My Resolution: Deliberate Undertraining
The author on his way to setting a half-marathon PB of 1:13:15 in 2009 - before the wheels came off.
Run Now editor Matt Fitzgerald is ready to try something new in 2010.
As I write these words, I am still recovering from my most recent spate of injuries. In dealing with these injuries, I have put some thought into how I might change my future training to reduce my risk of repeating the catastrophe and perhaps move a step closer to defining my personal magic training formula. The best hunch I have come up with is to try deliberate undertraining in my next training cycle.
What is deliberate undertraining, and why do I intend to try it? The philosophy of deliberate undertraining is captured in the axiom, “It’s better to be 10 percent undertrained than 5 percent overtrained.” When you are overtrained, fatigue prevents you from performing optimally. When you are undertrained, lack of fitness prevents you from performing optimally. So this aphorism conveys the idea that fatigue hurts performance more than fitness helps it.
But when do you know that you are 5 percent overtrained or 10 percent undertrained? If it were possible to know such things, would it not then be quite easy to ensure that you are 100 percent optimally trained for every race, which is better than being 10 percent undertrained? What I’m getting at is this: The idea that it is better to be 10 percent undertrained than 5 percent overtrained is also a way of expressing the idea that 100 percent optimal training is a fundamentally unknowable platonic ideal, and that, because fatigue hurts more than fitness helps, it is therefore wise to be conservative in training by maintaining a workload that you are sure is below the 100 percent optimal level.
In other words, according to this principle, you should use more or less the same strategy in planning your training as that which contestants on “The Price Is Right” use in trying to win the final Showcase Showdown. If you are not familiar with that show, the Showcase Showdown is a game in which two contestants try to guess the total value of a collection of products. Whoever gives the closest estimate wins, but if you guess too high, you are automatically eliminated from contention for the grand prize—which is the very collection of products whose value you’re guessing. So the winning strategy is to guess conservatively, but not too conservatively. You don’t want to miss by much, but if you do miss, you want to guess low. Transferred to running, this strategy is played out by trying to train almost but not quite as hard as you can without becoming over-fatigued or injured.
Is this in fact a good strategy to use in planning run training? I think it depends on the athlete. Certainly there are lots of runners who aim for 100 percent optimal training and would say that they are consistently able to attain it or something close to it without overtraining. Then there are those like Matt Tegenkamp, who practiced deliberate undertraining under coach Jerry Schumacher in his late college and early professional years to break free from a pattern of injury and underperformance and then switched successfully to what he calls a “red line” approach at age 26. But there are some runners who invariably get into trouble with the red line approach and are probably better off aiming low with their training workload.
Take me, for example. It has been a long time since I completed a training cycle that yielded a satisfactory peak race result. Most have been ruined by injuries, one by overtraining. My approach in the past has always been to train as hard as necessary to achieve my goal, and my goal is always to perform better than I ever have before (e.g. set a marathon PR). The methods I have used to avoid overtraining and injury have been to increase my training load gradually and to listen to my body and rest and recover whenever necessary. These methods have proven to be inadequate.
While I do not believe that excessive training has been the cause of a majority of my injuries, I have nevertheless decided that deliberate undertraining—practiced in a very particular way—might be my best shot at making it through my next training cycle injury free. I just have a hunch that reducing my training volume will reduce my risk of injury even despite the lack of evidence of a correlation between training volume and injury incidence in my past. I know that my chances of suffering swimming, cycling and running overuse injuries is zero if I cut my swimming, cycling and running volume to zero. But what I wish to find out is how little training I have to do to keep the risk near zero, or, looked at the other way, how much training I can do while keeping my injury risk near zero.
I am also curious to see how well I can perform on a training regimen whose volume is significantly reduced compared to what I have done in the past. Over the years I have always operated under the assumption that, to improve on this year’s performances next year, I must train more next year than I did this year. But once you have developed a training system that works for you, it is possible to improve consistently over a long period of time by simply repeating it again and again, with only small adjustments that may not include volume increases. One particular clue that the training volume increases that I have taken on in pursuit of better performance might not have been necessary is the excellent results I have seen in a few tune-up races that occurred fairly early in training cycles, when my training volume was significantly lower than it would be before the end of the cycle.
