable (and possibly injurious) as we ramp up our 
running segments from 2 minutes at a time, to 3 minutes by the end of 
this month, to 4 minutes by the middle of March, our terminal modality. 
  4:1 is the mode I hope you will be using on your target race in April.


Recall the advice I gave in January:   Go shoe shopping later in the 
day, after your feet have swelled up during the day.  Go to a 
professional running store that carries a variety of running shoe brands 
and types.  [Avoid anywhere that sells multiple shoe types - 
cross-trainers, basketball, soccer, etc.]  Plan on spending at least an 
hour trying on shoes, after the staffer looks at the way you walk and 
run.


You may need to purchase a size or a half-size larger than your street 
shoes, because your feet will swell after 15, 30 or 45 minutes of 
running.   Make sure the shoe fits snug in the heel, but gives you 
plenty of room in the toes. Pick the shoe that feels best while walking 
and running.   And before you purchase, find out the return policy of 
that store.


If you have any questions, about shoes or running clothes, please call 
me, or touch base with me after the workout on Saturday.




3)  Warmer weather.


The tease we had this past week reminds us that Spring is on the way!


On Wednesday, I was able to run in shorts for the first time in 2009, 
but I did it at night, so my pale legs would not scare forest creatures 
or small children.  


But sooner or later, you'll have to change the clothing you put on 
before running, and run with fewer layers.   That is because you will 
feel 15-20 degrees warmer while running, than you do standing still.


The "ideal" running temperature is said to be 54 degrees F, with a 
slight overcast, and no breeze.   At that temp, the 15 to 20 degree 
warmup you feel will raise the apparent air temp to 69 to 74 degrees F - 
  "room temperature."    Any temp above or below that 54 degrees F will 
impact your running.  Direct sunshine will warm you more (even if the 
air temp remains cool) and humidity will short-circuit you body's 
ability to thermoregulate via sweat.   Wind chill and rain will cool you 
more than just mere cool or cold air.


Spring is the time when temps and weather conditions yo-yo up and down. 
  Please pay attention to the conditions and dress accordingly.   If you 
work out in the morning, the air temp is going to be pretty close to the 
low temp forecast for that day.   If you workout in the evening, the 
temp is closer to the daily high temp.   If you workout at lunch time, 
the sun angle will be higher, so direct sunlight may be a factor. 
After dark, you're dealing only with air temp with no sun to warm it.


[The temps in the daily weather forecast are all air temps, without any 
impact of sunlight.  Direct sunlight can warm any surface (or body) 
10-15 degrees F or more warmer than the temp of the surrounding air.]


Statistically, it rains more often in the afternoon and evening than in 
the morning, which is why the construction trades keep the schedule that 
they do.   If you train consistently, there's really no way to totally 
   avoid running in the rain (which is actually  a benefit in the hot 
summer months).  As the old doggerel relates: "If it ain't rainin', you 
ain't trainin'!"   And it may be raining on the day of your target race, 
so you might as well learn how to run in rain.


[You can soak every article of clothing on you - EXCEPT your socks and 
shoes - and still keep running.   A layer of Vaseline or body glide will 
prevent wet clothing from chafing certain body parts.]


Many individuals and training programs run in the morning, not only to 
minimize soggy workouts, but to run in the coolest part of the day, 
particularly in the semi-tropical DC Summer.


Most importantly, you need to figure out what feels comfortable to *you* 
while running in a variety of weather conditions.  The only way to do 
that, is to train multiple times a week for several seasons, until you 
figure out the best weather for *your* running.   And dress in layers, 
so if you guess wrong about the weather at the start of the run, you can 
add or subtract a layer until you feel comfortable.




4)  Stretching.


A lot has been written about stretching for runners over the years, 
because benefits and risks of stretching are so dependent on:


a)  when you stretch, and


b)  how you stretch.


Unlike sports with frequent changes in direction (e.g. soccer, 
basketball) runners use the same muscles and ligaments over and over and 
over again, many of them the same ones you use to walk out of the 
bedroom every morning and start your day.  There is little scientific 
data that stretching before a particular run will improve your 
performance during that run.


Where stretching *will* help is in the long term, in maintaining 
flexibility and form while running, and during all your other daily 
activities, and in preventing injury.   Stretching *after* exercise 
helps just as much in this regard as stretching before, and poses less 
risk of injury.   For this reason, many coaches advocate stretching 
after workouts, when your muscles are already warmed up and the 
automatic stretch reflex is minimized.


You should never stretch a cold muscle.  If you want to stretch leg 
muscles before exercise, make sure you warm up first by running in 
place, easy calisthenics (like jumping jacks), or a brisk walk for 10- 
15 minutes.   Jumping jacks have the advantage of warming up your core 
and arms as well, if you want to stretch more than just your legs.


There are several different types of stretches, and we will review them 
in coming weeks.  Simplest of all is the so-called static-stretch, 
several of which I will demonstrate on Saturday after the workout.  When 
doing a static stretch, watch your form.  Make sure your non-stretched 
limbs and core are in the correct position.  Ease into the stretch, and 
stop the stretch short of the point of pain.   Keep a fluid motion, but 
don't bounce, or repeat a stretch quickly.   Ease into the stretch, hold 
it for 10 to 30 seconds, and then back out of it.


As you run more, and learn more, you will discover which stretches work 
particular muscles, tendons and ligaments.   In your post-run 
stretching, make sure you stretch a variety of different muscles in 
succession.   If you stretch only one muscle, it's neighbors may become 
  tight or sore, and your running may favor that muscle to the detriment 
of others.


Please remind me after this Saturday's run, and I will show you some of 
the basic static static stretches for runners.  In future weeks, we will 
review other types of stretching and warm-up routines.


If you want a more detailed plan of stretching for flexibility and 
strength, I recommend Coach Janet Hamilton's Book, "Running Strong and 
Injury Free" (2001, ISBN 0-9709611-0-3), available at many area running 
stores and, of course, online.



I hope to see everyone at Columbia Island Marina on Saturday!   If you
have any questions, please write back, or call me at 703-371-5171.


Till then, Happy Trails!


Coach John


John H. Steitz
RRCA Certified Running Coach
USATF Level 1 Certified Track and Field Coach
Arlington Cooperation Foundation
703-371-5171
http://www.marathoncharitypartners.org/walktorun/