Q: Is it better to do my workout or runs all at once or split it up into two sessions?

A: Ah, to do double days or to stick to solely singles? The answer depends on how much you are doing and also what the goal of that days' workouts is. There are benefits of splitting your mileage up into two runs, or two separate cardio sessions if you are cross training, and also some for sticking to one workout a day. In the case for doubles there is at a certain point in weekly mileage totals that it becomes sheer necessity; obviously if you are doing high mileage you aren't going to be wanting every single run to be in the double digits. By doing one longer and one shorter run you allow your body to recover more and if you do a hard track or interval session in the morning, doing an easy couple of miles later in the day will also help flush out some of that lactic acid and you'll actually feel better come the next day.

Sometimes even if you aren't necessarily doing high mileage but need an easier day for recovery purposes, doing two shorter runs or workouts can be good too. This can be the case if you are in a taper phase or just feeling run down; you could then do two shorter, 4 mile runs, instead of one 8 miler. If you aren't necessarily training for a running event or race, but are more interested in overall fitness doing double workouts could still be of benefit. If you are cramped for time and it's only possible to fit in 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night then so be it; but another plus is that you may have more energy during each of those shorter bouts than you would have if you had done an hour straight. You could then go harder, burn more calories, and increase your strength and fitness. There have also been studies that show doing two, more moderate to intense workouts, will cause two spikes in your metabolism in the after burn effect. So instead of your metabolism being elevated only once after a single workout, you'd get the reward of a second spike if your aim is weight loss.

Now, the benefits of doing singles are that they are best at increasing cardio fitness and endurance and they are sometime just more convenient. Personally if my daily cardio or runs were around an hour I'd prefer to do singles just because it tends to be easier time wise and the whole getting ready/showering off. If you are training for a longer race or event you may want to do as many longer, single runs just for that extra endurance training; and many higher mileage folks will do their longer run in the morning and still tack on a few miles in the evenings more as just a flush-out/easy run.

So the answer really depends on what your own goals are, where you are in your training, and what works out for you given your schedule. One final note is that on the days of competition or a hard track or workout session in the evening, it's common for people do do a short run (say maybe 2 miles and some drills and stretching) in the morning just to loosen up and get those legs ready to roll later in the day.

Summer is turning out to be a scorcher! Well at least here, and other parts of the US there are some intense heat waves hitting and while this may not be exactly out of the ordinary for some of the areas (It's not like one pictures Texas in July to be particularly chilly!) it still means that if you are running our exercising outside you do need to take some extra measures to make sure you are safe. There are always more cases of deaths due to heat exposure during this time of the year and while it may seem only the young and elderly are at risk that's not the truth. Even if you are fit as can be and an avid exerciser you can make a mistake or use poor judgment which may not end up in death but could result in health concerns or side effects lasting for days.

This may seem like common sense but sometimes in the heat of the moment (haha...yes, lame pun there sorry!) we are all guilty of acting foolishly. So here are some quick tips for scorching summer training:

1) Stay hydrated: This is probably the most important thing but commonly gets overlooked; the thing is some people just plum forget to drink and then later when then wind up feeling faint, dizzy, or tired they don't know why. Dehydration is never a good thing, particularly for runners and other regular exercisers, but it something many fall victim to if even in a milder state. By the time you actually feel thirsty you're already mildly dehydrated; so stay ahead of the game and sip often and regularly. You also need to drink more than just water because you need electrolytes which come from sports drinks.

2) Plan your timing: If you are going to be running outside don't go during the hottest time of the day. That may mean getting up earlier but it is worth it; even if you run after the sun goes down in many places the temperature then is still much higher than in the early morning hours. Bite the bullet and get out the door before the sun has a chance to make the mercury rise.

3) Think about hitting the treadmill: Treadmill running is not for 'wimps' and if the weather conditions outside are just too severe take it indoors. In the end you will not only be safer but you will probably get in a better workout too. Exercising and running in intense heat makes the body work harder and your times will reflect that; if you hit the treadmill you will probably end up going faster and feel better at the end.

4) Make a splash: If you are cross training or want to mix it up you can always hit the pool for an aqua-jogging session. The summer is a great time to do this as the pool is much more appealing now than in the dead of winter and aqua-jogging is also a lot easier on the joints.

Finally one last things to keep in mind is that different surfaces will react differently to the heat; for example if you are running on the hot black pavement or grass there will be even more heat radiated and humidity. If possible stay on lighter surfaces and opt for a trail over a grassy field; just things to keep in mind. What may seem like obvious measures to keep cool can make a big difference and I myself am guilty of making a stupid mistake thinking it's not that 'big' of a deal if I go out in the hottest part of the day. But even if you aren't in serious risk, like death, you can be left with the lingering effects for days afterward...you'll be more tired and zapped of strength which isn't fun nor conducive to training. So stay cool out there and be smart in those summer runs. :)

Running is one of the most effective cardio activities around; per minute of exertion you will be able to stress your cardiovascular system the most, engage nearly every muscle in your body, burn the most calories, and elevate your heart rate the quickest. Whew, that's a pretty powerful fitness punch; but on the flip side running is a high impact activity and like I've said a thousand times before it does take a toll on the joints, tendons, ligaments, etc.

So while running may seem like the best cardio exercise there is, and I'd toast to that, the amount of running a person can do will vary. Some are just predisposed to winding up hurt and injured more than others; this has to do with bone structure, their running gait, and many other factors mostly out of their control. For this reason everyone has a certain running threshold that may only be 30 miles a week while those lucky others can train upwards of 100 miles a week and stay nearly injury free. Yet in training there are still ways to supplement your running regime that can improve your fitness level and translate to faster race times and an increased level of fitness and that is with cross training.

