Turn a weakness into a strength this winter to boost your spring marathon training or triathlon training

Sure, the winter off-season can be looked at as a time of recovery. Without any races looming, there’s no pressing need to log the high mileage or intense workouts you normally would as part of a serious marathon training program or triathlon training plan. That said, the off-season is also an excellent time to identify and address one or more of your fitness weaknesses that you normally don’t have time to focus on during heavy training periods.
 
Let’s say you’re new to triathlon training and you struggle with the swim. Devote the next several weeks to work on becoming a stronger swimmer (see our blog on learning to swim for triathlon). Or maybe you feel the need to boost your sport-specific power. Add some plyometric exercises to your training this winter to power-up your running stride, cycling pedal stroke, or freestyle swim stroke. Whatever the fitness weakness, take the time now to shore it up. Come spring, you might just be rewarded with improved endurance performance—and a PR.

Stay inside this winter and still keep your cycling or triathlon training on track

One of the great things about riding a bike is that it’s not just a workout, it’s a journey. You can cover a lot of territory and see a great deal in a long Saturday ride. So why would any cyclist or athlete in triathlon training want to ride indoors and go nowhere?

Obviously, foul weather can make riding indoors more a matter of necessity than choice. But there are three special benefits of riding indoors that make it sometimes worth doing even on perfect days:

1. Safety. Let’s face it: Sharing the roads with cars is a little scary at times. Most cyclists have had close calls and know at least one fellow rider who has been hurt in a bike-vehicle encounter. Training indoors is a way to reduce your risk of an accident.

2. Performance. High-intensity interval workouts are an essential part of serious cycling training and triathlon training. Many athletes feel that these workouts can be done more effectively in a room, which presents a controlled environment where you can just put your head down and hammer.

3. Time. Indoor riding saves time. You can get started more quickly without the usual tire inflation and other preparations and you don’t have to stop for traffic lights. Also, because there is no coasting indoors, indoor riding is slightly more intense, so that an hour of pedaling indoors is equivalent to 65 or 70 minutes on the roads.

Select Your Equipment

Various types of equipment can be used for indoor cycling. Bike rollers and fluid trainers are devices that you can mount your regular bike on for stationary indoor riding. The chief advantage of these options is that they allow you to train on the same bike you use outdoors. Most cyclists find, however, that riding their regular bike is a lot less comfortable indoors because the constant, subtle changes in saddle-rider contact points that occur outdoors are eliminated with stationary pedaling. In other words: Your butt gets sore much faster!

Dedicated indoor bikes such as the CycleOps 300PT are typically more comfortable for indoor riding and therefore may be a better way to go if you plan to ride indoors often. But these bikes are pricey. The CycleOps 300PT costs $1,900.

The stationary bikes at your local fitness club represent another option. The design of these bikes, however, is very different from that of road racing bikes (larger saddles, wider pedal-to-pedal measurements, etc.), and for this reason they are not as well suited to long or high-intensity workouts.

Know Your Reasons

It is important to have a clear understanding of why you ride indoors, because this will help you determine how to train indoors most effectively. For instance:

You ride inside only when something makes it impossible to ride outdoors. In this case, simply do your best to replicate your planned outdoor rides indoors. Most workouts are easily transferred. Long rides can be exceptions as many cyclists find it very difficult, both physically and psychologically, to perform multi-hour rides under a roof. In cases when you know you will not be able to go the full distance of a planned ride that you have transferred indoors, just go as long as you comfortably can.

You ride inside for long stretches during the winter. Cyclists and those in triathlon training who choose to “ride out” the winter mostly indoors should consciously approach this phase of training as a lower-volume phase. Make up for reduced cycling volume by cranking up the intensity of some of your rides, adding some cross-training to your program (e.g. cross-country skiing), and/or lifting weights to build strength for the upcoming season.

You ride inside to boost performance. Choose the types of rides you do inside wisely when looking to improve performance. Long rides and hill repetitions are best done outdoors, as hill climbing is difficult to properly replicate on a trainer. The trainer is conducive to recovery rides, base rides, and all types of high-intensity training other than hill climbing.

Step up your half-marathon training with this program for veteran runners

If you’ve run a couple of half-marathons in the past, but are now looking to actually race one, the following half-marathon training plan is probably for you. (First-time half-marathoners can check out the beginner half-marathon training plan  we posted last week.) Our 12-week advanced half-marathon training plan includes one rest day and six runs per week. But first, a key to the seven different types of workouts featured in the plan. Here’s to a PR!

Easy Run: Run at a steady, comfortable pace.

