Click Title Below To Read Articles:
	YOUR RECOVERY IN 28 DAYS: Post-Marathon Training ELIMINATE YOUR BACK PAIN FUELING FOR RESISTANCE: Top Ten Nutritional Strategies to Help Optimize Your Immune Function. ???ASK STEVE??? PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT DRUGS... SHOULD YOU BE TAKING THEM? ULTRA-MARATHONS. DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES? Marathon Training & The Boston Qualifier Are You Using the Same Strategy as the Pros???

YOUR RECOVERY IN 28 DAYS:
Post-Marathon Training
By Paul Greer, MS - Sept/Oct 2003

     Most runners don't consider the toll the marathon can take on their bodies both mentally and physically. Recovery doesn't just happen; strategies for a successful recovery require careful planning, particularly if you return to quality running soon after your race.

Week 1 Is Critical
Over the years, I've developed an ideal 28-day marathon recovery plan that will get you in great shape within the month. During the first week of marathon recovery, I suggest you stop running completely, which allows your damaged muscle cells to regenerate. Researchers have shown that no running at all for the week following a marathon will improve both muscle strength and endurance. Since running a marathon depletes your body's energy stores as well as causes some muscle tissue damage, resting from training will help your body to rebuild.
     Most coaches agree that while rest is good, total inactivity is not. I agree, and recommend that you should engage in "Active Recovery". To help get rid of muscle waste, spin lightly on a stationary bike for 30 minutes or walk slowly for a short distance in the days immediately following the race. Give yourself at least one week to really recover by doing these types of light aerobic workouts, which will improve your circulation and flexibility. During this first week, you should also replenish carbohydrates and drink several 8-once glasses of water daily.

Back to Running in Week 2
During week two, build back to easy running. Begin by running very easily (20-30 minutes) on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of that week. If you ran the marathon on a Sunday, you should do a tempo run 10 days later, on Wednesday. A tempo run will boost your fitness, but it won't further stress your still-tired muscles the way an interval workout would. The tempo run workout consists of warming up slowly for 10 minutes, then running for 20 minutes at a pace 20 seconds faster than your marathon speed, followed with a 10-minute cool-down. Repeat the tempo workout on the 14th day after the marathon. Mileage during the second week should be 25% of your usual marathon-training mileage. Don't be afraid to take days off completely.

Add Some Speed in Weeks 3 & 4

In week three, begin upgrading your aerobic capacity by running some long intervals.   On Tuesday, do a workout on the track or trails of 3x 1200m repeats at 45 seconds per mile faster than your marathon pace.   On Friday, do 3x 1-mile intervals at the same tempo.   For both of these interval workouts, jog five minutes between each interval.   Run 30-40 minutes on the other days.   Week three mileage should be 35% of usual.

            During week four, you should begin restoring some of the foot speed you may have lost during your marathon build-up.   On Monday and Thursday, run 10x 200m intervals on the track, trails or road at a pace somewhat faster than your 5K race pace.   Jog three minutes between each interval and remember to warm up and cool down thoroughly.   Concentrate on staying relaxed and holding your form.   During the other days of this week, you should run easily for 40-50 minutes.

Additional Ways to Speed Your Recovery
Here are a few additional strategies you can include in your regimen to improve recovery following the marathon.

1. Don't sit as soon as you finish the race.   Keep walking to avoid cramping.   Your leg muscles need blood pumping through them; otherwise, your legs will become very stiff and sore.
   
2. Start rebuilding glycogen stores immediately after the race by taking in foods high in carbohydrates.   Consume 12-16 calories of carbohydrates per pound of body weight per day.   Also try to eat foods high in antioxidants to help repair the tissue damage that takes place during the marathon. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of antioxidants.
   
3. Immediately after the marathon, take in as much sports drinks as you can.   The electrolytes in sports drinks replenish your potassium and sodium stores for normal cell and nerve function.   Make sure you're drinking enough water in the days that follow. (You'll know you're drinking enough if your urine is clear or pale yellow).
   
4. Don't neglect flexibility and mobility.   Stretching helps work out the waste products that accumulate in your muscles during the marathon, so stretch daily for at least 20 minutes during your post-marathon recovery period.   Massage therapy also helps with waste removal, especially within 48 hours after the race.   A post-marathon massage promotes muscular relaxation and improved circulation.   Both aid in the recovery of muscle tissue.   I suggest you plan ahead and make an appointment with a massage therapist for the next day or two following your marathon.
   
5. Rest is as important AFTER the race as it is before, so try to get a good night's sleep the night after the marathon.   An extra hour of sleep per night for a few days post marathon will definitely help your recovery.
   
6. Soaking your feet in Epsom salts and water will keep the bruised toenails or blisters that formed during the race from getting infected, and will promote healing.
   
7. Studies have shown that there's a high risk of catching a cold during the first week following a marathon.   To avoid developing a cold or any type of upper respiratory condition, eat a balanced diet that's high in vitamin C, sleep well and try to minimize stress.

Avoid Depression
Throughout my years of coaching athletes, I've observed that there are always a few runners who suffer from post-marathon depression.   To avoid falling victim to depression, try:

1. Setting new running goals for yourself.   Concentrate on shorter distances in the months following your marathon.   For example, go from the marathon to running 5Ks.
   
2. Join a running club. Particularly if you've always run on your own, the change in your routine will help add interest to your workouts, and will add a social aspect to your runs.
   
3. Focusing on cross-training in the months following the marathon.   Aerobic activities such as swimming and biking will help rejuvenate your body and mind after the rigors of marathon training.
   
4. Setting an important non-running goal for after the marathon.   For example, plan a trip to an exotic location.   Having something to look forward to after the marathon will create the same kind of excitement as running the race.

Since you'll probably start planning for your next marathon within a few weeks, it's critical that you follow a sensible and careful marathon recovery plan.   You do plan to run the next one faster, don't you?

ELIMINATE YOUR BACK PAIN
By Michael Yessis, PhD - Sept/Oct 2003

Why Do You Get Back Pain
There are two main reasons why back pain is so prevalent, especially among runners. The first is improper technique. The second is a lack of physical ability (mainly strength) to withstand the forces involved in running, and to run more efficiently. In regard to technique, most runners develop back problems because they have poor posture while running, and/or they land heel first with every foot-strike.
     Poor running posture includes having a rounded spine or leaning forward with the head and shoulders. This places your center of gravity in front of your body, which creates additional stress on the lower back muscles to maintain an upright position. In time, the muscles fatigue and cant counter the forces generated during the run. The situation is compounded if you also land heel first, greatly increasing the forces on the lower back.
     When you land heel first, your foot lands in front of your body, which creates braking forces that impede your forward progress. When repeated over long distances, the muscles give in to the forces encountered-overloading occurs. The overloading can develop anywhere, including the muscles of the lower leg (ankle and knee), hip, and lower back.

The Importance of Muscle Strength & Good Posture
If your muscle strength is only adequate for a certain distance or to handle a certain amount of force, once you exceed its limits you'll experience an injury. This is why some runners continually break down and develop injuries, especially to the lower back. The keys to injury prevention are improving both your running technique, and your physical abilities that are specific to running.
     It's also important that you don't overstretch your lower back in other activities, especially when you stand and sit. Unfortunately, were not taught in school how to stand, sit, walk, run or breathe properly. It seems everyone takes these actions for granted and because of this, we develop poor habits. Poor posture eventually causes the spine to curve unnaturally, causing the nerve endings to become pinched, shish creates lower back pain.
This problem is complicated by the fact that many runners who suffer bad backs have occupations that emphasize excessive sitting. When you sit for long periods of time, especially in soft chairs, the spine…

Treating and Preventing Back Pain
Exercise that improves technique and develops both strength and flexibility in the spine and spinal musculature is the primary method used in the treatment and prevention of back problems. You must develop a muscular corset around the midsection that will hold the spine in its normal anatomical, safe position.
     Spinal flexibility and strength are needed to keep the vertebrae apart so that the discs and nerves don't become compressed. Keep in mind that discs are living entities and require nourishment. This nourishment is possible only if the vertebrae are kept apart by full discs and the blood circulation to them is unimpeded. To get increased blood circulation, you must exercise for flexibility and strength. There are five stretches that I highly recommend to maintain or improve spinal flexibility. They are…

Strengthening the Muscles
Foremost in treating and preventing back injuries is performing exercises to strengthen the lower back musculature. This includes mainly the erector spinae, a long muscle running the entire length of your spine that holds you erect, and the quadratus lumborum, located in the lumbar area on both sides of the spine that is used in all side bending actions. To strengthen these muscles the following exercises are recommended…

FUELING FOR RESISTANCE:
Top Ten Nutritional Strategies to Help Optimize Your Immune Function.
By Kim Brown MS, RD - Mar/Apr 2003

The Immune System: A Quick Overview
       In order to maintain your health and perform your best throughout the duration of a season, it's essential that you properly nourish your immune system. Your immune system only has a few lines of defense, so you better take care of them. The first is your skin and mucous membranes, which defend against invading bacteria and viruses. This is also known as humoral immunity. Without proper care, including an inadequate supply of essential nutrients provided by a well b balanced diet, skin pores and mucous membranes can become enlarged, allowing disease-causing bacteria and viruses to easily enter the body, at which point your second line of defense, cellular immunity, kicks in. In order to fight off the bacteria and viruses that enter the body, some 10 million proteins called antibodies are produced each hour to help tag any pathogen, whether a virus, fungus, or cancer-prone cell, for destruction. White blood cells, also known as lymphocytes, are the main fighters within the cellular army and include B-cells and T-cells. B-cells, along with Helper T-cells, are responsible for producing and releasing the antibodies that identify the pathogen, while Killer T-cells make the deadly substances that actually destroy the pathogen. Suppressor T-cells help keep the immune system working efficiently, yet research has found that vigorous endurance exercise, such as marathon running, when combined with poor dietary habits actually compromises T-cell activity, allowing the pathogen to beat the cellular army and cause infection.
Fortunately, following proper nutritional strategies both at rest and during training will help keep your immune function running at peak. Below are ten nutritional strategies to help keep you running strong all season long.