If I am able to achieve my race goals through deliberate undertraining, then of course I will continue to practice it. If I am unable to achieve my goals on less volume, then I will scrap the experiment and return to higher-volume training. And this I will do regardless of whether deliberate undertraining seems to keep me healthier. Despite all the misery injuries have caused me, I would rather give myself a chance of achieving my goals by training hard enough to achieve them, however small that chance might be because of injury risk, than give myself no chance at all by not training hard enough.
Age of Conan director asks how you like your communication
Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Culture
Craig Morrison, the Game Director for Age of Conan, posed an interesting question in his latest blog entry: How do you like your information?
MMOs, whether they are still approaching beta or have been around for years, are constantly changing as developers add improvements here, remove bugs there, work on new content and expansions, and just generally tweak things to keep it all attractive to the players.
The question for development teams is this: How much of the process do you share with the players? Do you say “We are working on stuff, and you’ll know about it when we release it. Just trust us,” do you share every step of the process with your fans along the way, or do you strike one of the hundred compromises in between?
Morrison’s blog entry talks quite a bit about the difficulty of finding that balance, and how it’s often a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation. He winds up with an interesting question, though: What do you as a player prefer? Take some time to read his thoughts on the issue, and then give your own.
Age of Conan director asks how you like your communication originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Training Tip: Tri-Specific Practitioners May Be Better Able To Evaluate Your Injury
Written by: By Nathan Koch and Matt Kraemer
You don’t cut any corners on your training to perform at your best. You have every minute of every day scheduled to make sure your training is complete. You account for every single calorie. Your equipment is state-of-the-art and tuned to precision. Even your work vacation days have already been allocated in advance in preparation for your race. But there was an unforeseen bump in the road: an injury. How could this happen? Everything was planned to the most minute detail. Now what? What caused it and how do you fix it?
You search for keywords such as “knee pain” and “running” on the Internet in an attempt to self-diagnose and even self-treat. A lot of good information on injuries and injury recovery is available, but this can only provide ideas. This information should come with a warning, such as “relieves injury-induced insanity only temporarily” or “may be hazardous to your health (if you are the worst-case scenario type).” Gathering information is a logical and natural first step. However, the decisions you make next are time-sensitive and critical to achieving top form for race day.
Finding the right practitioner to treat your injury is the key to resolving your injury and figuring out why it happened in the first place. The person you choose to treat your injury should be knowledgeable in your sport and the demands it places on you. She will be able to talk you down off the wall and calmly explain the cause of the injury and how to fix it, suggest a timeline for return to normal training and—most importantly—say what you can do for exercise while injured. A triathlete without the ability to increase his heart rate is like a caffeine addict without coffee.
Unfortunately, the stereotypical triathlete is addicted to both exercise and caffeine. Abort mission if your medical practitioner tells you to rest and take meds and wonders why you spend so much of your weekend training. Be conscious of the amount of time he spends with you. Is he interested in the details, or just in getting to the next patient? Make sure that the plan of care that you develop with your practitioner is specific to your injury and goals, and not just a common prescription to a diagnosis. Keep in mind that you alone determine the members of your performance training team.
A general practioner, sports medicine physician, orthopedic surgeon or physical therapist with advanced knowledge in triathlon can be an integral part of your training team. Team-sport athletes at all levels are surrounded by health and performance staff to address all their needs. It should be no different for triathletes.
The biomechanics of swimming, biking and running are each very different and equally important. These mechanics impose special demands that are different from those of everyday activities performed by the general population, and your practioner should realize this. Regardless of which practitioner is treating you, she should have an in-depth background in all three disciplines and a firm grasp of the physiological requirements to compete in them as well. If she is not familiar with the activity, equipment, nutrition, training schedule or demands on race day, how can she effectively evaluate, diagnose and then provide a solution to the injury?
To accurately determine the source of your injury, it may be necessary to observe any possible faulty mechanics. Observing your swim stroke, cycling position and/or running gait can provide the crucial technical information necessary to fix the cause of the breakdown. Typical scenario: A triathlete complains of Achilles tendon pain first noticed while running after the bike during a group brick session. It progresses to hurting during all running and cycling. Diagnosis is Achilles tendinosis.
