Tackling PRs and Stress During the Holidays

No matter what difficulty this year has brought, the wintertime can still be enjoyable and end on a productive note. The change in lifestyle we’ve all had to deal with during 2020 has sure brought about an immense amount of stress for everyone. The change to a work-from-home situation seemed like a less stressful option, but in reality most of us loss a sense of structure to our days. It also has not been easy dealing with having to be socially distant from our families and friends, but hopefully knowing we are doing this for the good of their health makes it a bit of an easier choice.

Will We Ever Race Again?

That has been the question of the year for runners! It went from having our big spring races canceled to basically being without in-person races the entire year. It looks like the beginning of 2021 won’t be any different, so the near future planning of running goals is making most of us unmotivated to get in our training runs every day. During this season of the year, it will be most important to work on mental strength more than anything. It will take effort, but trying to put aside all of the stressors that we cannot control, is the key to getting back into the rhythm of taking care of our bodies. After all, exercise plays a pretty big role in stress management and immunity—a big focus with the current viral pandemic.

Since I’ve had a very long base building phase this year, I had a vision of using it to improve my endurance and work on weaknesses. Six months passed and I realized the anxiety of the life changes made me less focused on these goals. One of the most unwanted side effects of stress is lack of energy, and it was what was affecting me the most. Thankfully I turned to MitoQ and I’ve not only had optimal energy all day, but after taking a good amount of time off recently, my fitness has returned much quicker than ever before! I’m sleeping better and feel I can focus much more on my work without a problem.

MitoQ is a powerful antioxidant that works to limit the damage in our cells’ mitochondria—the powerhouse of the cells, and keeps them fired up for any activity. By doing this, it helps improve our stress levels, energy, sleep quality, digestion, immunity and reduce recovery times after hard workouts, since these are all jobs of the mitochondria. All it takes is two capsules in the morning before eating and you’ve got a productive day ahead of you!

Tips for Getting and Staying Healthy

Below are just a few of my go-to tactics when trying to remain focused and motivated to tackle my running and work goals. 

• Move every day for at least 20 minutes.

• Eat the rainbow! Keep a diet that has foods from every food group as many days as you can. But don’t deprive yourself—eating what we like every once in a while can be a stress-reliever!

• Incorporate supplements in your diet where you need them, and make sure they are supplements that have been clinically studied, such as MitoQ.

• Prioritize sleep and stress management: set aside time every day for yourself—to read, soak in the tub, or do some yoga.

• Don’t let what’s going on around you make you anxious—control what you can control and let the rest be!

Are you interested in beating stress, improving your fitness performance, and keeping your body healthy from the inside out? Click here to learn more about MitoQ’s benefits and how easy it is to feel your best all day with this powerful antioxidant!

Sponsored by MitoQ. All opinions are my own.

My End-of-Summer Training Update

How is the summer almost over?! Kids are going back to school, we are hearing about Halloween already, and pretty soon it will be cold and flu season (so guess what that means?!). I know I’m not the only one who feels a little lost with my training plan right now, so I’m going to write about it today. Of course I’ve had seasons where I don’t have races for 6 to 8 months so I get on a base building program and I’m just fine with that! This time around, though, with races NOT around the corner, base building feels a little different. I’m less motivated and, to be honest, find myself following a random style of training that has me feeling frustrated most of the time.

A couple of months ago I got into the attitude of believing there won’t even be racing next year, which was the wrong way to think because it only left me dragging every morning when it was time to run. I saw so many runners on Instagram keeping up with their Chicago, NYC and other marathon plans even though the races got canceled, so I felt I should have done the same. More recently I’ve switched my mindset into preparing for January’s Miami Marathon no matter what. If the race doesn’t happen, then oh well, at least I got into really good shape anyway!

What I’m Doing Now

I know I said my training style is “random” right now, but since I’m strict about having a schedule with everything I do, I still have a certain structure I follow. Months back I made it my goal to focus on my tempo runs, since it’s my biggest weakness, so I make sure that workout is on the schedule every week. I was running every day during the beginning of the pandemic, but then truly missed my Sundays of sleeping in and getting to do other things without having my run fall in the middle of the day. I call Sunday my lazy day! I now take Sundays off for the time being. Once I start increasing mileage closer to my race I may add a few miles on Sundays rather then adding them to other longer runs during the week.

Speed

Other than my tempo run, my running schedule is full of easy runs every day and an optional speed workout on Fridays. Lately I’ve been trying to focus on hill work, since it’s also a weakness of mine. For several weeks now, it gets put on the schedule on Fridays, and if I feel good and not too sore from previous workouts, then I go for it! I’ll be happy if I can get two hill workouts per month right now, so I’ll keep you all posted! I encourage runners to keep some sort of speed session on their plans even when they are just base building and are not necessarily training for a race. You don’t want your body to forget what fast running feels like! It not only will help maintain your current race paces, but it also burns more calories than steady miles, so it’s a great way to combat any weight gain you may experience in the off season.