10. Add Some Color to Your Diet
       Every meal plate should contain foods providing plenty of color, especially fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables, particularly those with a deep hue, are loaded with antioxidants, which help protect our immune cells from harmful oxygen molecules called free radicals. Studies have found that individuals consuming a diet rich in antioxidants that includes at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, are able to produce more natural killer cells and virus-killing lymphocytes (which help reduce the incidence of infection by 50% each year), compared to those folks not so keen on color. Often the color of a fruit or vegetable will indicate what immune-enhancing nutrient is prevalent in the plant.

9. E-lectrify Your Diet
       Vitamin E, which is found naturally in almonds, wheat germ, avocados, whole grains, and vegetable oils, enhances the production of B-cells and stimulates the production of natural killer cells, helping to tackle everything from bacteria and viruses to cancer cells. Supplementation with vitamin E may also reverse some of the decline in immune response commonly seen in aging. Several studies have found that the recommended daily value for vitamin E, 30 IU, is rarely obtained from diet alone. Furthermore, higher doses of 100-400 IU seem to trigger a greater immune response.

8. Strengthen the Flavor of Your Next Meal with Garlic & Onion
       Garlic and onion contain the common compound allyl sulfide, which has been shown to increase levels of infection-fighting white blood cells, boost natural killer cell activity, and enhance the efficiency of antibody production. Many doctors recommend including one raw or cooked clove of garlic and one medium onion each day to help enhance immune function. Just remember to take that breath mint after the flavorful meal!

7. Boost Your Zinc Intake
       One of the most common nutritional deficiencies present among American adults, especially vegetarians, is zinc, which is unfortunate for the immune system. Zinc not only increases the production of white blood cells, which help recognize and destroy invading bacteria and viruses, it also helps enhance killer cell activity, reducing the risk of cancer and other infection. Zinc is found extensively in beef products; a mere 3-ounce serving of roast beef contains 30% of the Daily Value for zinc. For vegetarians and non-beef eaters, zinc can also be found in oysters, fortified cereals, crab, turkey, pork, yogurt, and beans. A moderate daily intake of zinc (15-25 mg) seems to be adequate to maintain optimal immune function.

6. Don't Overdo Fat
       An excessive intake of fat (>30% of total calorie intake), especially when derived primarily form such animal foods as beef, poultry (skin), butter, and whole milk, increases the production of harmful free radicals, which can diminish lymphocyte production and consequently increase risk for infection. On the flipside, a low-fat diet that focuses on inclusion of such plant fats as nuts, seeds, avocados, flaxseed, and olives as well as healthy fish oils helps to stimulate lymphocyte production and reduce risk for infection.

5.When Training >90 Minutes, Consume Carbohydrates, Both During and After the Activity
       Runners engaged in prolonged, intense activity seem to be at heightened risk for development of upper respiratory tract infections during the 2 hours immediately following the activity. The immune suppression seen in runners may be attributed to elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol and a corresponding drop in lymphocyte production and T-cell activity seen after completion of hard training. Dr. David C. Nieman, exercise physiologist, has conducted much of the research looking at immune function in runners and has discovered that carbohydrate supplementation both during and immediately after intense, prolonged exercise helps reduce cortisol levels and maintain lymphocyte production, thereby helping prevent infection.
       Runners training longer than 90 minutes should aim at consuming ½ gram of carbohydrate per pound of body weight for each hour beyond the 90 minute mark of a run. For example, a 120-pound female runner should consume approximately 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, which may be fulfilled by consuming an energy gel packet washed down with a sports drink every 30 minutes. Similarly, runners should consume approximately half their body weight in carbohydrate grams within 30 minutes of completion of any prolonged or intense training bout. For example, a 180-pound male runner should consume approximately 90 grams of carbohydrate, which would be equivalent to a large (4-ounce) bagel and a banana.

4. Don't Shy away from Fungus
       Mushrooms, especially shitake and maitake mushrooms, seem to increase the production and activity of white blood cells, allowing them to aggressively destroy pathogens. Most researchers have discovered this immune enhancing effect with a mere ½ cup serving. So at your next carbo-loading pasta meal, be sure to prepare your sauce with extra mushrooms!

3. Keep Your Blood Sugars Stable by Eating Small, Mixed Meals Every 3-4 hrs
Individuals whose blood sugars ride a yo-yo rollercoaster on a daily basis due to erratic eating patterns and food restriction are at heightened risk for infection due to suppression of immune activity. To prevent low blood sugar, aim at eating small meals consisting of carbohydrate and protein every 3-4 hours. Sample snacks / meals include low-fat granola (carbohydrate) with yogurt (protein), whole grain toast (carbohydrate) spread with almond butter (protein), rice (carbohydrate) and beans (protein), and pineapple chunks (carbohydrate) blended with low fat cottage cheese (protein).

2. Add Some "Culture" to Your Diet
       Consuming yogurt products that contain active cultures called probiotics seems to increase the amount of friendly bacteria that line the intestinal wall, helping to fight off germs that would otherwise enter and cause infection. In fact, several studies have found that daily consumption of a mere cup of yogurt containing "live and active cultures" helps to reduce the incidence of the common cold throughout the year. A higher dose (2 cups) of yogurt seems to further protect the body against viruses. The same benefits can be obtained by drinking a fermented milk drink called kefir. When possible, try to buy yogurt that is less than a week old to ensure reaping the most benefit from the active cultures.

1. Stay Hydrated
       Hydration is not only important for peak muscle function but also for protection against infection. Drinking half your body weight (in pounds) in fluid ounces on a daily basis will help wash away bacteria before they cause infection. For additional immune-enhancing benefits, include cranberry juice as part of your daily fluid intake. Cranberries are rich in flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants that help boost immune function.

Kim Brown, MS, RD is a registered sports nutritionist and competitive endurance athlete who provides nutritional counseling and meal planning to athletes around the world.

???ASK STEVE???

Steve Scott, head track and cross-country coach at Cal State San Marcos in San Marcos, California, is one of the most prolific milers of all time. In fact, he has run 136 sub-4 minute miles, more than anyone in the world. He has run eight sub 3:50 miles. His achievements include: ranked 11 times in the top 10 in the world at 1500m; #1 in the US for the 1500m from 1977 to 1988; Olympic 1500m team member in 1980, 1984, &1988; 5th in the 1500m in the 1988 Olympics, and 10th in the 1500m in the 1984 Olympics. His PRs at other distances are: 5K - 13:30; 10K - 28:25; 5 Mile - 22:57; 10 Mile - 48:05; and Marathon - 2:32:32.

Q:
What advice do you have for a 45-year-old male road racer who'd like to increase his speed at shorter distances? My training has been geared toward 5K to half-marathon, with my best performances coming at the longer distances. I'd still like to pop a decent mile or 3K though. (I'm running low 17s for 5K.) My staple workouts include long runs of up to 18 miles, medium length runs with 20 minutes at tempo pace, and long intervals such as 5x 1200m at 5K race pace. My weekly mileage peaks at around 60-70, running 5 or 6 days a week, then drops as I add in the tempo runs and finally the long intervals.

A:
I'm right there with you, brother! As we age it seems like the longer the race, the better we do. When we reach 35-38, we start to see a real drop-off in our speed and the ability to maintain that speed. Looking back at the lactate training charts in the book Run with the Best, if you can run in the low 17s for 5K, you should be able to run a sub 5-minute mile, and a sub-10 minute-3K. You should also be able to run a 61 for 400m. If these times seem "out there" then speed work is what you need; however, if these times seem reasonable or you've already accomplished them, then strength work is the answer. Regardless, to run a faster mile or 3K, you also need to run intervals at your desired goal pace. This process can take a while; you can't just go out to the track and do one interval session and expect to see results. It can take several weeks for the training to take effect. Start with date pace, meaning the pace you can run the interval on that date, make it through the workout, then move down to goal pace. My favorite training interval for the mile is repeat 600s, and 1000s for the 3K. If you need to improve your raw speed, do a sprint workout once a week. I prefer 10x 100m with a 3-minute rest, running them at 400 date pace. If it's strength you need, increase the distance of your tempo/lactate threshold runs. With your long run and total mileage, you can run up to 50 minutes. Just be careful when you increase your workout speed - the faster you run, the more stress you put on your muscles and bones. Make sure you stretch well after workouts and feed your muscles with more than just water. Take in carbohydrates before the workout, and protein after. Keep up the great work, and I hope to see you on the starting line someday!