Uphill Sprints: Run a relaxed 10-second sprint up a steep hill, walk back down to your starting point, and repeat until you have completed the prescribed number of repetitions.
 
Fartlek Run: Run the designated distance at a comfortable, steady pace that is interrupted by periodic 30-second bursts at 5K race pace. Spread out the bursts enough so that you are always fully recovered from the last one before you start the next.

Long Run: Run the designated distance at a steady, comfortable pace.

Tempo Run: Run the tempo portion of your tempo runs at a “comfortably hard” intensity (which is usually between half-marathon and 10K race pace for most runners).

Interval Run: Perform these workouts on a 400-meter track, if possible, or a flat, smooth stretch of road.

Moderate Run: Run steadily at a pace that is roughly 20 seconds per mile faster than your normal easy run pace.

Advanced Half-Marathon Training Plan

Week 1
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 4 miles easy and 1 mile @ Tempo Run pace
Wednesday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Thursday: Fartlek Run: 5 miles easy with 6 x 30-second bursts @ 5K pace
Friday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Sunday: Long Run: 6 miles

Week 2
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Moderate Run: 5 miles
Wednesday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Thursday: Interval Run: 1 mile easy, 5 x 800 meters @ 5K pace with 2-minute jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Friday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Saturday: Easy Run: 4 miles
Sunday: Long Run: 7 miles

Week 3
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Tempo Run: Run 10 minutes easy, 16 minutes @ Tempo, 10 minutes easy
Wednesday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Thursday: Interval Run: 1 mile easy, 6 x 800 meters @ 5K pace with 2-minute jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Friday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Sunday: Long Run: 8 miles

Week 4
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Tempo Run: Run 10 minutes easy, 18 minutes @ Tempo, 10 minutes easy
Wednesday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Thursday: Interval Run: 1 mile easy, 3 x 1 mile @ 10K pace with 2-minute jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Friday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Sunday: Long Run: 7 miles

Week 5
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Tempo Run: Run 10 minutes easy, 20 minutes @ Tempo, 10 minutes easy
Wednesday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Thursday: Interval Run: 1 mile easy, 4 x 1 mile @ 10K pace with 2-minute jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Friday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Saturday: Easy Run: 4 miles
Sunday: Long Run: 10 miles

Week 6
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Moderate Run: 5 miles
Wednesday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Thursday: Easy Run: 6 miles + 5 x 100-meter Uphill Sprints
Friday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Sunday: Long Run: 12 miles

Week 7
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Tempo Run: 10 minutes easy, 24 minutes @ Tempo, 10 minutes easy
Wednesday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Thursday: Interval Run: 1 mile easy, 4 x 1 mile @ 10K pace with 2-minute jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Friday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run: 7 miles
Sunday: Long Run: 9 miles

Week 8
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Tempo Run: 10 minutes easy, 26 minutes @ Tempo, 10 minutes easy
Wednesday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Thursday: Interval Run: 1 mile easy, 5 x 1 mile @ 10K pace with 2-minute jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Friday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Sunday: Long Run: 13 miles

Week 9
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Moderate Run: 5 miles
Wednesday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Thursday: Easy Run: 6 miles + 6 x 100-meter Uphill Sprints
Friday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Saturday: Easy Run: 4 miles
Sunday: 10K race, or do your own 10K time trial where you simply run 10K as hard as you can (do a 2-mile warmup)

Week 10
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Tempo Run: 10 minutes easy, 30 minutes @ Tempo, 10 minutes easy
Wednesday: Easy Run: 4 miles
Thursday: Interval Run: 1 mile easy, 6 x 1 mile @ 10K pace with 2-minute jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Friday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Sunday: Long Run: 14 miles

Week 11
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Tempo Run: 10 minutes easy, 20 minutes @ Tempo, 10 minutes easy
Wednesday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Thursday: Interval Run: 1 mile easy, 5 x 1 mile @ 10K pace with 2-minute jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Friday: Easy Run: 6 miles
Saturday: Easy Run: 7 miles
Sunday: Long Run: 10 miles

Week 12
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Tempo Run: 10 minutes easy, 10 minutes @ Tempo, 10 minutes easy
Wednesday: Easy Run: 5 miles
Thursday: Interval Run: 1 mile easy, 2 x 1 mile @ 10K pace with 2-minute jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Friday: Easy Run: 4 miles
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Half-Marathon!

How to stay hydrated during your winter half-marathon training, marathon training, or triathlon training

I’ll admit it: I’m far less likely to take a drink with me on my long winter marathon training runs than I am when I head out for a couple of hours during the warmer months of the year. Why? I don’t seem to get as thirsty when the temps are low. And I’m not alone. It’s a fact that the cold tends to suppress thirst, so most athletes simply drink less when it’s chilly.

