I’ve coached many runners and want to key on one individual who has agreed to share his training data.  I’ve actually coached this runner personally for the last 20 years and he had some pretty terrific coaches previously with some strong results.

The athlete has logged 20,000+ miles and approaches his 54th year on this great earth.  Injuries have plagued him for the last decade, but he continues to gain fitness quickly (when not injured which is infrequent).  Similar to Coach Cally’s post What’s Slowing You Down, this athlete always struggles with peer comparison and past performance as unrealistic measuring sticks.

That’s the background and here are my observations about the athlete who is dealing with a glute injury that shortens his stride.

The runner intends to keep volume relatively high (~35 mpw), while he flosses, rolls and stretches his glutes.  On a Wednesday session, I suggested cutting the 9M @ 7:19/M pace to ~ 6M at 7:30/M pace and running progressively to RPE (rate of perceived effort/exertion) = 5-6.

Here’s a graph of how that run transpired:

Notice the athlete did have a nice progressive run shaping up until 5M.

Now let me overlay HR against pace so I can show you where the problem arose:

Notice the gentle cardiac drift initially, which is exactly what we want.  Then around 2.5M there’s a steeper inflection with a final mile that looks like a cool down (it was not).  Instead the runner over heated and drove RPE + HR too high.  In reality it was a hot day in the SF Bay Area.  When I say “hot day in the SF Bay Area”, we are talking relative to the typical area conditions.  For those of you in the midwest, southeast and Atlantic coast, you are dealing with much worse conditions.

Here’s the synopsis given by the athlete post-run:  After 5M I felt hot, heavy and my glutes were tight.  I had intended to run a gradual progression, but got ahead of myself in M3 and was tired by the slow last mile.

It easy to see this from the splits:


If we look deeper we see a decline in cadence and a subsequent increase in vertical ratio for M6 (both clear signs of fatigue):


Lastly, we see the athlete spent way too much time in Zone 4, for what was supposed to be an easy run effort.

Ok I’m being pretty critical of this athlete so full disclosure, the athlete referenced = ME.

After my failed attempt at <5:00/M on July 2, I recommitted to making my goal.

The problem is that I’m partially injured and instead of listening to the Angel (coach in me) and slowing down with emphasis on rehab, I let the Ego (athlete in me) take control.

The point is that after coaching thousands of runners and spending myriad time on a track, I still fall victim to the same self-sabotage thoughts that derail us. I ignore the weather and my aches & pains.  However, I continue to strive to be better. 

So now I need to go into a Do as I say, Not as I do recommendations list:-)

1. We want a gradual cardiac drift → that’s a good thing and for the most part it should crescendo to the last steps run or final interval (disregard the cool down after workouts).

2. We want easy runs to start in Zone 2 and gradually move up through Zone 3.  Ideally we don’t hit Zone 4 on these efforts.

3. We should see key metrics like cadence (increasing) and vertical ratio (decreasing) on our easy runs.

4. We need to consider the heat index and adjust accordingly.

The summer heat has been a challenge for most of the world (Europe included), so let’s consider heat index:

1. It is calculated in the shade; most estimates increase direct sunshine at +15%

2. Anything over 80 = Caution →  in my opinion this is where performance drops especially if you’re borderline hyperthermic like me

3. The Rule of 150 =  Air Temp (℉) + Relative humidity (%);  anything over this undoubtedly affects performance and >180 is dangerous

As I (the athlete) reflected on that Wednesday run I realized the Heat Index was ~ 90.  That’s high for the Bay Area and definitely affected my performance. I could’ve stayed at ~ 8:00/M pace and kept HR comfortably in Zone 3, but gee that Ego is powerful and I wanted to run the assigned pace. 

So let’s keep easy = easy, adjust to the elements, pay attention to cardiac drift, vertical ratio and cadence (late in our runs), listen to our bodies when we have challenges, and keep that stress/recovery ratio where it should be.

An active warm-up is a series of dynamic movements designed to prepare your body for exercise by gradually increasing your heart rate, improving blood flow to your muscles, and enhancing mobility. Unlike static stretching, which involves holding a position, an active warm-up keeps your body moving. Get started with these 9 dynamic movements to boost circulation, loosen up & get ready.

1. Active Toe Touch - This is an excellent exercise to activate the hamstring muscles, engage the trunk, and loosen up the lumbar before a run or workout.
2. Lunges - Try this exercise to prime the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and hips before your run.
3. Active Quad Stretch - Targeted warm-up movement to activate the quadriceps muscles.
4. Active Hamstring Balance - Targets and activates the hamstrings, glutes, and core.
5. Stars - Activation for hamstrings, lower back, glutes and quads.
6. Scorpion Activation - Great active exercise to loosen the hips, back and trunk before a workout or run.
7. Calf Achilles Stretch - Various stretches for the calf muscles and plantar fascia.
8. Front to Back Leg Swings - Fires up the hamstrings and glutes to get you ready for your run.< /li>
9. Side to Side Leg Swings - Active exercise to engage the hips, quads, hamstrings and glutes before a run.

