Ask a Coach, presented by Medtronic

January 2023 Coach Lundstrom on Treadmill Hills

With freezing rain on top of snow here in Minnesota, and reports of various other rough weather conditions around the country, my mind is occupied with treadmill workouts. Some of my favorites include the use of incline, or in other words, treadmill hills.

There have been many studies on uphill treadmill running, including interventions like this one from Ferley et al. This study showed similar improvements between flat and uphill training protocols to important performance variables related to running economy and lactate threshold. They used a 10% incline and did 10-14 repetitions of 30 seconds in duration for the hill repeats, two times a week for 6 weeks. You can certainly try a similar workout but there's nothing magical about this specific formulation.

Indeed, you can mix flat intervals and hills or use varying durations and intensities of hills, and get more variety, less repetition, and perhaps better outcomes as a result. You can invent your own, and even shift things on the fly to keep it fun and interesting. For those looking for a starting point, I am providing 3 workouts below for you to try. Note that the speeds listed will feel a lot harder in terms of effort, due to the incline, so I have also noted the intended effort level.

Interval duration: 45 seconds

Rest duration and type: 75 seconds slow jog

Number of reps: 10

Speed: Roughly 3k or 2-mile race pace (should feel like mile race effort)

Incline: 6%

Rationale: 10 of these 2-minute cycles gives you a great, high intensity workout in 20 minutes. The combination of speed and incline will push you to a near maximal effort, stimulating VO2max adaptations.

Interval duration: 5 min

Rest duration and type: 1 min walk

Number of reps: 6

Speed: Easy run pace (should feel like threshold effort)

Incline: 10%

Rationale: The high incline makes this a deceptively hard workout. Whatever speed you normally do your easy treadmill running is a good start, but adjust as needed to find a "moderately hard" or threshold-type effort.

Interval duration: 15 seconds

Rest duration and type: 3 min jog

Number of reps: 12

Speed: As fast as you safely can go (should feel like a sprint!)

Incline: 12+%

Rationale: Uphill sprinting is used by distance runners to improve power, neuromuscular coordination and recruitment, and to improve running economy. This can be effectively done on the treadmill, with some caveats. Be sure to warm up thoroughly, and to do the first couple at a less than maximal effort before proceeding to a full sprint. You can also do a small number of these at the end of a run or other workout.

As I said, these workouts are just ideas, and you should feel free to adapt and adjust them. Not only is every runner different, but also treadmills differ in their calibration, as well as their ranges for speed and incline. The main point is that incline is a great tool to use to introduce more variety and different stimuli into your treadmill running routine.

Chris Lundstrom has a Ph.D. in kinesiology, with an emphasis in exercise physiology. In addition to coaching professional athletes, he has also developed a marathon training class and taught some 700 novice marathoners.

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November 2022 Coach Lundstrom on Training to Failure

There's a concept in resistance training - training to failure - which can also be usefully applied to distance running. While no one likes to hear the term failure, and training to failure sounds antithetical to improvement, in fact the opposite is true: Failure is necessary for improvement in nearly every venture in life, and training is no exception.

In the context of resistance exercise, training to failure (also sometimes called "momentary muscular failure" or just momentary failure) means that the individual cannot perform another repetition of an exercise without breakdown of form (Steele et al., 2017). I first came across this terminology at Discover Strength, working with CEO Luke Carlson, who was training me at the time. When I was reaching those final reps of an exercise, he would say things like, "You worked very hard to get to this point. This is where the gains are made." This shift in mindset means that rather than dreading the difficulty of the challenging final reps, we expect and embrace that point where the body reaches its limits. Then we persist to the best of our ability, and push through until the body cannot do any more - i.e., failure.

Applied to distance running, of course we don't set out to reach failure every day, or even multiple days per week. However, some workouts are intended to be hard, and on those occasions, reaching that edge of one's abilities is the way to stimulate improvement. Rather than panicking or feeling discouraged upon encountering serious fatigue, we should embrace it and accept that this state is where we aimed to arrive when we started the workout.

It is worth emphasizing that the failure is defined as the point where good form can no longer be sustained. In running, on the other hand, we often go into a workout with a very rigid definition of how many repetitions or miles that we intend to complete. If the workout calls for 10x400m at 90 seconds, for example, most runners will complete those 10 repetitions regardless of whether they are able to sustain good form at the prescribed pace. We consider it, in fact, a failure if we can't complete the numerical goals of the workout, and may continue on despite a breakdown in form or quality of the work.

Not all workouts are meant to reach this point of momentary failure, but the same principle of a process-focused approach applies to all of our training. Whether you are an athlete or a coach, shifting your focus toward the purpose of the workout, rather than adhering to a strict set of numbers, can ensure that you get the intended physical and mental stimulus from each workout, regardless of the times and distances. Indeed, with the fluctuations in fitness, day-to-day levels of fatigue, recovery, nutrition, hormonal status, weather, footing, and any number of other factors, differences in the objective outcomes are to be expected, while attaining the correct training stimulus is much more within our control.

Steele, J., Fisher, J., Giessing, J., & Gentil, P. (2017). Clarity in reporting terminology and definitions of set endpoints in resistance training. Muscle & Nerve, 56(3), 368-374.

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August 2022 Coach Lundstrom in Defense of Moderate Efforts

This is the second of a two part series on moderate effort training.

As promised, this week, I will provide an argument for the benefits of moderate effort training (as opposed to the strict hard/easy structure), and discuss some different ways of thinking about and implementing them. There are many ways of defining training zone/intensities, but for the purposes of this article, we'll keep it simple: easy, moderate, and hard. Note that this "moderate" is different from the public health definition, where moderate is walking and other low intensity activities, whereas any running (or "jogging" as they like to call it) would be considered "vigorous" exercise.

Easy exercise is below the first "threshold" meaning the individual can essentially go at this intensity for hours at a time with minimal fatigue. Moderate exercise is above that first threshold but below the second threshold, meaning that exercise is sustainable for a fairly long period of time, depending on fitness level and where on the intensity spectrum they are (i.e., are they on the low or high side of the zone), but there is going to be progressive fatigue. Lactate level is above baseline (but not much), heart rate may gradually drift upwards, and muscles may experience some moderate fatigue as the effort continues. Hard exercise is above the second threshold, which means you have maxed out your aerobic system, and are also dipping into your anaerobic reserves. In this intensity zone, you are breathing very hard, building up a lot of lactate, and are experiencing acute and serious symptoms of fatigue.

Below is an example of a lactate curve of a cyclist I tested. You can see that the lactate level remains stable through 150 watts, then begins to creep up after that. The moderate zone for this athlete would be between 150 and 210 watts. Above 210 watts, lactate increase dramatically, and fatigue is rapid and inevitable. You don't need to measure lactate to learn these zones, though it certainly can be helpful and illustrative to do so.

Graph

As I stated last week, early in a training cycle is a great time to do a lot of moderate effort work. Generally speaking, the hard workouts at this time are not as hard, nor as specific, so how one performs in the workout is less important than the effort itself. The benefit of moderate efforts is more frequent and stronger stimulation of the aerobic system (leading to adaptation), without the need for longer periods of recovery associated with harder workouts.

Still, some coaches and athletes balk, believing that moderate efforts are not hard enough to stimulate adaptation. This is where the hard/easy theory falls apart. Lots of studies in a wide range of populations show that increasing intensity level (within the aerobic training spectrum) leads to improved health and fitness outcomes, both in terms of whole body measures and cellular adaptations, such as mitochondrial biogenesis. Physiological response is rarely an on/off switch, but rather, it typically shifts more gradually as training stimulus shifts.

So what is going on physiologically with a moderate effort, compared to an easy effort? Moderate efforts are still aerobic, but not easy. They have higher energy demand, so they require more work from the heart to deliver oxygen to the muscles, where the mitochondria need to produce energy at a higher rate over the course of the effort. Thus, they provide a strong stimulus for aerobic adaptation. Of course, the aerobic system is the dominant energy system and most important determinant of success in every event longer than 800m, so long-term adaptations to this system are hugely important.

The caveat here is that while greater stimulus leads to greater adaptations, negative after-effects may also increase. So if you can run at 85% of max heart rate (and, say 2.5 mmol lactate) for some of your runs you are getting more stimulus and potential adaptation than you would if you ran at 65% (and 1.2 mmol lactate) the whole. Some runners may be able to do that 2-3 days per week, while others cannot without breaking down. There is inevitably a point where it is too much - obviously you can't go even moderately hard every day ad infinitum. So the key is finding what is truly moderate for the individual. Of course, it may take longer to recover from a run at 85% of max heart rate versus one at 65% of max heart rate. This where the art and science of coaching and training come in. However, if you pay attention to your body and how you feel the day after runs at various intensities, you can find a sweet spot where you are getting more from your runs on a consistent basis.

Finally, here's a bit on the application of moderate effort training. Moderate can mean a wide range of things, and can be applied in a variety of ways depending on the runner's goals and phase of training. Here are three different moderate efforts that I frequently use with the team.

1) "Threshold" workouts fall with in the realm of moderate efforts. These moderately hard workouts are not truly high intensity, but they certainly aren't easy. These are your traditional "tempo runs" or "cruise intervals" and the idea is to be just up at the high end of your aerobic zone without crossing over into the air-sucking anaerobic zone.

2) Progression runs (a favorite of mine, and probably my single best predictor for how an athlete's season is going to go) start easy and move toward, but just short of hard, spending lots of time in the moderate zone. I have previously discussed these run in this column, but they have the benefit of providing a strong aerobic stimulus, and also teach the athlete to regulate their effort according to how they feel on the day.

3) Finally, I also prescribe a lot of "moderate" runs or "easy to moderate" runs, which also have the benefit of being very effort-based (thus, the runner can go for the right feeling on the day, rather than sticking to pre-determined zones and paces) and allow the athlete to run according to how they feel. The problem with stringent zone-based training is that those zones not only change over time, but also vary from day-to-day based on a variety of factors. If the athlete understands that the goal is to put a littlestress on the aerobic system, they can find the right effort to do that on the day, without worrying about what the mile splits look like. This is great for both the body and mind.

In summary, don't be afraid to push it a little on your runs some of the time, especially if you're pretty far out from your goal race. Just pay attention to how you feel in response, and don't overdo any single day. If you are worn out the day after a run...take it easy, and see how you feel the next day. Stacking lots of quality aerobic work in that moderate zone can be a game-changer for any runner aspiring to develop over the long term.

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August 2022 Coach Lundstrom in Defense of Moderate Efforts

This is the first of a two part series on moderate effort training.

Keep your hard days hard and your easy days easy. This is the gospel of endurance training that goes by many names: polarized training, 80/20 training, hard/easy training. Yet look around at many of the best endurance athletes in the world, from those who perform loads of "threshold" training to the famous daily progression runs of the East Africans, and one must begin to question this received wisdom.

As with most training ideas, there are useful applications of the hard/easy approach, and times when the rule can - and I would argue, should - be violated to improve performance. An alternative that is intuitively employed by many coaches and athletes has been labeled "pyramidal training," in which you do most of your volume at a relatively easy effort and some training at moderate efforts, and less still at the highest intensities. As a coach, I think both of these frameworks can be useful and be used in the course of long-term athlete development.

Let's start with hard/easy. This is not an exhaustive list, but here are three common scenarios where the hard/easy approach can be very beneficial:

1) Many runners feel that they can't run more than a certain number of minutes, or miles per week, without getting worn down. This is super common among beginners, who go out and grind away, finishing their 20 or 30 minutes feeling gassed. These runners need to follow the advice of slowing down in order to get faster. With an easier pace, they can handle increased training volume, and eventually add some more specific high-intensity work. The caveat to this is that those who are perfectly happy running 20 minutes three days per week can keep grinding away. They will not get more fit by slowing down if they don't also increase their volume and/or add some true high intensity work.

2) Runners who are in a rut of doing the same moderate effort day after day, and are discouraged from and/or unsuccessful at undertaking harder workouts can benefit. They're likely mentally and physically stale because they're always a little tired. These runners need to mix things up, to alter the stimulus a bit. While the runner's tendency is to try to add hard days, it may first be necessary to incorporate some intentionally scheduled easy days in order to recover enough to handle and reap the benefits of a harder session.

3) During the racing season, especially in the final few weeks prior to a peak or major goal race, runners should err on the side of easier easy days. In that window prior to a goal race, being more rested and recovered for key sessions (and of course, the race itself) helps runners perform those sessions to the best of their ability, allowing both physiological adaptation and confidence.

Along those lines, this study from 2021 showed that 8 weeks of pyramidal training followed by 8 weeks of polarized training was better than 16 weeks straight of one or the other, or reversing the order. In other words...more moderate efforts early in a training cycle, followed by polarized training later in the cycle produces superior results.

Coming soon, I will get into the proper use of moderate efforts, and the different ways of thinking about and structuring them.

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April 2022 Coach Lundstrom on Deciding to Run a Marathon

There’s no getting around it. The marathon is a big commitment. It takes time, energy, problem-solving, flexibility and determination. But for all that it asks, the marathon gives back in abundance: Self-efficacy, an incredible belief in your mental and physical strength, and an opening of the doors of possibility, not only in running, but in the rest of your life. Given the magnitude of the endeavor, however, it is worth identifying and considering some of the key factors to consider before signing up. As such, I have three key questions to ask yourself before you on click that “Register” button, with some thoughts on each one.

What is your purpose?

The training and preparation for the marathon, and the race itself, are sure to throw you a variety of challenges. Indeed, that is a large part of the intrigue of the event. It’s not easy. Given that, it’s important to have a core sense of purpose, a “why” of what it is you aim to gain from the process. For many people, completing a marathon is a “bucket list” item. There’s nothing wrong with that. But if this is you, try to understand why you wish to take on the challenge of the marathon specifically.

Identifying a deeper sense of purpose for yourself prior to beginning the training process helps you get started and also helps you through the tough patches. Some run for a charity, or the memory of a lost loved one. Others run to regain some sense of self-determination, or simply because it feels empowering. One observation I have made in watching first-time marathoners in particular is that one’s original purpose often evolves throughout the process. That is okay, and often, indicative of growth or increased self-knowledge.

How does the marathon fit in with the rest of your life?

Training for a marathon can – and will – impact every aspect of your life at some point. Most people are balancing many important elements in life: family, work, and other responsibilities, hobbies or passions. While there’s no reason a person can’t lead a rich and varied life and still successfully train for a marathon, it is helpful to consider how the marathon will impact these other aspects. Taking an honest accounting of your own situation at the outset can help set reasonable expectations for what you will be able to do. There may be times when it’s unavoidable to miss a run or to be unable to get ideal sleep and rest. That’s not a deal-breaker, but it does mean that you should have some contingency plans in place for how you will adjust when life gets in the way.