There is a wide range of acceptable treatments for this condition. Let’s say this triathlete was treated with physical therapy and rest. He improved and was running and cycling pain-free in three or four weeks. Another couple of months go by and the pain returns. Obviously, frustration sets in. The triathlete seeks the advice of a triathlon-specific physical therapist. After the initial discussion and examination, the therapist puts the bike on a trainer to check the rider’s position. This analysis reveals that the cleats are too far forward and the seat is too high. Once the bike position is adjusted and tendinosis treated, the triathlete is once again pain-free and able to train with greater confidence and less fear of a recurrence. If a practitioner doesn’t have a bike trainer or a decent treadmill in the office, it’s a good indication that working with triathletes is not his forte.
Video analysis software is also a nice bonus that can provide instant feedback to the practitioner and the athlete. Yes, in some cases the pain is too severe to have you perform the affected activity, but after a period of healing has taken place, movement assessment is crucial for a full recovery.
A great way to find members of your medical performance team is by talking with other triathletes you train or race with, as well as the staff at the shoe or bike store you frequent. Some triathlon clubs and teams have already made alliances with various practitioners and will even offer special rates and times for priority scheduling. Many doctors, surgeons and therapists advertise themselves as specializing in triathlon, and they may even train and compete in triathlon as well.
Do your homework by visiting the facility, looking at the company website and interviewing the practitioner prior to making your choice. Do not be afraid to get specific and ask questions about the doctor’s experience in this sport, if he’s treated you type of injury before, his overall success in treating patients, and how many triathletes does he treat on a regular basis.
Remember that what works for one person does not always work for another. Maintain good communication with whichever practioner you choose, be candid with your goals and provide ongoing feedback. As in any well-functioning relationship, trust and honesty are important. You play a major role in determining the success of your injury recovery. While triathlon is not a team sport, it does require a team approach to achieve maximal potential in a healthful manner.
Nathan Koch, PT, ATC, is based in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Matt Kraemer, PT, ATC, Is based in Phoenix. You can find them at Endurancerehab.com.
Andy Potts: You’re My No. 1 Recruit
Written by: Andy Potts
I’ve figured it out. No, I don’t know the secret to life but I do know the best way for you to have the most enjoyable experience at your next race: Get your best friend(s) to join you!
Ever since I started triathlon in 2002, I have tried to get my friends to sign up for a race that I’m doing. I’ve been successful in my recruitment to the point that I had two college roommates do a triathlon with me, another one do a relay, and one more sign up on his own. It has extended into my family as well—my wife, mom, dad, brother, uncle, aunt, cousins and sister-in-law have all done a triathlon or a relay.
Photo: Robert Murphy
The stepping stones to recruiting start with getting a friend/family member to support you at a race. The progression then extends to getting them involved in a relay. Once they have seen and felt the festival atmosphere of triathlon, they might just get the bug.
Recruiting others for triathlon is very similar to recruiting athletes for college sports. When I was recruited as a swimmer coming out of high school in 1994, I remember the red carpet being rolled out for me when I visited college campuses.
My college recruiting process started with a phone call from the head coach. Along the way were weekly phone calls and mail (in the era before e-mail) to highlight the life at each university. When I decided to visit a school, the head coach and my host (one of the guys on the team) would pick me up at the airport. Every one of my college campus visits coincided with a major football game and campus activity so I got to see the height of campus fever I would experience if I decided to go to at their school. There were always other recruits on my trips, which made the bonding experience more memorable. During our time on campus we would go out to the best local restaurants with the coaching staff and our hosts to get a general feel for the city. There were a few items of business at every school—tours of the academic campus, the athletic campus, and sometimes auditing a class. However, a heavy part of my decision was based on the atmosphere and energy that was created by the team, staff and students at the university. This always trumped any curriculum, weather or location.
Now, you don’t have to go to those lengths to recruit your friends into triathlon, but you certainly can learn some lessons from the process.
Lesson 1: Show your prospective triathlete how much fun triathlons can be. Get them to cheer for you at a race and then soak up the post-race euphoria with them. Sell them with the line, “This can all be yours if you do a triathlon with me!”
Lesson 2: Take them to some of the great local restaurants that showcase the flavor of the event. That could mean a dinner in San Francisco or a campfire cookout at a state park—whatever you think best sells the event. You could also show off other must-see landmarks or hot spots.
Lesson 3: Let them see the camaraderie and friendships that are created during triathlon. Strong bonds are formed during a common struggle, and although triathlon is an individual sport it can be easily shared with others.
Lesson 4: Go to a great post-race party and live it up. You put a lot of hard work into your race day and there are rewards for doing so, including a post-race party.