Q:
My daughter is 17 and a junior at a private school. She competes in the 100m, 200m and 400m sprints. She trains essentially year-round, participating in the winter indoor season, fall outdoor season and summer USA Track & Field. The school has had problems with the track surface where she and her teammates train and compete. Last Year the rubberized surface "bubbled up" dramatically, and was temporarily "nailed" back to the asphalt. Plans were made to resurface the track this past summer. However, engineers advised that the foundation or base of the track had to be replaced, and that simply resurfacing the track wouldn't solve the problem. The school reported that they didn't have the money to renovate the track. As a result, they've elected to not resurface the track at all, and thus, the athletes will be forced to run on an uncovered asphalt surface. It's my understanding that the hard surface will cause impact-related injuries, and can cause permanent damage to ligaments, tendons and cartilage. Additionally, we're interested in how or if injuries of this nature can be mitigated if athletes have to train and compete on this type of surface.

A:
I spent one year as the track coach for a local high school. The school has the hardest track I've ever seen; it's a dirt track, but when it rains it turns to concrete! Within the first two weeks of the track season, we had a dozen athletes complaining of shin splints, and three others with stress fractures. I'm confident that you don't need documented research to conclude that hard surfaces aren't good to train on every day. As you said, training on hard surfaces puts tremendous pressure on a young person's ligaments, tendons and cartilage (or those of any runner, for that matter). These injuries can be avoided by minimizing the amount of training that's done on the track. Ideal training for a sprinter can be done on a grass field, a dirt trail, a sand hill or the weight room. The athletes should keep the training done on the track to a minimum, maybe one day a week, unless they're just doing starts. With your daughter running track literally year-round, it's even more important for her to find alternate training surfaces. She has a great running future ahead of her, but overuse injuries at this age can prematurely put an end to her career.

Q:
My daughter is 12 and has been running competitively for a few years in cross-country, track and a few road races. She doesn't train more than 15 miles a week, and generally only trains from September to the beginning of December, then again March through the middle of July. She plays tennis and swims, but as she has grown older, running appears to be more and more what suits her physically and mentally. Her times are 2:46 for the 800m, 5:34 for the 1500m, 11:40 for the 3000m, 20:02 for the 5K (road), and 34:07 for the 5-mile (road). As you can see from her times, she's much stronger at the longer distances. She's great at pacing and using surges in races, skills she has developed to overcome relative weaknesses in her leg speed. What's the best way to increase her quickness? I know this aspect shouldn't be ignored, but she gets frustrated working short distances. Any good tips?

A:
You're right, your daughter gets stronger as the distance gets longer. (When she gets to be a high school senior, I want to talk to her about running for me!) You're also right about the importance of developing speed at an early age. The reason that your daughter gets frustrated working short distances is because she knows that she has no speed and can't compete with those who do. But she shouldn't be discouraged; anyone can increase his or her speed - all it takes is time and effort! She can increase her speed by working on flexibility, form and training. By improving her stride length and stride rate, she'll increase her speed. Being more flexible will also help her to increase stride length, and doing form drills and training will give her the strength to sustain the new stride length without over-striding. Your daughter should spend 15-20 minutes working on her flexibility after she works out. She should concentrate on the hamstrings, calves, hip flexors, quads and gluteus. By doing speed drills she'll dramatically improve her form. Speed drills are exercises that work each facet of the running motion individually. You can find some good instructional tapes in the back of Track and Field News; Loren Seagraves' video is probably the best. The last thing I would recommend is that, during the season, your daughter should run one speed development workout a week. My favorite is 10x 100m with a 3-minute recovery at 400m date pace, date pace being what she's capable of running the 400m at that date. If she wants to do this workout year-round, it would be even better. The time to develop speed is when you're young - before bad habits are developed and while the muscles are still developing. Tell your daughter that she has a bright future in running, and she should continue to have fun!

PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT DRUGS...
SHOULD YOU BE TAKING THEM?
By Lance Tarr

Defining Ergogenic (Performance Enhancement) Aids:

Technically speaking, an assortment of definitions exists for ergogenic aids.   Wilmore and Costill offered, "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance."   Fox, Bowers, and Foss state, "An ergogenic aid, simply defined, is any substance, process, or procedure which may, or is perceived to, enhance performance through improved strength, speed, response time, or endurance of an athlete."   Williams writes, "Scientific literature refers to substances that athletes use to help enhance performance as ergogenic aids, or sports ergogenics."   And finally, no talk of ergogenics would be complete without reference to the "placebo effect."   Wilmore and Costill defined it as "The phenomenon by which your expectations of a substance determines your body's response to it."  

The history of ergogenic use dates to the ancient Olympics where stories of warriors eating a lion's heart for courage, or deer liver for speed have been reported.   More recent history illustrates the health risks associated with the use of ergogenic aids as in the cases of Knut Jensen (cyclist in the 1960 Olympics) and Tommy Simpson (cyclist in the 1967 Tour de France) who both died secondary to amphetamine use during their respective competitions.

Some of the most popularly used ergogenics are anabolic steroids, growth hormone, creatine, erythropoietin (EPO), glycerol, and blood-boosting; the three former being primarily utilized by the strength / power athlete, while the three latter have been applied in enhancing performance of the endurance athlete.   Needless to say, the list of things we inject, inhale, ingest and absorb as well as wear, use and apply in the hope of gaining some competitive edge, slowing the aging process, or feeding the vanities that sometimes plague us all, athlete or not, is long and varied.

In addition to the aforementioned, some specifically used aids are amphetamines, beta 2 agonists, CoQ10, caffeine, ephedrine, DHEA, bicarbonate, antioxidants, vitamins, diet manipulation, ginseng, oxygen, androstenedione, glucosamine, chondrotin sulfate, nicotine, diuretics, hormones, and amino acids, altitude training, hyperbaric chambers, CO2 re-breathers, and carbon-fiber / titanium equipment (golf clubs, fishing rods, bicycles, etc.   Granted, these are more ergonomic than ergogenic, but they do aid in performance enhancement, which fits the definition of ergogenic aids.)   The list is exhaustive.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) all name specific ergogenic aids, which are banned for use by competing athletes.   The IOC developed their list in 1967 - just prior to the 1968 Olympics - due, in part, to the widespread use of anabolic steroids in the 1964 Olympics.   The USOC has a program much like the IOC's.   The NCAA began testing in 1986.   As the use and testing for ergogenic aids evolved, some substances were deleted while those in vogue were added.   (To view a list of banned substances by any of those sports governing bodies, please go to their respective websites).

Each of the following categories of ergogenic aids with their respective banned substances are examples of "help" that's not acceptable by the IOC, USOC, and the NCAA.   This list represents only some of the more common aids.

Stimulants: Amphetamines, Ephedrine, and Caffeine (dose limited)

Beta 2 Agonists: Clenbuterol, Salbutamol, Albuterol, Salmeterol (the last three may be used as an inhaler for asthma).

Anabolic / Androgenic:   Testosterone, Nandrolone, Adrostenedione, DHEA Diuretics

Hormones: Growth hormone, Erythropoietin, Insulin

Processes: Blood doping (AKA blood-boosting)

Narcotics:   Morphine (banned by the NCAA, but not the IOC)

Corticosteroids: oral / systemic are banned, while topical, local injection, or intraarticular are not banned.

It's worth noting that many of the banned substances are also found in over-the-counter (OTC) and legally prescribed medicines.   This has undoubtedly caused unwitting competitors duress when learning that they've tested positive for a banned ergogenic aid, but know they didn't consciously partake of an illegal performance enhancer.   Indeed, there's a specific instance of one Olympic gold medal winner being disqualified secondary to just such a situation.

COMPONETS OF COMPETITION

There are primary components of athletic endeavors that relate to fitness and performance.   Fitness-related components are cardiovascular-respiratory, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body composition.   Performance-related components are speed, agility, balance, power, coordination, and reaction time.   In addition, an athlete's psychological state and ability to recover from training or injury figure hugely into how competitive he or she will be on any given day.

By common thread, the higher the level of competition, the more likely some ergogenic aid is being used to enhance these parameters.   Likewise, the more success athletes have at their chosen sport(s), the more likely they are to supplement with ergogenics.   Opinions from roundtable literature on ergogenics also suggest that elite athletes participating in individual sports (vs. those in team sports) may be more likely to supplement based on lack of teammate support and influence.