Planning and scheduling training and recovery time is a great start. Block time in your calendar well in advance, and preserve it whenever possible. In the process of scheduling, you may see that you will need to get a shift covered at work occasionally, or help with childcare or other responsibilities. Having conversations with others who may be affected by your training can be very helpful in laying the groundwork for any changes to your life that may be necessitated by the training. You don’t necessarily need to bring everyone on board on your journey, but you do need to adapt the expectations and structure of the rest of your life in order to set yourself up for success.

Who’s on your team?

Despite the stereotype of the loneliness of the long distance runner, training for a marathon is not a solo venture. I said above that you don’t need everyone to come on the journey with you, but you cannot go it alone. There may be detractors or those who simply don’t understand your desire to pursue this big goal. Maybe it’s your boss, maybe it’s your partner, or it could be a friend or other family member. Do your best to share what you’re doing with those who matter most to you, but also understand that it is beyond your control to shape how others feel about your marathon journey.

You don’t need everyone to support you, but you do need at least someone, preferably a few people who will give you the support you need. They may be training partners, a coach or a running group. Or they may be people who know nothing at all about running, but are inspired by you and will do whatever they can to help you along the road. What exactly your support team looks like is for you to decide, but find what you need and know that there are lots of resources out there: Running groups, physical therapists, your local running store, coaches, books, online sources of inspiration and support, and the list goes on. Figure out what you need, ask for help and support, and you will find the journey that much richer for having shared it with your community, whatever that looks like for you.

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December 2021 Coach Lundstrom on Snow Running

Just in the past week, we've had a significant snowfall, then a melt, rain, 55 degrees, and a thunderstorm with high winds, followed by another dusting of snow. This has led to quickly changing underfoot surfaces, and has me thinking about the challenges and benefits of running in various wintry conditions.

Much like sand running, the demands of snow running vary dramatically depending on specifics of the surface. Running on loose sand is a completely different phenomenon from running on the packed, wet sand near the water's edge. Similarly, with snow we can often pick the terrain that best suits our purposes on that day. There may be hard packed snow on a plowed trail, with deeper, softer snow along the edges of the trail.

So here's a brief assessment of three different snow conditions, and how to use them in your training.

Fresh snow: There's nothing more joyful than the first few steps of running through newly-fallen snow. Watch young kids playing in the snow, and you can see that it's hard not love those first few steps. However, it's hard also incredibly tiring! An inch or two of snow slows you slightly and provides a soft landing surface, but any more than that, and your muscles will be working overtime. Hip flexors and calves in particular will be taxed far more than they are on clear surfaces. This can have the benefit of strengthening those areas without having to run very fast, but it can also make it easy to overdo it if you're not careful. So in fresh snow, I recommend slowing down substantially (it may help to leave the GPS at home), shortening up your runs both in distance and time, and taking it extra slow on any uphill sections.

Hard-packed snow: I personally love a packed snow trail for a variety of workouts. While this condition is much more "runnable" than trudging through fresh snow, it is still harder than running on clear surfaces, making it easier to get a good cardiovascular workout with reduced stress on the legs. How much slower you will run compared to clear surfaces depends on the how much give the snow has and other factors, but it's probably 15-20 seconds per mile minimum. One of the benefits of hard-packed snow, though, is the consistency of this surface. Unlike alternating between clear pavement and ice or snow, where footing is unpredictable, hard-packed snow allows you to get into a good rhythm. This makes it great for tempo runs and other moderately hard efforts. Again, it's important to account for the fact that some of your energy is not being returned from that softer surface, so it will be slower. In other words, focus on the correct effort rather than worrying too much about your pace.

Melt and Refreeze: While snow can slow you down, it's almost always possible to run through it. Ice, on the other hand, can be downright dangerous. Most winter runners will agree that the melting and re-freezing of snow, which leads to slick patches of ice, is probably the most challenging. I suggest winter traction cleats for these situations, and avoiding situations where a fall will be especially dangerous (hills, high traffic areas, etc.). That being said, it is usually possible to get in a good workout in these conditions, provided there's a mix of ice and other surfaces, and you proceed with caution. Often, the melting is concentrated in specific areas depending on sun exposure, where snow has been piled up, etc., so you have patches of ice alternating with clear stretches. In these conditions, doing a fartlek-style workout can be a lot of fun and a creative way to get in a good effort in less than ideal conditions. Run fast on the clear patches and slow on the icy patches, or run on the clear and walk on the ice. My personal favorite is running fast on the clear patches and then moving to the side of the path to walk through the deeper snow for recovery.

Whatever the conditions bring you on a given day, stay safe, but be adaptable and you'll find a way to get in a solid workout. If the past week is any indication, if you don't like today's weather, then rest assured that tomorrow will bring something completely different!

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November 2021 Coach Lundstrom on Lessons Learned from the Fall Season

As the competitive year nears its close, I thought I would take a moment to reflect on the lessons learned from the fall racing season of our Minnesota Distance Elite team. Here are three key takeaways from the fall:

1) Sometimes, good workouts are better than great ones.

This lesson comes from the training cycle of Annie Frisbie going into her debut marathon at the TCS New York City Marathon. Annie, who ended up running 2:26:18 (the 4th fastest debut ever by an American woman), dealt with some tendonitis in her ankle over the summer and early part of the fall. While it seemed to be well under control and generally improving, it did lead to a slightly more conservative approach to training than we may otherwise have implemented. In planning the training, I generally thought about what I’d ideally want an athlete to have done going into a marathon, and backed off that just slightly. What this led to was a very consistent series of good workouts, executed properly, without any single sessions that were home runs. This good training, stacked up day-after-day, and week-after-week, produced a great mix of fitness and freshness that paid huge dividends on race day.

2) Live to fight another day

We had a couple of athletes deal with unexpected challenges in their marathons. Joel Reichow experienced serious gastro-intestinal distress over the second half of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, which led to him throwing up repeatedly. At the Chicago Marathon, Tyler Jermann was faced an unseasonably hot day. In both cases, this led to times much slower than their capabilities. It’s very challenging when, mid-race, you recognize that today is not going to be the day you envisioned and worked so hard to prepare for. However, both persevered and, to their credit, finished the race. While they were both struggling, neither was endangering their long-term well-being by finishing. In both cases, this disappointment only added fuel to the fire to get out and compete again.

3) The rate of progress is unpredictable

We have some athletes who are returning from health issues. Emi Trost is returning from a surgery to remove a large, benign tumor above her knee. Katy Jermann suffered from a prolonged and difficult to diagnose health issue through the spring and summer. Dhru Patel, who has often dealt with low back issues as a runner, had a serious flare-up early this fall. As a coach, I like to plan training blocks out very meticulously, weeks and months in advance. However, even for a runner who I know well and who is in good health, that plan is a general guide and is not set in stone. It serves as a starting point and can be adapted as the training progresses.

For athletes returning from injury or illness, the gains (and setbacks) are less predictable. At times when someone has been unable to train regularly for a period of time that may mean embracing a very simple and relatively unchanging pattern of training for a while. It may not look very exciting on paper, but stringing together several weeks of a consistent pattern of running is an essential foundation to build upon. While it may be tempting to try to jump ahead into various types of interval training or other forms of more challenging training, sometimes just being able to run healthy again is progress, and it must be embraced as such.

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September 2021 Coach Lundstrom on Marathon-Specific Workouts

Fall marathon season is just around the corner, which means that our athletes training for the 26.2 mile distance are in the thick of their training cycle. Many aspects of training vary by athlete, depending on their experience, goals, the course they are preparing for, and what type of training cycle they most recently completed.

Despite the variability in these factors, there are a few key workout types that our athletes can count on as key workouts in the preparations just about every time they are gearing up for a marathon. Below are three favorite workout types, and a couple of examples of the workout.

1) The marathon-pace (MP) long run

18 miles with 14 miles at approximate MP
22 miles with 3x5 miles at MP with 1 mile recovery jog

2) The float recovery fartlek

60 minutes of 3 min @ 10-15 sec/mile faster than MP, alternating with 2 min @ 10-15 sec/mile slower than MP.
40 minutes of 1 min on/1 min float. On = 10k effort, Float = MP

3) Long threshold repeats

3x3 miles @ threshold (10 mile race pace), with 5 min recovery
4x2 miles @ threshold with 3 min recovery

What all of these workouts have in common is that they put the cardiovascular system under moderate strain for a prolonged period of time. That means adaptations to both the heart and the skeletal muscle. Just as importantly, they require mental concentration, control, and effort. The athlete has to find the right effort, and to trust in their ability to maintain that effort mile after mile.

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August 2021 Coach Lundstrom on the Art of Kicking

As Olympic Track & Field gets underway, the importance of the finishing kick comes to mind. Unlike time trial-style races, championship races like the Olympics don’t have pace-setters to guarantee a fast pace. As a result, they often become more strategical, and more often than not, they come down to an all-out effort down the home stretch to determine the winner. An individual’s finishing kick, or sprint finish, can mean the difference between a gold medal and 8th place, between joining the ranks of legends or falling into obscurity.

While I don’t agree with the outsized importance we as a society place on what can amount to milliseconds, I’m still very interested in helping athletes develop the tools necessary to close fast and improve their chances of claiming victory. Indeed, farther back in the pack at races of any level, you can see runners duking it out in a mad dash to win their own “race within the race.” Getting the most out of yourself at the end of the race, whatever your fitness level, is one of the joys of the sport.

So what are the tools necessary to develop a great finishing kick?

Top-end speed. This is both the most obvious and the most often neglected aspect of kicking. Many runners consider 400 meter or 800 meter repeats to be “sprint work,” whereas true top-end speed can only be sustained for less than 10 seconds. Sprints such as flying 30s or 40s (usually including a 20 meter acceleration zone leading into a 30-40m maximal speed sprint) are a great way to target top-end speed, and improve both power and mechanics. Taking at least 3 minutes of recovery between these efforts is very important in insuring that a true maximal effort can be attained. It is, of course, important to do a thorough warm-up, and not to jump into all-out sprint work without gradually exposing oneself to sprinting. But sprinting at a maximal effort is the best, and most specific way to improve top end speed, and to give you that last gear in the final meters of the race.

Anaerobic tolerance. Sprinting, or any near-maximal effort exercise, relies upon the anaerobic energy systems. Sustaining a very high level of effort for more than roughly 10-12 seconds will require a lot of energy production from the anaerobic glycolytic (or lactate) system. Most sprint finishes will indeed dig deep into this system, with the result of producing lots of lactate and hydrogen ions. While lactate has been mischaracterized as a cause of fatigue, it is more likely that the hydrogen ions interfere with muscular contraction and limit the ability to sustain a fast sprint for too long. The good news is that repeated sprint training can improve the ability to “buffer” (get rid of), and tolerate higher levels of the by-products of this type of metabolism. The bad news is that eventually, even the best athletes will reach the limits of their ability to sustain a sprint. Racing with enough frequency and in different circumstances helps the athlete learn about the limits of their own abilities, and to practice getting the most out of themselves.

A great aerobic base. This may seem counter-intuitive, but hear me out. The athlete’s aerobic fitness allows them to run at a faster pace without dipping heavily into anaerobic territory. Without getting too technical, aerobic fitness allows them to get to the end of the race feeling much better, and with a lot more in reserve, than a less aerobically fit athlete. This is particularly important in races where the pace is fairly strong early on, or where the kick starts earlier (say 400-600 meters from the finish). In races with a very slow pace, or where the kick doesn’t start until later, aerobic fitness is less important. But at the highest levels of the sport, that will rarely be the case.

Mental sharpness. Tactical racing requires the athlete to be prepared for whatever the race throws their way. There can be multiple pace changes, bunching up and jostling of runners, and even stumbles and falls. The great final kick can usually be traced back to much earlier in the race, when the athlete keeps their cool and preserves energy while others are putting in ineffectual surges or otherwise squandering their reserves. Successful athletes somehow sense which moves are for real and must be covered, and which can be ignored. They know how much to expend, and when, to get the most of themselves. Even a brief hesitation when it matters can mean the difference between a gold medal and going home as an also-ran.

So what goes into that great finishing kick? Truly, it is no single element, but rather a well-balanced training plan, culminating in a peak of mental and physical fitness at the appointed time of the season. The complexity of putting this all together makes watching high level performance, such as the Olympics, a thing of beauty to behold.

June 2021 Coach Lundstrom on 10 Mile Training and Getting Going Again

Question: I'm hoping to use the Medtronic TC 10 Mile – wish me luck in the drawing! -- as my motivation to get going again after the pandemic threw off my running routine. Do you think that's a good plan? I ran a marathon eight years ago and the 10 mile and half marathons regularly since. I'd love to run a solid 10 mile this year and have motivation for more afterward.

Coach Lundstrom: Good luck to you in the drawing! To answer your question, yes, I think the 10 mile distance fits your goals very well. Especially coming off some time away from your regular running routine, something like a full marathon can feel like a bit of a stretch and a daunting time commitment. The 10 mile (and similar half marathon distance) strikes a nice balance. The double-digit distance still poses a big challenge, but it also feels somewhat more manageable and forgiving.

As you begin to train and prepare, I encourage you to spend some time reflecting back on your previous experiences in the 10 mile and half marathon. Hopefully you have some form of a training log or GPS history you can go back to in order to see what you have done previously to best prepare yourself for the 10 mile.

Coming off time away, it can be easy to be discouraged if you selectively remember your best stretches of training and highest levels of fitness. Looking at your old training logs or data can be helpful in this regard. If you look carefully, you will typically observe that your previous best fitness levels came about gradually, after weeks, months, or perhaps years of consistent progress. These higher points in your fitness journey are also inevitably interrupted by set-backs, tough days, races that didn’t go well, and other struggles.

Observing that you didn’t get to your best fitness magically in a couple of weeks is a good reminder, as is the fact that fitness can ebb and flow depending on a wide range of factors. Study your history (or search your memory) as you begin your preparations and make decisions about how you want your training and preparation to look for this year’s 10 mile. Try to get yourself back into that regular routine, but use your perspective to make little adjustments that might make that regular routine just a little bit better. That may mean an extra day of running per week, or it may mean being sure to include days off. It may mean prioritizing sleep, or it may mean keeping your easy days nice and easy. Everyone is different, and the important thing is to understand how you function best to find the balance between working hard and recovering well.