Lesson 5: The biggest selling point triathlon has is the lifestyle and health payoff, not to mention the sense of accomplishment, the people, the fun and the overall experience.
The recruiting process never stops. The main reason I keep inviting my friends and family to join me is because when they do, I have so much fun with them on race day and hearing about their experiences. I like to lend them some of my knowledge to help them get the most out of their race. It is a pleasure to hear that they not only found the race a big challenge and a thrilling experience but also that they want to do another one soon. Having friends and family race helps take some of the focus off of my performance and helps me to think about others. Also, in a selfish way, it is nice to know that I’m sharing the pain and suffering that go along with racing.
Every time I am joined by a friend or family member, I have a great time at the race.
In a way, I feel that you and I are responsible for growing our sport. If you are reading this article, then you are the captive audience I need to play a direct role in helping our sport grow. With growth will come better events, more complete experiences and more people living a healthy life. It is up to you to bring your friends and family out to the races to cheer for you, but also to get them to participate. Triathlon is contagious, too, so I hope they will pass it on!
End of an Era
They say that time flies when you’re having fun. If that’s true then I have been having one heck of a good time. The last time I checked it was 1996, I was reading the very first “Penguin Chronicles” in Runner’s World magazine, I was excited about running in the 100th Boston Marathon – because I was chosen in the lottery not because I qualified – and my days were filled more with music and motorcycles than with running. Boy, did that change.
I don’t have the kind of ego that leads me to believe that the world was waiting to read what I had to say. Quite the opposite, I’ve been surprised every month that ANYONE wanting to read what I had to say. But people did want to read. You wanted to read. And here we are nearly 14 years later looking forward to a new chapter in my life, and yours.
But, before I say goodbye I’d like to take a minute to recognize and thank the people to whom I owe so much. It is not an overstatement to say that without these people I’d still be the music department chairman at Middle Tennessee State University.
First, Marlene Cimons; writer for the LA Times and member, in 1995, of the then secret “Dead Runners Society”. DRS, as it was called, was one of the first internet-based running community. It was a mail server – which I still don’t understand – and I started posting email descriptions of some of my running and racing experiences. Marlene saw something and forwarded a bunch of them to Amby Burfoot.
So the next thank you goes to Amby, then editor of Runner’s World magazine. For reasons known only to him he decided to give a completely unknown writer, who was a slow runner, a full editorial page in Runner’s World. Why he thought anyone would relate to a former overweight smoker-drinker is a mystery for the ages. But he did. And I’m grateful.
In his next move of insanity, Amby assigned Mark Will-Weber to be my first editor. Mark, collegiate running coach, 2:22 marathoner, old-school, nylon-shorts, runner was going to have to edit columns about the joys and advantages of running slowly. I’m sure Mark was being punished. What I learned from Mark was the skill of being succinct. Why say in 25 words what you can just as effectively say in 10. Thank you, Mark.
Susan Lindfors was my next editor. Susan is a singer/song writer who took my words and turned them into lyrics. The columns were never more beautiful then when Susan edited them. Thank you, Susan.
Mark Remy, who is still a big part of the editorial team at RunnersWorld.com was – sorry Mark – the smartest person who ever edited the column. I’d read his edits and smile. He was WAY smarter than me and it showed. There are columns in the “Mark” years that are much, much better than the ones I wrote.Thanks Mark.
Jane Hahn had maybe the most difficult job. She edited the column while Runner’s World underwent a nearly complete editorial change. She was charged not with just editing the column, but protecting the voice. With the removal of the penguin character and the change in the column title Jane had the nearly impossible task of keeping the continuity of the message while navigating through a new paradigm. She did a masterful job. Thank you, Jane.
There have been a few others who have taken their turns at editing the column. Catherine Gunderson, Jay Heinrich, and Joanna Sayago among them. Each has brought their unique skills and perspective to my words. I thank them all.
But, the time has come to move on. Beginning in March of this year you’ll be able to read “The Penguin Chronicles” again in Competitor Magazine. Look for it in your local running specialty stores and at other sports outlets. I’m looking forward to reintroducing “The Penguin Chronicles” to a new readership and welcoming home the current readers. Together we will discover the path that we’re on.
You’ll also find an archive of old columns and two weekly blogs at johnbingham.competitor.com
Waddle over, friends. I’ll be waiting for you.
John
John “the Penguin” Bingham, Competitor Magazine columnist
Author, The Courage to Start, No Need for Speed, Marathoning for Mortals and Running for Mortals.