Just because you don’t feel thirsty during your long winter marathon training runs or triathlon training rides, however, doesn’t mean you don’t need the fluids. In fact, there are several factors that increase your risk of becoming dehydrated when working out in the cold. First, as we’ve already established, the cold temps keep our thirst at bay, so we drink less right off the bat. Then there’s the fact that the cold air tends to be very dry, and in dry air more fluid is lost as vapor through breathing. Finally, cold-induced dieresis causes rapid fluid loss via urination.

The Bottom Line: If you don’t drink during your long workouts in the cold, the consequences can be the same as they are when you don’t drink in the heat: dehydration, bonking, and even fatigue-related injury. So, to avoid dehydration this winter, drink during all workouts lasting longer than an hour. To compensate for your reduced thirst, drink according to a schedule of about four to six ounces every 15 minutes or so. Go with a sports drink instead of water to replace the electrolyte minerals lost in sweat and provide carbohydrate for energy. Sports drinks are also more palatable. And consider heating your sports drink before you head outdoors to make it even more palatable.

Endurance sports nutrition advice for athletes sensitive to wheat

Suddenly it seems as if the phrase “Gluten-Free” is printed on every third product package at the supermarket—or at least the natural foods market. Americans are now reportedly spending $2 billion on gluten-free products. What is gluten, anyway, and why are so many people trying to avoid it?

Gluten is essentially wheat protein. More exactly, it is a composite of two plant proteins and starch that is found in the greatest abundance in wheat and is also present in smaller amounts in other grassy grains such as rye and barley. Between 0.5 and 1 percent of the population experiences an inappropriate immune response to the protein, which causes such symptoms as diarrhea, gastrointestinal complaints, weight loss, and anemia. This condition, known as celiac disease, is genetic. Medical research has identified two gene polymorphisms—known as DQ2 and DQ8—that affect white blood cell behavior in a way that creates a predisposition for the disease.

Running The Numbers

One percent of the population is a small figure. It cannot support the large number of gluten-free products now packing the shelves of health food markets. There is clearly a huge demand for gluten-free foods among people who do not have celiac disease. Why? Because there is a rapidly growing population of people who believe they have a milder condition that is variously referred to as gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity, and gluten sensitivity enteropathy.

The mainstream medical establishment does not recognize the existence of gluten sensitivity, perhaps largely because it is not even able to detect it. A PubMed search of the term “gluten intolerance” yields only research on celiac disease proper. A search on the term “gluten-sensitivity enteropathy” yields scores of studies, but a closer look reveals that this term is used synonymously with celiac disease within the mainstream medical establishment. For example, in a recent Spanish screening study for gluten sensitivity enteropathy involving 1,868 subjects, only 15 were found to have the condition.

Yet there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that some form of non-celiac gluten sensitivity does exist. The typical gluten-free dieter is someone who discovered a pattern of suffering from gastrointestinal issues after eating gluten-containing foods and found relief upon switching to a gluten-free diet.

The Blame Game

Even recognizing that a non-celiac form of gluten sensitivity does exist, the current gluten-free diet trend is no doubt larger than the true prevalence of gluten sensitivity in the population. In other words, gluten is probably being scapegoated to some degree, perhaps because the preceding low-carb diet trend trained the public to think of grains as evil foods.
 
Lately many parents are even blaming gluten for causing or exacerbating the symptoms of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in their children. Is there any scientific evidence of such a link? The short answer is no. In a recent Newsweek article on the gluten-free diet trend, Peter Green, director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, is quoted as saying, “All this gluten intolerance, and using the diet to treat autism, ADHD … there's no documented scientific reason for that at all.” Experts like Green attribute the many anecdotal reports of improvement in autistic and ADHD kids placed on gluten-free diets to a placebo effect.

Gluten and Your Endurance Sports Nutrition Plan

If you suffer from regular GI distress with no known cause, it can’t hurt to try a gluten-free diet. How should you adapt your marathon training diet or triathlete diet? Simply remove all foods containing wheat, rye, and barley from your endurance sports nutrition plan and replace them with alternatives made from corn, rice, millet, etc. This is trickier than it may sound, as gluten is hiding in all kinds of foods where you would not expect to find it, such as some brands of soy sauce. To help you, check out one of the several popular gluten-free diet books currently on the market. But don’t be surprised if you don’t experience any relief, as the balance of evidence suggests that non-celiac gluten sensitivity is more hype than reality.