Lastly, you also mention having motivation for more after the 10 mile. I think that brings up an important point, which is that your first big race back after a period away doesn’t have to be the peak of achievement for you. It’s always better to go in to race weekend feeling eager for more, rather than overdoing your preparation and going to the starting line tired. The 10 mile distance is a great springboard to any other goals you may have. If you prepare well, you’ll be very fit, but also be able to recover pretty quickly, and keep the momentum going for whatever’s up next.

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May 2021 Coach Lundstrom on Getting Back to Normal

For this month's Ask a Coach, presented by Medtronic, we're cross-publishing Chris Lundstrom's article from a recent Minnesota Distance Elite Newsletter (subscribe here ) where Coach Lundstrom shares three things that he learned during the pandemic that he aims to keep more central to his life moving forward.

In light of new CDC guidance, many aspects of life are opening back up here in the United States. Large-scale races are returning, and many of the challenges of distancing, testing, groups size limits, etc. are gradually receding. Many of my in-laws are in India, which remains in the grips of the pandemic, and my kids are not yet vaccine-eligible due to their age, so I have no illusions that this is over. However, we are in a position here where we can breathe little easier, and can enjoy the fact that many things are going back to "normal." I've been traveling to track meets, which has been amazing!

Rather than simply dive back to the old way of doing things, however, I think it can be instructive to take a moment to reflect on things that we can take forward, to return not to normal, but ideally to a better version of life than we were previously living. I include the meme above mainly because it's funny, but also because I like the idea of coming "back to the future" - returning to the old way of life equipped, like Marty McFly in the movie, with new perspectives and tools to enhance our lives.

In that spirit, here are three things that I personally have taken from the pandemic, that I aim to keep more central to my life moving forward:

1) Prioritizing health, both physical and mental.

As distance runners, obviously we know that our physical health must be a foundation for the training and racing that we do. Without health, improvement and adaptation are unsustainable. The same is true of mental health and well-being. This has been an area where a lot of progress has been made in recent years, with athletes and other public figures sharing their struggles and challenges. As a coach, I am obviously not a mental health professional, but I have a certain responsibility to be aware and cognizant of this area. The old model that says either you're fine or you're sick - whether it be physically or mentally - is inadequate, and we have to recognize that we are always on a continuum, and we can always be striving to improve, both in our physical and mental health.

2) Develop and value flexibility and adaptability.

A year ago, we were training with no clear idea of when we would be able to race again, and for months, plans changed very frequently as opportunities popped up, or (more often) were cancelled. This has been a big area of growth for me personally. As an athlete, I was definitely the type to set a schedule and stick to it regardless of how things were going. There's a value in this determination and stubbornness, as no one ever needed to motivate me to get the work done. However, as a coach of many athletes cut from the same cloth, I find myself more often in the place where I need to encourage this adaptability, and of altering the plan based on how training is going, how the athlete feels on the given day, and what else is going on in life.

3) Don't take anything for granted.

It's a hard reality of life that nothing is a given, and the last year has beaten us over the head with that fact. So many friends and relatives have been lost to the pandemic, and all of our usual ways of life were tossed out the window. It may be tempting to fall back into the mindset of feeling entitled to certain things, or alternately feeling stuck or hung up on all that has been lost, or even stressing about else could be taken away. These are all normal and natural feelings, and to be expected. But rather than dwelling in those places, I aim to continue a practice I have tried to develop over the last year: waking up each day seeking to find fulfillment in whatever it is that the day holds, one day at a time.

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February 2021 Coach Lundstrom on Progression Runs

For this month's Ask a Coach feature, we're cross-publishing Chris Lundstrom's article from a recent Minnesota Distance Elite Newsletter (subscribe here ) describing the workout he'd assign if he was limited to just one workout type.

If someone were to tell me that I could only give athletes one workout for the rest of my coaching life, I wouldn't be too happy. But if forced to choose just one workout, it would be a progression run.

By my definition, a progression run is any run that is continuous, but increases in difficulty as you go. Most typically, that means picking up the pace gradually, though it can be done adding incline or other environmental challenges.

My most common use of a progression run is as part of a medium long run, ranging from 10-15 miles total, with a section of 6-10 miles done progressively, usually finishing around threshold (or 10 mile race) effort for the last couple of miles.

However, the beauty of the progression run (and why I would choose it as the only workout I can use) is that different distances and intensity ranges can be used to target specific adaptation. A 5k progression, for example, done at all out over the last mile, would be a great VO2max pace stimulus, whereas a 12 mile progression averaging marathon pace would be great prep for a 26.2 miler. Given the continuous nature of the run, progression runs will always target primarily the aerobic energy system, which is the most important one for distance runners to develop over the long term. However, it can tap into those higher gears as well.

However you do them, progression runs have the benefit of developing the habit of starting out controlled, and finishing hard, which is a great way to race. Give it a try, and let me know what you think!

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January 2021 Coach Lundstrom on Habits and Routines

Question: What are some of the things you and your athletes do to establish good habits and routines for training? I could use some help!

Coach Lundstrom: Whether or not you’re a resolution person, it’s a great time for a check-in on your routines and habits. We’re past the initial few days of “new year, new me” excitement, and into the reality of mid-January. At the same, the year is young, and frankly, anytime is a good time to re-assess your habits and routines. Our Minnesota Distance Elite athletes train hard almost all year long, and as such, they have to also train smart to stay healthy and fresh when it matters most. With that in mind, we’d like to offer up a few ideas on how to establish (and maintain) good training habits and routines.

Keep a Training Log – and Make it Your Own

One of the most powerful tools available for habit formation and behavioral change is the simple practice of keeping track of what you’re doing. Depending on your preferences and personality, this may be a simple spiral-bound notebook on your bedside table, an app integrated with your GPS training data, sleep, heart rate and other metrics, or anything in between.

In order to maximize the benefit, put the focus on the elements most meaningful to you. You can create columns or boxes to enter details or just check off the areas of fitness you want to be doing habitually. Whether it’s daily deep breathing or core strength three days per week, it feels good not only to do these things, but also to check off the accomplishment when you’re done. On the other hand, don’t pay attention to the areas that don’t matter to you. For example, if you’re using an app, ignore the feature that estimates your current 5K time if your goal is simply to move 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week.

Creating your own log, either on paper or electronically, gives you the advantage of personalizing it to your own goals and what matters most to you. However, there are an abundance of great logs and training tools out there ready for you to use. Find something that works for you, and start keeping track!

Block (and Protect!) Your Workout Time

Take a look at your Google calendar (or whatever you use). If you’re like most people these days, that grid is littered with all manner of plans, obligations, and demands on your time, often piled up so close that there’s no room to take a breath. Yet most of us neglect to schedule time for just that very thing – a nook carved out just for you to get in your run, workout, or other moment to focus on yourself. Elite athletes obviously approach this differently, putting the workout schedule first on the priority list, and filling in with other things around it. While most of us don’t have that luxury, we can still place a “do not disturb” block in the day, even if it’s just 30 minutes, to save for a workout. You can even set a calendar reminder 10 minutes prior, a signal that you need to get on to your next “meeting.”

Prep Your Stuff

If you have a race in the morning, I bet you spend some time the night before getting your stuff together so you don’t have to stress about it in the morning. I recommend that you do the same thing for your training runs, whether you’re packing a bag to take to another location or just you’re running from home. Taking the step of putting your stuff together just takes a minute, but it does three important things.

1) It establishes your intention for what you plan to do, thereby making it more likely that you will follow through.

2) It reduces your stress around the workout itself. Everything you need is right there and ready to go.

3) It allows you to be thoughtful about making your best choices around the gear, nutrition, etc. that you will need. You will be less likely to forget those things that can help keep you healthy, whether that’s your knee strap or your post-workout recovery drink.

Shut it Down at Night

It is well understood in exercise science that the improvement seen with any workout routine comes not from the exercise itself, but from the exercise followed by adequate recovery. However, even for the most committed athletes, the recovery habits remain the most challenging. There are endless recovery devices, practices, and “hacks” out there, yet the most important and indisputable recovery tool is free: Sleep.

Sleeping sufficiently is so simple in theory, yet so hard in reality. I understand. I have two kids, a busy work schedule, and yes, I love Netflix as much as the next person. But prioritizing workouts without prioritizing sleep is like pouring water into a glass with no bottom…it’s just not going to fill up. So just as you may need to block time in your calendar for your workout, do the best you can to set a regular and predictable bed time that will allow you the sleep that you need. Everyone is different, but aim for at least 8 hours, and keep it to the same block of time every night to keep your circadian rhythms stable. As challenging as it is to sleep enough, the reward of a healthy, rested body and mind is well-worth it.

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December 2020 Coach Lundstrom's 3/2 Fartlek

This month we're cross publishing Coach Lundstrom article from a recent Minnesota Distance Elite Newsletter (subscribe here) describing what he calls the 3/2 Fartlek. It's a great quality workout option that doesn't demand a track or measured road segments.

I had a friend call the other day asking for a workout idea, something different from the usual tempo run or track intervals. For anyone looking for a challenging workout on this long weekend (or sometime down the road), I thought I would share the workout I recommended to him: the 3 min on/2 min float fartlek.

This workout can be molded to suit someone training for general fitness, a 5k/10k runner, or a half marathoner or marathoner. The durations and intensities will vary depending on your goal.

For those just building fitness or aiming for a 10k race, I recommend doing 30 to 40 minutes total, with the 3 minutes at around 10k pace, and the 2 minutes at your usual easy run pace. It requires some intention to keep the 2 minutes from slowing down too dramatically. At the end of the 2 minutes, go straight into the next 3 minute faster segment.

For those aiming for a 5k, the 3 minutes should be more like 5k race pace, but the total duration of the workout should be shorter (more like 20-30 minutes). This is also a great way to get a quick quality workout in with minimal stress, as you don't need a track or have to worry about hitting exact times.

For the half marathoner or marathoner, aim for around half marathon race pace for the 3 minute segments, and for about 30 seconds per mile slower for the 2 minute segments. That will likely still be faster than "easy run" pace for most people, so the challenge it to teach your body to recover while still running a brisk pace. This keeps the heart working pretty hard throughout. After the 2 minute float, go right back into the next 3 minutes, and repeat. I recommend building up to 60 minutes total, or even longer for a marathoner. This is a fairly long and challenging workout that can be done as part of the weekly long run.

However you aim to do this workout, do not panic if you find that you aren't recovering at the end of the 2 minutes. Slightly slow your 3 minute segments and focus on smooth, efficient running on the 2 minute segments. As your level of fitness improves, you will see your average pace improve when running this workout.

Chris Lundstrom, the head coach of Minnesota Distance Elite, has a Ph.D. in kinesiology, with an emphasis in exercise physiology, and did his dissertation on running performance. He has been a member of the University of Minnesota faculty for 10 years. As a coach, he has 18 years of experience at the high school, college and post-collegiate level including coaching seven women to the 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon, and coaching track and cross country at San Francisco State University in 2004-05 when he was on leave from Team USA Minnesota. He has also developed a marathon training class and taught some 700 novice marathoners.

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September 2020 Coach Lundstrom -- The Spirit of the Marathon in 2020

Question: How do you think the spirit of the marathon and of distance running will be different this October with a virtual Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Weekend?

Coach Lundstrom: So many memories are tied to TCM weekend -- memories of great races, struggles, surprises, but mainly, of all the friends and the community that comes together. It goes without saying that everything is different in 2020, and I personally know that I will feel that even more acutely on Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Weekend.

Mentally, I am anticipating two distinct experiences of this year’s TCM weekend:

1) Looking forward to, and hopeful about the return of the in-person event in 2021

2) Feeling a strong sense of loss at the absence left by the lack of a 2020 in person race.

In the end, I hope to land on some middle ground where I feel grateful for the ability to be out for a run, and participating in the virtual events, tempered by the knowledge that we won’t be together in the same way that we usually are on the first weekend in October.

I am hoping I can harness some of that TCM magic, and feel extra grateful to be running, participating in the virtual events, and connecting in my mind with previous TCM weekends that have brought joy to myself and so many friends. But there’s probably a good chance that I will feel a bit of an emptiness as I wake up knowing that there is no in person race, no athletes to coach, no crowds out on Summit Avenue. I am going into the weekend knowing that I can hold both of those realities simultaneously.

The marathon itself, after all, usually entails both joy and agony, and everything in between. It’s no coincidence that the marathon is used as an analogy for many events and phenomena in the world. The reality is that much of what we aim to do in life requires endurance, determination, and sometimes just a willingness to suffer a little bit longer. Health experts warned early in the pandemic that this would be a marathon. I certainly agreed with that, but I don’t think I could have anticipated just how long this marathon would feel at times. Sometimes it’s like the part of the marathon where you’re starting to get a little out of it, and you think you have passed a certain mile marker, only to see it up ahead of you on the road.

The marathon teaches us to keep going in spite of the fatigue, and that you always have a little more in you than you thought you did. Hopefully TCM weekend can serve as a reminder that we have pushed through before, we have encouraged and supported each other before, and we can continue to do so as we move forward together.

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August 2020 Coach Lundstrom -- Ramping Up for the Medtronic TC 10 Mile

Question: I'm going to run my virtual Medtronic TC 10 Mile in late October. That gives me about 10 weeks to build my training up from 3 - 4 mile runs (2 - 3 times a week) to the race distance. I can run more often and I know I need to build distance, but how would you get me from here to there. Oh, and I run mostly on trails and that's where I plan to run the 10 mile … rolling-to-hilly trails.

Coach Lundstrom: Ten weeks is plenty of time to build up to the 10 mile distance, though I would certainly encourage you to begin your preparations soon. As hard as it is to believe, fall is just around the corner. I would add no more than 1 day per week, every two weeks. So if you’ve been running 3 days per week, you can go up to 4 days for a couple of weeks, then up to 5 for a couple of weeks.

The 10% rule, which states that you should not increase your mileage by more than 10% per week, is sound advice. However, if you have run a lot more than you currently are in the past, you can bend the rules a bit. Based on your question, you are probably running about 10 miles per week, so a 10% increase would only get you up by about 1 mile per week. If, for example, you have run 20 miles per week with no problems in the fairly recent past, you can increase up to that level in a more accelerated fashion. While I wouldn’t recommend jumping back up to that mileage in one shot, but you probably could do it over a period of 3-4 weeks.