Cross training is really anything outside of your primary sport; for a swimmer cross training may actually be running! But for runners some of the most common forms of cross training are doing the elliptical machine, aqua-jogging, and some prefer the bike. The benefits of doing this is that it eliminates the high amount of stressful impact from running while still tapping into the cardiovascular system. Cross training may be done in addition to daily workouts and some may even put it in place of their easy days if they have a particularly low running threshold.

So while you will be able to get your heart rate up your joints will be taking less of a beating and because both aqua-jogging and the elliptical are very similar motions to running they are usually the two top picks. So if you are looking to give your running routine a little boost you may want to think about adding minutes of cross training instead of just piling on more miles. A general rule for increasing miles is to only add in 10% more weekly total volume at a time but you can add in nearly as much cross training as you want without such an increased risk for injury.

Finally, another powerful use for cross training is if you are injured and unable to run. Generally you can find SOMETHING that won't aggravate your particular injury and by keeping in relatively good cardio shape you will be able to bounce back faster when you are at last able to run again.

Savor those recovery days. Yes, this comes from an admitted recovered 'push-aholic;' there was a time when I scoffed at the easy run, figured that ending each and every run utterly exhausted, or at least very tired, was the only way to do things. This was more mental I think; I thought I was just being a 'slacker' or 'wimp' if I didn't push the envelope each time out. My easy days would evolve into quasi-pick-up runs where by the end I was going much too fast to ever fully recover. While I would mentally pat myself on the back for kicking my own butt yet again, in truth I was only setting myself up for future failures and beratings.

What happens when you go too hard on the days you are supposed to recover is that your workouts invariably start to suffer. Maybe not right away, but the build-up of hard workout, after hard run, after hard workout, will eventually catch up to you. That could come in two ways; you will either experience a drop off in times and be chugging home in those intervals with slow times but the effort seeming insurmountable or you'll wind up injured. It was once said to me, "that if you don't give yourself a break one will be provided for you"...the body can only give so much. And what's more is to effectively train and get faster you have to allow your muscles to recover; we break them down during hard workouts and the days after are when they are trying to heal up and come back stronger. That way when they do build back you will be able to go faster in the next workout and then continue to build off that. Yet if the muscles instead get broken down even further on the 'easy' days they never build back, they never come back, and you'll see the results in not only frustrating times but fatigue to follow.

I learned that the hard way, actually it took a few times...haha, as with anything I'm usually one to think in extremes so it takes a while for a lesson to really hit home. :P I was pretty lucky (well, I guess my luck has now caught up to me!) in that I didn't suffer very many big injuries but I definitely did myself no favors training and racing-wise. There were plenty of times I'd show up flat come the end of the season or in workouts for the shear reason I was just too tired and over-training myself by not ever taking it easy.

Runners, and competitors, by nature are well...competitive, and our biggest battle is usually against ourselves. We want to achieve those goals TODAY, and we will get there come heck or high water. But the truth is that in order to get to the starting line, and eventually the finish line in the time or place you want, you have to have patience. You also have to have put in the work and hit those hard workouts, BUT you won't be able to nail those hard workouts if you're too tired due to lack of recovery. It sounds counterintuitive but you have to give yourself a break sometimes- go easy on the easy days.

I got to the point where I would allow myself to enjoy those easy days, especially after they were hard earned from a killer workout the day before. Running has always been a passion of mine and not only the competition aspect, but just doing it...I enjoy being out there. That can be alone or in shared company...don't make every run a do or die endeavor, it can rob you of the enjoyment but in the end it won't do your training any favors either.

Q: I have decided to make a 1/2 marathon my next accomplishment! I've been doing a few 5ks here and there, I have completed a couple 10k's before and figured the next step is a half-marathon :) I have like 13 or 15 weeks I think to prepare...I'm praying that's enough time. I have been running for about 35 minutes 4 times a week and after I run I do abs/arms/legs for about 20 minutes. I just know that if I don't at least try to compete in a 1/2 marathon I'll always wonder how I would have done...so I decided to "just do it" haha. Any tips?

A: First of all, Congrats on signing up for your first 1/2 marathon! It can seem scary to commit to something that you perhaps never before thought you could do but it is usually our mind that puts the tightest constraints on what is possible. Putting yourself out there, like signing up for a planned race or event, is an excellent way to stay motivated to get in those workouts and runs and no matter the distance if you have something you are shooting for you are far less likely to skip that trip to the gym or lacing up for that run. And of course I like the advice from good old Nike. :)

It looks like you have already set yourself up with nice running base (also it is excellent to hear you have a core and weight routine) and it will just be a matter of kicking your running training up a notch. This will be done gradually (a standard rule of thumb is to only increase you total weekly mileage by 10% each week to avoid an injury) and you will put focus on a weekly long run as well as sprinkling in some faster workout sessions throughout the rest of week. You will build endurance and also speed so that come race day the pace will feel much more comfortable and relatively 'slower' than you've gone before.

The first step is to devise you training schedule and as corny as it may seem you will need to keep a training log to help track your progress. In your case you will want to work backwards; knowing that the race is about 14 weeks away you know where you need to end up so we'll work on getting you used to the distance and tapered by the big day. The week of the 1/2 will be pretty light to make sure your legs are fresh and ready to roll. The last long run you will do before the big day will be two weeks before (we'll call this week 12) and it will be close to the 13.1 mile distance. Don't get intimidated by the numbers because I grantee you that you will have worked up to it and you will be able to handle it.