A simple program to get you started on your half-marathon training

Did your list of New Year’s resolutions include completing your first half-marathon? If so, the following beginner half-marathon training plan is just what you need to achieve this 13.1-mile goal.

Our 12-week beginner half-marathon training plan includes four scheduled runs and two optional runs most weeks. While you can get fit enough to successfully finish a half-marathon without doing the optional runs, keep in mind that daily exercise is best for achieving optimal health, let alone optimal running performance. So do the optional runs or a cross-training activity such as bicycling if your schedule permits.

All of the runs in the beginner plan should be paced by feel. Try to complete each run at a steady, moderate pace. On days when you feel especially strong, feel free to run a little faster. On days when you feel flat, run as slow as necessary to feel at least somewhat comfortable.

Looking for an advanced half-marathon training plan? I’ll post one soon, so stay tuned.

12-Week Beginner Half-Marathon Training Plan

Week 1
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 2 miles
Wednesday: Run 2 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 2 miles
Friday: Run 2 miles
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Run 3 miles

Week 2
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 3 miles
Wednesday: Run 2 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 2 miles
Friday: Run 3 miles
Saturday: Run 2 miles (optional)
Sunday: Run 4 miles

Week 3
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 3 miles
Wednesday: Run 3 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 3 miles
Friday: Run 3 miles
Saturday: Run 3 miles (optional)
Sunday: Run 5 miles

Week 4
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 4 miles
Wednesday: Run 3 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 4 miles
Friday: Run 3 miles
Saturday: Run 3 miles (optional)
Sunday: Run 6 miles

Week 5
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 3 miles
Wednesday: Run 3 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 3 miles
Friday: Run 3 miles
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Run 8 miles

Week 6
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 4 miles
Wednesday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 4 miles
Friday: Run 4 miles
Saturday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Sunday: Run 9 miles

Week 7
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 5 miles
Wednesday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 4 miles
Friday: Run 5 miles
Saturday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Sunday: Run 8 miles

Week 8
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 5 miles
Wednesday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 4 miles
Friday: Run 5 miles
Saturday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Sunday: Run 10 miles

Week 9
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 4 miles
Wednesday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 5 miles
Friday: Run 4 miles
Saturday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Sunday: Run 11 miles

Week 10
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 4 miles
Wednesday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 4 miles
Friday: Run 4 miles
Saturday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Sunday: Run 9 miles

Week 11
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 4 miles
Wednesday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 6 miles
Friday: Run 4 miles
Saturday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Sunday: Run 12 miles

Week 12
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Run 5 miles
Wednesday: Run 4 miles (optional)
Thursday: Run 4 miles
Friday: Run 5 miles
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Half-Marathon!

An endurance sports nutrition recipe to help you meet your performance and weight goals

Just like sedentary folks, endurance athletes often resolve to lose a little weight once the New Year rolls around. That’s because those of us in serious marathon training or triathlon training know that a lean body composition is needed for optimal endurance performance. So, what’s the key to getting leaner? You need to consistently satisfy your appetite without consuming excess calories. This lunch, created by Kimberly Day, a triathlete and Founder/Chief Decadence Officer of Decadent Health LLC (www.decadenthealth.com), provides lasting satisfaction with a modest amount of calories due to its high protein and fiber content. Try it to fill up without filling out.

Chili Out
Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon marjoram
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
28 ounces black beans, drained
28 ounces tomatoes, chopped and undrained

1. Sauté onion, red pepper, and garlic in olive oil.
2. Add ground turkey and cook until brown.
3. Add cinnamon, paprika, chili powder, cumin, allspice, marjoram, nutmeg, and cinnamon stick and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add salt, pepper, black beans, and tomatoes and simmer 45 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

Nutritional Info (per serving): Calories 459, Total fat 15 g, Cholesterol 90 mg, Carbs 47 g, Fiber 18 g, Protein 34 g

Endurance sports nutrition advice for those who can’t deal with dairy

If you’re lactose intolerant, you probably know it. The most common symptoms are gas, bloating, and stomach pains following the consumption of milk or dairy foods. Some lactose intolerant individuals are able to consume particular dairy foods (i.e. yogurt) without consequences, others are able to consume small amounts of milk and diary foods with minimal discomfort, while still others must completely avoid all dairy products.

What’s the problem?
Lactose intolerance is caused by the body’s inability to produce an enzyme called lactase that is responsible for digesting the natural lactose sugar in milk. When undigested lactose enters the large intestine, it produces the symptoms that every lactose-intolerant individual knows all too well.