I would also suggest increasing your mileage no more than 3 weeks in a row. After 3 weeks in a row of increasing, your body can start to get worn down, and can benefit from a down week, where you decrease your mileage by 30% or more just for the week, before going back up again.

Once every week to 10 days, incorporate a long run in your training. It’s great that you are out enjoying the trails, and since you plan to run the 10 mile on trails, I would continue to do so, especially for your long run. Build up that long run to where you are comfortable running at least 8 miles, with your last long run being completed about 2 weeks before the race. While some people feel more comfortable having run the actual race distance in training, it is not necessary to do so – it’s really personal preference. But if you can do 8 with no problem, then go into the 10 mile with fresh, rested legs, you should be totally fine to complete the distance.

Other than that, consider including a variety of different types of workouts, including some hills, some type of speedwork, and some sustained moderately hard efforts, such as a tempo run. Finally, pay attention to the little things that you personally need to do to stay healthy, such as sleep, nutrition, and any core or other strengthening work that you typically do. Enjoy the training, and we will (virtually) see you in a few weeks!

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July 2020 Coach Lundstrom -- Preparing for a Virtual Marathon

Question: I'm trying to figure out how to get the best out of my virtual Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in October. How would you suggest I train differently for a solo (or mostly solo) marathon. And, how would you design the course – all flat, rolling, loops, point to point, etc.? I'm kind of intrigued by the options and decisions of all this.

Coach Lundstrom: Training for a virtual marathon does not have to look dramatically different than training for an in-person event in terms of mileage and workouts, but there certainly are some minor challenges and differences of a virtual event that you should address in training. It’s worth remembering that a “minor challenge” can begin to seem monumental around mile 22 of the marathon (remember Summit Ave?). So just like you would train to prepare for the Summit Ave hill, you should prepare for the particular challenges of your virtual marathon.

Perhaps the most noteworthy challenge of a virtual marathon, compared to an in-person marathon, is the psychological experience. Running so far on your own, rather than as part of a mass participation event, can be a daunting task. I would first encourage you to take some steps now to ensure that you don’t feel totally on your own out there. Signing up for a virtual event is one big step towards connecting with other runners and feeling like you are a part of something larger. In addition, I would encourage you to plan to have some support during your run if possible – that may mean a training partner or small group to run at least part of the event with, or it may mean a friend or family member supporting you on a bike, carrying fluids, etc.

From the training side, it’s important to begin to figure out what your race day is going to look like now, so that you can prepare yourself accordingly. If you are going to be completing the whole run on your own, then doing some of your longer runs totally on your own is an important part of your mental preparation. If you will have some bike support or a friend running part of the way with you, try to schedule some long runs with your support crew. This will give you a chance to understand what you can expect from your crew, and to communicate with them anything that will be helpful on race day. Establish some expectations and guidelines. For example, I need to you to carry 64 oz. of sports drink. Or (equally importantly), please don’t start talking about what we’re going to eat for breakfast until mile 24.

When it comes to selecting a marathon course, there’s no right answer for what the best course design is, but every type of course has its strengths and challenges. Loops are an ideal set-up for having a fluid station that you can hit repeatedly. A loop course also allows for friends and family to set up a cheering station without having to move around. On the other hand, some may find running loops to be tedious and mentally challenging. A point-to-point course can be nice in that you avoid that repetition, but it can also be more logistically challenging. This option works best if you have someone who can support you on a bike, carrying fluids, and just keeping an eye on you. If you want to go point-to-point, you may want to plan to have a couple of options, in the event that race morning rolls around and there’s a strong headwind in the direction that you were planning to run. If you’ve ever run a point-to-point marathon into a howling wind, you know how tough that can be, even with the ability to tuck into a pack of other runners.

One consideration to think about when choosing your course is traffic, particularly car traffic. One of the great joys of running a big city marathon is getting to run right down the middle of busy streets that would otherwise be packed with cars. For most people, dealing with traffic and lots of stoplights during the virtual marathon is probably going to be undesirable, so I would suggest selecting a route with minimal interruption due to traffic. There are a lot of great rail-to-trail type bike paths, particularly in the Twin Cities metro area, and these present a lot of advantages: relatively flat, minimal traffic, and you can run some very long stretches with no turns.

A final thought – the best course for you is the one that gets you most excited. If you’ve always wanted to run a particular route, or have an absolute favorite place to do your long runs, then go with that. If you’re excited to chase a fast time, choose a nice flat route. If you love running hills, challenge yourself with a hilly route. The beauty of the virtual event is that you get to choose your own adventure. Whatever you decide, start preparing now with long runs that will mimic the challenges you will encounter on race day.

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June 2020 Coach Lundstrom -- and His Team's -- Time Trialing Advice

For many people, a few weeks of just heading out to run, backing away from hard workouts, and going according to feel was a change that was actually refreshing…for a while. But after 3 months without any racing, and nothing on the immediate horizon, that feeling can be replaced by a sort of malaise and boredom with the routine.

Think about the last time you went out and pushed yourself to the limit. Is it starting to feel like a distant memory? While this may not be the time to be sharpening yourself into the peak of fitness, it can be very valuable to feel that sensation again. In lieu of actual races, running time trials can serve as a helpful alternative to get those racing juices flowing, and to feel the emotions and excitement of competition.

A few of our Minnesota Distance Elite athletes have been running time trials roughly every two weeks, and they were kind enough to weigh in with some of their thoughts on the experience, and tips that may help you get the most of your time trialing experience.

The athletes agreed that they felt the experience was beneficial. Heather Kampf, who ran a 5k and then an 800m time trial, said “having a time trial on the calendar still gives me something to look forward to, to test where I am at and go to that ‘deep place’ that you only physically and mentally try to go to in racing. I think it’s so important to remember and regularly feel ‘race hurt’ to become more comfortable with it and trust that you can indeed survive it/overcome it. I know I always race better as the season progresses when I get more familiar with that experience and learn to trust my body more, and build the desire to see if I can run through it to find my best performance on the other side.” Heather plans to run a mile time trial next.

Annie Frisbie and Danny Docherty both ran a 5k, then a 10 mile, and will culminate their time trial season with a 10k, commented that time trialing was a great way to work on mental strength. “One of the main benefits for me has been building my mental strength,” said Annie. “For most of the winter and spring, I took a very conservative approach to returning to fitness which was good but also makes it difficult to remember what going to the well feels like.”

According to Danny, “there were benefits in practicing mental toughness. I had to really stay focused on staying on pace. In a racing situation, sometimes you can just zone out for the first half because you know there are plenty of others keeping pace. In time trials, the responsibility is completely on you.”

While the athletes certainly felt the benefits to running time trials, they did note that time trialing is really hard. Heather said, “you don’t get the benefit of the race environment, people to chase and compete with, and I think it makes you more keenly aware of your own pain for something that is hard to convince your brain in that moment really matters.”

Annie noted that the first attempt was definitely the hardest. “The 5k time trial went how I expected it would. It was rough and definitely a rust buster. The 2nd time trial, a 10 mile, was an improvement and I also noticed the rest of my training benefitting from that first 5k and 10 mile.” Danny likewise experienced some disappointment in his 5k, and then came back substantially stronger just two weeks later in the 10 mile.

All of the athletes emphasized that you should do your best to get hyped up and highly motivated for your time trials, but also not to be too hard on yourself in evaluating your performance. Heather advised, “make realistic goals and remember that it’s hard to have your best day ever in a time trial environment. On the same token, give yourself some grace no matter how it turns out- you need to be able to forgive yourself if you couldn’t quite access the same race energy you can usually find in a true race. Try to bring out some support in the form of a helpful pacer or cheerleader to your time trial. And keep it fun!”

With little going on in terms of live sporting events, time trials can indeed be a fun and exciting way to bridge the gap until more traditional competitive opportunities return.

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May 2020 Coach Lundstrom's Advice for Training for the Long Term

Question: Running is what I'm doing to cope with the current situation. Lots of running! I'd like to work on aspects of my running that will carry over to when racing gets started up again. What can I work on now that will still be with me in three to six months (I hope not longer!) when events are back. Is that distance, speed, tempo, hills? Basically, what's my best long-term running investment?

Coach Lundstrom: This is a great question, and one that I have heard from a lot of people. As is often the case, the answer may depend on individual characteristics – your strengths and weaknesses, long-term goals, etc. However, there are some sound practices that everyone can follow to use this time to get better.

The first thing I would do is address any underlying health issues that have been limiting your performance. Do you have a hip or a knee that always gets sore when you get into great shape? Something else that seems to shut down your progress? Your top priority now for your long-term development as a runner should be to do whatever you can to strengthen this “weakest link” in your body. That may mean sticking to those PT exercises that you know you should be doing or following a strengthening routine that you know works, but sometimes neglect.

In terms of what to focus on in training, I encourage you to work more on general fitness than race-specific preparations. With no races on the immediate horizon, there’s less value in traditional speed work, focused on race-specific paces. The adaptations gained from this type of work are obviously important in performing your best in races, but they don’t hang around forever.

So what do I mean when I say focus on general fitness? Good, old-fashioned aerobic base training. Aerobic base training is pretty familiar to most runners – gradually building up your mileage before adding in more race specific workouts. Increasing mileage is certainly one way to improve your aerobic fitness. However, you can gain much more through intentionally increasing the quality of your miles, instead of focusing solely on the quantity.

Many coaches out there, myself included, will caution you against pushing the pace of your “easy runs.” It is indeed important to take it easy when you are in the midst of a season of hard interval sessions and races, but the situation we find ourselves in now is quite different.

With no races on the horizon, it is actually just fine to push yourself – a little bit – on your distance runs. You still need to start your runs nice and easy to allow your body to warm up, but on days when you are feeling good, gradually increase your pace and effort as you go, making sure to finish feeling strong – like you could have kept going and/or picked it up even more. Avoid the temptation to turn your run into a race, but focus on running smooth and strong. A little bit of trial and error will be required to find the effort level that is right. If you feel exhausted the next day, you probably went too hard. Pay attention to how you feel and adjust your effort accordingly.

As a final note, do not neglect running fast altogether. In fact, it’s very important during your aerobic base phase of training to do a small amount of very fast running as well. I am not talking about 400s or 800s or mile repeats. What I mean is actual sprint training: with proper warm-up and lots of rest between repetitions, running as fast as you can for very short durations (10-15 seconds at the most). This is short enough to avoid the excessive fatigue that traditional speedwork can cause. The goal of sprint training is to maximally recruit muscle fibers, and to teach our bodies to move more economically. This can be done either on a flat surface or on a hill. I would suggest doing one day per week of 8x12 second hill sprints, and another day or 6x50m sprints. For both of these sessions, you should take 3 minutes of recovery between efforts.

This combination of consistent, high quality aerobic training and sprinting can produce remarkable improvements in fitness that will stick around for those days in the hopefully not-too-distant future when we are back to racing.

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April 2020 Coach Lundstrom's Advice for Strange and Unsettling Times

It is a colossal understatement to say that these are strange and unsettling times. Many of us face new and daunting challenges in our lives: concern for the health and well-being of family and friends, lost or radically altered jobs, challenges with maintaining community and connection, and a sense of loss for the all of the cancelled and postponed events.

For many of us, running serves as an anchor in our lives. But running too is different during this time: group running is off the table, races have been cancelled, gyms and other facilities are shuttered, and our other life challenges can impact our ability to train. In a few places, going outside for a run is not even allowed.

All of that being said, what does training look like under these conditions? First and foremost, for the safety of yourself and others, I encourage everyone to follow the guidelines and activity restrictions specific to your area. Here in Minnesota, we have been asked to stay at home, but it is acceptable to exercise outside provided we follow social distancing guidelines and do not train in groups. We are fortunate to be able to run outside, albeit with some limitations.

My Minnesota Distance Elite athletes are carrying on with their training mostly as usual, except that we aren’t meeting as a group. Some athletes live with others, so they are able to train together regularly. Given the limitations on access to things like physical therapy, chiropractic, and massage, I have many of them doing slightly less intensity and volume, in order to try to reduce the risk of injury, while still making some fitness gains.

You may find yourself asking “What’s the point?” after all of the race cancellations and the uncertainty of when anyone will be allowed to compete again. While this is a natural response, I would say the same thing that I have said to my athletes, which is that fitness is cumulative. It builds from season to season, and year to year, so the work that you are doing now will not be wasted. Bear in mind that these athletes are professional runners, whose livelihood in part depends on running fast. The stress of lost events and opportunities is substantial, but the importance of continuing to develop as runners remains paramount.

For me personally, I am no longer a professional, or even competitive runner. Running is something different for me than it is for my athletes. I use it to help clear my mind, reduce my stress, and maintain my health and well-being. Some days, it’s my chance to connect with friends, while other days, it’s my chance to be alone. Some days I push myself, because it feels good to do so, while other days I just relax. While I can’t run with anyone now, I am filling that gap by listening to podcasts on the run some days, which is something I had never done before. Given how much time I am spending in the house, I find the time outside even more essential than it has ever been before.

So my training advice? Let running and other forms of exercise be what you need them to be right now. If it helps to focus on training, and getting more fit, by all means go for it. If it’s just a chance to get outside for a few minutes in the midst of all of the stresses, that’s fine too. The other day, I uncharacteristically stopped mid-run, down by the Minnehaha Creek. I was on a little dirt path, with no one around. I stood there and watched the water flow for a while, and just took a few deep breaths. It felt, at least for a moment, like everything was going to be okay in the world.

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January 2020 Coach Lundstrom's Advice

Question: I refuse to run outside this winter and I'm not going to run on those mental torture devices called treadmills either. What can I do to stay fit and be able to pick my running up again in spring when it's not dark and icy. I don't mind winter weather or doing other things at the gym, but what do you have for me that doesn't involve bad footing and minute after plodding minute of treadmill misery.

Coach Lundstrom: There are many excellent alternatives to winter running and the treadmill. The principle of specificity tells us that if you want to get better at running, you should run (duh!), but taking a break from running presents opportunities to improve other areas of your fitness while reducing the risk of running-specific burnout and staleness. The things to consider when developing an alternative workout schedule are: 1) What do you most enjoy doing? 2) What activities will help maintain your fitness and/or potentially address specific areas of fitness that you may want to improve?

There are some great outdoor activities that may be more appealing than trudging through the cold. If you can find a winter activity that you really enjoy and look forward to, that can change your mental perspective on winter. Rather than feeling a sense of impending doom when winter approaches, you may actually start to look forward to it. Your winter activity may be something that you only do once or twice a week, or it may be something you do more frequently. Other activities tend to tax the body in a different way than running does, so it’s important not to do too much too soon. That being said, the new stress can potentially help strengthen your body and help prevent injury when you do return to running in the spring.