Have a question for John? E-mail it to thepenguin@johnbingham.com.
Exploring The Life-Triathlon Balance
Written by: Jordan D. Metzl, MD
Scott, a 47-year-old triathlete, came in to see me last week with Achilles tendinitis. When we started talking about his Achilles and his training, I sensed something else was bothering him.
Scott told me about his love of triathlon, his newfound addiction to the sport and how much he loved training and doing races. Scott’s problem, however, was more involved. Despite his love for triathlon, his family was very concerned about how much time he spent training away from home.
“Doc, I’ve got two kids at home, a wife who thinks I’m gone and training way too much, and I feel like I’m always letting somebody down.” He went on to say, “I can’t train enough, that’s why I’m here with an injury, but my wife and kids think I’m over the top and gone all the time.”
Scott’s concerns are quite common with triathletes. Let’s face it: The pursuit of the ultimate speed, body and split time is inherently selfish. Trying to balance real life and triathlon is an ongoing struggle. There are some triathletes who gravitate too far to one side so that their entire lives center on triathlon. And there are others who swing too far the other way; they don’t train enough and show up in my office with injuries from loading too much training volume on bodies that aren’t properly conditioned. Most athletes try to find the balance between the extremes.
In thinking about Scott’s plight, and about balancing fitness and life, a local holistic health practitioner named Samantha Caplan came to mind. Samantha’s approach to finding balance seems to be the healthiest for athletes such as Scott.
Holistic health approaches the body and the issues of balance by breaking down healthy living into primary and secondary food groups. Primary foods include relationships, career, spirituality and physical activity. Secondary foods are everything that an athlete puts into his or her mouth.
According to this model, athletes need both primary and secondary foods in balance and feeding off one another to reach maximum nutrition, fitness and happiness. When a primary food is “off,” athletes tend to overcompensate with another primary food and/or secondary food. Athletes who become out of balance in their primary food group, often through the breakdown of other social relationships, tend to over-exercise and obsess over food and nutrition.
Matt Reed balances family and triathlon by taking his wife and kids to most races. Photo: Paul Phillips
Of course, we all go through periods around specific races where we ramp up our training, and according to this model, load too much of our primary food group into the exercise category. When this happens, other parts of our lives suffer. Those who are successful in keeping balance, however, recognize this trend and make the appropriate changes in their lives. They learn how to ramp training up and, when appropriate, ramp training down.
Sometimes other things need to change as well. Necessary changes might include doing shorter races which require less training time, or scheduling family vacations in conjunction with races or making family training time. They might also include socialization with friends outside of triathlon, a book club or a theater subscription. These are all ways, according to Samantha’s model, that triathletes can restore a healthy balance to the primary and secondary foods of their lives
Fixing Scott’s Achilles was the easy part. A bit of physical therapy, some strengthening, a pair of off-the-shelf orthotics and he was as good as new. Having had some experience with searching for balance, I had him look into the concept of holistic healing. He is currently in the process of making his triathlon career work for everyone in his life.
For all you triathletes out there searching for life-triathlon balance, keep up the good work. This is an ongoing pursuit. Remember that whatever balance means in your life, finding a healthy one while pursuing this fabulous sport is as important as crossing the finish line.
Jordan D. Metzl, MD, Drjordanmetzl.com, is a nationally recognized sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. In addition to his medical practice, he is a seven-time Ironman finisher and a 27-time marathon runner.
Tips On Improving Your Run In Between Seasons
A handful of insights from seasoned triathletes on what you can do this off-season to make yourself a better runner next year.
Written by: Brian Metzler
The off season can be a good chance to run without a specific workout in mind. Photo: John Segesta
If you’re a bit fatigued from a long season of training and racing, maybe it’s time to put up your feet and relax, or to go on a vacation that doesn’t include swimming, cycling or running.
Taking a break after a long season of training and racing is crucial, especially from a running perspective. It can help your body get over nagging injuries that are accentuated by the high-impact pounding of long runs and speed workouts. It can give your body a clean slate to start retooling for next year, especially when it comes to rebuilding your aerobic base. And, perhaps best of all, it can help you clear your mind of any excess baggage from your recently completed season so that you can focus on new goals for next year.
Here are a handful of insights from seasoned triathletes on what you can do this off-season to make yourself a better runner next year.