Who’s at risk?
With very rare exceptions, nobody is born lactose intolerant. After all, mother’s milk contains lactose, and infants must produce large quantities of lactase to digest it. Lactase production, however, normally drops significantly after the age of weaning. But the amount of that decrease varies significantly between individuals, depending largely on ethnicity. Persons with northern European ancestry tend to continue producing enough lactase to drink milk throughout life, whereas persons of African, Asian, and Native American ancestries typically become lactose intolerant. There are plenty of exceptions, though, and even many who can consume diary foods as young adults develop problems later in life due to a continuing decline in lactase production.

How do you treat it?
Dealing with lactose intolerance is a fairly straightforward matter. Just avoid consuming the dairy foods that give you problems, or limit your consumption of such foods to amounts that do not produce symptoms. It may take a little trial and error to figure out exactly what you can and cannot get away with.

Why should endurance athletes be careful when ditching dairy?
Excluding diary foods from your diet means missing out on the unique combination of nutrients they provide—particularly protein and calcium, which are very important to those in marathon training, triathlon training, or any other endurance sport training. Fortunately, many other foods are rich in protein, such as meat, eggs, fish, and nuts. But when it comes to calcium, dairy foods contain much greater amounts of the mineral than almost any other foods. The average American already gets significantly less than the recommended amount of calcium per day (1,000 mg for men and 1,300 mg for women), and if you do not consume any dairy foods due to lactose intolerance, it is even more likely that your calcium intake will fall short—unless you make a consistent effort to get calcium from other sources.

Which calcium sources are best for lactose intolerant individuals?
The top non-dairy natural sources of calcium are sardines (324 mg per serving), tofu (138 mg per serving), and dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach (120 mg per serving). You can get additional calcium from fortified foods and beverages, including many breads and breakfast cereals and some juices. Read labels to find out whether specific products are calcium fortified. Finally, for insurance, you can take a daily calcium supplement or multivitamin-multimineral with calcium.

Reasons to consider treadmill workouts as part of your winter 10-K training, half-marathon training, or marathon training

Last week I posted three great workouts that were better suited to treadmill running than to running outdoors. But there are no doubt many endurance athletes out there who consider treadmill running a lesser substitute for running outdoors and, therefore, hesitate to incorporate treadmill workouts into their winter 10-K training, half-marathon training, or marathon training. For those skeptics, consider these three distinct advantages to running on a treadmill:

1. Treadmills are convenient. One of the great things about running is that you can do it almost anywhere, anytime. But there are certainly situations when outdoor running is impractical, making treadmill running preferable. If, for example, you often run before the sun comes up, a treadmill can spare you from having to run in the dark. Or if the sidewalks get icy in the winter, a treadmill can spare you from a nasty fall.

2. Treadmills facilitate controlled and precise workouts. Even when you can run outdoors, running on a treadmill may be a better option for certain workouts. Let’s say that as part of your marathon training you want to practice running at your goal pace before the upcoming race. On a treadmill, you can take advantage of your ability to dial in a precise pace to get your body and mind accustomed to holding that pace steadily.

3. Treadmills offer flexibility. Working out on a treadmill can be a good fallback option when you have certain minor injuries. For instance, when you need a lower-impact workout, you can crank up the gradient and go slower for less pounding.

The Bottom Line for the Belt: Despite the negative connotations associated with treadmill running, it is most definitely effective. In fact, both the male and female winners of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathons, Rod DeHaven and Christine Clark, were heavy treadmill users. DeHaven routinely did all of his easy morning runs on a treadmill in his basement. And Clark, an Alaskan, did almost all of her training on a treadmill in her basement in preparation for the Trials. If the marathon training techniques of two Olympians are not enough to convince you, remember the research, which has shown that while heart rate is slightly lower at any given pace on a treadmill than it is outdoors, the difference is very slight, and you can counteract it by running at a 1 percent gradient on the treadmill—a very easy fix that makes your miles on the treadmill just as worthwhile as those logged out on the road.

Benefit more from your marathon training or triathlon training without increasing training time

There’s no doubt that marathon training, triathlon training and the like are time-consuming pursuits. And as you begin to flesh out your endurance sports goals for this New Year, you might be wondering how you’ll ever find all the training time you need to achieve those goals. But before you start to look for ways to increase the quantity of your training, first determine how you can increase its quality. That’s because most endurance athletes can get more out of the time they’re already spending on their marathon training or triathlon training programs by simply bumping up the quality of some of their workouts.