Some examples of outdoor winter activities include skiing (downhill or cross-country), skating, winter hiking, hockey, or heck, even sledding if you hustle back up the hill! The duration and intensity of the activity determines how much of a workout it’s going to be, and whether it will effectively target your cardiovascular system.

The options for indoor fitness activities are abundant, particularly during the winter when many individuals, like yourself, opt to move indoors. There are group classes, one-on-one training sessions, various forms of muscular strengthening activities, and alternative forms of cardio – spinning, elliptical, stair-climbing, swimming, etc. Additionally, there are some options for running at local indoor tracks and other recreation facilities if you are feeling the urge to scratch that running itch.

So my suggestion would be to brainstorm a variety of activities that you enjoy doing, including both indoor and outdoor options. Then think about what your fitness goals are for the winter, and select a balance of activities that will help move you toward those goals. If, as a runner, you want to maintain your cardiovascular fitness, then you will want to make sure you have at least 3-4 days per week where you are opting for some form of continuous activity that is going to keep your heart rate elevated. If there are other specific areas of fitness that you wish to target (muscular strength, power, balance, mobility, etc.), then regularly include some activities that will improve those areas. Most of all, enjoy the change of pace!

Chris Lundstrom has a Ph.D. in kinesiology, with an emphasis in exercise physiology, and did his dissertation on running performance. He has been a member of the University of Minnesota faculty for 10 years. As a coach, he has 18 years of experience at the high school, college and post-collegiate level including coaching seven women to the 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon, and coaching track and cross country at San Francisco State University in 2004-05 when he was on leave from Team USA Minnesota. He has also developed a marathon training class and taught some 700 novice marathoners.

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October 2019 Coach Lundstrom's Post-Marathon Advice

Question: I ran the marathon this year and PR-ed, but I was really tired and sore afterward. On my recent runs – just short, slow running so far – I still feel like my legs aren't quite back to where they should be. When do you think it's good to get back to regular training after a really hard race? I'm excited to keep improving, but I don't want to do anything dumb.

Coach Lundstrom: Congratulations on your PR! It’s a great accomplishment, and I hope you have taken the time to relish the achievement. As you have noted, running a hard marathon can take quite a toll on the body. What you are experiencing is very common, and a normal result of pushing yourself over the course of 26.2 miles. First off, I want to assure you that this is a temporary state – your legs will start to feel better. That being said, I do want to encourage you to listen to your body and be patient.

Before giving you some practical advice on how to proceed, it’s important to understand the underlying causes of felling a little “off” even after the initial post-marathon soreness has subsided. First off, though the more obvious muscle soreness may be gone, a marathon can do some pretty major – though temporary – muscle damage. While the muscle cells in your legs will certainly be well on the way to repairing themselves by now, it takes some time to complete this process. Secondly, the stress to your body can impact your endocrine system (i.e., your hormone levels) for a period of several days, even up to several weeks. This explains some of the malaise (“blah” feeling) that we sometimes experience after a hard, intense race.

So now that we know a little bit about some of the underlying causes, how should you proceed? First and foremost, be patient and don’t rush back into hard training. That will only slow the process of muscle repair and prolong the time it will take for you to feel back to normal. Ensuring that you have adequate protein in your diet, and plenty of rest and recovery time are critical in the early stages. Keeping your runs easy and short, as you have been doing, is also a wise approach. Sticking with that plan until you begin to feel better will help ensure a healthy return to training. Avoid longer runs and intense interval training until you feel good running easy most days.

In the meantime, however, there are some things you can do to help speed that process of getting your legs feeling good again. First is to seek out some form of treatment, such as massage, physical therapy, or chiropractic work. If you have a practitioner that you have seen regularly in the past, go to that person. They will be able to assess your range of motion, identify any problem areas, and help you get ahead of any potential issues before you start training seriously again.

A second suggestion is to do something to re-activate those muscle tissues that have been healing and dormant since the marathon. Again, make sure your acute soreness has passed before proceeding. However, once you get to that point, activating your muscle fibers in a controlled manner, with lots of rest and recovery, can help get you feeling strong again much more quickly.

Activating your muscles optimally requires a relatively high level of intensity, so these exercises should be kept to very short durations, and done with lots of rest and recovery between repetitions. One approach is just to add some stride-outs or accelerations to the end of your run, building up to a fast pace gradually, and then gradually decelerating. Make sure you are stopping and completely recovering between these, and that they are no more than 10-15 seconds long. After a couple weeks of doing a few (6-8) strides every other day, you can utilize hill sprints of a similar duration to provide additional resistance to help recruit more muscle fiber. Finally, using some form of resistance training is also a great way to activate muscle fiber. All of these shorter, but high intensity activities, will help re-establish the connections between your nerves and your muscles, and will help you regain your groove.

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September 2019 Coach Lundstrom's Run/Walk Advice

Question: "I started exercising this summer for the first time in pretty much ever. I began with walking and some calisthenic-type stuff, and now I'm starting to jog a little during my walks. Do you have any advice to help me build up the jogging in the right way. I'm thinking I might be able to walk/run the TC 5K, but I'm not sure."

Coach Lundstrom: First off, congratulations on your recent lifestyle change! Beginning to exercise can feel like a daunting task, but as you’ve shown, if you start slowly and progress gradually, you can be successful. First off, I want to encourage you that yes, you most certainly can walk/run the TC 5k. The event is catered to people of all fitness levels. If you are more comfortable walking, plan to primarily walk, and just break into a run if the mood strikes you on the day. Or if you want to plan on running as much as you can, just be sure to start out nice and slow. Participating in these events is hugely inspiring and energizing, which is a great part of the experience. You just want to be careful not to get too caught up in the excitement at the beginning, but rather use the support to inspire you down the home stretch.

As you continue to build up your jogging, there are a couple of things that you can do to help promote a smooth progression. One thing that may be helpful is to have a more experienced runner watch your running stride. While there is no “right way” to run, there are some tips and cues that an experienced runner may be able to share with you to help make running more comfortable. Common pitfalls of newer runners include tensing up muscles in the upper body such as the shoulders and arms, and struggling to maintain good tall posture while running. If you don’t have a friend who you think can help, ask a running coach or consider joining a local running group, or attending a group run from a local club or running store. Most runners are happy to share their knowledge and experience with a new runner.

My second piece of advice is to pay attention to the signs your body is sending you. As you run a bit more, you will gradually gain fitness and be able to go for longer periods of time without walking. This should occur naturally. Don’t feel like you have to force it, but also don’t limit yourself as far as what you think you should be able to do. The body has an amazing ability to adapt. If you exercise consistently and pay attention to how you are feeling (backing off when you are especially tired, and doing a little more when you are feeling good), you may soon find yourself doing things that the old you would have found impossible.

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August 2019 Coach Lundstrom's Tips for the Final Weeks of Marathon Training

Question: My training for the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon is going well. I've got in lot miles and the long runs are progressing well. What should I be focusing for the final month and a half. My main goal is to finish strong, but I wouldn't mind a new personal best!

Coach Lundstrom: This is a well-timed question, as this last 6 weeks is enough time to make some further fitness gains, but it is also close enough to the marathon where you really want to minimize the risk of over-doing it. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of the home stretch of marathon training.

1) Stick to your routine. If things have been going well, then you must be doing something right. Keep running the same number of days per week, and don’t deviate too much from the way your training has been structured. As you get into the final two weeks, you will want to reduce your training volume substantially (a.k.a. tapering), but keep running about the same number of days per week, with the same distribution of training intensities. In other words, if you generally do one hard workout per week, then continue to do so. Just reduce the volume of that session in order to make it a little less taxing. The same can be said for your nutrition, sleep, and other self-care habits: stay consistent with what you have been doing.

2) Pay attention to recovery. The next four weeks may bring some of the hardest workouts and longest runs that you have done in your training. Hopefully, you aren’t doing anything too much more than you are used to, since you have progressed gradually to this point. However, even going a couple miles longer on a long run than you have done before can be very hard on the body. Similarly, if you are doing workouts that are either longer or faster than you have previously done, it may take a little more out of you. Focusing on your recovery after harder workouts is just as important as preparing before them. Be sure to eat something within 20-30 minutes after finishing your runs, and re-hydrate yourself shortly after finishing as well. In addition, it’s okay to back off on the distance and/or pace of your runs after these bigger sessions if you are feeling especially tired. If you start to feel like you’re getting more and more fatigued, taking an extra day or two off is not a bad idea.

3) Emphasize specificity. Training models for shorter races emphasize starting with aerobic/easy “base” training before progressing into faster and higher intensity workouts. The marathon is different in that the specific demands of the event are almost entirely aerobic. Therefore, while it may still be beneficial to do some faster speedwork, you don’t need very much. The goal is to be as efficient as possible at your marathon pace, so your race specific prep workouts are really going to be your long runs with some portions at or around your goal marathon pace. Likewise, it’s a good idea for the Twin Cities Marathon to get out and run some sections of the course at your planned marathon pace. Finishing a long run up Summit Ave, for example, will give you a good preview of what it will feel like on marathon day, and will help prepare your body and mind for the marathon.

4) Practice your race-day plan. Each of your last few long runs should be viewed as a dress rehearsal for race day. That means that you should be practicing as closely as possible the routine you plan to follow on race morning. How long before the marathon will you be waking up? What will you eat, and when? During the marathon, what do you plan to consume for energy and fluids? What thoughts and/or mantras do you plan to use during different sections of the run? Answer all of these questions, and use your final few long runs to closely mimic race morning. If something isn’t working quite right, make those minor adjustments sooner rather than later.

If you follow these tips, you should come to the starting line feeling fit, confident, and ready to go. Finally, don’t forget to enjoy the next few weeks of training. With fall coming up shortly, temperatures starting to cool, and the marathon day in sight, it’s a great time to be out training!

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April 2019 Coach Lundstrom's Tips for Coaching Yourself

Question: Last month you mentioned that runners need to 'become their own coach' to get the most out of their training. Do you have some tips for doing that effectively? How can I recognize the times I need more volume, more intensity, more variety … or less of those things and maybe more recovery?

Coach Lundstrom: Coaching yourself can be an effective strategy to improve your health and running performance. After all, a good coach is highly attuned to the needs of the individual athlete, and who knows you better than yourself? On the other hand, there are some common missteps that people make in designing and implementing their own training program. Here are a few tips that can help improve you make the best of being your own coach.

Have a plan. The first step to establishing a solid training program is setting up a plan for how to get from point A to point B. In other words, where are you right now, and where do you want to end up at the end of your plan? If you know this, you can begin to figure out a sensible progression of your training. In addition, understanding how quickly (or slowly) you adapt to certain kinds of training can help you set up a program that will work for you.

Identify and employ trusted sources of feedback. Any good coach will talk to other coaches (as well as nutritionists, sports psychologists, physical therapists, etc.) to reflect ideas and gain a deeper understanding of how the athlete that they are coaching is doing. When you are coaching yourself, you don’t necessarily need a full team of experts, but you do need a few trusted individuals who can help you figure out if you are on track, or if you need to change course.

Be (a little) flexible with yourself. There are two extremes in self-coaching: one is to stick to the pre-determined plan no matter what, and the other is to always change the workout based on how you are feeling, before even starting the workout. It’s important to stick to your plan when it makes sense to do so, in order to get the training effects and improvements that you are looking for. So, for most workouts, make it a general rule to do half of the workout before considering changing it. On the other hand, part of a coach’s job is to identify when the workout of the day is not right, and to change it, either making it more challenging or easier, depending on observation. Trust yourself to do either a little more or a little less than you planned to based upon how you are feeling on a given day.

Track your progress. Any good coach will track an athlete’s progress from day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month, and year-to-year. If you are coaching yourself, this becomes an incredibly important task, as you will be able to look back and interpret your progress in the context of how you have progressed in previous training block. What should you track? Well, start with the basics, like your running time, distance, and any splits from interval workouts. Additional information, like your rate of perceived exertion (how hard did the workout feel, on a scale from 1-10, your morning heart rate, and some measure of your life stress, or other comments on how you are feeling, can enhance your understanding of how you are responding to training, and improve your outcomes.

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February 2019 Coach Lundstrom's Keys to Choosing a Good Training Plan

Question: I've run a few 5Ks and two 10Ks in the last two years. I'm looking to do a 10 mile or maybe a half-marathon this year. What should I look for in a good training plan? There are some many online options out there. Do I need to follow them to the letter?

Coach Lundstrom: Following a training plan in preparation for an event has many benefits, including increasing motivation and accountability, and providing structure to your running routine. However, following a cookie-cutter training plan, rather than one that is specific to you, has its limitations, especially if you do not choose a program wisely. You have your own goals, a unique running background, and your own strengths, weaknesses, limitations, schedule and motivations. None of these or the many other individual factors that affect training will be taken into account in a training plan that you find online or in a book, so you may need to make some adjustments to make the plan work for you.

How do you identify a sound training plan? Any training plan worth its salt should provide you a daily guide for what you should be doing. This should include the two key factors for any training session: volume and intensity.

Volume means how much. This can be described either in time or in distance. This can be problematic with a training plan not specific to you. For example, if the prescribed volume is 6 miles, this may take one person 40 minutes and another person 80 minutes. The physiological stress is obviously much greater for the person who is running at a slower pace, as they are out there for twice as long. However, that is not to say that training should always be prescribed based on time, rather than distance. If the goal of your training is to run a 10 mile or half marathon race, you need to increase gradually toward that distance, regardless of the pace you are running. Some plans will provide a mix, with distance-specific volume prescribed one or two days per week, and time-specific volume prescribed on the other days.

Intensity means how hard. This can be described either in subjective terms (such as easy, somewhat hard, hard, all out), with reference to a physiological variable such as percent of maximal heart rate, or as a percent of best time for a specific race distance. For a training plan that is written for a wide population, those subjective descriptors may be the best option. While they aren’t very precise, they allow for adjustment between individuals, and can take into account how you are feeling that day, and how well you have recovered from previous workouts. Further, they don’t require any physiological monitoring or measurement.

Another element you should look for in a training plan is variation. Any good training program, regardless of the distance you are training for, will hit on multiple exercise intensities. If your training program tells you to work at the same intensity for all of your runs, it probably is not very helpful. Volume and intensity are inversely related, and your training program should reflect this. There should be some shorter, higher intensity workouts, and some longer, lower intensity workouts. Working for shorter periods of time at higher intensities produces different adaptations than working at lower intensities for longer periods. Both ends of the spectrum are beneficial for health and performance.