In getting back to our timeline we will jump to where we are today (week 1) and write down the longest you've been running thus far. If that is four or five miles write that down and then we can bump up that number each week until we hit week 12 and see where we are. In your instance by increasing one mile each week for your long run you will actually hit 13 miles by week 10 which gives us room to play with. That means if you feel particularly tired any given week you might keep your long run the same distance as the week before and go up the next. Listening to your body is important; you want to push yourself but at the same time still be aware of signs of injury or excessive fatigue.

Pick one day of the week and designate it as your long run day. It might be a good idea to do it on the same day as the race; if race day is a Saturday make that your long run day. Because you are already running four times a week you won't need to increase your workload that much outside of your long run but you will make those miles more quality. By that I mean you will incorporate workouts with pick-ups and faster intervals to work on speed and a quicker turnover. I would recommend that you run four to five days a week total and that would include: one long run, two quality workout days, and two easy runs (if you are only running four times a week that would be only one easy run; you could make the second easy day one where you cross-train if you'd like). Be sure to space out the long run and hard days with a day of rest or an easy run between them.

That's going to cover the first part of this post but I'm going to be revisiting this question and helping out more as we work our way through the weeks. You can follow along too and set a goal for yourself! If you haven't already built your way up to running four days a week yet and are just staring out you can actually check out the running training program I had been outlining for if you are just getting started. Finally, here are a few parting tips:

* Run for time not miles. Figure out about what pace you are running at (find a track and in the middle of one of your runs time yourself for four laps) and use that as an average pace. If you are running 10 minute miles and your long run is to be six miles plan to be running for sixty minutes; this is usually 'easier' to think about mentally than focusing on how long the distance is. It also helps so you don't get too hung up on the exact distance of your running routes.

* Refuel immediately after your runs. You have a 30 minute window of time in which to get a good carb and protein combo into your system, along with some electrolytes, which will optimize recovery. That's important especially if you are in training.

* Know the difference between the uncomfort of running and actual pain. Don't muscle through a run ignoring a strained muscle only to find out that by the time you get home you've gone and pulled it. By nipping a potential injury outright you will limit the amount of time you have to either cut back or take off.

Whew, well alright running and fitness friends! First, I'm going to apologize for neglecting the blog for a bit; things have been a bit crazy for me the past few weeks but they have started to settle down and hopefully will stay that way for a bit. Although a little life drama is always interesting. :P

In following up to my previous post on summer running training I thought I'd add a few tips to maximize the off season and come back stronger and ready to run fast for cross country season. Many people focus on building up base miles during the summer and it is an ideal time to do so being that usually there aren't as many commitments (school, homework, job, etc.) that require your attention so you may have a little more free time. Getting in longer runs is going to build endurance and cardio, yet while it's okay to step away from structured workouts for awhile you don't want to completely neglect speed and turnover all together.

* End your runs with strides. Pick a few days (probably not on the day when you've already done a long run) where you do a few faster strides at the end of your run. Gradually make each one faster than the last and really concentrate on form and a quick turn over. Allow a full recovery between them, it doesn't matter so much on the specific time as the goal is to just tap into those fast twitch muscle fibers, and do 4-6 strides each of around 150 meters.

* Find that medium paced effort. A medium paced run will be harder than a conversational easy run but not quite at a threshold run or tempo type effort. You want to feel like you are working but not crossing the line over into full-on workout territory; these runs can be longer than what you would do for a tempo run and you will gradually work into the medium pace through the course of the run. For example in a run that is a total of 50 minutes you could start out with an easy pace for the first ten minutes and then begin to up the intensity.

* Add a sprinkle of speed play. Have some fun experimenting with the pace of your regular runs; if you're feeling good maybe do a mile at a faster clip and then ease back into the previous pace. Don't feel like you need to structure anything and even if you do a quick burst to the lamp post that will tap into different muscle groups.

* Take it to the hills. Doing your training runs, even at an easy pace, on particularly hilly terrain will build muscle strength and it will also help prepare you for the rolling courses come cross country season. You can also focus on your hill running technique: running all the way through the crest of the hill, staying up tall, and getting those strides quick and efficient.

* Take advantage of extra time. Yes summer usually comes with vacations and fun events but if you do have any spare time you can address some of the other areas that you may not be able to fit into a packed school schedule. These things would be diligent stretching, mobility drills, core work, and weight training. By doing these exercise routines now you will see results that last you through the next season even if you have to cut back how much you do them during the regular season...think of it like putting money in the bank.

Finally, make sure to have a fun summer! Grab some of your running friends and get to exploring new trails or seeking out places to go. Even if you are only sticking around your home town for the summer it's always nice to end a run with a splash in the lake or even a Slurpee run! ;)

Summer break is just on the horizon and that means hopefully many will be able to do their runs or workout routines under the sun. What it also generally means is that you may have to take your fitness program on the go, fit in workouts while on vacation, or do the majority of your training alone. This is often the case for those who are runners for their school's team and it is sometimes tricky to meet up due to the required 'dead period' where you aren't 'officially' allowed to hold practice. (Still, we were able to sort of get around this in that as long as the coach wasn't the one who set the time and place (in some states they can't be there at all), it wasn't mandatory, and it was organized by the kids, things were okay...who's to say a nice group of friends who just happened to be on the cross-country team didn't just 'happen' to come to the same place at the same time to get in a run??!!)