A high-quality training program should be well-rounded and include a real mix of workouts every week. Endurance athletes often waste time by doing too many similar workouts—lots of prolonged, steady, moderate-paced aerobic workouts—and not enough threshold work, speed intervals, technique work and/or resistance training. If you’re a cyclist or a runner, make sure your training program includes three quality workouts per week—two high-intensity sessions and one long endurance session. If you’re in triathlon training, do two quality workouts—one high-intensity workout and one long endurance workout—per week in each discipline.

Three treadmill workouts to help you keep up with your 10-K training, half-marathon training, or marathon training

As the temperatures drop and the snow piles along the sides of the roads grow, that treadmill in your basement is looking pretty darn good as a means for continuing your 10-K training, half-marathon training, or marathon training. Of course, some treadmill haters argue that treadmill running is easier than running outdoors, hence not as effective. But research has shown that while heart rate is slightly lower at any given pace on a treadmill than it is outdoors, the difference is very slight and you can counteract it by running at a 1 percent gradient on the treadmill.

Of course, most of the workouts you do outdoors can also be done on a treadmill. But the treadmill is actually better suited than the outdoors for a few specific types of workouts. Here are three such sessions:

The Endless Hill
One of the favorite workouts of many Kenyan and Ethiopian runners is to run from the bottom to the top of a mountain and back down. This very effective workout is difficult to do if you do not live near a mountain, but you can do the climbing part of it on a treadmill. As a substitute for a regular weekend long run, hop on a treadmill and run for the same duration on an upward gradient. You can choose a steady gradient of 6 to 8 percent or make it more interesting by changing the gradient periodically, even going up to 10 to 15 percent for short periods.

Marathon-Pace Run
Warm up with one mile of easy jogging, then run anywhere from four to 12 miles (depending on where you are in your marathon training program) at your ideal marathon pace. Doing this workout on a treadmill enables you to lock right on to that pace and stay there.

VO2max Test
The workout format that exercise physiologists commonly use to determine VO2max is also useful as a powerful (albeit painful!) fitness-boosting workout. Start by hopping on the treadmill and running easy for 5 to 10 minutes. Next, increase the belt speed by 0.5 mph and run for one minute at that speed. Now increase the belt speed by another 0.5 mph, hold the new speed for another minute, and continue in this fashion until you feel unable to run any faster. Reduce the belt speed and cool down. Note the maximum speed you attained and try to beat it when you repeat the workout in three or four weeks.

These seasonal sports will keep you fit for springtime marathon training or triathlon training

By the time the winter off-season arrives, most triathletes need a break from triathlon training, just as most marathoners need a break from marathon training. But that doesn’t mean that you have to let your high level of fitness take a nosedive. In fact, the colder weather creates unique opportunities to participate in some really fun types of seasonal cross-training that can keep you fiercely fit while still allowing a mental break from the routine of your regular endurance sport training.

Seasonal sport options to consider include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and ice skating. All offer great workouts for the cardiovascular system and the lower body. You can either do one or more of these activities occasionally, to spice up your winter training, or make them the backbone of your off-season conditioning program. If you choose the latter, simply try to replicate your main sport workouts as closely as possible in terms of frequency, intensity, and duration. That way you don’t have to worry about losing fitness in your main sport.

Need proof that you can keep fit and fast with these seasonal activities? Former 2:28 marathoner Libbie Hickman used to do nothing but cross-country ski for several weeks in midwinter and always felt strong when she returned to running. And consider this: If you become a good cross-country skier this winter, next winter you can compete in a winter triathlon, which combines running, biking, and cross-country skiing.

Boost your sports nutrition program with supplements

Still wondering if dietary supplements should be part of your marathon training diet or triathlon training diet? Well, at the beginning of this year we reported on a survey by the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance that stated that 90 percent of the 11,000-plus athletes who participated in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics used one or more nutritional supplements in their training. And now as the year comes to an end, we bring you more news of support for the use of nutritional supplements. According to new research from the “Life…supplemented” 2009 Healthcare Professionals (HCP) Impact Study, eight out of 10 registered dietitians say they believe dietary supplements are important for maintaining optimal health.

Eighty-one percent of the registered dietitians who were surveyed acknowledged that most people don’t eat perfectly, which results in nutritional gaps that could be bridged by taking vitamins or other dietary supplements. Most of these dietitians (nine out of 10) said they take nutritional supplements themselves and recommend them to their clients, particularly for improved bone health and for overall health and wellness.

Of course, when it comes to cultivating optimal health and peak athletic performance, there is still no substitute for a healthy diet and a sensible training plan. But these two studies certainly demonstrate the confidence both elite athletes and dietitians have in using nutritional supplements in conjunction with diet and exercise to promote prime health and well-being.