If you do choose to follow a training plan that has not been developed for you individually, it is important to allow for some flexibility in your approach to following the plan. Every person is different. A good coach can account for these differences and adjust training accordingly. But if you are just following a plan that you found somewhere, it is important to become your own coach and adjust the plan as needed based on how you are feeling and responding to the training.

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January 2019 Coach Lundstrom's Tips for Making the Most of a Great Winter

Question: My running has been going great this winter thanks to the mild weather so far! I've run more miles in November, December and January than ever before. I want to run well in races throughout the year until fall, so do I need to be careful about doing too much too soon? How would you suggest I put all my work to the best use in 2019?"

Coach Lundstrom: Congrats on your strong winter of running thus far! It’s great to come out of the winter in great shape. Your concern about being able to sustain your fitness throughout the rest of the year is a legitimate one, and it’s good that you’re thinking about it now. Too often, people only begin to try to adjust after they start to feel their fitness and/or motivation begin to fade. The good news is that the fade later in the year is completely avoidable.

So why does a late season fade (or early season peak) happen in the first place? There are a few possible explanations. The first and most common is simply a lack of scheduled recovery. Once the weather gets nice, runners often feel like they need to take full advantage of it, and tend not to take enough recovery within their training schedule. What adequate recovery means varies a great deal from one runner to the next. For some, simply taking one day off per week is sufficient. For others, a lighter week (roughly 70% of normal training) every 3-4 weeks is needed to allow for a deeper level of recovery and adaptation to training. Still others need a more substantial break, such as a week or two completely off every few months.

Another training factor that can lead to early peaking is excessive high intensity training. Interval training and the various iterations of speed training provide great benefits for distance runners. However, they are also quite stressful on the body. How much a runner can handle is again highly variable, but as a rule of thumb, I would advise no more than 2 sessions per week. In addition, I would suggest a 2-3 week break from high intensity training at least every 3-4 months. In other words, if you are doing speed work in February, March, and April, take a few weeks without hard intervals in either May or June, and then you can get back to it in July, and sustain that through the fall.

Finally, remember the importance of the psychological aspect of the sport and do what you can to make sure running is mentally engaging. A bored runner is an unmotivated runner, and lack of motivation leads to sub-par results and a sub-par experience. How do you keep motivation high? Variety in training and racing are very important. Here are a few examples of ways to introduce more variety in your running: Racing some different distances or in different environments; switching up your training with some different kinds of workouts; running with a couple of different training groups; taking to the trails or running in new locations for some of your runs.

Lastly, be sure to have some type of system in place to monitor your progress and how you are feeling. Taking your resting heart rate in the morning, keeping a training log to monitor your progress, and just noting how you feel on your runs every day can all help to identify trends in your training, and alert you early if you need to build in a little more recovery to your training. Over time, this will allow you to see what works best for you in maintaining your fitness throughout the year.

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December 2018 Coach Lundstrom's Tips for Successful Treadmill Running

Question: I hate winter. That's not very Minnesotan, I know. So, I spend most of my time running on a treadmill at my club. Do you have any tips for staying motivated and injury-free during my indoor months – two problems I often run into?"

Coach Lundstrom: Ah, the treadmill. On good days, it can be your best friend, affirming your fitness gains and allowing you a respite from the harsh weather. But on days when motivation and/or energy levels are running low, it can be your worst enemy, either forcing you to run a pace that is too fast for how you are feeling on that day, or (if you do slow down) telling you that you’re getting further and further from your best fitness.

Your question entailed two distinct topics: staying motivated and injury-free. I will address the question of staying healthy first, because without that it doesn’t matter if you are motivated or not. One key to staying healthy is to make transitions gradually. So, if you are going to be mostly running on the treadmill over the winter, that’s fine, but don’t go from all outdoor running to all treadmill running at the drop of a hat. Introduce treadmill running gradually with a few relatively short, easy runs, with outdoor runs on at least every other run for 2-3 weeks.

One of the factors that contribute to running-related injury is lack of variety in training. Performing the same movements at the same speed over and over again can lead to overuse injury. Running outside provides some natural variety in the form of changes in footing, terrain, and speeds due to a changing environment. If you take all of your running time and put it onto the treadmill, you can lose that variety unless you consciously make an effort to mix it up. At least every other run, introduce changes in pace and/or elevation throughout the run to ensure that you are changing the firing patterns of your muscles and reducing repetitive movement patterns. This can take the form of a fartlek-style workout (alternating periods of fast running with easy recovery running, like 1 min hard, 1 min easy), a hill workout (e.g., increase the incline to 3-6% for periods of 1-3 minutes, then bring it back down to recover), or a traditional interval workout (e.g., mile repeats with set recovery times).

Conveniently, adding variety to your runs also aids in enhancing motivation. Here are a few other ideas for keeping yourself excited about running:

1) Meet up with friends or training partners for workouts. The great thing is that you don’t have to be doing the same workout, or even be close to the same pace in order to run together. You just need to find 2 treadmills next to each other!

2) Pop in the headphones. Personally, I don’t run with music or other “distractions,” except on the treadmill…where I rely on them to get me going. Make yourself a few playlists to match the mood and energy that you want to tap into on specific types of workouts (e.g., something more upbeat for your harder workouts, maybe a podcast that you know will really draw you in for your longer runs).

3) Focus on a goal that is not too far down the road. A lot of people take it relatively easy in the winter, and then use the spring and summer to try to get back into shape. Why not keep yourself fit and focused so that you are ready to go when the snow clears? A destination race in February or March, or an early spring race or event that you want to do can keep you on the ball through the winter months. Remember, the snow will melt, the earth will thaw, and winter will be a distant memory soon enough – keep on moving, and you will get through it.

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October 2018 Coach Lundstrom's Tips for Training When Not Racing

Question: I'm really happy with how my Medtronic TC 10 Mile race went. I don't plan to race again until spring, but I want to keep up my running this winter. Any tips for doing that when there's not a race on the horizon? Getting out the door usually isn't a problem, if I have some sort of plan or purpose.

Coach Lundstrom: First off, congratulations on your race at the Medtronic TC 10 Mile! It’s important to take a moment to enjoy your successes. Equally rewarding is the process of looking ahead to what’s next. Even if you don’t plan to race again until the spring, the winter can still be a rewarding and productive training period. It’s all a matter of setting some goals and priorities for the winter, and then figuring out how to assess your progress.

The first step is identifying a goal or goals that you would like to work on over the winter that will serve your long-term running goals, for the spring, summer and beyond. What are your big dreams as a runner? What is standing in the way of those dreams? What can you do to work on moving closer to being the runner you want to be?

What your long-term goals are may be highly individualistic: it may be improving your speed, your endurance, your commitment to consistent training, or your lifestyle balance that allows you to train effectively for an upcoming race. Regardless of what the goal is, the next step is setting up a process to assess your progress over the next few months, in the absence of a racing goal to keep you on track.

One simple way to assess your progress is to repeat a specific workout once every few weeks (I would recommend every 3-4 weeks) to see how you are doing. You can think of this as your “test workout.” The test workout should be reflective of your goal, so be sure to set up a workout that will measure the goal that you are working towards. To the best of your ability, try to keep conditions consistent so that you can fairly compare your progress from one workout to the next. This can be accomplished by making sure you are adequately rested each time you perform the workout, that you do the workout at about the same time of day, and that environmental conditions are similar (this may require using an indoor track or treadmill).

Here are a few examples of areas a runner may wish to improve upon, and test workouts that would be good ways to assess progress:

Top-end speed: 5x60m sprint with 3-5 minutes recovery. Average your best 3 sprints for each workout.

Speed-endurance: 10x400m with 1 minute recovery. Average the 10 times for each workout.

Endurance: 1 hour run at a moderately hard effort. Measure how far you run in the hour, and also average heart rate during the hour if possible.

Lifestyle: Tracking your hours of sleep per night, while not a test workout, can be a valuable tool for people who tend to struggle with getting adequate rest and recovery.

Whatever your goal or goals are, set up a way of assessing your progress every few weeks. Put the test workout days in your calendar to reminder yourself, just like you would for a race. Be creative: there are many ways to keep yourself on the road to the destination that you have chosen for yourself.

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September 2018 Coach Lundstrom's Mistakes to Avoid on Marathon Weekend

Medtroinic Twin Cities Marathon Weekend is just a couple of weeks away. Training, if you are like most of us, has had its ups and downs, but you are mostly feeling ready for the challenge ahead. Or are you? This is exactly the time when we begin to question our preparations and doubt whether we can achieve our goals, or even make it to the finish line. This can lead to some poor decision-making in the final couple of weeks.

What are some of the biggest mistakes that people make? See the list below, along with tips avoid them.

1) Probably the biggest mistake that people make is getting in that one last, final, really hard workout to prove that you are ready to go. At this point, the hardest work should be done. While it is important to put in your final preparations, the temptation to overdo it and prove (to yourself…because let’s face it, no one else is watching!) your fitness and readiness can be difficult to overcome. If you find yourself thinking about deviating from your plan, it is critical that you have the confidence to NOT to go down that road. Running a few more miles, an extra couple of repetitions, or just a bit faster than you planned in a workout during the final two weeks is not going to benefit you, but will only leave you less rested and sharp on race day. Save it for race weekend!

2) People often begin to wonder if there is something new and different they can try to make their race day better, whether that means a faster time, a more comfortable experience, increased energy levels, or whatever else. Trying something new on race day is not a good idea. You have probably heard this before, but I am here to tell you again. Don’t go and buy new shoes that are supposed to make you faster; don’t eat something new for your pre-race dinner, or a try a new energy drink race morning; don’t even wear a new garment or pair of socks on race day – they may chafe you and leave you dealing with a new and unnecessary form of discomfort.

3) Another common mistake people make can be described as a failure to adapt to the current reality. An easy example of this is when an individual is expecting perfect weather conditions (as we often see on Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Weekend), and then race day brings something different: heat and humidity, or strong winds and storms. Changing conditions require you to adapt and adjust your goals. Setting out at your goal race pace for ideal conditions on a 90 degree day can produce catastrophic results. Think ahead about how you may adapt to different conditions, to how you are feeling on race day, and be flexible in your race plan and goals.

4) Finally, don’t give in to self-doubt. The taper can induce a high level of doubt and uncertainty, leaving the confident you of two weeks ago questioning whether or not you are ready to go. Trust in your training, and think back to the good days of training that you have put in to prepare yourself. Imagine yourself out on the race course, feeling like you did on those best days. Remember that everyone has good days and bad days, and that it is common to have a few days during your taper where you don’t feel that great. This is partially due to the fact that you have reduced your training, and your body is wondering what the heck is going on. Believe and trust that with a well-timed taper, you will arrive at the starting line feeling strong, energetic, and ready to take on the challenge ahead of you.

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August 2018 Coach Lundstrom's Tips for Getting the Family Excited to Run

Question: I'm signed up for the TC 10K on October 6, but I want some advice for getting my family excited to run with me. I'm hoping my husband will commit to the 5K and my two girls – age 7 and 9 – will do the Mile that day. Got any tips for "recruiting" them to do the race and any advice for how we could make this a nice family fitness opportunity?

Coach Lundstrom: Remember that high school coach who punished you and your teammates by making you run? Be the opposite of that guy. Positive, encouraging, flexible, and joyful in the act of running. Simply talking about your own experience of running and participating in these events in a positive light can be very impactful in shaping how your kids view physical activity in general, and running specifically. The key to any “recruiting” is to make the potential benefits of participating known, without putting undue pressure on anyone. Plant little seeds about the fun and enjoyment to be had at the events, and more often than not the motivation and desire to participate will then come intrinsically from your family members.

In terms of getting your whole family activated and motivated, I would make sure you and your husband are on the same page before talking with the girls. If he would prefer to do the Family Mile with the kids, that would be a great option. If he wants to step up to the 5k (or even the 10k!), then he should do that.

As for the kids, if they haven’t participated in a running event before, expose them to the idea gradually and allow them some time to think about it and express any worries or concerns that they have. Show them the web site for the event. Show them pictures of kids their age running and happy. Address any of their worries. Don’t force anything, allow for flexibility, and help them see what they are capable of doing.

Many kids, regardless of their level of physical fitness, may not be confident that they can successfully complete the event. That can be a barrier to participation in physical activity for all ages. Take family time once or twice a week to prepare for the events by running, walking, and generally getting active. Given all of the other activities and fun things to do in life, it is possible that your kids may show some resistance to getting out there and preparing (again, this is true for both kids and adults). Be consistent and firm in the importance of getting out the door and giving it a try. Using an app or a GPS device can be helpful in showing kids how much distance they were able to cover, and seeing their improvement from week to week.

When it comes to “preparing” for the event, do your best to make those times as positive as possible. Make sure you are carrying water for the kids, that everyone has proper nutrition before and after, and that there is plenty of time to talk and have fun (whatever that means for your family) before and after your physical activity. Keep it fun, light, and flexible, and allow the natural joy that kids feel in moving to give them the desire to participate. Final thought: on race day take lots of photos: you’re going to have a great time, and you will want to remember it!

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July 2018 Coach Lundstrom's Tips for Getting in Shape for the Medtronic TC 10 Mile

Question: Yippee! I got selected for the Medtronic TC 10 Mile! But, what do I do now? I’ve only been running for about 30 minutes a day three or four days a week. I’d really like to feel strong on the hills and in control at the finish line.

Coach Lundstrom: Congrats on getting a spot in the Medtronic TC 10 Mile! While I’m sure you are excited, it’s easy to understand that you may also be feeling a little overwhelmed about how to go about getting ready to handle the distance and the hills. The good news is that with a few modifications to your current routine, you can be ready in time to tackle the course.

The first step to getting yourself ready is a gradual increase in your training volume, or mileage. This can be accomplished by simply adding one or two more days of running per week. Initially, you may need to keep these runs shorter and easier than your typical run, so that you are recovering and not taxing yourself too much. Over time, they can increase in length as you gain strength and confidence in your ability to handle the miles.

The second step is to make one of your weekly runs into a long run. One day per week, make your run a little longer than the other days, and gradually increase the length up to your longest run, which should occur 2-3 weeks prior to the 10 mile. If your goal is simply to complete the 10 mile, a long run of 8 miles should prepare you to be able to make it. But if you want to feel strong and in control, you should get your long run up to at least 10, preferably 12-13 miles in distance. These longer runs will build aerobic strength, prepare the muscles of your legs for the distance, and give you practice in the mental challenges of running a longer distance.