At any rate, summer training can be difficult in that there are usually lots of other things going on, motivation can wane, and let's be honest sometimes laying under the sun on the beach could be more appealing that logging those miles or hitting the gym for a workout. Still, because consistency is key for any fitness program it is important to maintain a certain level of fitness so that when it does come time to resume training with the team for the next season you aren't too far behind.

Summer training, or off season training, is usually a period of building up your base. That means the focus is more on cardiovascular conditioning and building your endurance and strength. This usually means a bit more miles and less structured intensity; you may do some workouts but they are usually more relaxed like fartlecks that go more off of perceived effort than having to hit certain times. Building up your base is going to set you up to be stronger come the next season and once you do start hitting the track or integrating speed work you will naturally come back faster than the last year.

But the major hurdle for most is getting in those runs. For most athletes there will be a summer training schedule and it helps to have a concrete plan written in black in white to keep you accountable. In the same line of thought that a training log will help you progress, having a calendar with your workouts already planned for the week is going to make it more likely you'll do them. Here are a few tips on how to survive summer training (and this can be applied to anyone hoping to stay fit on vacation) and come back stronger, fitter, and ready to rock in your races.

* Summer training log: Get a notebook or hang up a calendar and ink in exactly what you'll be doing each day. This is also smart because you can plan to gradually increase your miles (don't add more than 10% more miles each week is a standard rule of thumb) so you will build endurance but not risk an injury. Then, as you do each run or workout every day check it off and note how you felt and any other details you like.

* Meet up: Whether you rope in a friend who is on the team or not, setting appointments to workout are going to keep you on track and it also makes the runs more fun. Again, if a few of your teammates are in town you can plan some meetings just be careful of the rules in your area regarding the 'dead period'.

* Get your workout in early: If you're on vacation you are much more likely to stick to your planned workout or run if you do it first thing. You may not know exactly what the plans are for the rest of the day and if something unexpectedly pops up that you really want to do you won't have to be tempted to ditch you run. If you are traveling with others you can ask if they want to workout with you; but if you are with a group who thinks you are a bit 'crazy' for still wanting to workout you may be going solo. It also may be worth getting up a bit earlier so that when the others are up and ready to go you will be too.

* Find a race: In-season training is usually easier to stick to because you've always got an upcoming race that you are shooting for and that keeps you motivated. Going months without that can cause your competitive fire to lull and you may be not all that amped to get in your runs. There are usually tons of summer road races or even track meets so find one in your area and sign up. It may not be so much a matter of hitting a certain time in the race (although it is always nice to get a status check of where you are) but rather to keep your accountable to your training.

* Set goals: Map out what you hope to achieve come the next season and write down some specific goals. These are usually times for a distance or on certain courses, but it may be to make a scoring spot on your team; whatever it is write it down. It may sound dorky but you could hang it up on your wall next to your training calendar; that way any time you feel like skipping a workout think of your goals and use that as the extra push to get out the door.

Getting in the summer training is usually a major factor in how well you are able to do come cross country season. Yes, you may be able to race yourself back into shape but jumping back into structured workouts after a full summer off is usually a pretty harsh punishment in itself. Finally, if the aim is to better your times from last year you want to build on the fitness you've already achieved so that you reach those targets. Then you can be one of people breezing through workouts and doling out the punishment to those who decided to skip their summer runs. ;)

Q: I am training to run a marathon but am not sure about what kind of goal pace I should set for myself. I have seen race projection charts for 5k's and 10k's based on certain workouts but not one for the marathon. Is there a workout I could do to give me an idea for a goal finishing time I should shoot for in my race?

A: That's a great question as an important part of any race is to go in with a concrete goal; that may be a certain time, a finishing place, or to execute a strategy like making each mile get progressively faster. By setting a specific purpose for each race you will be more likely to push yourself harder than if you just went in without one.

In getting back to the marathon specifically, it is a different kind of beast than a mile, 5k, or 10k race for the reason that it is so long and there are many variables to take into account. Of course training for the longer distance will require getting used to running for prolonged periods of time (your long runs will be longer) but you still have to balance in some speed work and tempo runs to maintain the pace you want. Also, everyone's body handles the distance differently and being that you will no doubt need to rehydrate and refuel during the actual race, experimenting with the best sports drinks, energy gels, or foods will come into play. You can't always be certain just how your body will feel on any given day, and this is true for any other race, but in marathon training there are more factors to take into account.

Still, there is actually a nice workout you can do that can give you a projection time to set for in your marathon. In training for the shorter distances it's usually easier to gauge what you should be capable of running in your race because in practice you can generally run the same distance, or near to it, before the actual date of the competition; there are also a myriad of race calculation charts for them. That isn't the case for the marathon being that you usually aren't going to be running 26.2 miles in practice at or near the pace you ultimately want to run.

Yet a common workout that has been proven to be a fairly accurate marker for what you should be able to accomplish come race day is to do 10 x 800 meter repeats on a track. (You could also do it on a marked course.) You will do a 400 meter recovery jog between each repeat and make sure to take that recovery easy, the aim is to just keep moving. Just as with any other interval workout you want to run each 800 at an intense effort but pace yourself so that you are able to finish all the repeats; if anything it's always better to start the first ones a bit conservative and pick it up as you progress to make the last ones your fastest. After you have finished all of the 800's take your overall average for the repeats and that average will then be your projected marathon time; only instead of minutes to seconds it will be hours to minutes. For example if you were to average 3 minutes and 15 seconds for the ten repeats your projected marathon time would be 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Good luck with your upcoming marathon and then with your goal time in place you can work backwards to figure out your pace per mile. Have confidence in knowing you've put in plenty of hard work to get to the starting line and from there give it your best effort!

