Monday Quickie: Hills!

Hill repeats, as a workout, are the Secret Agents of training. They're sneaky in how they help your run training. Most of the RTR courses are not flat, but even if they were, hills are a critical part of any training plan. Hills provide a few key enhancements of running fitness that round out any runners' skills and abilities.

First off, hills are gym work in disguise. The added resistance of going uphill turns hills into strength work. Like lunges or squats, each stride is weighted against the pull of the earth making you use more energy and building strength. The pay off for you as a runner, is large because at the end of the race it's not about being fast but more about being strong.

Secondly, hills are also speed work in disguise. The extra effort it takes to go uphill will spike your heart rate just like track workouts or interval workouts. The best part is that it's not the same hard impact because the pace is slow. If you want to go faster, going harder is how you train your lungs and heart.
Third, hills are all about form. Learn proper form and you will run strong and well the whole of the race and you'll be mindful of that form.

Add a few hills to you runs (it's not hard to do around here) and begin reaping the rewards.

Run For Your Lives!
Coach Bree

Training plans

This year for Run the Rock, I  wanted to focus the training plans on the shortage of  races: the 5K and 10K. Both are 8 weeks long, so you should plan to start you training on or around August 18th. I will post the plans in two 4-week blocks.  Both plans call for cross training and core workouts. In the coming weeks I will be posting suggestions and exercises for both.

Let's look at the 5K first.  This is a training plan for those of you who may be looking to RUN your first 5K. In the 8 week program you will begin to build your jogging endurance.  Your goal for this 5K should be to complete the race. Time and distances outlined in the plan assume a walking pace of 20 minutes per mile and a jogging pace of 13 minutes per mile 1 mile in 13 minutes. If you find that you are walking and jogging faster or slower than the paces above, your distance/time for each workout will vary accordingly.

Important! When the plan says to "Walk", it does not mean either of the 2 walking extremes (speed walking or casual, slow walking). Instead it means walking at a slightly faster than you would normally walk. You should still be able to hold a comfortable conversation with someone at this pace.

Ready for a 10K?

Have you run a few 5Ks and are ready to step up to the 10K distance? Then this plan is for you. This plan assumes you have already completed at least one 5K or are able to run 2.5 miles  at one time. Try not to worry about how fast you run; just cover the distances on the given days. Don't push too hard or too fast. Under this workout plan, you run four days of the week: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.  Sundays are your longer runs. 

So, there you have it! Good luck!

Run for your lives!
Coach Bree

Give me a beat

Listening to music gives you an undeniable emotional edge when running. In fact, some races will not let runners who are professional or vying for an age group prize listen to music as it is conceived as an unfair advantage.

There are purists out there who think that listening to music, podcasts, audiobooks, etc. takes too much away from the experience of running and inhibits your ability to get in "tune" with your body. There's also the safety aspect to consider. Running with music obviously hampers your ability to hear oncoming traffic...or bears.

But, I think those that take advantage of audio company far outweigh those that don't. So, for those of you who DO listen in...I thought it would be great to get the ultimate play list going.
Songs that I favor tend to be ones that I know well and can hum or sing along to or that remind of happy times. A nice thumping beat doesn't hurt either. Here is a sampling of what is on my running playlist right now:

Bruises - Chairlift
Lose Yourself - Eminem
You Make My Dreams Come True - Hall & Oates
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard - Simon and Garfunkel
Home  - Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros
Lonely Boy - The Black Keys
Callin' Baton Rouge - Garth Brooks
Rockin' the Suburbs - Ben Folds
Paper Planes - M.I.A
Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
Sunshine - Jonathan Edwards
Faith - George Michael
Time to Pretend - MGMT
See The World - Gomez
Messages - Xavier Rudd
Anything by Vampire Weekend

Let's hear it from you. Post your favorites in the comments. Remember - there are no judgements when it comes to taste in running music!

Run for your lives,
Bree

Up and over

Given the hilly nature of the Run The Rock race courses, I thought this article from Runner's World was particularly relevant.

On the Up Side

Simple adjustments make hill running more enjoyable.By Jeff GallowayImage by Adam Hester /Getty ImagesFrom the September 2012 issue of Runner's World 

Nothing builds running strength better than hills. Running inclines forces your muscles to work harder with each step; as you grow stronger, your stride becomes more efficient and your overall speed improves. Despite the benefits, many newcomers (and old-timers) avoid hills–after all, defying gravity can be physically and mentally uncomfortable. But simple form adjustments and a go-slow approach can reduce the challenges and boost your fitness.