Strength

If you have been following along through my running journey, you know I’m not the type of runner that JUST runs. My fitness-focused lifestyle started out way back in high school with weight lifting, so I have always been a fan of it. Even deep into marathon training, when most runners are barely doing much strength work, I still get my sessions in every week some way or another. I’m taking advantage whenever I can to get to the gym and lift heavy, which is what I love, but it’s been limited this year due to the pandemic and awful gym reservation systems I’ve had to deal with. I was really focused on my home workouts with very little equipment and learned how I am still able to stay in great shape, challenge my body, and get even stronger just with one medicine ball and some resistance bands! I aim for at least three strength sessions per week right now.

Marathon Training

Since I like to do a long(ish) training block for races, I will start my formal training on September 14th, to give myself a good 18 weeks of hard training and a two-week taper. Until then, which is only another three weeks, I’ll stick to my current mileage, around 60-65 miles per week, and keep practicing my tempo runs. I have a strong goal for myself to get to 60-minute tempo runs and actually feel somewhat comfortable with them. I’m at 30 minutes now and not feeling that great with it, so I have lots of work to do! Once my formal marathon training starts, I will go back to a more structured plan of one short, VO2 max speed session and one tempo session. The rest of my runs, as usual, will be easy and mileage will start increasing every week by 5 to 10%. I always take a “down” week every 4th or 5th week, where I cut my mileage by around 20% and prioritize recovery and sleep as much as I can. This is one reason why I like to plan a long training cycle for my races—I enjoy the high mileage but I increase gradually and schedule in those recovery weeks.

There’s no doubt 2020 has been stressful for most of us. Our work schedules have been all over the place, our travels and races have been canceled, and we feel limited with everything we do. As anxiety-driven these months have been, I’ve tried my best to remind myself that it is still possible to enjoy my days! I believe this time has taught us to be more grateful for everything outside of events and our nightlife—our health, planet, and boredom (something we forget to take advantage of this sometimes!). Since I can’t do anything about the situation right now, I’ve learned to enjoy what I AM ABLE to do, which is run, write, and inspire. Hopefully I can motivate you all to get up and MOVE as much as possible, so we can enter a brand new year feeling healthy and more energized for the better things to come once this situation is all under control!

Speed Training for Long Distance Runners

Running a fast marathon takes more than just logging a bunch of miles day in and day out. It requires a thought-out plan that includes a long run, shorter easier runs, and faster-paced runs or interval training. Of course, other non-running components are also fixed into the equation such as strength training, stretching, and drills that mainly help with injury prevention, overall strength improvement, and running mechanics. Most runners will incorporate tempo runs as their form of faster-paced workouts, which is crucial for building the endurance needed to hold that faster goal pace for several miles at once. The problem with only using this form of speed work for marathon and half marathon training is that it does little to help improve running economy.

What is Running Economy?

In simple terms, running economy is defined as the relationship between oxygen consumption and running speed. Oxygen consumption is measured by VO2 max, which is the maximum amount of volume of oxygen used during intense exercise. Although VO2 max is often used as a true predictor of fitness, it does not always predict someone’s ability to run a fast marathon. Running economy, on the other hand, is a better indicator of distance running performance because it takes several other factors into consideration. It considers the maximum amount of oxygen consumed at a specific constant speed. Therefore a marathoner who is able to hold a five minute per mile pace for 26.2 miles has a better running economy than a short distance runner able to hold the same pace for only 400 meters.

Why is all of this important? Well, for a marathoner trying to improve their overall pace with every race they compete in, it will require them to incorporate specific speed workouts to improve their running economy. This is even more important as we age since the first thing to deteriorate with age is speed. Rather than focusing on improving specific physiological systems in the body such as VO2 max and lactate threshold, speed development workouts will focus on improving neuromuscular responses. This means improving the speed at which your brain sends signals to your muscles to fire by relying on fast twitch muscle fibers—possibly ones barely used for most recreational marathoners. This type of training will eventually lead to running at your marathon goal pace for longer with less effort. That X-minute mile pace will finally feel doable!

Sample Speed Workouts

1. Run 20-24 x 200-meter repeats at 5k to 10k effort with a 200-meter jog in between. This workout should not feel taxing at all since you are not supposed to be pushing the 200-meter repeats at an all-out effort. The pace should be controlled and faster than marathon pace—about 30 seconds per mile faster. The 200-meter recovery jog should not be a significantly slower pace either—think slowing your pace down by 2 minutes per mile than you ran the hard 200 meters.

2. Run 12-16 x 400-meter repeats at 5k to 10k pace with a 200-meter jog in between repetitions.

3. Run 8-10 x 800-meter repeats at 5k to 10k pace with a 400-meter jog in between repetitions.

4. Run 6-8 x 1000-meter repeats at 5k to 10k pace with a 400- to 600-meter jog in between repetitions.

5. Run 6-8 x one mile beginning with the first mile at half marathon pace and cutting down 10-15 seconds per mile with each repeat. Recover for one mile in between each repetition.