All of you who have made it up to this point after completing week 8 of the running training program are doing great! Keep up that momentum and you will be getting the results of a leaner body, faster times, and a more fit you. I hope that last week's tempo run felt controlled but like a hard effort; you should have been able to learn a bit about pacing yourself from that workout too. If you felt like you were fading at the end you most likely were a bit overzealous in the beginning; conversely if you think you may have had a bit too much energy left at the end you could try to go out a bit harder next time. It's all a process and you will get more familiar and in tune with your body with practice...so keep at it.

This week we are going to actually do a little time trial sort of workout so that you can see what kind of shape you are in now and then we will do the same fitness test in a few weeks to mark your improvement. It's always motivating to see in black and white that you've progressed and the clock is your proof. The time trial can be done out at a track for the best of accuracy and that's recommended; but if you don't have access to one you can measure out the distance on the roads. (You can use your car to help you there.) The time trial is going to be like a race, and you can even enlist a fit buddy to help push you if you'd like so it will be all out by the end.

Monday: Weight routine with five minute cardio warm-up
Tuesday: Combined interval workout for total of 40-55 minutes (with a warm-up and cool-down you will do 4 to 5 sets of three minutes hard, two minutes easy, 1 minute hard, two minutes easy)
Wednesday: Easy run or cross train for 40-55 minutes
Thursday: Weight routine with five minute cardio warm-up
Friday: 2 mile time trial (do a warm-up that includes some strides before you start, do 8 laps around a track, and then finish with a cool-down for a total of 35-45 minutes)
Saturday: Easy run for 40-55 minutes; be sure to go easy to allow yourself to recover from the time trial!
Sunday: Long run 45-75 minutes

Finally, you should still be focusing on getting that perfect form for at least the last 10 minutes of each run. Also do a form check periodically to catch yourself if you are lapsing into a bad habit. Keep it up you guys, and it is important to write down your finishing time for the time trial in your running logs so the next time you do it you will have a goal to try to beat!

Way to go for all of you who finished out Week 7 of the running training program. By now you should be getting better at gauging your paces for the workouts and noticing that you are feeling more fluid and faster. Soon you'll be burning up the track and roads, right?! From last week you should be focusing on one aspect of your form that needs improvement. We are going to continue doing that this week, except now you will be extra diligent the last ten minutes of each run.

The goal of this week is to continue to improve your running form and efficiency and develop your aerobic capacity with a tempo run. This will be a continuous, sustained effort that is just below that which you would be running in a race. You want to keep your heart rate around 80% of your maximum and you should feel like you are going hard but still able to maintain your form. It is not all out, but getting near that point. The most successful tempo runs will work on a negative split idea in that you will gradually be getting faster as you go along so that by the end you are at your fastest pace instead of fading from going out too fast. This is hard to do, even pros make the mistake of getting overly zealous at the start and dying by the end.

Monday: Weight routine with a five minute cardio warm-up
Tuesday: Short interval workout for a total of 35-50 minutes (within your run do 8 hard sprints for 30 seconds each; make sure you get at least 2 minutes recovery jog between sprints)
Wednesday: Easy run or cross train for 40-55 minutes
Thursday: Weight routine with a five minute cardio warm-up
Friday: Tempo run workout for total of 35-50 minutes (with a warm-up and cool-down you should do a 'comfortably hard' effort for 20 minutes)
Saturday: Easy run for 40-55 minutes
Sunday: Long run 40-70 minutes easy

Keep notes on how you feel during and after your runs in your training log and be sure to refuel and rehydrate within 30 minutes of completing each workout. This will make sure you recover properly, build muscle, and come back stronger next time!

Week 9

Q: What is the best way to lose weight through running?

A: While competitive athletes may not be using their training and running programs with the purpose to lose weight in mind, it is no secret that running vast amount of miles at high intensities are going to burn some serious calories. If you were to look at any of the top, or any runners who train regularly for that matter, you would see that for the most part they all run on the lean side. Running is perhaps the best cardio activity to burn the most calories per minute of exercise; it uses nearly every muscle in the body and as you are constantly working against gravity you are going to be using more energy than say if you were on a bike.

That being said, many people are tempted to sign up for a marathon because in training for one they believe they will best be able to lose weight. While you probably will naturally be losing weight in doing this kind of training, logging more miles does in essence mean burning more calories, this is sometimes negated because in increasing your miles to an amount necessary for marathon training you will then be much hungrier. After all of those long runs your body will be depleted, you should refuel, but sometimes your level of hunger will in fact cause you to out eat the number of calories you expended. Serious marathon runners have been known to eat thousands of calories a day, they have to in order to sustain their work load, and their goal is not to lose weight at all. If they were to create a caloric deficit they wouldn't have the energy required to get in their next run.

That is why it is sometime difficult to lose weight by simply putting in tons and tons of miles for the sake of calorie burning alone; because you have to eat enough to have enough energy to log all of those miles. What some people then may have more success with is instead of thinking more, more, more, is to think about upping the intensity and quality of your runs.

This would include interval training which alone burns more calories in the same amount of time than a steady run because you are doing bouts of almost all out efforts. This kind of training also revs up your metabolism for hours afterwords and you will burn more calories throughout the rest of the day. What is interesting with high intensity workouts is while it does boost your metabolism, for whatever reason people aren't as likely to be as hungry after should they have done a long run instead. In fact it is far more common for people to lose their appetite after doing harder intervals. This doesn't mean that you should forgo eating after one such workout; quite the opposite as you should force yourself to eat a reasonable amount of something containing protein and complex carbohydrates in order to recover from the workout and come back stronger.