Endurance sports nutrition advice for vegetarians

Some endurance athletes are vegetarian for ethical reasons, others for health reasons, and still others because they just don’t like meat. Whatever your reason may be for going vegetarian, you will want to pursue it in a way that helps rather than hurts your marathon training or triathlon training. Luckily there are many successful vegetarian endurance athletes who offer proof that performing well on a meatless diet is possible. For example, Spanish triathlete Eneko Llanos went vegetarian as a teenager, and it did not stop him from winning two XTERRA World Championship titles and placing second in the 2008 Hawaii Ironman.

The key to working vegetarianism into a successful endurance sports nutrition plan is to make sure your diet includes abundant plant (and supplemental) sources of a few key nutrients: protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12.

Protein

Meats, fish, eggs, and dairy products contain much more protein than plant foods. The proteins in animal foods are also more complete and readily used by the body. The protein needs of endurance athletes, however, are relatively low: up to about 20 percent of total calories. That amount is sufficient to promote muscle recovery and enable the muscles to adapt to training. As a lacto-ovo vegetarian, you can easily get this much protein by eating fish, eggs, and/or dairy foods.

If you are a strict vegetarian, though, be sure that your diet includes higher-protein plant foods such as beans, nuts, and seeds. Soybeans are the best protein source among plant foods. Also consider drinking soy protein shakes after workouts, when your protein demands are the greatest because of the need for proper muscle recovery.

Calcium

The recommended daily intake of calcium is 1,000 to 1,300 mg. The average adult consumes only 500 to 700 mg daily. The major consequence of this common deficiency is weakening of the bones, which increases the risk of stress fractures in runners and other athletes. Some research even suggests that calcium deficiency contributes to weight gain.
 
As everyone knows, dairy foods are the best sources of calcium. If you do not include dairy foods in your diet, you need to be sure that you get enough calcium from other sources. Alternative natural food sources of calcium include spinach, collard greens, salmon, and tofu. Many breakfast cereals and bread products are also fortified with calcium. For insurance, consider taking a calcium supplement to meet the recommended daily intake.
 
Iron

A study by researchers at Ball State University compared iron levels in vegetarian and non-vegetarian runners and found that iron levels were much lower in the vegetarians. The reason is that animal foods and plant foods contain different types of iron (heme and non-heme, respectively), and the heme iron in animal foods is much more bioavailable. Iron deficiency is common in endurance athletes, and if you are a vegetarian you may be at even greater risk.

Apricots, baked beans, peas, and spinach are among the plant foods with relatively high concentrations of iron. But again, they are all non-heme iron sources, so they may not provide enough. It’s a good idea to get your iron levels checked by a physician. If they are normal, you can continue eating as you have been with confidence. If they are low, your doctor may advise you to take an iron supplement.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is important for red blood cell formation, and, of course, endurance athletes need as many red blood cells as they can get for oxygen transport during exercise. Animal foods contain plenty of vitamin B12, while plant foods contain almost none in its active form. Therefore, vegetarians are bound to be B12 deficient unless they eat fortified foods such as cereals and breads or take a B12 supplement. The daily requirement is 2 to 6 micrograms.

How swimmers can improve performance, reduce injury risk, and speed muscle recovery with alternative forms of training

Most of today’s elite cyclists, runners, and swimmers do more than just log countless miles (or meters) in their chosen endurance sport. They also lift weights and engage in alternative forms of cardiovascular conditioning. Why? Simple: Cross-training enhances performance in their primary sport, reduces their risk of injury, and helps promote proper muscle recovery.

You too can get these same performance and fitness benefits—and even maximize them—by choosing cross-training activities that best complement your main endurance sport. So which specific activities should you add to your training regimen to reap the most performance rewards if you are, say, a swimmer? What about if you’re a cyclist—or a runner?

That’s what our 3-Part Cross-Training Primer is all about. In two earlier posts that were Part 1 and Part 2 of this primer, we discussed the best cross-training activities and strategies for cyclists and runners. Here in Part 3, we cover cross-training advice for swimmers. So, cyclists and runners: Click on the links above for your cross-training primers. Swimmers: Read on.