Maintain good form-> As you ascend, shorten your stride and keep your feet low to the ground. Try to keep your head, chest, and hips perpendicular to an imaginary horizontal line. On descents, take short, quick, light steps and keep your center of gravity over your legs.

Start easy-> For your first hill workout, jog for 10 minutes to warm up, then walk for two minutes. From the bottom of a gentle incline, run up at an easy pace for five seconds, then walk back to the starting point. Run up again for seven seconds. Walk down. Run for 10 seconds, then walk down. If you're feeling strong, repeat the sequence. Cool down with a 15-minute jog.

Progress slowly-> Do the Start Easy workout several times, then ramp it up. Perform 2 x 10 seconds–run up for 10 seconds, then walk down and repeat. Then do 2 x 15, followed by 2 x 20. On your next hill workout, repeat the sequence twice and finish with a 30-second run.

Stick with it-> Schedule a hill run every seven to 14 days. As you get stronger, add time to your segments and/or add an additional hill until you're running 10 inclines. If you're training for a hilly race, try to mimic in your workouts the types of hills you'll encounter in your race. When motivation lags, run hills with a buddy and take turns leading the upward charge.

Courses!

I totally geeked out today and drove the Run the Rock courses with all of my sexy electronic gadgets.
As a result, I was able to put together some nice route maps for you all.

Marathon
The marathon starts in town @ Fisheries Research Center on Near Island and follows Rezanof. Turn right onto Anton Larsen road and keep running until the turn around at the far end of the road.
Ends at Golf Course Pro Shop.

You can also view this route: RunTheRockMarathon


Half-Marathon
The half marathon is an out and back that starts and ends at the Golf Course Pro Shop. The turn around is approximately at the head of Anton Larsen Bay.

View this route: RunTheRockHalf


10K 
The 10K is also an out and back starting at the Golf Pro Shop. 

View this route: RunTheRock10K

5K
Finally, the 5K! This race is also an out and back starting at the Golf Pro Shop, but rather than going towards Anton Larsen, this route heads back towards the main highway.

 View this route: RunTheRock5K

Beginners Running Guide

In my daily snooping for running, health and endurance knowledge around the series of tubes (you're welcome Jay), I found this great article from Men's Health Magazine on 101 tips for a new runner.
Take a look!

Beginner's Guide

P.S. A number of folks have requested maps and elevation for the various Run the Rock routes. We are working on it. Thank you for being patient.

LET IT BEGIN!

TRAINING PLAN WEEKS 1 - 4

Here we are! 12 weeks until race day. Are you nervous? Good! Nervous energy is a good thing and just what you need to get off to a great start and keep your motivation high.

This plan is designed for a beginner runner who has never completed a half-marathon. It’s best if you have some level of basic fitness and can already run up to 3 or 4 miles in one session, but those of you who have yet to take a single running step can follow this plan as well! As written, you will be running four days a week with two days of cross-training and one rest day.  On the last day of week 4 you will see that I've included a 5K race or a 3 mile time trial.  Use the race or time trial as a test of your fitness level and practice taking fluids while you run.

If you'd rather run by time and not distance, translate the chart into minutes by assuming a 10 minute per mile pace, even if your pace differs from that. For example, a 3 mile run would translate to a 30 minute run and a 6 mile run would translate to a 60 minute run. 

Long Runs: The meat of any half-marathon training plan is the long run, which will prepare you physically and mentally to complete 13.1 miles. The gradual increase in mileage of these runs is the key to any training program. These runs are scheduled for Sundays beginning for 4 miles and peaking at 11 miles.  If you prefer to have your long run on a different day, try to keep its timing within your training week consistent and remember to give yourself a rest day on the following day. Don't be afraid to incorporate some walking into the long runs. Many people find this an efficient and effective way to train and race! 

Rest: Take your rest days seriously. Rest is just as important to a training plan as the running!

Cross-Training: Cross-training can include any physical exercise that is NOT running. Great options for cross-training are biking, yoga, walking or swimming because they are non or low impact and give your running joints and muscles a nice break. Cross-training is optional, but highly encouraged!

Strength Training: While I have not explicitly included strength training within the plan, it’s always a good idea to include if you have the time.  Strength workouts can be included on running days, but are probably best suited for non-running days.  This will be covered more in-depth in a future blog post.

Pace: Don’t worry about it! Do all your runs at a comfortable effort. If you are running with a partner or a group, you should be able to carry on a conversation without gasping for breath.

Questions? Leave them as a comment after the post!

Run for your lives,

Bree