Finally, it is important to prepare for those hills! I would recommend making sure that two days per week, you are running hills. One day can just be an easy run, but on a hilly route. This will help you to improve your form running up and down hills, and to understand how to alter your pace and stride as you go up or down hills.

The second day of hills should be a higher intensity day. This can vary from week to week, but be sure to include all of the following a couple of times during your preparations: short hills, long hills, fast hilly runs. Short hills are done at near maximal effort and should last only 15-30 seconds. These will build your muscular strength and improve neuro-muscular recruitment. Walk down the hill after each repetition to fully recover. Long hills are done at or slightly faster than 5k race effort. They should be 300 to 800 meters in length, and should leave you out of breathe by the top of the hill, but capable of recovering on an easy jog down the hill. These will help improve your anaerobic tolerance, which basically means that you can handle getting out of your comfort zone for a little bit longer.

Fast hilly runs are runs in the 4-6 mile range over hilly terrain where you are running faster than usual, but not all out. These runs are the most specific preparation that you can do, as they mimic the pace and terrain that you will experience at the Medtronic TC 10 Mile. On race day, it will feel like old hat, except for the added support of the crowd and volunteers helping you along.

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June 2018: Coach Lundstrom offers tips for using hilly terrain to help your training.

Question: I just moved and I'm blessed/cursed with lots of hills no matter what direction I run. How can I get better at running hills (is there a technique?) and how can I use the hills (some are short and steep, some are loooong and gradual, with everything in between) to get better when I race? I run everything from 5Ks to half marathons.

Coach Lundstrom: The good news is that hills are a great training tool, and having access to a variety of different lengths and grades of hills can give you lots of opportunities to improve various aspects of your fitness. However, it is important to be cautious, especially in the first few weeks of training on this undulating terrain. Hills present a greater challenge to your cardiovascular system as well as the muscles of your legs, especially your calves and quads. Because of this, you will need to run a little slower and/or reduce your total training volume until your body has adapted to the terrain.

Good hill running technique can certainly help. As you go uphill, keep your strides quick and short. Over-striding will cause you to lose momentum and you will become less efficient. Slightly exaggerating your knee lift and driving your arms will help you work against the incline more effectively. Take advantage of downhills by leaning slightly forward and trying to resist the urge to “hit the breaks.” On steeper downhills, this may be impossible, but gradual downhills are a great place to practice taking advantage of gravity.

Short hill repeats can be done to improve muscular strength and power, which in turn improves running economy. These can range from all-out sprints of 10-15 seconds with an easy walk down to recover, to repeats of 30-60 seconds at a fast but not all out pace (800m to 1 mile race pace). The shorter repeats will improve your ability to get your leg muscles to fire, and can improve top end speed, whereas the 30-60 sec repeats tax the anaerobic system and can improve your ability to sustain relatively high intensities, such as when you are kicking in to the finish line at the end of a race.

Long gradual hills can be incorporated into other aerobic-development workouts, such as long runs, tempo runs, or progression runs. Because they are gradual, they won’t throw you into an anaerobic state (i.e. gasping for air), but they will increase the intensity of the run in a more subtle way. These are particularly helpful if you will be running any races that include lots of long gradual hills, because they will teach you how to properly alter your pace in response to up and downhills.

While training on hills is great, it should be noted that you may need to seek out a flat location for some of your runs. On days when you are really tired and/or sore, a flat grassy jog will allow you to recover much better than another day of running hills. Also, if you plan to race on very flat courses (track and/or flat road races), you will want to keep at least a couple days a week of flat runs, so that you maintain your ability to run efficiently on flat surfaces. On than that, enjoy the view from the top!

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May 2018: Coach Lundstrom offers tips for getting your marathon training off to a great start.

Winter has finally lifted. Many runners are beginning get their legs back under themselves and perhaps even thinking ahead to a marathon a few months down the road. Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind as you enter into a new marathon training cycle.

Pace yourself. It’s good advice for the marathon itself, and it’s good advice for marathon training too. While signing up for a marathon can inspire you to train longer and harder, it’s important to increase gradually in order to avoid injury and/or mental staleness by the time the marathon rolls around. If you have trained for a marathon before, be mindful that the peak of your previous marathon training cycles (either in volume or intensity) was reached over a gradual build-up over weeks and months. Start getting to work, but follow an intelligent progression in doing so.

Run your marathon pace with some regularity. Whatever your goal marathon time is, figure out the pace, and begin to implement some long intervals or continuous runs at that pace. By the end of your marathon training cycle, you will want to be able to run 15-18 miles continuously at your goal pace in training. Start now with some shorter marathon pace runs. For example, if you are doing a 10 mile long run, warmup for 2 miles, run 6 miles at your goal pace, and finish with 2 miles easy. This allows you to gradually adapt to the specific demands of running at that pace.

Don’t neglect speed work. Yes, the marathon relies almost entirely on aerobic metabolism, so it is tempting to do all of your runs at an aerobic pace. However, the benefits of speed training do transfer to marathon performance. By running a modest volume of faster intervals, you can improve running economy and increase the speed that you can run at your lactate threshold. Those adaptations will make your marathon pace that much easier.

Maintain muscular strength. As with speed training, marathoners are often under the false impression that they do not need muscular strength. However, one of the major challenges of the marathon is withstanding the muscle damage that occurs as a result of the repetitive stress of running for that long. Marathon runners who strength train regularly are better able to withstand that stress. Long run after long run at low intensity can begin to break down muscle tissue. A well-designed program of muscular strengthening exercises can help maintain, and even increase muscular strength and resistance to muscle damage.

Connect with a training group or training partners. Even if you are generally a solo trainer, it’s a good idea to do some training with a group in your marathon training cycle. First and foremost, those long runs can get really long when you’re on your own, and having a group can make the process more enjoyable. Also, a group can help push you when you are getting tired, and that can help you attain a level of fitness you may not have been able to reach on your own. And finally, you can expect to be running with a group at least some of the time during the marathon…it’s probably a good idea to practice it and get used to it! Forming those relationships with training partners only enhances your motivation and enjoyment of the experience.

Chris Lundstrom has a Ph.D. in kinesiology, with an emphasis in exercise physiology. In addition to coaching professional athletes, he has also developed a marathon training class and taught some 700 novice marathoners..

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April 2018: Coach Lundstrom offers tips for developing speed for shorter distance races.

TCM wants to help you get the most out of your running and training by providing access to one of the leading minds in our sport. A running coach can help by answering questions about training and racing, keeping you motivated and providing insight. TCM partners with Team USA Minnesota coach Chris Lundstrom to answer your questions and offer advice to runners of all abilities. Today, Coach Lundstrom offers tips for developing speed for shorter distance races.

Question: I’m mainly a half marathon runner, but I’m running the Medtronic TC 1 Mile to kick off a summer of trying to improve my shorter distance times. I do mostly steady miles and a little bit of tempo running now, but what can I do to get speedier for the mile and the 5Ks and 10Ks I want to do after that?

Coach Lundstrom: The good news is that you probably have a nice aerobic base under you from the steady mileage and tempo runs. To improve your performances in the shorter distances, however, you will need to do some race-specific workouts. That means, you guessed it, speed work!

Starting off the season with the mile is a great way to really hone in on that speed component. While you don’t have a ton of time between now and the mile, you can definitely make substantial improvements in your speed over the course of the next month.

I would suggest a weekly workout of 1-1.5 miles worth of running at or around your goal mile pace. If you don’t know what that goal pace is, these workouts will be helpful in figuring that out. For the first couple of weeks, allow yourself plenty of recovery between intervals, and as you get closer to the race day, shorten up the recoveries a bit to make the workouts more challenging and to more closely simulate the race. Below is a suggested progression of workouts that will give you a speed boost for the Medtronic TC 1 Mile. If you don’t have access to a track or measured distances, just convert the distances to the time you would expect these distances to take for you to cover. For example, if you expect to run the mile in 8 minutes, the 200m repeat at mile pace would be 1 minute of hard running. Here are the workouts:

Week 1: 8x200m w/ 90 sec. recovery
Week 2: 6x400m w/ 2 min recovery
Week 3: 8x300 w/ 1 min. recovery
Week 4: 800, 600, 400, 200 w/ 2 min recovery after the 800 and 600, 1 min recovery after the 400

After the Medtronic TC 1 Mile, you can continue working on your speed, but that needs to be balanced with working on your speed endurance and aerobic development in order to run well at 5k and 10k through the summer. We have already talked about some examples of the speed workouts you might perform, but what about speed endurance and aerobic development workouts?

Aerobic development workouts are the tempo runs you mentioned doing, or progression (“cutdown”) runs where you pick up the pace gradually throughout the run, and tempo-paced intervals, which are long (4+ minute) moderately hard runs, with short recovery periods of 1-2 minutes.

Speed endurance is about maintaining as high of a percentage of your top speed as possible for a distance race. In your case, since you are targeting 5k and 10k as your goal races for the summer, your goal is to improve your ability to resist fatigue at the intensities associated with those race distances. Again, interval workouts at or near your goal race paces are the best way to achieve this adaptation. As an example, a 5k specific workout to try out is as follows: 6-8x800m with 2-3 minutes recovery, starting at slightly slower than your current 5k pace and finishing at your goal 5k pace. A 10k specific workout would be 2x2 miles, 2x1 mile with 3 minutes recovery, starting at slightly slower than your current 10k pace and finishing at or slightly faster than goal 10k pace.

Performing a balance of these three types of workouts over the course of the summer should yield some great results at the 5k and 10k distances. It’s important to note that doing all three in one week is probably going to be too taxing, so I recommend doing 1 of each type of workout over the course of 10 days or even 2 weeks. Some people recover more quickly or more slowly from higher intensity training, so you just have to pay attention to how you are feeling and adjust accordingly. Most of all, enjoy the faster paces, and you will benefit from the higher intensity training when you return to running longer distances.

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March 2018: Coach Lundstrom offers tips for returning to the marathon after a long time away from the event.

Question: I'm going to do it! I'm running the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon this fall, my first marathon in way too long. I'm only in so-so shape now – 20 pounds to lose, longest run in 2018 = seven miles, and 48 years-old (not mid-30s like the last time) – but I'm excited to devote the year to this goal. I know the basics of a good training build-up, but what pro tips do you have for me?"

Coach Lundstrom: First off, congrats on the decision to commit to returning to the marathon distance. Big goals require big changes in your life, and vice versa. Sometimes you need that big challenge to push yourself to return to a higher level of fitness. It will be an exciting journey, and probably a very different one from the last marathon you ran.

The first step is to devise a plan to set yourself up to progress gradually back to the fitness you will need to complete the marathon. Given that you have a little over six months until the marathon, it would be helpful to divide up the time into at least two training blocks. This will help keep you focused on the week-to-week progress. If your goal race is too far away, it can be too easy to miss days or lose focus because the goal seems far in the distance. So having at least one other preliminary goal race, like a half marathon in June or early July, will both increase your motivation to get going now, and also give you an opportunity to get a benchmark of your fitness mid-way through the training.

If we divide your training into these two training blocks, the focus of the first block should be more on general fitness, whereas the second block should be focused on specific (i.e. marathon) fitness. During the first block, gradually increasing your volume and frequency of running will be the primary goal. The exact amount of running you are targeting depends on your running experience and goals, but as a rule of thumb, you should be accustomed to running most days of the week before beginning a marathon training program.

Once you have a few weeks of running with the desired frequency, substituting in one higher intensity workout per week can help you improve fitness faster than you would by simply going out and running at an easy to moderate effort. Hill repeats are a great introduction to speed work. Fartlek workouts, where you are changing paces, but doing so according to feel rather than trying to hit split times, are another relatively safe way to introduce some higher intensity work. As you approach your half marathon, you will want to increase the distance of your long run to at near the half marathon distance, and you should run parts of your long run at your goal half marathon pace, if you have a time goal.

When you enter the second block of training, the primary goal is to increase the length and speed of the long runs. Most people find that completing 1-2 long runs of 20-22 miles gives them the strength and confidence they need going into the marathon. On the other hand, if simply completing the marathon is the goal, many people successfully do so on training plans that max out at 18 or even 16 miles. Maintaining one higher intensity workout per week is helpful as well, but be sure that these workouts are not so hard that they are affecting you ability to complete the long runs.

One major difference between being age 35 and 48 is that it may take a longer time for you to recover from strenuous efforts, so be mindful of this and don’t press too hard. On the other hand, no matter what your age, the human body can still adapt to the challenges presented to it, so be patient. The same practices that help a younger, faster athlete recover quickly also work for those of us who are a few years older. These include refueling with a snack containing a carbohydrate/protein mix within 30 minutes of finishing your workout, getting an optimal amount of sleep, and eating a diet comprised of high quality, unrefined foods with a full complement of nutrients. Commit yourself to not only the running, but also to the lifestyle, and you will enjoy the journey and reap the benefits on marathon day.

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February 2018 Coach Lundstrom offers tips for building up your fitness after a poor winter of training

Question: I have to admit to having a poor winter of training so far. I'm doing the Hot Dash 5K in about a month, so what can I do to have a good run there and then keep rolling for the spring and summer? I'd like to do half marathon in the summer sometime.

Chris Lundstrom: You had a tough winter of running. Hey, you’re not alone. It was cold. It was snowy. You didn’t run as much as you may have liked to, but there’s nothing you can do about that now. Time to let it go and move forward. The good news is that it’s only February, and there is plenty of time to get ready for that summer half marathon. Having that Hot Dash 5k on the calendar is a great motivator to getting your momentum going in the right direction.

With only a month to prepare for the 5k, your primary focus should be on simply building your general fitness. Gradually increasing your frequency of runs and your mileage should be the first priority. In addition, increasing the length of your long run will help build aerobic capacity and lay the foundation for the half marathon training. Increasing mileage and the length of the long run need to be done gradually, and specific guidelines depend very much on an individual’s background. It’s not necessary to get up to your highest mileage or longest long run over the course of a month, but it’s important to be moving in that direction in a gradual and healthy way.

The 5k is a fairly short race, and while there is not necessarily enough time to do an extensive amount of interval training, it’s important not to ignore speed work. Jumping into highly structured high intensity interval training may be counterproductive, as you have to be very careful about increasing both training volume and intensity at the same time. I would suggest two higher intensity workouts per week – one day of hill sprints and one day of fartlek.