Take Time
Taking time to unwind and stop training (and stop thinking about training) is important. Most coaches recommend a period of at least three weeks after your last race to hang up your superhero costume and live life like a regular (non-triathlete) person. It’s that not you should be a complete slacker and fall into bad habits, but it’s a perfect chance to make up for the everything you missed during your busy season of training and racing such as going to the movies, cleaning out your garage, reading a good book or spending time with your significant other or family.
But that doesn’t mean you should be a total veg when it comes to exercising. Use this time to be healthy in a comfortable, non-obsessive way. Stay active, but don’t think about workouts. Just do what you feel like. That might mean jogging three miles with a friend from work. Or simply running around a local park for 15 to 20 minutes. But don’t wear a watch or keep a training log.
Eat Right
Endurance athletes—triathletes, runners and cyclists—have been known to reward themselves for a long season of sacrificing by indulging in food they did their best to avoid the previous 10 months. For some, that means a bowl of cookie dough ice cream every night after dinner, and to others it means hitting the drive-through for a gooey double cheeseburger, some greasy fries and a thick chocolate shake.
If that’s your thing and it makes you appreciate your long spell of abstinence from that, then go for it. Gaining a few pounds will probably return your body to a more sustainable weight and give your immune system a break. Just be careful to only allow it for a limited time before you get back to business. Enjoy those eating habits while they last, but realize you’ll be a much better runner as you get back to building and fueling with lean protein, whole grains and complex carbs than you will with simple sugars found in junk food, fast food and all of those other treats that taste good but make you feel and perform lousy.
“Every fall I finish the season in great shape, but if I’m not careful I can easily put on 20 pounds in the winter months,” says Kevin Reinsch, an 11-time Ironman finisher. “As the years have had their toll on my joints, it gets harder and harder every spring to burn off the extra fat without getting injured.”
Build Strength
The off-season is the only logical time to rebuild your strength, and that means hitting the weight room for running-specific exercises such as squats and curls as well as reps on a variety of machines that work on primary movers like hamstrings, quads, calves, shoulders and arms. But it should also mean creating better general strength. That’s a term that refers to developing strong muscle groups that will support the primary movers—psoas, trapezius, abs, obliques, lats and glutes. Lastly, you should do exercises that build stability and balance, such as static lunges on a stability disc, or one-legged medicine ball throws.
“Those little muscles are what make you fast and efficient,” says middle-distance running coach Jay Johnson, who co-produced a series of DVDs called “Building a Better Runner: Building from the Ground Up.” “You can’t just work on your primary movers. You’ve got to work on the entire system.”
Cross-train
Telling a triathlete to do some cross-training can seem a bit obscure given that they’re already readily engaged in three sports during the year. But starting a run program in December or January can lead to physical and mental burnout come late summer. Cross-training is one way to avoid that because it allows you to work up a sweat, improve your endurance, build strength and have some fun without thinking too much about what you’re doing. That might mean paddling a kayak, cross-country skiing, snowshoe running, hiking or doing any number of gym workouts from a spin class or core power yoga, to something more dynamic like cardio boxing or The Bar Method.
“I’ve spent the last three winters skiing my ass off and it has paid great dividends,” says Kevin Dessart, who has raced in the Ironman World Championships seven times and has twice been the top age-group finisher at Ironman Arizona. “While it’s not specific for improving your running, it improves everything. I specifically make sure I do some hill work on the skis, which both kicks your ass aerobically and builds strength. I’ve never done anything that is such a complete workout from head to toe. It also keeps you fresh, as I know during the summer most tri geeks like me do more than enough biking and running, and skiing is a great diversion from this. I always compare it to trail running, because you are usually in the trees, but there is less pounding and the scenery is beautiful.”
Just Run, Baby!
When you start running again, ease back into it with a plan. You’ll definitely want to start logging miles on long, slow runs, but don’t get lulled into running only long and slow just because that’s what you’ve always done or that’s what many training plans suggest. Build up your mileage slowly after your hiatus as to avoid overuse injuries or fatigue. But also mix in a few things that will engage your fast-twitch muscles, perhaps in the form of short and moderately fast tempo runs, long runs with a negative split, or a medium-length progression run that starts slow and increases in pace every two miles or so.