So if your main purpose for running is to lose weight, (although hopefully you have a true passion for it and your underlying motivation is for all of the overall health benefits regular exercise brings) you may want to rethink doing a marathon just for the sake of logging in all those miles. You could wind up losing the weight faster should you set your goals towards quality over quantity.

Way to go for all of you who have finished Week 6 of the running training program and are back for more! The last week we began to add in training elements that were outside of strictly running with weight lifting being the first. Another very important aspect to focus on is proper running form. This will not only make you more efficient and then faster but help prevent injuries. The less excess energy you waste on poor running habits, like crossing your arms in front of your chest or over striding, the easier it will feel to increase the pace.

The goal for this week is to pick one aspect of your running form that needs to be improved and focus on that single thing for the last five minutes of every run. That means if you need to adjust your stride length, for each of those five minutes do a 10 second stride count and try to hit 30. Test yourself and see how close you can get. You only want to tack one thing at a time, and then slowly integrate that change to not only make it easier (you don't want to be thinking of a zillion things you need to fix) but it will also prevent you from getting hurt. As you shift your form you will be noticing different muscles working and you don't want to overload them all at once and wind up unable to get out the door next time.

Monday: Strength training with five minute warm-up (think of form!)
Tuesday: Shorter interval workout for 35-50 minutes (with a warm-up and cool-down have the middle 20 minutes alternate between one minutes hard and one minute easy)
Wednesday: Easy run for 40-55 minutes
Thursday: Strength training with five minute warm-up (think of form!)
Friday: Longer interval workout for 35-50 minutes (with a warm-up and cool-down have the middle include three to four sets of 3 minutes hard, 2 minutes easy, one minute hard, 2 minutes easy)
Saturday: Easy run or cross train for 40-55 minutes
Sunday: Long run 40-70 minutes easy

Keep it up you guys; you should be feeling stronger in those workouts and be sure that the days of your easy days you allow yourself to recover. Don't go too fast or hard or you will be left overly fatigued on the more important workout days.

Week 8

We've all seen them, the hunched over, the gigantic striders, their arms flailing akimbo; yes when it comes to different running forms and styles it seems we are all as unique as our appearances. Yet there is a 'model' running form that has been shown to be most efficient and if you were to look at the best runners in the world there you would find that many of them do resemble their competitors. This is because their techniques have proven to be the best to get them the fastest times possible; they don't waste any excess energy on unnecessary movements and everything is streamlined and moving forward.

While not everyone will be able to run as fast as the Olympic caliber runners, we can take steps to at least mimic their proper running form. This includes holding your arms at a 90 angle bent at the elbow and then moving on the same plane frontwards and back. You shouldn't be crossing your arms in front of your chest, having them held up so close to your chest that you don't get much movement at all, and you don't want then to be down swinging by your thighs. Concentrate on lifting them up to be about even with your beast bone in front and then when they swing back think of hitting about where you would have a pocket on your shorts.

Proper running form is also going to mean that you are standing up tall to not only allow for the most lung capacity but you will also be slightly tilted forward to help propel you that way. You want to think about being erect and then slightly tipping your pelvis inward so that your butt isn't sticking way out in back. Your legs then should work in a sort of cycle motion with your knees lifting up and then back to then push off. You want your foot to ideally land directly below you for the maximum power for each push off. Everyone will have a different stride length, but you want to aim to get as close to 180 strides per minute to be the most efficient; this works out to about 30 strides each 10 seconds. (One stride is a full complete cycle on a single leg, not each step that you take.) Count your strides and try to adapt accordingly; if you are overstriding and leaping while you run you will be wasting a lot of effort as you will need to claw forward before your foot even pushes off. Similarly too many short strides aren't going to give you the most power for each lift off.

Finally, one thing you need to keep in mind for the perfect running form throughout is to RELAX. Don't clench your jaw because this will likely cause you to tense up and raise your shoulders. Relax your shoulders and let your arms swing freely. If you find this happening take a deep breath, shake out your arms, and return to the correctly position. Adapting your running form is tricky and takes a lot of time because at first the changes won't seem natural. But if you target one specific thing to focus on in your runs, master that aspect, and then move onto the next eventually you will be looking more and more like those professional runners who make it seem almost effortless. But don't be fooled, they are working just as hard as you!

Thanks for coming back for more and great job for finishing week 5 of the running training program. Hopefully the speed workout and longer interval session went well and that you are learning to gauge your paces. An important thing to remember is that as with any kind of sport or regular workout routine you always want to be stressing different energy systems and then challenge yourself to improve. Along with that there are many things you can incorporate into your program that while they may not be running they will translate over into faster times and better performances. This includes weight training, dynamic drills, stretching, plyometics, flexibility drills, form work, and core work. That may seem like a lot to digest, but those are just some examples of the many different training techniques that you could sprinkle in throughout your training weeks and months. Yet at the same time you don't want to add in everything all at once, and there's no need to necessarily add in all of those things and it depends on your own unique goals that you can then pick and choose what is most important and what you have time for.

The goal of this week is to integrate a weight lifting routine that will hit every major muscle group in your body. This will increase overall fitness, get you leaner and meaner, but in terms of running it will give you more power. You will want to do this routine twice this week and eventually we will increase that to three times a week. This week will still have a speed workout day and another day geared towards building your endurance.