Suffice it is to say that athletes at a national to world class level are far more likely to use ergogenic aids as a way of gaining an edge. However, it's doubtful that even the most challenged but dedicated local athlete hasn't tried a supplement, technique, or process at one time or another in order to enhance his / her performance in the competitive arena.  

EFFICACY, SAFETY & LEGALITY

Following are examples of a few ergogenic aids that are applicable to endurance sport.

1. Blood Doping

Also referred to as "blood boosting," it's a technique used to increase the number of red blood cells (RBCs) which also increases the amount of hemoglobin (the oxygen carrying protein found on RBCs).   This, in turn, increases both aerobic capacity and aerobic power.   There are several ways to increase the number of RBCs, such as blood transfusion (autologous or homologous), use of recombinant human hormone erythropoietin (EPO), or altitude training (endurance training at elevations over 5,000 feet above sea level.)

DOES IT WORK? Yes!!!   In addition to improving one's ability to run, bike, swim, etc. at faster speeds and for longer durations at those speeds, it also seems to enhance performance in the heat, especially in athletes who are already acclimatized.

IS IT SAFE?   Let's just say it's risky.   Transfusion Risks involve reactions from either autologous (one's own blood) or homologous (someone else's blood), which can occur due to mishandling of blood or clerical errors.   Thickening of the blood (hyperviscosity) can occur with EPO use as well as with transfusions.   This can lead to thrombosis (blood clotting) with inherent risk of stroke, vascular sludging, and myocardial arterial occlusion.   A significant increase in blood pressure can also occur.   In addition, decreases in lymphocyte count have occurred suggesting that EPO may have an effect on regulation of cells affecting the immune system function.

IS IT LEGAL?   No!! Blood doping is currently banned by most sports governing bodies.   Autologous infusion is a bit harder to detect than homologous, and EPO use can be detected only for a few days post administration.

2. SODIUM BICARBONATE

This compound is found naturally in the body and acts as a buffering agent for lactic acid when lactate levels rise due to high-intensity exercise.

DOES IT WORK? Probably.   It's been the topic of research on many occasions and appears to be effective in improving performance in 400m, 800m, and 1500m runs.

IS IT SAFE?   Only in moderation.   Excessive doses can lead to alkalosis.   It appears safe at the doses necessary to produce ergogenic effect, with the primary side effects being GI distress and diarrhea.   These symptoms may well offset the ergogenic effect as well.

IS IT LEGAL? Yes. Sodium bicarbonate is currently not a banned substance.

3. CAFFEINE

Caffeine is a xanthine which acts as a central nervous system stimulant.   It's been described as a strong stimulant (though not as strong as amphetamine) and a weak to moderate diuretic.   It's found in food products such as coffee, tea, chocolate, and soda.   It can also be found in over-the-counter drugs such as Vivarin and No-Doze.   It's been used by both power and endurance athletes for its ergogenic properties.

DOES IT WORK? Depends on who you ask.   Studies are conflicting at present; however, caffeine does seem to provide performance enhancement for both prolonged activity and shorter intense efforts.   The effect may be minimized in those who are habituated or training / racing in hot humid environments.

IS IT SAFE? Depends on dosage.   In doses of 5-8 mg / kg of body weight, caffeine is deemed safe while producing little side effects. Higher doses (>10mg/kg) may induce seizures, cardiac tachycardia or arrhythmia, and even death.

IS IT LEGAL?   Yes & No.   At normal doses it's not banned.   Ingestion of approximately 7mg/kg produces urinary levels very close to the limit for the IOC (12 um/ml).   The NCAA levels are a bit more lenient at 15 um/ml.   Seven ml/kg is roughly 2 cups of coffee.   {For more info on caffeine, refer to Suzanne Eberle's article in the July/August 2003 issue.}

4. GLYCEROL

Glycerol is a compound that occurs naturally in the body (i.e., triglycerides, etc.).   When it's ingested with water, it allows the body to store even more water than it would normally.   Consequently, a state of 'hyperhydration' is attained which translates into a delay of dehydration during prolonged efforts.

DOES IT WORK? Maybe.   Some studies have shown as much as a 20% increase in performance, while others have shown no difference in hyperhydration with water vs. hyperhydration with glycerol.

IS IT SAFE? Glycerol is used by the medical community to decrease swelling in the brain and eyes due to fluid buildup.   Therefore, glycerol use may present a risk for dehydration in those areas in healthy individuals.   In addition, those with any renal disease or limitations should avoid its use.

IS IT LEGAL?   Yes. Glycerol isn't banned by the NCAA or the IOC.

ETHICS:

What is fair?   What isn't?   Is it fair that one endurance athlete grew up at altitude, lives and trains there, while others need to uproot and move to that environment?   Is it fair for a professional golfer to use a golf cart secondary to a physical condition that prevents him from walking the course?   No easy answers here.   Personally, I wonder where sportsmanship has gone.   We've all seen rare glimpses of it at the world class level when Lance Armstrong waited for Jan Ulrich after he crashed during the 2002 Tour de France.   And we saw it again in this year's competition when Ulrich waited for Armstrong when Armstrong went down.

A few years ago I had the good fortune of running the final few miles of the Ogden 20K Classic (then the Big Boy Classic) with running legend Bill Rodgers (I'm not that good; Bill was just coming off an Achilles injury.) As we approached the finish line, I slowed and asked Bill to please go ahead.   Personally, I couldn't have imagined trying to sprint ahead of a man who exemplifies such sportsmanship and good will.

It's my opinion that hard work, good nutrition, consistent discipline, sound training programs and recovery phases are all the ergogenics needed.   The basis for competitive sport should be taught to our children not as "win at any and all cost" but instead: "work hard, train smart, recover well, eat right, and above all, enjoy what you're doing."   That doesn't mean "don't be focused or dedicated;" it only means that competitive sport is a gift that shouldn't be abused or distorted.

Far too many scientists and athletes express the view that if it's safe and legal, why not use it?   I hesitate to agree, only because I've competed at individual sports all my life and I've found that the simplicity of just you and the sport is where the beauty lies.   Particularly in running, nothing could be simpler - you could run naked if necessary!   You can run in place, on a treadmill, on a track, or down the road - the simplicity and naturalness is beautiful.   Why would anyone ever want to complicate the sport by ingesting, inhaling, applying, and / or absorbing something to go faster unnaturally?

LANCE TARR is a licensed physical therapist, an exercise physiologist, and a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.   He has experience in sports medicine, orthopedic and cardiac rehabilitation, industrial medicine/work hardening, and diabetes education/exercise issues.   A runner for more than 30 years, he enjoys cycling and swimming as well.   He has coached competitively, and stays fit with an emphasis on balance of mind, body and spirit.

ULTRA-MARATHONS.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?
By Neil L. Cook, BS, MS, Med

Marathons are the "ultimate" goal for many runners.   But there's a core group of runners that believe the marathon isn't long enough; not enough of a challenge.   They feel the need to go longer, sometimes A LOT LONGER! These are different runners, not your average 10 K weekend racer.   And although they are fiercely competitive, the camaraderie of ultra-marathoners is legendary.   The support for fellow runners during an ultra extends further than any other running event.

WHAT IS AN ULTRA MARATHON?

A marathon is 26 miles 385 yards long.   An ultra-marathon is any event longer.   Typically, 30 miles, 50 miles, and 100 miles.   There are other distances, but those are the most popular.   There are also timed events: 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and even multi day-races.   Some are run on roads, some on trails, and some (mainly timed events) on a track.

WHY DO AN ULTRA-MARATHON?

For some it's the challenge of going even longer.   For others it's the challenge discovering personal limits, then breaking them.   And others have mastered the marathon and need bigger more challenging events.

Whatever your reason for embarking on this grueling challenge...you're certain to learn two things about yourself: #1) Your level of commitment to running, and #2) Your personal limits...both mental and physical.

How to Train for an Ultra-Marathon

Just about anyone can finish a marathon.   Finishing an ultra-marathon isn't as certain.   Besides the planning, training and commitment, you must be physically and mentally strong enough to complete both the training and the race itself.   You'll also need to adapt to the concept of taking in nutrition while training and during the race.   Simple energy gels and electrolyte replacement drinks won't cut it when you're running for 5-24 or more hours.

Before you begin training for an ultra, you need to have at least 3 consistent years of running experience.   You should also have completed at least 3 marathons.   Your marathon finishing times aren't important.

Next, select a race and set a personal goal.   Your goal may be just finishing the distance, completing the distance within a certain time, or racing to finish in the top ten. Unless you're a very experienced marathoner, your goal should be just to finish.

Give yourself about a year to prepare.   If you've been running marathons regularly, you can prepare in less time - say 6 months.   But it's always better to allow more time.   You never know when an ankle will sprain, work will be calling, or your family needs a little extra attention.   These are normal training disruptions that people usually don't factor into their training.   Generally, training for an ultra-marathon is similar to marathon training; however, both your long run and total weekly mileage increase.  