Various stretches for the calf muscles and plantar fascia. Watch on YouTube.

Targeted warm-up movement to activate the quadriceps muscles. Watch on YouTube.

Try this exercise to prime the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and hips before your run. Watch on Youtube.

This is an excellent exercise to activate the hamstring muscles, engage the trunk, and loosen up the lumbar before a run or workout.

Join Runcoach for a full body workout. Watch on YouTube.

As the old saying goes, it’s not how you start, but how you finish!

Over the past 3 years, many of you have received recommendations from me about progressive runs. Put simply, this is when you start slower and finish faster.

Ok so why does it work?

Personally, I’ve run many of my best races with easier opening miles. We know for certain that fat stores can be utilized at lower intensity efforts.  The average person stores between 130,000-150,000 kcals of fat which is enough energy for 1,300 miles of easy walking.  Alternatively, we store about 600g of glycogen or ~ 2,400 kcals of energy.  Even though we need ~ 100 kcals to walk or run a mile, the energy sources differ drastically.

So let’s consider 2,400 kcals of available glycogen stores and the Marathon distance =  26.2 Mi.  Obviously we need some of those fat stores to power us all the way through the race.  We also know that the faster you run, the more glycogen you burn.  In fact, I believe the proverbial Marathon Wall is actually less mental and more physical as many marathoners simply run out of glycogen stores and must slow down to use fat.

This is not just an approach for casual Marathoners or Boston Qualifier types, but also a strategy at the World Class Level.  Matt Richtman recently validated his standing at this elite level and positioned himself firmly in the 2028 Olympic Marathon hopeful conversation.  He broke through and ran a 2:07 Marathon to become the first U.S. male to win the Los Angeles Marathon in 31 years.  His first half split = 1:04:18 and his second half = 1:03:38.  How's that for a progression?

There is also a mental aspect of progressive running.  If you consistently run your long runs with progressions, you train your mind to expect a faster finish.  With a gradual pace inflection over time, the exertion can feel less pronounced and the body can adapt accordingly.

Lastly, with a slower start we should be able to avoid that massive heart rate spike.  This allows the cardiopulmonary system to adapt to the strain of running without over due stress of a fast opening mile.  In many ways, the opening mile of the Marathon can serve well both physically and mentally as the only warmup needed.

In summary, progression runs provided the benefit of better fat utilization, more gradual introduction of stress to the body and a sharpened psyche focused on the end and not the start.  As you pass runners at the end of an event who are low on glycogen stores with elevated heart rates, the benefits of progressive running come to fruition.

So start off slow to finish fast!

Your activity contributions go a long way!

Movecoach understands employees move in all different ways. Below we've worked with your employer and the NHS to even the playing field, and give cyclists, yogis and walkers the same chance to earn wellness points for your movement.

*All points are rewarded on a monthly basis, based on the criteria below.

How to earn points by logging activity:

Per week = 20 points

• Complete 3 workouts per week (yoga, cross train, classes)
• Complete 3 mindfulness sessions
• Cycle 75 miles (120 KM)
• Step 21 miles (34 KM)
• Run 21 miles (34 KM)
• Walk 21 miles (34 KM)
• Swim 5 miles (8 KM)

FAQ:

1) Can I earn more than 20 points per week and/or more than 125 points per week?

You can only earn points for one physical activity per week. This is a great time to consider mindfulness to bump up your points earnings. 

For example, if you workout more than 3x, cycle more than 75 miles, and meditate 3x all within a week, you've earned a total of 40 points per week. 20 points for logging 3 workouts and 20 points for meditating 3 times per week.

2) Can I earn 100 points for hitting the first running milestone and an additional 100 for hitting the first workouts milestone?

No, you can only earn points for one physical activity milestone at a time.

For example, if you step 100 miles you will receive 100 points and you will no longer be able to receive 100 points for any other activities such as running/swimming/etc.

Your activity contributions go a long way! Movecoach understands employees move in all different ways. Below we've worked with your employer and the NHS to even the playing field, and give cyclists, yogis and walkers the same chance to earn Oktappreciate points for your movement.

*All points are rewarded on a monthly basis, based on the criteria below. 

You must use your Okta email to be eligible to earn rewards in our Oktappreciate platform. Our points system cannot identify personal emails.

Every 20 points = $1 USD or 1 Oktappreciate point

How to earn points by logging activity: 

Per week = 20 points

• Complete 3 workouts per week (yoga, cross train, classes)
• Complete 3 mindfulness sessions
• Cycle 75 miles (120 KM)
• Step 21 miles (34 KM)
• Run 21 miles (34 KM)
• Walk 21 miles (34 KM)
• Swim 5 miles (8 KM)

Per month = 120 points

• Complete 5 week cross train streak
• Complete 5 week walk streak
• Complete 5 week cycle streak
• Complete 5 week swim streak
• Complete 5 week run streak
• Complete 5 week mindfulness streak
• Complete 5 week workout streak

In order to earn points for the race, the race must be logged within the same month the race was completed.