Throw in two or three easy buildup strides a couple of times a week just to get some snap into your legs. Also, start early with dynamic warm-up drills that initiate efficient running form and you’ll be well on your way to building a new you out on the run. Keep everything under control until the springtime, saving hard efforts and fast intervals for later, but make sure you get some variety in your training, says Mike Ricci, a USA Triathlon Level III coach and head coach of D3 Multisport in Colorado.
“The one thing you can do to make yourself better is to run consistently,” Ricci says. “Even though it’s winter and it’s cold outside, you can run on a treadmill. There is no reason not to run in the winter—you can even create a fun hill workout on the treadmill by playing with different speeds and grades. You don’t need to kill yourself, but there is a lot you can do in the winter to make yourself a better runner next summer.”
Olympians To Run New Years Eve Race In NYC
Olympians Ian Dobson and Erin Donohue to headline field of professional athletes scheduled to run.
New York, December 21, 2009—As the clock strikes midnight on December 31, New York Road Runners (NYRR) is kicking off the new year in Central Park with fireworks, a costume contest, and a four-mile fun run for thousands of runners at the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run.
Olympians Ian Dobson and Erin Donohue are among the top athletes expected to race for a prize purse of $2,000, including $500 apiece to the male and female winners. The field also includes Dobson’s wife, Julia Lucas, and Team USA Minnesota’s Patrick Smyth and Alisa McKaig, in addition to top local runners Abiyot Endale and Genna Tufa on the men’s side, and Aziza Aliyu and Lesley Higgins on the women’s side.
The men’s event record is 18:12, set by Andrew Carlson in 2007. Carmen Douma-Hussar holds the women’s event record of 20:54, also set in 2007.
The Emerald Nuts Midnight Run, a Central Park tradition since 1978, offers runners and spectators a fun and healthy way to celebrate the New Year, just blocks north of the crowds in Times Square. The Emerald Nuts Midnight Run promises to be one of the most distinctive, cost-effective parties in all of Manhattan.
“The Emerald Nuts Midnight Run has become a New Year’s Eve destination for thousands of runners and spectators,” said Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners. “It has a dedicated crowd that gathers each year for one of the most active New Year’s Eve parties in New York City.”
“We’re proud to be the title sponsor of the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run,” said Jeff Ngo, Director of Marketing at Diamond Foods. “We’re excited to help people start the year off right with a source of natural energy. This is part of our commitment to promoting active and healthy lifestyles.”
The festivities begin at 10:00 p.m. with a dance party and costume contest, followed by a costume parade at 11:00 p.m. At midnight, the runners will take off on their non-scored four-mile loop through Central Park, under the glow of a 17-minute fireworks show. In lieu of water at mile two, runners will have the option to raise a glass of non-alcoholic champagne to the New Year.
For the third straight year, military personnel stationed in Iraq will start their own Midnight Run at the stroke of midnight—eight time zones ahead of New York. Captain Clifford Cotten, a NYRR member stationed at CSC Scania in Iraq, has organized the event with a team of 50 runners, including military personnel on base as well as a few local Iraqis who Cotten has inspired to join the team.
The following athletes are expected to comprise the pro athlete field:
MEN
Ian Dobson (Portland, OR): 2008 Olympian, 5000m
Abiyot Endale (Bronx, NY): Third, 2008 Emerald Nuts Midnight Run
Patrick Smyth (Minneapolis, MN): Third, 2009 USA 10-mile Championships
Bado Worku Merdessa (Bronx, NY): 2009 NYRR Club Team Champ
Derese Deniboba (Bronx, NY): Seventh, 2008 Emerald Nuts Midnight Run
Nick Polk (Blowing Rock, NC): Fourth, 2008 NCAA D-II 10,000m
Harbert Okuti (New Rochelle, NY): Seventh, 2008 NYRR Club Team Championships
Sean Brosnan (Lafayette, CA): 18th, 2009 Fifth Avenue Mile
Genna Tufa (Bronx, NY): First, 2008 SLC Marathon
Derek Scott (Bloomington, IN): 2007 NAIA 1500m champion
Antonio Liuzzo (Scicli, Italy): First Italian, 2009 ING New York City Marathon
Emrani Dustin (Kings Point, NY): 2009 Maccabiah Games 800m champion
WOMEN
Aziza Aliyu (Bronx, NY): Two-time Emerald Nuts Midnight Run champion (2006, 2008)
Erin Donohue (Haddonfield, NJ): 2008 Olympian, 1500m
Hirut Mandefro (Silver Spring, MD): Third, NYRR New York Mini 10K
Julia Lucas (Portland, OR): 2005-06 ACC 5000m champion
Alissa McKaig (Blowing Rock, NC): 2008 NAIA 5K & 10K champion
Zeferjahn Tanya (Charlotte, NC): 2009 NCAA D-II 10K champion
Lesley Higgins (New York, NY): Second, 2001 NCAA indoor mile
Kim Duclos (Worcester, MA): 16th, 2009 Boston Marathon
Susie Rivard (Indianapolis, IN): Sixth, 2007 NCAA D-II indoor mile
Nutrition: Enjoy The Off-Season, But Don’t Regret It
The combination of winter and the off-season represents a threat. Professional triathlete Pip Taylor provides advice on how to keep the off-season pounds away.