Monday: Strength training routine with a five minute cardio warm-up
Tuesday: Speed workout for a total of 35-50 minutes (start with a warm-up and then you will do sets of one minutes hard, one minute easy, 30 seconds hard, one minute easy; you will do a total of three to four sets and then finish the run as a cool-down)
Wednesday: Easy run for 35-50 minutes
Thursday: Strength training routine with five minute cardio warm-up
Friday: Easy run or cross-train for 35-50 minutes
Saturday: Longer workout for a total of 35-50 minutes (start with a warm-up and then between three and four sets of 5 minutes hard followed by three minutes recovery jog; finish the run as a cool-down)
Sunday: Long run for 40-70 minutes (go very easy)

We have changed the amount of times for the intervals to get you used to going at different paces. For the speed session really work on blasting the shorter 30 second intervals and on the longer day aim to work on being able to still start out at a level 8 in terms of effort (from one to ten) but as you progress try to pick up the pace so you finish faster than you started. Finally, we will keep the length of the long run the same this week and be sure to take it easy so that you recover from the hard workout the day before. Get after it and be sure to check back for more updates throughout the week!

Week 7

Way to go for all of you who have finished up Week 4 of the running training program and by now those runs should be feeling a bit easier. I always say that the hardest part of running is just getting started and the initial 2 weeks are perhaps the worst; that is kind of the make it or break it point. But once you crest that period the motions will start to feel more fluid, you'll be less sore, and from there your breathing will be less labored as you get in better cardiovascular shape!

I hope the first interval workout you did last week went well, and the goal for this upcoming week is to tap into both your aerobic and anaerobic fitness systems. This means that for one workout you will work more on your speed and the other will focus on endurance. We will do this by going shorter, faster, and with more recovery for one session and then longer intervals with less recovery for the second.

Monday: Day of rest or light weights
Tuesday: Short speed session for a total of 30-50 minutes (After a warm-up you will do 6-8 hard efforts for 30 seconds followed by 2 minutes of easy jogging between each one; be sure to let yourself recover before starting the next and then finish the rest of the run with a cool-down)
Wednesday: Easy run for 35-50 minutes
Thursday: Easy run or cross-train for 35-50 minutes
Friday: Day of rest or light weights
Saturday: Longer interval session for total of 30-50 minutes (After a warm-up you will do 4-6 hard efforts for 3 minutes each followed by 2 minutes recover between each one; finish the rest of the run with a cool-down)
Sunday: Long run for 40-70 minutes - be sure to take this one easy

For the shorter workout day you will be right about your maximum speed. The longer session you want to then pace yourself, especially in the first few intervals, so that you finish going hard but still feeling strong rather than fading. Learning to properly pace yourself takes time and practice, but you'll soon discover how to find your rhythm. Track your week in your runner's training log and keep it up; be sure to check back for more updates!

Week 6

Tapping into different muscle groups and cardio systems is the best way to not only get in the best shape that you can be but to also keep things from getting too boring. This is why any athlete in training won't be doing the same old routine each and every day. Not only is it monotonous but after a while you're body will actually adapt to the workout program and not only won't improve but will actually find ways to cheat and use less energy. You don't want to get stuck in a rut, and I admit it is easy to fall into a comfortable routine and just zone out. But if you do this you're not going to do yourself any favors and instead you want to keep spicing things ups.

The two fitness systems are the anaerobic and aerobic capacities. Your anaerobic system is the one that you use for short bursts of maximum efforts; think sprints and plyometric jumps. You will only be using the fast twitch muscle fibers and the longest amount of time this system works alone before switching over to aerobic is about 20 seconds. The aerobic system then is what you use for sustained cardio exercise and works off of slow twitch muscle fibers; you can use this one much longer than the other. Both need to be addressed for a well rounded fitness training program but different people have different bodily make ups and varying ratios of slow twitch to fast twitch muscle fibers. That's why some people are more apt to be sprinters and high jumpers and other are marathoners.

Yet to get the most from your workouts you should try to mix in different exercises and types of training to hit these different capacities each week. For instance one workout should be geared toward faster, shorter sessions such as intervals of 30 seconds all out and then nearly full rest until the next one. You could also do plyometrics to tap into your fast twitch muscles. Then a second workout that week could be intervals of longer time or distance such as 3 minutes hard and then enough rest so that you can do the next one but not so much so that you are fully recovered. This will build endurance and stamina. You could also do a longer tempo effort which is at threshold level, just under a race effort, for 20 minutes or more.

A complete training program is going to stress all of your systems and maximize as many muscles as you can. This will not only keep you a well rounded athlete and improve your overall fitness and abilities but it will keep things fun and exciting as well.

You should have finished your Week 3 of the running training program and getting ready for the next! This week the goal is going to start easing into specific workouts that are going to target different systems to get you faster, build your endurance, and ultimately a better athlete and in tip top shape. You don't want to put too many stressors on yourself all at once so we are going to gradually incorporate these workouts along with increasing the amount of time you are running and working out. The key is to balance the upped volume and workload so that you keep progressing but not end up getting injured.

So there are going to be three small changes this week. First, we are going to increase the time on the runs by 5 to 10 minutes. (The exception is if you have already been doing the maximum amount in which case some of the days will be the same.) This includes the longer run as well, so make sure you go the furthest on that one. Second, if you have been cross training for some of the days you want to replace one of them with an easy run so that you are then running at least four days a week. And finally we are going to be doing a pyramid interval workout one day as well as a one pick up run another. For the interval workout follow the guide laid out in the plan so that you are doing a series of six harder efforts; if you have been running longer than the 30 minutes of the plan you will then just increase the time on the warm-up and cool-down. Those that have still been doing some walking, keep trying to get yourself running as close to the total amount of time and on the interval workout day try to make each hard effort at least a full run.