Hill sprints are very short (12-15 seconds) near-maximal effort sprints up an incline. These can be done at the end of a shorter run. You want to be thoroughly warmed up, but not excessively fatigued. A small number of hill sprints (6-10) is sufficient to activate your fast twitch muscles, improving your running form and increasing the power of your stride. The incline forces you to lift your knees and get up on your forefoot. Walk down the hill and fully catch your breath before going again to ensure that you are able to run at the proper intensity.

Fartlek training involves alternating periods of faster running with recovery periods of easy jogging. This is a great way to introduce interval training without excessive stress on the body. It’s important to go according to feel, running hard but controlled, and not “going to the well.” Fartlek workouts can be as structured or unstructured as you want – you can choose a landmark in the distance and run hard to it, or you can go by time (3 minutes on with 3 minutes off, for example). If you are just introducing this type of training, I would err towards a less structured format, and adjust your effort according to feel. A total time of 20-30 minutes is generally a good length. Aiming for an effort similar to your 5k race effort will give you some specific preparation for the Hot Dash 5k. Having a strong run at the 5k will set you up well to enter into half marathon-specific training as the longer days and warmer temps of spring arrive.

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December 2017 Coach Lundstrom offers tips maintaining a balance of activities within winter training

Question: "I need some variety in my fitness routine now. What cross-training activities do you recommend? I hope to run once or twice a week and cross train two or three times a week. I plan to return to "full-time" running in the spring, so I don't want to lose any more running fitness than I have to."

Chris Lundstrom: Winter is a great time to change things up and enjoy some alternatives to running. Done correctly, this "down-time" from full-time running can enhance long-term health and well-being, without sacrificing running performance. The most important consideration is maintaining a balance of activities within your training that will set you up well for the pursuit of your spring and summer running goals.

If, for example, you want to run well at the Medtronic TC 1 Mile in May, some higher intensity activities that improve muscular strength and anaerobic capacity would be helpful. Some examples of that type of activity include a high intensity interval spin class, strength training, and playing repeated sprints-based sports like hockey or soccer.

If, on the other hand, you are looking to run your first marathon later in the year, focusing on activities that can enhance your aerobic capacity are more important. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat-tire biking are great aerobic activities for the outdoor-oriented. The traditional indoor forms of cross-training like getting on the stationary bike, the elliptical, or a stair-climber can also be great supplementary training that maintain aerobic fitness but give your body a break from the repetitive stress of running.

Whatever activities you choose, keep in mind that the same training principles that apply to running apply to everything else. Too much too soon can lead to overuse injury in other activities just like it can in running. Start with relatively short, lower intensity sessions of any activities that you are starting up, and increase gradually. Just as you don’t go out for a 20 mile run on your first run back from a break, don’t ski a marathon, play 3 hours of soccer, or take the hardest spin class at your gym on your first day out there. Similarly, too many hard days too close together can be a recipe for injury or overtraining, even if the hard days include a variety of different activities.

An objective assessment of your strengths and weaknesses as a runner can also be helpful in deciding how to structure your off-season training. Once you have identified those areas that need improvement, you can select some activities that will target those areas. If you can go forever, but struggle with speed and muscular strength, use the winter to work on higher intensity activities. If you’re fast but run out of steam mid-race, do some longer cross-training sessions at moderate intensities to boost your aerobic fitness.

Most of all, don’t worry about the fact that you aren’t running every day. Mixing things up, both in terms of intensity and type of exercise, can set you up for a great spring and summer of running. The break from daily running can be refreshing, and the other activities can actually maintain – or even improve – your fitness. 2018, here we come!

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October 2017, Coach Lundstrom offers tips for training well through the winter

Question: "I've been an indifferent winter runner for years – never as dedicated from November to February as I am the rest of the year. What do you suggest for keeping me moving this winter? I'm not sure if it's the cold, the darkness, the lack of events or what, but I need to do something different this year."

Chris Lundstrom: Running through the winter can be challenging for a number of reasons, but I believe there is a common thread to what makes it tough: monotony. Running on a treadmill, being confined to the same small selection of routes, running in the dark, or running with no imminent event on the horizon, can all contribute to boredom. If variety is the spice of life, monotony is the enemy of motivation.

There are some easy ways to avoid this soul-sucking repetition. One easy way is to deliberately select a new winter event or two to increase your motivation to stay active. It could be a local road race (there are a few), an indoor running event, a race you will travel for, or it could be something completely different: an alternative to a running event like a ski, snowshoe or stair-climbing race. New challenges can help increase motivation, and doing something different from your usual routine can improve your health and fitness.

Finding a balance of different running and workout options can also help enhance motivation. If you are running approximately five days a week, consider establishing a routine that includes a day or two per week of each of the following: running outside, running on the treadmill, and running indoors (at an indoor track, stadium, or rec center). Group classes, cross-training, and strength training are some other alternatives to consider incorporating into your routine. Whatever fits your goals and lifestyle, the important thing is establishing a consistent routine.

Plan your workouts to maximize the benefits of each setting. Running outdoors in the winter, for example, is great for easy recovery days. The extra layers of clothing, less-than-ideal footing, and cold temps make it necessary to slow down and take it easy. Treadmill running, on the other hand, lends itself to workouts like tempo runs or other steady state, moderately hard workouts. Set the desired pace on the treadmill, plug in your headphones, and get down to work. Indoor running (especially if you have access to an indoor track) lends itself to shorter, faster speed workouts.

If at all possible, get outdoors in the daylight a couple of days per week. The sunlight may not seem to provide much warmth, but regular sun exposure is good for your mental health. The shorter days make it challenging to get out in the daylight, but there are ways to make it happen, such as running from work at noon, and blocking time on the weekend for a daylight run. Especially for outdoor running, adding a social component to at least some of your runs can also enliven your routine. Whether it is a training partner or a running group, knowing that someone is out there waiting for you to show up can be a great motivating factor to get you out the door even in the worst of conditions. Once you are out on the run, great camaraderie can be born from facing the elements together.

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September 2017 Coach Lundstrom offers tips for a great race day

Question: "I'm entered in the Medtronic TC 10 Mile. I've trained really well and I know I have a good race in me. What tips do you have to make sure that happens. I'm really pumped about the race, but I worried I'm getting too excited."

Chris Lundstrom: Yes, marathon weekend is just around the corner. Spirits, and nerves, run high as the leaves begin to change. The fact that you are excited -- and even nervous -- is a great sign. It means you care, and have invested in your training and preparation for this event. The challenge you have to manage is taking that excitement and energy and putting it to a positive ends.

If left unchecked, that nervous energy can interfere with your ability to perform in a number of ways. Being nervous and filled with energy (as you hopefully are during a taper) can make it more challenging to sleep in the days leading into a big event. Use deep breathing and relaxation exercises to reduce stress and tension at night. If you don’t get as much sleep as you have been, don’t let this stress you out. Just make sure that you are maintaining the same number of hours of restful time. It is also helpful to use your excitement for things that will make you feel more prepared in advance of race day. Get your bag packed with all of the supplies and clothes that you will want on the day of the event. Write down some thoughts or key phrases that you want to focus on during the various sections of the course. For example, if you are worried about the big hill up to the Franklin Bridge, practice telling yourself, “I am smooth and strong on the hills.”

Nervous energy needs to be managed on race morning as well. Unchecked, this race morning excitement can lead to starting out the race way too fast, or putting in unnecessary and wasteful surges. Again, deep breathing prior to the start can help you reduce your anxiety and help you to start out at an appropriate pace. Remind yourself that you have 10 miles to expend your energy, so you want to make sure you are saving plenty for the last few miles. Focus on controlling the things you can control – keeping your arms and shoulders loose and relaxed, breathing in a controlled manner, and running the right pace for you.

During the latter part of the run, use that nervous energy to push yourself through the tough stretches. That is the time to tap into that excitement that you are feeling. Remind yourself that you did the work to prepare yourself for race, and trust in your ability to perform. Get out there, and enjoy the day!

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August 2017 Coach Lundstrom offers advice about 10K training

Question: "I'm running the TC 10K. My running this summer has been spotty – not terrible, just inconsistent – but I'm motivated to train better for the race on September 30. What do you think I should focus on for the coming weeks?"

Chris Lundstrom: I always like to work backward when putting together a training plan. For the TC 10K, you have 5 weeks left to prepare at this point. That's not a whole lot of time, especially given that the final week should be pretty light so that you feel rested on race day. However, it is certainly enough time to improve your fitness. In fact, lots of scientific studies on various training methods are done over only 4-6 weeks, and often they are able to show significant changes in fitness over that period of time. Here are a few things that I would emphasize over the next few weeks:

Maintain a consistent weekly running schedule. If you have only been running a couple days per week, it doesn't make sense to try to run every single day at this point. However, committing to 3-4 days every week would be reasonable, and that alone will do a lot to improve your fitness.
Do a few miles of running every week at your goal pace. This will teach your body and mind to handle that pace. A great way to accomplish this is through interval training, such as 5-6 repetitions of 1 mile with 2-3 minutes recovery. Start with a smaller amount the first week and gradually increase the volume of running at goal pace, and then shorten the workout back up again during the week leading into the 10k.
Do a weekly run that includes some harder than race pace running. This can be accomplished through a variety of workouts, including track intervals, hills, and the more flexible fartlek-style training. If you haven't been doing a lot of faster running, I would suggest fartlek-type workouts over track repeats. Fartlek running is basically interval training, but has the advantage of being done based on feel, rather than using strict distances and times. This makes it more enjoyable, and is less likely to lead to injury and over-doing the workouts. Basically, choose a landmark down the road or trail, and pick it up to a fast pace until you reach the landmark. Then, jog until you are recovered, and do it again. A fartlek workout of 20-30 minutes can accomplish a lot, and you can vary the distances and speeds according to how you are feeling.
Focus on your recovery. Any time you increase your training volume or intensity, you need to be extra mindful about taking care of yourself between workouts. This means getting some protein in within 30 minutes of finishing a run, getting the hours of sleep that you need, and maintaining good hydration throughout the day.

With a few solid weeks of training, you may still not be in the best shape of your life, but you can go into the TC 10K feeling confident, prepared, and like you're headed in the right direction. Sometimes being on the upswing of a training cycle leads to surprisingly good race results.

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July 2017, Coach Lundstrom offers advice about tapering for races

Tapering, or reducing one’s training volume prior to a race, is an effective strategy for improving performance and feeling better on race day. However, if you are racing very frequently, tapering before every event will leave little time for training, and may mean that you are gradually losing fitness as the weeks and months pass.

If you are entering races just for fun, then there’s no harm in training through them. However, if you do races in order to try to run fast, it is important to give yourself an opportunity to go into the race feeling good. It’s no fun toeing the line with heavy, tired legs, and over time trying to race in a fatigued state can lead to increased injury risk, or can even progress to overtraining. So generally speaking if you are going to try to run fast, you should taper. The question is how much to cut back prior to each race.

If you race once or twice a month, doing a traditional taper of a week to 10 days for every race would be excessive, and would compromise your long-term progress. For most of these races, I would recommend a “quick taper” of 3-4 days of reduced mileage. Keep doing the workouts that you have planned, but reduce the volume slightly on race week. This should allow you to race relatively well, feel strong, and reduce risk of injury during the race.

While the quick taper is a good solution for people who race frequently, a longer taper is generally needed to produce peak performance. I would recommend selecting one or two races to do a more extensive taper of roughly 10 days of reduced mileage. Selecting your peak races is an important part of planning any season. They should fall in the latter part of your build-up, at a time when you have had plenty of time to get into shape. They should also be important to you in some way, to ensure that your motivation will be high. Maybe it’s a race that you have run every year, and will allow you to compare versus previous results, or maybe it’s a course that you know is flat and will give you a good opportunity to run a fast time. Whatever your goals are, chose your key races carefully, knowing you can’t peak for everything.

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June 2017, Coach Lundstrom offers his five top tips for training for a marathon.

Run your pace. There are multiple meanings to this tip. During training as well as the marathon, don’t get caught up in doing what someone else is doing. Having training partners is great, but if they are going too fast or too slow for you, you will be sacrificing your training. Too fast, and you will struggle later in the run. Too slow, and you won’t be getting the fitness benefits that you could be. 2) Practice running your goal (or expected) marathon pace. During extended parts of some of your long runs, you should run as close as you can to your goal pace. This will help you improve your running economy at that specific pace, which will translate into a better outcome on marathon day. 3) On your recovery run days, let your body dictate the pace, rather than being a slave to your GPS watch. The long runs can be very taxing on your body, and it is okay to take it nice and easy on your recovery run days.
Practice your nutrition and hydration. Rule number one of running is “don’t try anything new on race day.” This definitely applies to what you put in your stomach during the marathon. Practice drinking with the same frequency and amounts that you intend to do during the marathon. If you are going to rely on the aid stations on the course, find out what will be available and practice with the same thing…right down to the flavor. Fruit punch flavor sports drink may sit well with you, whereas lemon-lime induces debilitating cramps – not a good thing to find out on marathon day. The other important thing to note is that the gut is actually trainable – it becomes better at absorbing fluid and digesting fuel during exercise with practice.
Prepare mentally. The marathon will not be easy. There will be some tough stretches, and you need to be prepared for that. Have some positive phrases or “mantras” prepared in advance to help you focus and get through the tough times. Just as you did with your fluids and fuel, you should practice using this positive self-talk during training. You can’t turn on a switch and become mentally tough on race day – it is a skill that has to be practiced throughout your training.
Assemble a strong team. Both training for and running the marathon can feel like a long, lonely road at times. People tend to be much more successful if they have a good system of support around them. This can include family and friends who are understanding of those long weekend runs (and perhaps your subsequent desire to sit on the couch the rest of the day). Your team might include training partners who support and encourage you, and the list goes on: the local running shop workers who talk you through what you will need, the massage therapist or physical therapist who help you through the aches and pains, the neighbor who thinks you are amazing for even attempting a marathon.
Train hard…don’t train too hard. It is important to get in the work to prepare you for the marathon. The long runs, tempo runs, hill repeats, etc. are necessary to physically prepare you for the 26.2 miles ahead of you. However, you need plenty of recovery time between these efforts in order to continue to make gains from the workouts. Too many people give their best efforts during training only to find that they are exhausted by the time the marathon rolls around. More is not always better. Particularly in the last 2-3 weeks of the training, be careful not to over-extend yourself. You don’t want to go into the marathon feeling like you have just “survived” the training; you should be fit, rested, and feeling like a race horse in the starting gate, ready to bust out and run your race.