There are 5 physiological phases to training: BASE BUILDING, STRENGTH BUILDING, SPEED BUILDING, TAPER/RACE AND RECOVERY.   From your race date, work backwards to allow 2-3 weeks to taper prior to your race.   Speed Building is 6-8 weeks.   But, if you're attempting your first ultra, or you're doing an ultra just to finish and not for time or place, this phase can be eliminated - adding half the time to the Base Building and half to the Strength Building phases.   The Strength Building phase is 8 weeks.   Make the Base Building phase as long as possible.  

BASE BUILDING PHASE

During Base Building you develop cardiovascular and pulmonary function.   This phase focuses on improving your ability to transport oxygen.   The workouts during this phase are characterized by increasing the amount of time / distance you're running.   Gradually increase your weekly mileage, and increase the distance of your long run.   This phase should be the longest of your training.   It should last at least 12 weeks and possibly up to 16 weeks.

The Base Building phase is all about building aerobic fitness.   Run the same weekly mileage for at least 2 weeks before increasing your mileage.   Only advanced runners should do a long run every week.   All others should do one long run every 2 or 3 weeks.

You shouldn't race during the Base Building phase.   If you choose to race, your effort shouldn't exceed 85% of maximum heart rate.   You shouldn't take time off, either before or after a race during the Base Building phase.

Work in 4-week cycles.   Week 1 is your "base" week.   In week 2 increase your weekly mileage by about 10%.   In week 3 increase the distance of your long run, but keep the total weekly mileage the same as week 2.   Week 4 is your recovery week - return to "base" week mileage.

This plan gives you 4 long runs, from 20 to 30 miles during a 16- week period, which will prepare you to finish your first ultra marathon.   If you're an experienced marathoner, you may increase that number by adding a long run on your "mileage" week - increase the long run that week to the same distance as your "long" week.

Very experienced runners may also add a back-to-back long weekend.   Run a long run on Saturday and another long run on Sunday.   (Don't attempt this unless you're an experienced runner who has finished many marathons.)

GOALS OF THE BASE BUILDING PHASE:

• Build cardiovascular and muscular endurance.
• Increase aerobic fitness.
• Increase weekly mileage.
• Increase length of long run.
• Improve VO2 max.

STRENGTH BUILDING PHASE

You build muscle during the Strength Building phase.   During this phase you increase the number of muscle fibers in your leg muscles, as well as the mitochondria and enzymes needed to breakdown lactates during exercise.   The Strength Building phase focuses on your ability to produce energy.   It also raises your lactate threshold.   Workouts during this phase are characterized by hills - hill running and hill drills.   Getting stronger is your goal during this time.   The Strength Building phase should last about 8 weeks.

            If your ultra is on a very hilly course, you may want to increase the number of weeks in this phase to 12.   If you're an experienced runner (if you've been running for over 3 years without injury, or have completed 3 marathons), start doing hills (strength building) in the second half of the Base phase.   Do one hill workout per week after the first 2 weeks of the Base Building phase.   You can do up to two hill workouts per week during the Base Building phase, but don't do a second hill workout if you're running a race that weekend.

In 1979 I had the opportunity to meet with Arthur Lydiard.   During our conversation he emphasized the importance of hill training.   Lydiard had all his athletes, from marathoners like Barry Magee, 5,000m runner Murray Halberg, to 800m runners like Peter Snell, run hills during both the Base Building and Strength Building phases of their training.   Don't increase your weekly mileage during the Strength Building phase, and the length of your long run should remain constant through this phase.   Increase the number of hill workouts you do each week, as well as the number of hill repeats you do each session.   Don't do more than 3 hill workouts per week and no more than 12 hill repeats per workout.

You can race during the Strength Building phase.   If you choose to race, reduce the number of hill workouts by one during race week.   You shouldn't require time off, either before or after a race during the Strength Building phase.

LACTATE THRESHOLD WORKOUTS

Hill training is an excellent form of a lactate threshold (LT) workout.   The purpose of this workout is to build muscles, develop extra capillaries and improve the energy production system in your muscles.   It's designed to raise your heart rate up to 95% for at least 2 minutes at a time, then allow your heart rate to drop down between the hard efforts.   Start with four 2-minute hard efforts and increase that number each week.   Running hills is the best way to raise your heart rate.   Don't worry about speed during these hard efforts.

HILL TRAINING

Hill training consists of hill running and hill drills .   Hill Training isn't as hard on your body (specifically your legs) since running uphill is less jarring.   Research has shown that periods of near maximum heart rate effort for 2-6 minutes produce optimal gains, and hill training produces significant gains in four key measures:

• Improved running economy.
• Increased VO2 max.
• Improved vVO2 max (running speed at VO2max)
• Increased lactate threshold (the ability of muscles to clear lactate from the blood)

HILL RUNNING:

Find a hill that's reasonably steep - around 6% grade is perfect.   It should take you at least 2 minutes to run up the hill.   Focus on your body position going up the hill and going down the hill.   On the way up: shorten your stride slightly, increase your knee lift and arm action, and run up on your toes - getting a good push from your hips, knees and especially your ankles and toes.   On the way down the hill: lengthen your stride slightly by increasing your follow-through (high foot in the back of your stride; drop your hands so they're near your hips / waist; lean down the hill; focus on landing on the midfoot or forefoot, not on your heel (which will cause a braking action and tremendously increase the impact as you run down the hill.)

            Run the hill emphasizing lift off the ground.   It's not as important to run fast up the hills as it is to run with good form and a powerful stride.   Your heart rate should be at or near maximum when you reach the top of the hill.

            After running up the hill, turn around and run down the hill.   This is your recovery period, so run relaxed and allow your legs to stretch out.   Allow gravity to carry you down the hill, don't accelerate when running down the hill - remember this is your recovery.

HILL DRILLS:

Hill drills are done at a slow pace.   The goal is to get lift off the ground and not to move forward at a rapid pace.   Your progress up the hill should be slow.   It should take up to 6 minutes to reach the top of the hill.   All drills should be performed SLOWLY!

BOUNDING: Elongate your stride and emphasize arm action.   Focus on getting off the ground.   Think of jumping over puddles with a long stride.

SKIPPING:   Skip slowly up the hill, emphasizing knee lift and arm action.   Focus on getting high off the ground.

SPRINGING:   Emphasize knee lift and getting high up off the ground.   Don't emphasize forward movement.   Think of jumping over logs.

            The Strength Building phase should last for at least 6 weeks, but no more than 12 weeks.

GOALS OF THE STRENGHT BUILDING PHASE:

•  Build muscular strength.

•  Increase capillary beds.

•  Build mitochondria.

•  Improve lactate enzyme response.

•  Raise lactate threshold.

•  Maintain aerobic fitness.

•  Maintain and increase VO2max.

•  Maintain cardiovascular and muscular endurance.

•  Maintain base mileage and distance of long workouts.

SPEED BUILDING PHASE

Only experienced ultra-marathoners should try a Speed Building phase.   Even experienced ultra-marathoners that aren't attempting to "race" an ultra-marathon, including those that are looking to improve their time, would do well to skip the Speed building phase.

            If you do use this phase, maintain your long runs, reduce your weekly mileage slightly and add time trials and races as speed work.   Conventional speed work is inappropriate for ultra-marathoners.   Instead, on weeks you don't do a long run, run a race - 10K or longer - or do a time trial - again, 10K or longer.   Your longest race or time trial, will depend on two factors.   First is your ability to run a race at less than maximum effort.   If you're capable of racing at 85-90% of maximum effort, races will help you.   If you do them at a greater effort, they'll hurt you by limiting your ability to train after the race.   The second factor is your ability to recover after a hard effort.   If you need 2 or 3 days off after a race, don't race.   You'll lose too much training time, and jeopardize your ultra marathon. {To speed up your recovery and stay on the road after your hard efforts, pay close attention to NUTRITION AND FUELING. (below)}

MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN PREPARING FOR YOUR FIRST ULTRA-MARATHON

The keys to successfully preparing for your first ultra-marathon are:

1. LONG RUNS. Time on your feet.   You need to adapt to spending long periods of time on your feet and moving forward.   Longer runs (>4 hrs.) can be broken up with walking breaks.   In fact, learning to walk and then run again is a key to success in ultra-marathons.
2. HILLS! HILLS! HILLS! Whether your goal race is hilly or not, the more hills you do in training, the stronger you'll be and the better prepared for your ultra.
3. MIDDLE DISTANCE WORKOUT.   The weekend run on weeks you don't do a long run (distance weeks) is very important.   If the run is around 15 miles, you'll get an excellent workout, and you'll recover quickly from it.   You can run this distance as a tempo run.
4. YOUR TRAINING SPEED WILL BE YOUR RACING SPEED.   Don't let your long runs drag on for hours.   Keep your pace up.   When doing your long runs, don't let your pace slow down to a shuffle.

PRE-WORKOUT / RACE NUTRITION

There are two parts of pre-workout / race nutrition.   First are the 2 weeks prior to a race, and the second is the morning of the race.