Monday: Easy run or cross train for 30-45 minutes
Tuesday: Pick up run for 30-50 minutes with 3-6 strides
Wednesday: Day of rest or light weights
Thursday: Easy run for 30-45 minutes
Friday: Pyramid interval workout for 30-50 minutes
Saturday: Day of rest of light weights
Sunday: Long run for 35-65 minutes

Make sure to refuel and rehydrate after all of your workouts so that you'll be able to recover faster and feel better for your next run. After your interval workout write in your training log how you felt during the different paces and note if you felt you finished strong or perhaps went out a little too fast on the first couple and faded. This is important as you begin to learn how to best pace yourself so when it comes time to race day you are the one passing people at the end instead of being passed. It's all a learning process as you get more in tune with your own body. Keep it up and be sure to check back for updates!


Week 5

Interval training are great workouts to get faster, lose weight, and increase your fitness level faster than than doing a steady, sustained cardio effort. By incorporating bouts of higher intensities in your fitness training program you will not only gain strength but boost your metabolism which will in turn burn more calories. There are numerous ways to add intervals into your workout program and one such method is in what is called a pyramid workout.

In a pyramid workout each hard effort interval will increase in time or distance, like climbing up a ladder, and then you will work your way back down. This is excellent at getting you working out at different paces; you will be able to go faster and harder for the shorter intervals and the longer ones will have you working more at a threshold pace that will improve your endurance. This way you will be tapping into both of your systems, aerobic as well as anaerobic for the shortest intervals.

An interval workout is a great way to get in an effective workout in a relatively short amount of time, and in as little as 30 minutes you can be well on your way to a faster, leaner, fitter you. Follow the guideline below and for the shorter intervals you will obviously be going faster and as the hard effort times increase you will adjust your pace accordingly. By the end of each hard effort you should feel like you are working at about an 8 or 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. The recovery should be just that, and don't worry if you are going slow; as long as you keep moving the goal is to allow you to rest before the next hard interval.

6 minute warm up
1 minute hard
1 minute recovery
2 minutes hard
2 minutes recovery
3 minutes hard
3 minutes recovery
2 minutes hard
2 minutes recovery
1 minute hard
1 minute recovery
30 seconds hard
5:30 minute cool down

In just 30 minutes you will have worked hard and blasted calories. For anyone looking to get in better shape or lose weight, doing interval workouts is one of the best way to achieve both!

Way to go for all of you in the running training program who have made it through Week 2! I hope that you are feeling a bit stronger and less sore from your runs and that you are beginning to find that you are getting fitter. The first few weeks of starting any new fitness routine are generally the hardest as your body gets used to the effort. From Week 2 you should have started to get your turn over going faster with some pick up runs and for this next week we are going to still include those but add in a long run. It is best to only add in one new stimulus each week in order to keep you moving in the right direction and not wind up injured.

The goal of Week 3 is to get one of your runs at least 5 to 10 minutes longer than any of the runs you've done thus far. A long run is a great way to build your base strength and increase endurance. Further it will burn more calories and should you be looking to lose weight that is going to help you to do so. For this week you will still have two runs that are pick ups, one that is a long run, and the two other days will be those of either easy runs or cross training days. If you have only been doing three days of running up until this point, keep it as such for one more week. If you have been doing mixtures of fast walking and running or jogging keep trying to increase the amount of time running and less of walking and hopefully you will be jogging the entire time soon!

Monday: Day of rest or light weights
Tuesday: Pick up run for 25-45 minutes with 3 to 6 strides
Wednesday: Easy run or cross train for 25-45 minutes
Thursday: Easy run or cross train for 25-45 minutes
Friday: Pick up run for 25-45 minutes with 3 to 6 strides
Saturday: Day of rest or light weights
Sunday: Long run for 30-55 minutes

Make sure you're doing a good warm-up and easing into your paces and finish each run feeling strong. Come back for more tips and of course the next week of training!

Week 4

The long run, or similarly times of longer cardio exercise, are a great ways to improve your endurance, increase fitness levels, and also lose weight. The basis of a longer run is to go for a time that is more than any of your other runs during the week. If you are just starting to add these into your workout routine they may only be a few extra minutes or miles longer, but you will then gradually build from there. The pace or effort of these runs will be about the same as your easy runs, even a bit slower if need be so you can finish the additional time, and on a scale of 1 to 10 you should feel like you are working at a 7.

As you progress in fitness and in the running training program you can then begin to incorporate faster paces, and even pick ups into your long runs to give them specific training and workout purposes. Prolonged cardio exertion is going to set a solid base fitness level and will even translate into better speed and performance times as your body gains strength. What's more is if you should be looking to lose weight, extending the amount of time you are running or working out will burn more calories and is going to make dropping those pounds come quicker.

When you are deciding the time or distance of your long run, you want to start out with only slightly more than that of your current easy runs. This is to make sure you aren't setting yourself up for an injury by adding too much too soon. Start out by designating your long run day to be about 5 to 10 minutes longer than the most you've done up until to this point, and then add about that same amount of time each week. By slowly building up the amount of time you are working out, not only will the time seem more manageable (don't underestimate the mind trying to psyche you out!) but you will be more prepared to handle the distance and feel much better both during and after. Finally, the best way to end a long run and then set yourself up for a better workout next time is to start the recovery process early by both refueling and rehydrating. It is critical to drink liquids that contain electrolytes and eat something that is a combination of protein and complex carbohydrates within the first 30 minutes of ending any of your workouts. This is especially true after a longer one when your glycogen levels and muscles are most depleted.