Each of these workouts should always include two to three miles for a warm-up followed by some dynamic stretching and drills. Always finish speed work with a cool-down of one to two miles. A good idea is to switch up the speed sessions each week but always come back to each after a few weeks to check your improvements. Since you are always trying to run at 5k to 10k pace, what you will see improving is your effort. Over time the repeats at your 5k or 10k pace should feel easier. As mentioned this pace should equate to 20 to 30 seconds per mile faster than your marathon goal pace.

As you can see marathon training can include a variety of speed workouts to choose from, unlike 5k or 10k training where you mostly focus on the shorter sessions of 100- to 400-meter repeats. These workouts used to improve running economy are more beneficial to marathoners looking to improve their sustained pace for a race. Most runners obsess over their VO2 max improvements but studies have shown that VO2 max may not be as reliable as running economy when determining marathon ability. Research states that running economy may vary by up to 30% in runners with similar VO2 max values. If incorporating these types of speed sessions throughout your training cycle, you should be able to hold that goal pace with less effort throughout your race. Once you accomplish this, your next race will require you to drop to a new 5k to 10k pace for these speed sessions and on you go with more PRs!

Sources

Kyle R Barnes and Andrew E Kilding, Running Economy: Measurement, Norms, and Determining Factors, Journal, May 8, 2020.

VO2 Max: The What, Why, and How of the Misunderstood Fitness Score

When you are eager to enhance your training, skimming through online articles is the easiest way to get the most updated information for training plans, proper nutrition, and methods for coping with injuries. Once you start your research, you will not go too long without coming across the term “VO2 max”. There are several running-related terms that are learned that may seem foreign to us initially, but are pretty straight forward once explained. VO2 max is most definitely not one of them. It is a widely popular term used to measure how fit you are aerobically and most coaches and experienced runners will emphasize its importance. You may soon find yourself ecstatic when you see your VO2 max increase as per your Garmin watch, but not have a clue as to what it means.

 What is VO2 Max?

Specifically, VO2 max is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during exercise of increasing intensity. It is measured in milliliters of oxygen used per kilogram of bodyweight. At first it may be simple to understand just by reading its definition, but when trying to apply the term to your running routine or fitness, it all gets a bit foggy. Basically it is the amount of oxygen we can use during intense exercise. In general you want to be able to utilize the most oxygen you can during any workout, because oxygen is what allows you to continue exercising at a higher intensity level, such as while running a marathon at your goal pace. 

 With proper and consistent training, VO2 max should increase. Good training practices improve several physiological factors that play a role in the oxygen transport throughout the body. Stroke volume of the heart increases, which means more blood is pumped out with each heart beat, as is the size of mitochondria and capillaries, which are the transporters of the oxygen throughout the body and to the working muscles. These improvements in oxygenation in the body lead to increases in the VO2 max value. Essentially, if you are looking to get faster and last longer during running, your goal should be to improve these physiological mechanisms.

 What is a Normal Value?

A typical value for a sedentary adult ranges from 25 to 35 ml/kg/min, between 35 to 55 ml/kg/min for an active adult, and over 60 ml/kg/min for an elite athlete. All of these values can vary from workout to workout depending on the intensity of the training run. If you are trying out a harder than usual speed session, you may see your value drop, but as you continue performing that training run, it will eventually assist in increasing your VO2 max. Usually long distance runners such as marathoners will have a lower VO2 max than short distance runners. This is because the VO2 max testing, as well as the training to improve it, is done at a distance and speed that is much closer to a 5K intensity.

Improving VO2 Max

Beginner runners have it the easiest when it comes to improving their VO2 max, since simply logging more miles on a consistent basis will naturally raise their oxygen consumption ability. For more advanced runners, the process will require including speed work to your training plan. The key is to reach 95% of your VO2 max level for intervals of 2 to 6 minutes. Aiming for 4 to 8 intervals of 400 meters to 1200 meters works best, with a walk or jog recovery in between each. Faster runners can even use mile repeats, but anything more than 6-minute intervals will require too much time for recovery. Your VO2 max level is considered to be your threshold pace so it should feel significantly hard. 

 A Good Indicator of Health

Studies have shown that higher VO2 max values are favorable if you are looking for overall health benefits. It is a true indicator of fitness, which is solely based on cardiovascular functioning, versus physical looks—what most people will believe “being fit” consists of. Several research studies indicate that individuals with a higher VO2 max generally have lower blood pressure, less risk of stroke, obesity, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, and a longer life span. Of course, this all has to do with the fact that those who have a higher VO2 max partake in the required physical activity needed in order to reap overall health benefits. 

 It is beneficial to not base the entirety of your fitness gains on what your VO2 max value is, since it can be affected by several factors such as age, genetics, gender, temperature, body size, and altitude. Males will generally have higher values than females. A person with a larger body type will also have a higher VO2 max given that their heart and lungs are larger in size. Studies have shown that oxygen is more easily transported while exercising in warmer temperatures. It is important to note that the value given on the training devices is an estimate based on the heart rate and intensity of each workout. A true value can only be calculated while performing an activity such as running on a treadmill at maximal intensity with a mask on the face that measures the actual oxygen consumption.