2 weeks prior:

• Avoid caffeine, diet sodas and alcohol.
• Maintain an adequate balance of electrolytes by taking in sports drinks as well as plain water for hydration.
• Increase fluid intake.   Be sure that your urine is a light yellow.
• Slightly increase carbohydrates.   Maintain a 60% carbohydrate / 40% protein ratio.   Don't worry about a depletion / loading cycle.
• Don't try anything new in terms of diet or fluid intake.
• Be well rested.   Getting a good night's sleep two nights before the race is more important than the night before the race.

MORNING OF THE RACE

• Have your last meal 3 hours prior to the start: 75 - 100 grams of carbohydrates (complex carbohydrates / maltodextrins).
• Drink 10 - 12 ounces of fluid each hour during the 2 - 3 hours before your race, up to 30 minutes prior to the start.

RACE / WORKOUT

FUELING & NUTRITION

• 15 minutes after you start, begin fueling.   This helps your blood sugar and insulin levels adjust to your exercise.
• Maintain fluid intake throughout the race.   Your body can absorb no more than 28 oz. / hour.   Remember it's critical to supplement with electrolytes to avoid hyponatermia.
• Your body can absorb up to a maximum of 240 - 280 carbohydrate calories / hour into the energy cycle.
• Carbohydrates / complex sugars such as Maltodextrin (18 - 24% solution) are preferred because more calories pass into the blood faster than with simple sugars (6 - 8% solution).   Studies have shown that simple sugars result in blood sugar levels below even fasting levels.
• For events longer than 1 hour, supplement with protein along with carbohydrates.   Use a 1:4 ratio (p:c) to increase energy levels, and decrease muscle breakdown.
• Continue to supplement electrolytes, especially during hot and or humid weather.   You should use a buffered electrolyte supplement containing sodium, potassium and magnesium.

POST-WORKOUT / RACE NUTRITION

• Immediately begin to replenish fluids.
• Within 30 minutes of finishing, consume 10-20 grams of protein.
• Within 30 minutes of finishing, consume 250-350 calories of carbohydrates (or more).   Research has shown there's a 2-hour window during which your body will absorb the protein and carbohydrates lost during exercise.   The first 30 minutes of this window are the most critical.   Your body will absorb 100% of the carbohydrates and proteins it needs during the first 30 minutes.   The level of absorption decreases as the 2-hour window progresses.

CHILL OUT IN AN ICE BATH

Take an ice bath - from your hips down - after every hard workout, long run or race.   This will reduce intra-muscular fluids and swelling and close down capillaries.   It also reduces post-exercise soreness and eliminates delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).   Fill the bathtub with enough water to cover you up to your naval, then dump in enough ice cubes to cover the bottom of the tub.   Sit in the ice cold water for 10 minutes.   Initially the shock of sitting in the cold water will take your breath away, but within a few minutes you'll become numb to the cold.

Training for and participating in an ultra-marathon can be an immensely satisfying experience that will give you a tremendous sense of accomplishment.   If you trained adequately, maintained good nutritional habits and were physically and mentally prepared, your first ultra will be the precursor to many more!

Neil L. Cook, BS, MS, Med has been a successful coach since 1965.   A former physical education teacher, he's been a runner and triathlete since 1978.   He has a BS in Physical Education, Kinesiology, Biomechanics, Exercise Physiology, and coaching; an MS in Physical Education and Motor Learning; an Med in Motor Learning and Neurophysiology; and has completed PhD coursework in Motor Learning and Neurophysiology.   He successfully coaches athletes at all levels, who have not only reached their goals but have won numerous awards and set personal bests.

Marathon Training & The Boston Qualifier   (Part 1 of 3)
By Jon Sinclair and Kent Oglesby
May/June 2004

From beginners to elite runners, the lure of the marathon is as strong as the day after Frank Shorter won the Gold medal in the 1972 Olympics in Berlin.   During the running boom of the '70's, through the golden years of American road racing in the '80's, U.S. marathoners like Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Kim Jones, and Alberto Salazar added momentum to the marathon's popularity.   Today, the challenge of running a marathon continues to intrigue a nation that is otherwise largely disconnected from the sport of running.

WHAT MAKES THE MARATHON UNIQUE?

Recent emphasis on the marathon as a fundraising event for various charities has revitalized its popularity by introducing it to many participants who've not evolved through the various stages of distance running that should preface the marathon. While many novice runners are training to just finish a marathon, qualifying for Boston still represents for many the pinnacle of recreational marathoning.   We coach many runners whose ultimate goal is to achieve this standard.   With a quality marathon as a goal, the physical and mental focus is qualitatively and quantitatively different than for shorter races. Before beginning a training program, it's important to consider the developmental aspects of such a program.   Any runner, whether in his/her 20's or 60's, should approach a quality marathon with an extended program of training, which might be years in the making rather than weeks or months.   If the athlete has completed only 5K and 10K races, an appropriate first step would be to develop a training cycle that would prepare a runner for a race longer than 10K:   for example, a 10-miler or a half-marathon.   Once a runner has experience with longer races, it might be appropriate to then turn his/her focus to the marathon.

            However, training for the marathon, and indeed running the race itself, varies substantially from shorter races, even one as long as 20 miles.   The marathon is special.   The distance and time to complete the race has unique physiological consequences.   Glycogen depletion, adequate hydration, and temperature considerations are among the many elements the runner must deal with and control.   Additionally, the training methods for the marathon are in some sense indirect.   The coach and athlete need to come to a number of factors in designing a program that addresses the physical issues, which arise only during a race of this length.

            Consequently, in this series of articles we'll develop an approach to marathon training that would be appropriate for any runner who, at whatever age, is trying to get a seat on the Boston Bus headed for Hopkinton on Patriots Day.

DEFINING YOUR GOALS AND CHOOSING THE IDEAL RACE

The first step before designing any training program is defining the goal you're seeking to reach.   It's important that you choose the specific marathon that will give you the best shot at achieving your goal.   If your goal is a personal best performance, you should choose a course that supports fast times.   Amazingly, it's quite common for even experienced athletes to chase personal bests on courses that are hilly, or where weather or logistical factors will grossly inhibit their attempt.   Unfortunately, their choices often have more to do with a vacation or a convenient place to stay, which means they risk months of hard work and effort trying to run a personal best on a course that might be five, ten , or even 20 minutes slower than a fast course.

            Choose a marathon that's flat or has a gradual down hill.   A few rolling hills can be helpful, but large climbs or descents can be a disaster if you're not adequately prepared for them.   Large races can be confusing and difficult to manage logistically, but even small events can be a problem if they aren't managed well.   Look for a race that's at least 3 or 4 years old, which has received good reviews from mid-pack runners, and has a field size you're comfortable with.   Large races can be very fun, but they may not be the best place for a mid-pack runner to chase a personal best.

            If you can't find information on a race's weather history, you should ask. Contact the race officials and find out. They'll know, and if they're keeping those facts a secret, there's likely a good reason.   Everyone has a different preference, but 50ºF is generally considered optimum.   Temperature preferences can certainly vary among individuals, but don't ignore historical average temperatures if they appear to be outside your comfort zone.   Find out what the temperature will be at the start and at your expected finish time.   Try to also find out the historical record of the speed and direction of the prevailing winds, if possible.  

            Ask about aid on the course, its frequency and type.   An aid station every 3 miles is a minimum requirement, even if the weather isn't expected to be warm.   Every marathon should offer water and a replacement drink at each aid station.   Knowing the brand of the replacement drink will give you a chance to practice with that specific drink during your workouts.   Palatability and how the drink will affect your stomach should be something you know before you line up on race day.  

            Point-to-point marathons often offer the fastest courses.   Potentially, there can be a net downhill, or there may be a following wind.   However, point-to-point courses are also a logistical problem for the average runner.   The Boston Marathon is a good example.   You begin your "marathon day" with a long bus ride leading to a significant wait at a crowded starting line.   Obviously much of your logistical planning for an event like this must involve precisely timing every aspect of your morning schedule (showering, eating, using the toilet) to ensure that you'll be comfortable at the start.   Effective preparation will deliver you to the starting line feeling fresh, prepared and ready to run, not beat up, overwhelmed, and lost.   Starting line conditions are an important consideration when choosing a race.  

            Once you've chosen your marathon, you'll have the date, race day, from which you work backwards.   Buy a calendar with spaces large enough to write on and circle that date; put a big "X" through it, even paste gold stars around it if you choose.   Count back the number of weeks and with any luck, you'll have 16 weeks or more to work with.   Sure, you can train for a marathon in less time; there are many "canned" programs entitled "10 Weeks to Your Best Marathon", but don't believe the hype.   Successful marathon training is largely about aerobic strength, and that's not going to come in a quick flash of training; it's built slowly over weeks of consistent work.   More time is better than less.   Squeezing your training, taking short cuts, or leaving out a few long runs is much less likely to lead to your best performance.