Written by: Pip Taylor
The combination of winter and the off-season represents a threat. Race day seems far off, and the pool does not sound tempting. Besides, who is going to see your buff tri body under all those layers as you lie on the couch and reach for some more mac ’n’cheese? It may not matter if you gain a couple of pounds. In fact, for many athletes this is actually healthy and allows for some much needed recovery. An extremely lean body, while it may be ready to race fast during the peak of the race season, is not always optimal year round in terms of building and maintaining physical as well as immune strength both of which are required in the foundations of hard training. On the other end of the spectrum, though, you don’t want to have to spend the entire next race season trying to get rid of the indulgences of the winter.
So try to tread a happy medium; indulge and treat yourself if you feel you have been deprived all season, but keep in mind your goals for the upcoming year and ask yourself what is more important. Yes, the holiday season and the cold weather are going to make staying on track tough, but staying active and eating healthily for most of the time will not only help you feel better but also give you a head start in the new year.
Warming, comforting and filling food doesn’t have to be heavy. Moroccan lamb and couscous soup is a favorite in my family. It is a satisfying dinner that is hearty, healthy and delicious. It’s simple to make and takes very little preparation time. It is also great for freezing or for taking in a thermos to work. And it is open to interpretation—substitute your favorite or readily available vegetables, and while I wouldn’t make it with anything other than lamb (yep, I am an Aussie!) you could try using cubed beef. This will make a big pot, at least 10 generous servings, so invite some friends or freeze some for another day.
Moroccan Lamb and Couscous Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
2.2 pounds (1 kg) cubed lamb
2 Spanish onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder (to taste—add more of less if you want)
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
28 ounces (800g) crushed or chopped tomatoes
2 medium-sized carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 sweet potato, chopped into bite-sized pieces (or pumpkin)
1 cup green peas or broccoli florets
2 15-ounce (440g) cans of chickpeas
34 ounces (1L) chicken stock
3.5 ounces (100g) couscous
1 bunch continental parsley, chopped
1 bunch mint, chopped
juice of 2 lemons
yogurt to serve
Directions
In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the onions until soft. Add the garlic and spices and cook a few minutes until fragrant. Add the lamb and stir though onion mixture, and then add tomatoes and stock. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and let it cook gently for about an hour. Add the veggies and—if it is needed—a cup or so of water (so everything is covered) and continue to cook gently for about 45 minutes. Add the chickpeas and stir through to heat. Add the couscous and peas and let sit for 5 minutes until both are tender and warmed through. Stir through the herbs and serve with a dollop of the yogurt.
This soup makes a fantastic meal by itself—high in protein and carbohydrates as well as nourishing vitamins but is also great served with some accompanying pita or flat bread, warmed through in the oven.
Age of Conan December community letter released
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Age of Conan, Expansions, Patches, PvP, News items
Age of Conan Game Director Craig ‘Silirrion’ Morrison posted the December community letter today, and he’s clearly feeling very optimistic about the future.
The 1.06 update cycle was the focus of most of the letter, with Morrison reminding players that it is currently up and available on the test server, and encouraging players to check it out (particularly the Guild Renown system). The Age of Conan team has put in quite a bit of work and are anxious for players to put it through its paces.
Of course, the other big area of focus was the upcoming expansion Rise of the Godslayer and the excitement of the recent live beta broadcast. The letter also included a quick rundown of where progress on the expansion is right now.
Players had some questions after reading the letter, particularly regarding PVP Towers, and Morrison was quick to step in and chat with the community in the thread, keeping them up to date on what is happening in that arena. The full letter (and thread) can be seen here.
Age of Conan December community letter released originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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