Log a result from an organized RACE = 100 - 800points

• <5K = 100 points
• 10K-20K = 140 points
• Half marathon (21.1K Distance) = 200 points
• Marathon (42K distance)/ half ironman = 400 points
• Ironman = 8000 points

FAQ (for Okta employes only):

1) Can I earn more than 20 points per week and/or more than 120 points per week?

Yes, combine any of the listed activities to maximize your points.

For example, if you log more than 3 workouts per week, the most you can earn is 20 points But, if you workout more than 3x, cycle more than 75 miles, and meditate 3x all within a week, you've earned a total of 60 points per week!

**It is an employee's responsibility to report any missing points within 30 days, otherwise those points are forfeited. Points are uploaded around the 10th of every month in Oktappreciate for the month prior. EXAMPLE: Points earned in January should be posted around February 10th, and you would have until March 10th to report any missing points from January.

Race day is almost here! Remember to lay low and stay off your feet the days before the race (no Expo attendance for longer than 1 hour). Your reward is race day itself and the challenge of running. . . .

Make sure you get outside and feel the air. Go for at least a 20 minute walk or jog on either the day before, or two days before (or whatever is on your schedule).

Think about what you did, not what you didn’t do in your training. When you go to pick up your race number and run into old friends, family etc. everyone will want to ask about your training so they can tell you about theirs. Forget about theirs and don’t compare yourself to anyone. You followed a terrific training schedule and are well prepared.

Night Before, Morning Of

Have a full meal the night before. Try and consume some complex carbohydrates (pasta). Do not over eat, but make sure you fill up.

On race day eat a light breakfast of 200-300 Kcal of carbohydrates including the sports fluid you drink. If you have a normal pre-race breakfast then stick with it. Don't try any new foods before the race. Drink gatorade (or any sports drink that doesn’t include protein) and/or water frequently to assure you are hydrated (clear urine is a good sign). You should stay well-hydrated throughout the morning before the race. At some point prior to the race stop drinking so you can empty your bladder before the start. It is important to refrain from over-consumption of water alone, as that will drain your body of needed electrolytes.

I suggest you take some throw away warmups to the start especially if it rains or will be cold. This could be an old t-shirt or old sweat pants. Also old socks will keep your hands warm. Some runners will even wear a t-shirt for the first couple miles of the race until they warm up and then pull it off and throw it away. This is a good strategy to prepare for all temperatures.

Take a bottle with gatorade/sports drink to the start with you and right before (less than 5 mins) the gun goes off drink 4-8 ounces. This is your first water stop. If you drink close enough to the start you shouldn’t have to pee – the fluid should only drip through your kidneys because most of your resources (blood) will be in your legs and out of your gut as soon as the gun goes off.

Early Miles

I suggest that you start 15-30 seconds per mile slower than your goal pace. Your second mile should be 5-10 seconds slower.  By the third mile you should reach goal pace I recommend this approach as it may activate (and utilize) a higher percentage of fat fuel over the first couple miles. Remember we are trying to conserve glycogen and muscle for as long as possible.

Stay on top of hydration. Drink early and often (4-8 ounces every 20 minutes). It is better to consume enough fluid early and sacrifice the later stops if necessary.

Remember the 3 ‘C’s’

Confidence: Have confidence in your ability and your training. Remember all those hard workouts you did. Remember those early mornings, late nights, sore calves, tight hamstrings etc. - they weren’t in jest.

Control: You must relax yourself early in the race. You absolutely must go out under control and run easy for the first 8-10 miles. Remember the 1/2 Marathon is evenly divided into three sections of equal effort: first 5M, second 5M and last 5K. We want to save a little bit for the last 5K (Miles 10-13).

Collection: Keep your thoughts collected and on your objective. There will always be lots of distractions on race day. The further you get in this race the more you need to focus on yourself, goals and race strategy. Don’t let the fans and competitors into your zone.

The Ebb and Flow

I said before that I can’t guarantee anything about the training or the race itself. Well, I can guarantee this: you will feel good at some point and you will feel bad at some point within the race.

Races usually ebb and flow, runners rarely feel terrific the entire way. We always hit little walls. If you hit one just focus on the next mile, don’t think about the end of the race. If you take each difficult moment one mile at a time you will usually feel better at some point. It always comes back because. . .

You Always Have One Cup Left

That’s right – you always have one cup of energy left. The difference is that some people find it and some don’t. Remember what normal, untrained people do when they feel discomfort – they slow down and feel better. You are not a normal un-trained person.

You are a runnining machine!

You are programmed to give your personal best so. . .