AEROBIC TRAINING

The first stage or "cycle" of training, Aerobic Conditioning, has been likened to the foundation of a building in its importance to developing fitness.   No house could survive for long with a weak foundation, and so it is with distance runners and aerobic training.   The word aerobic means "in the presence of oxygen."   A simple definition of aerobic running might be:   "Training at a level of intensity at which an athlete can maintain an adequate supply of oxygen to the body's musculature to fuel necessary contractions." As the oxygen supply becomes inadequate, for whatever reason, the body's anaerobic (without oxygen) system is gradually brought online to make up the deficit.   The anaerobic system is only a temporary backup in creating fuel for contraction muscle cells.   The byproducts of the anaerobic system make funning at that effort increasingly uncomfortable; thus, this type of running can be sustained at high intensity for only short periods of time.

            Because the anaerobic portion of marathon racing is very small (optimally, 1% or less), aerobic training is the focus for every successful marathoner.   Successful distance training seeks to first maximize an athlete's ability to utilize oxygen, and then in the final phases of training to teach the athlete's body to work efficiently when faced with specific racing stress.   The first important step is developing the aerobic system to its functional limits, if possible.

            The beginning of an aerobic cycle focuses on building mileage.   How many miles are enough?   For even a beginning marathoner 50 miles per week is, in our opinion, a minimum level.   No matter how many miles your running at the beginning of an aerobic conditioning cycle, adding 10% a week to your current total is usually a safe rate of progression.   A faster progression might be appropriate for an experienced runner, but the effort must always be slow and relaxed- running an easy pace to accommodate the stress on the body as the mileage increases.

            A common training mistake is running easy miles too fast.   The pace should be very "conversational" and relaxed.   For heart monitor owners, that's about 60-75% of your maximum heart rate.   For most of us, that effort is 115-145 beats per minute, but individual numbers can vary dramatically.   The percentage or number of beats per minute isn't as important as feeling comfortable.   If it fells like your pressing the pace or pushing you're running too hard.

            Long runs are key in developing an aerobic base; they deliver the largest "aerobic return" and are the focus of an aerobic training week.   Running continuously for 90 minutes or more will deliver benefits that are unavailable from shorter runs.

Here's a general example of an aerobic training schedule:

                        Monday: 30-40 minutes easy (short day to recover from the long Sunday run

                        Tuesday: 60 minutes over hills (easy effort on the hills)

                        Wednesday: 45 minutes easy

                        Thursday: 90 minutes over hills (easy effort on the hills)

                        Friday: 45 minutes easy

                        Saturday: 30-40 minutes easy (short day in preparation for the next day's long run.

                        Sunday: 2+ hours on a soft surface road or trail at a very easy effort.

            The above schedule would yield anywhere from 50-80 miles per week- depending on the athlete and the speed of the "easy effort" each day.   For most people the concept of alternating easy and hard days seems to work best, but 2 or even 3 rest days between longer runs may be necessary.   In this type of training, the term "hard day" refers strictly to the length of the run and not the speed or intensity!   Additional miles or time could be added anywhere in the schedule but emphasis on the easy/hard concept is important.   Resting before and after longer runs is essential.   Your body must have time to regroup and adapt to the previous stress before it's put under pressure again.

            You have a 30 minute "window" of opportunity after a long run to reload fuel and water at an increased level.   During that 30 minutes your body will "super compensate" and reload at an even greater rate than it might normally.   So take advantage of that time by replenishing what you've used up.   A cup of yogurt, a banana, a sports bar, or even a candy bar, can help you start that reloading process and contribute in a significant way to maintaining your training momentum.

            We always recommend training on soft surfaces whenever possible.   Some people find off-road training difficult and even dangerous due to uneven surfaces, but many runners can find trails and dirt roads that offer both reasonable running surfaces, and a more pleasant environment for training than city streets or bike paths.   Soft surfaces enhance recovery, lower impact injury risk and enable you to train longer distances with less fatigue.   If you live in a big city that lacks a park system, or cant otherwise find safe, soft trails for running, at least make an attempt to run on asphalt streets rather than concrete sidewalks;   concrete should always be your last resort, especially for you long runs.

FLUIDS AND GELS

Because of the marathon's length, you should begin using fluid replacements and gels in the early stages of your training program.   Since all Boston qualifying times are 3:10 or longer, and since glycogen depletion occurs around 2 hours at race pace and dehydration occurs even earlier, you need to have a fluid and energy replacement plan that has been put to an experimental test long before the actual race.

            Water, of course, is the first and most important necessity for fluid replacement.   Most runners don't get enough fluids even under optimum race conditions, so adequate hydration before and during the race is essential.   However, practice that leads to accomplishing that goal must begin long before the competition. Beginning early in your training, experiment with different routines of hydrating before and during your long runs. That may even include practicing drinking from a cup while running!   Using a sports drink during long runs is a very valuable tool in maintaining fuel and water, not only for that specific run but in aiding recovery for the next training session, since you'll not deplete your "on board" supply, and your muscle tissue will recover quicker.   There's ample evidence that by maintaining an adequate blood sugar level, you avoid a stressed out immune system, which occurs commonly after hard runs and may increase your chance of catching a stray virus.

            Marathons all offer replacement drinks.   The particular product choice is largely a result of sponsorship.   Go to the race website to find out which drink they're using, and begin experimenting with it during and after your runs.   A few "replacement" drinks used by marathons are low in calories and won't contribute the necessary carbohydrates needed later in the race.   If such is the case with the race you've chosen, you may have to rely more heavily on gels and water.

            Replacement drinks and gels should be isotonic .   In simplest terms, that means the solution is easily digested without the body having to contribute additional water.   The result of drinking a replacement fluid that's too concentrated (usually over 7%) is further dehydration rather than the requisite effect.   Gels will usually require at least 6 oz of plain water to make them isotonic.   In any case, practice in your training and know what works for you, develop a good plan for the race, and then be prepared for any contingency.

SHOES

You'll need to decide early on what shoe you're going to wear for training and racing.   You don't want to be experimenting in the last week before your race.   In the marathon, the distance and time amplify the mechanics of running.   This is equally true for the training leading up to the race. During 1 minute of running, each foot will touch the ground 80 + times.   In a 3-hour marathon or long run, that number approach nearly 30,000 foot strikes.   If you have a mechanical problem, it will almost surely be amplified by increasing distances.

            You may find that you can train and race in the same shoe.   Go to a running shoe store where you feel you can get expert advice about your particular needs.   Find what works and then get 2 or 3 pairs that you can trade out for the duration of your training. Consider as well that you might use a lighter shoe for tempo runs, track workouts and for the marathon itself.   For example, if your racing shoe is 2-3 ozs lighter, the result is lifting as much as 5000 fewer pounds during the course of the race.   Of course, if your 6'3", 190 lbs and have serious foot problems, a lighter shoe is probably not a good idea.   Every shoe manufacturer makes a wide range of "A-level" shoes that meet a variety of needs.   Find out what works for you.

            Mechanics aren't limited to foot strike.   What you do with the rest of your body is equally important.   Essentially, marathon running is about efficiency.   Excessive vertical oscillation, inefficient arm movement, and or other form problems will rob you of valuable energy that could be better utilized over the course of the race.   Most form problems cannot be totally changed, but they can be smoothed out to a degree that will contribute to greater efficiency.   A coach can certainly help point out such inefficiencies, and will be able to offer ways to ameliorate such problems.   It's worth noting, however, that people with serious mechanical deficiencies that are the result of some sort of anatomical abnormality may need to contact a sports medicine physician, podiatrist, chiropractor or physical trainer for treatment.   If the physical problem is so severe that devices such as orthotics don't offer much relief, it would be wise for the runner to stick to distances shorter than 26.2 miles, as training for long distances can exacerbate such problems.

AN EXAMPLE: BOSTON BOB

Bob is 42, has been running for 5 years, and is in good health.   He's done 2 marathons, and most recently ran a 3:30 on a tough course.   After running his first marathon 2 years ago, his goal has been to qualify for the Boston Marathon, which means he'll need to improve his time by 10 minutes.   Bob has come to us in early May because he's confused by all of the advice he's been reading, and wants a program that will keep him healthy and get him to Boston.

            Since his last marathon (4 months ago in January) Bob has been running 30-40 miles per week at an easy effort, with the longest run being an occasional 10 miler.   His past training logs tell us that he's run as much as 45-50 miles per week, and 20 miles a couple of times before his personal best marathon. Bob has been consistent, but his program has lacked focus and direction; he has done some tempo training, but little else other than the straight mileage and a few races.   He also works 40+ hours a week in a professional job, is married to a supportive non-runner, and has 2 kids in their early teens.   Bob has some control over his schedule and feels he can do more training than he's currently doing. He likes doing his long runs on Sunday morning with friends.

            Now that we have a general sense of who Bob is, what he's done with his running, and where he wants to improve, we need to choose a good marathon for an attempt at the qualifying time.   He has chosen the "Big Trees Marathon" (fictitious, just like Bob).   It's a good choice: mostly flat, only a 3 hour drive from Bob's house, fairly small but big enough to ensure adequate support (1000 starters the previous year), and has received rave reviews from past participants. Big Trees is small enough that Bob (who's relatively inexperienced at marathoning) won't get lost in the crowd or swallowed up by a huge starting line.   We also know that the race will be serving a well-known brand of replacement fluid on the course, a type Bob's never used before.   The course is a loop, which won't require point-to-point logistics for Bob to worry about. The weather has been consistent in the past; temps should be in the low 50's if Bob finishes in his goal time.   The date of Big Trees is middle October, so counting back on our planning calendar we learn that we'll have 4 months of training from the beginning of June. That's an adequate amount of time if we want to start building his mileage right away.

            Our first training goal will be to add mileage at a relaxed progression to build toward a target goal of 55-60 miles per week.   We'll start with a 10% increase each week, and work toward his getting up to 18 miles on Sunday mornings.   We want to achieve the initial mileage target and long run goal by mid to late June.   This is a reasonable goal in the 8 week time frame.   If everything goes well, Bob should have completed 2 or 3 weeks at his target mileage before July.   We'll need to emphasize to Bob that he should slow down and just focus on easy running. That will make the progression safer and the higher miles should be obtainable.   We'll use a schedule emphasizing Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday for his harder days, targeting 8, 12, and 18 miles for those runs.   If he's consistent with his training, and can adequately recover from his longer runs by doing 4-5 miles on his easy days, these mileage targets should be achievable.   We'll also plan a day off every other Monday to give him a training break, even though he professes to want to run every day.

            Since Bob has never done "higher" mileage weeks, we encourage him to keep his running on soft surfaces and mostly level ground as he raises the totals.   We'll also continue to emphasize the need to go slow, and that the goal is only increased miles and not speed.   Just as important, we'll continually remind him to check his footwear and make sure his shoes aren't broken down or excessively worn.  

            For the next 6-8 weeks, we'll watch carefully to make sure Bob is feeling in control of the workload, and keeping to the plan of easy mileage.   The key for us is to monitor his long runs and associated recovery.   If Bob can hit our "targets" and stay on top of the training load, we'll have no trouble adding the faster running that's coming in July.     

Are You Using the Same Strategy as the Pros???
By: Al Morris, Ph.D.,FACSM

If you want to run a PR time in the marathon, it's very important to run equal halves.   In fact, over the years many athletes, elite and non-elite, have demonstrated that the ideal scenario is to run the first half of the race slightly slower than the last half.   When you start slowly you allow your body to adjust to the pace and the exertion, which leaves you with enough reserves to run the second half as quickly as the first, or EVEN FASTER!

NEGATIVE SPLITS MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE

The top men and women in the 2002 Boston Marathon admirably demonstrated the advantages of running negative splits (the second half run faster than the first).   The lead men ran a very strategic race, which resulted in a half-marathon split time of 1:05:21.   At the half-way point there was a lead pack of approximately two dozen runners that included the defending champion, Lee Bong-Ju of Seoul, Korea, Silvio Guerra from Ecuador, and Rogers Rop from Kenya, a relative youngster at the age of 26, who was running only his second marathon.   Rop ran the second half in 1:03:41, and won the race with a time of 2:09:02.   Even on the difficult point-to-point course, with major hills in the second half, Rop was able to run negative splits, which resulted in a win.   The second place finisher, Kenyan Christopher Cheboiboch (another youngster, 25), also ran 1:05:21 for the first half and came back with a 1:03:44 for the second.

The defending women's champion, Catherine Ndereba, returned in 2002.   Besides the world record holder Kenyan, there were strong runners from China, Ethiopia, and Japan.   Two Kenyans, a Chinese runner and an Ethiopian runner passed the halfway point in 1:10:43.   Shortly after the Newton hills, one of the Kenyan athletes, Margaret Okayo, pulled ahead of Ndereba to win in 2:20:43, breaking the previous women's record by just over a minute.   Okayo ran the second half in 1:10, nearly a minute faster than the first.   Ndereba, who finished second, also ran the second half faster in 1:10:29.

PACING PRODUCES PR'S AND WORLD RECORDS!

Ethiopia's Belayneh Dinsamo held the world marathon record of 2:06:50 for ten long years.   He set the record by running nearly exact splits of 4:50 per mile for the entire 26 miles.   His second half split time was only ten seconds slower than the first half.   Then in 1998 Ronaldo da Costa from Brazil ran the first half of the Berlin Marathon in 1:04:42, and followed that with an almost unbelievable 1:01:23, for a new world record of 2:06:05.   He ran arguably the fastest second half marathon in history.   No male runner has duplicated the 3:19 differential since.   The amazing Khalid Khannouchi broke the 1998 record in 1999 by running a 2:05:42 (1:03:07 first half, followed by a 1:02:35 second.)   Then in 2002 he broke his own record in London with a 2:05:38, running nearly perfectly even splits for both halves.

Like the men, the women's marathon world record had stood for many years (14) before it was broken in 1999 when Kenyan Telga Loroupe ran 2:20:43, beating Norwegian Ingrid Kristensen's record by nearly a minute.   Loroupe ran the second half of her record-breaking race just a minute slower than the first.   2001 saw the women's record broken twice in one week.   Japanese champion Naoko Takahashi took the women's record under 2:20 for the first time in history in Berlin, running splits of 1:09:48 and 1:09:58 for a sensational 2:19:46.   Only six days later, Catherine Ndereba lowered that time to 2:18:47, running split times of 1:10:15 and 1:08:32 in Chicago.   Then in the 2002 London Marathon, first-time marathoner Paula Radcliffe from Great Britain ran a remarkable 2:18:56, good enough for the win, the fastest first time marathon, and the second fastest marathon finish ever by a woman.   She also achieved another milestone: a second half split nearly equal to Dinsamo's record-breaking time.   Radcliffe ran the second half in 1:08, nearly three minutes faster than the first.

THE PHYSIOLOGY INVOLVED IN RUNNING NEGATIVE SPLITS.

Marathon runners use fats and carbohydrates as fuel; fats are burned only aerobically, carbohydrates are burned both aerobically and anaerobically.   Carbohydrates are the fuel of choice, however they will last only about 18-20 miles in even the most gifted runners who start the race fully loaded.   This is why you must run slowly enough initially to stay "aerobic", so you'll use a little bit of fat as fuel.   By burning this fat on the flame of carbohydrate, you spare some carbohydrate for use later in the race.   But if you get excited and go out at a pace that can't be sustained, you will become anaerobic and use too much carbohydrate (stored muscle glycogen), which will cause you to reduce your pace and fall behind.

According to distance running researcher Dr. Dave Costill, aside from the limits imposed on runners by heredity and the ability to train hard, diet is the single most important factor the athlete can manipulate if he or she is going to succeed at the marathon distance.   Pre-race diets high in carbohydrates allow you to store muscle glycogen and to use the stored glycogen late in the marathon.   If you haven't consistently eaten a high carbohydrate diet (65% or even more in the days just prior to the event) you will not be fully tanked up with stored glycogen reserves.   The marathon is raced at about 80-95% or more of maximum oxygen capacity (VO2max).   At this intensity the predominant fuel is carbohydrate, which must be stored if you want to maintain a steady pace for the entire marathon.

Also, most distance runners have a predominance of slow twitch fibers in their lower legs.   These fibers prefer to function aerobically, and they use both fats and carbohydrates as fuel.   However, all runners have some larger muscle fibers in the same muscles called fast twitch fibers that, although they prefer to function anaerobically, also at times use aerobic fuels from fats and muscle glycogen.   When the runners in the lead pack surge, they use some stored muscle glycogen in their fast twitch fibers as the pace increases.   Surges don't last long, since runners often are running above their lactate threshold, which promotes faster depletion of glycogen reserves and a corresponding earlier collapse or slowdown.

Truly elite runners are capable of running at a very high percentage (approximately 80-95%) of their VO2max for the entire marathon distance.   This unique ability is partly genetically endowed, but to a great extent it's developed over time through consistent training and a high carbohydrate diet.   Elite athletes also develop an extraordinary sense of pacing by repeatedly practicing pacing during training and shorter races (from 10Ks to the half-marathon).   The sense of pace pays off during the marathon when they can sense any slight pacing disruption and react to it.   They teach their bodies how to run at such a fast, yet aerobic effort by specific training (such as practicing surges and longer sustained intervals), frequent racing at shorter distances, and eating significant amounts of carbohydrates after training and racing to replenish muscle glycogen.

MIMIC THE PROS AND REAP THE BENEFITS!!!

1. Practice running at marathon goal pace during some of your training runs.
2. Practice surging during your training runs until you feel comfortable with the disruptions in your pace.
3. Practice longer, sustained intervals (mile repeats, for instance) at marathon goal pace.
4. Practice running faster than marathon goal pace in shorter races from 10K to the half-marathon.
5. Eat a diet that's consistently composed of 65% carbohydrates.   Eat even higher amounts in the few days prior to your race.
6. Start your race at a pace that's comfortable so you won't deplete your glycogen stores early on.
7. Gradually pick up the pace and run the second half as fast, or faster, than the first.

Al Morris, Ph.D., FACSM, ran his best race off even pacing in 1978 with a 2:44.   He ran several others, but came nowhere near his best time.   He retired with 36 marathons under his belt!