Stay Dry, Increase Fitness

For peak performance in the pool, most competitive swimmers devote some of their training time to activities out of the pool, specifically functional strength-training exercises, higher-impact forms of aerobic training, and stretching. Here’s what to focus on:

Functional strength-training exercises: Swimming is more of a strength sport than cycling and running because it is done in water, which is a more resistive medium than air. So, all serious competitive swimmers complement their swimming with “dryland” strength training to increase their stroke power. Dara Torres exemplifies the benefits of strength training for swimmers. In 2008, Torres, at age 41, attempted to qualify for her fifth U.S. Olympic swim team. To counteract the effects of aging on her body, Torres incorporated an intensive dryland training regimen into her program. In the run-up to the Olympic Trials, she performed four 60-to-90-minute functional strength sessions per week. The result was a chiseled physique, complete with six-pack abs (a rarity among swimmers) that drew a lot of attention during the Beijing Games. More importantly, Torres swam better than she had in her 30s, 20s, or teens, qualifying for the U.S. team in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle and winning silver medals in the 50-meter freestyle and two relay events.

You don’t have to hit the weights as hard as Dara Torres to get noticeable benefits. Even three, 20-minute dryland sessions per week will have a measurable effect on your swimming. Be sure to build these sessions with core-strengthening exercises—as the power in all four strokes originates at the core—and functional movements such as chin-ups, which simulate the pull phase of the stroke.

Higher-impact aerobic alternatives: Just as it does for cyclists and runners, cross-training in alternative aerobic disciplines can give swimmers a nice mental break from swimming, especially during the off-season. But since the fitness crossover between leg-dominant activities, such as running, and swimming is minimal, you should not rely on aerobic cross-training to actually enhance your swimming performance.

There is, however, a health rationale for higher-impact aerobic cross-training. Research has shown that swimmers typically have lower bone mineral density (BMD) than other athletes because of the non-bodyweight nature of swimming. Running a bit on the side can help swimmers increase their BMD and reduce their risk of developing osteoporosis and suffering bone fractures. Weightlifting also increases BMD.

Stretching. Unlike cycling and running, in which normal joint flexibility is adequate, swimming is a sport in which above average flexibility—particularly in the shoulders and ankles—is beneficial for performance. A wide shoulder range of motion in all directions will enable you to take longer strokes, while greater ankle flexibility will give you a more powerful kick. Therefore you should perform a few stretches to increase your shoulder and ankle flexibility daily.

An endurance sports nutrition recipe to help you meet your performance and weight goals
 
Sometimes when you’re in half-marathon training, marathon training, or triathlon training it seems like you’re hungry all the time. And that can be a hard thing to deal with if you are trying to maintain your optimal racing weight. So to keep those hunger pangs at bay—and reduce the amount of mindless nibbling resulting from those hunger pangs—beef up your breakfast. Research has shown that eating a substantial breakfast (as opposed to a small breakfast or no breakfast) reduces appetite for the rest of the day and consequently results in fewer total calories consumed throughout the day. The following breakfast, created by Kimberly Day, a triathlete and Founder/Chief Decadence Officer of Decadent Health LLC (www.decadenthealth.com), will give you lasting satisfaction and help you manage your weight for peak performance.

Fabulous Fritatta
Makes 2 servings

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups broccoli flowerets
1 teaspoon dill
½ teaspoon sea salt
Black pepper to taste
1/3 cup feta cheese
½ avocado, sliced

1. Heat oil in 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, peppers, and mushrooms. Cook until soft.
3. Add eggs, broccoli, dill, salt, pepper, and feta. Stir often and cook until eggs are done.
4. Divide mixture equally between two plates and top each with ¼ avocado.
5. Serve warm.

Nutritional Info (per serving): Calories 402, Total fat 27 g, Cholesterol 396 mg, Carbs 24 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 20 g

Injury may postpone your marathon training or triathlon training—but you can still stay fit

Injuries are inevitable in the life of the endurance athlete. When they happen they are painful, debilitating, and frustrating. The most frustrating part of being injured is knowing that your hard-earned fitness from your marathon training or triathlon training is deteriorating while you take time off to heal. In fact, this frustration can be so great that athletes are often unwilling to take time off or tempted into resuming training too soon. Consequently, injuries become worse or last longer than they should.

One way to prevent this sort of self-sabotage is to choose a favorite go-to activity that you can switch to whenever an injury makes normal training impossible or unwise. The best alternatives to your primary sport discipline are those that are most similar to it. For example, activities such as swimming and rowing are not great alternatives to running because, while they stimulate the cardiovascular system, they are arm-dominant versus leg-dominant movements. Following are the best two activities for “training through” cycling, running, and swimming injuries.

Whichever activity you choose to pursue while recovering from an injury, try to replicate your main sport workouts as closely as possible in terms of frequency, intensity, and duration. This will serve to minimize fitness losses during the period of convalescence.
 
Cycling Alternatives

Indoor/Recumbent Cycling

Among the most common cycling injuries are low back pain, tendonitis of the knee, and collarbone fractures suffered in falls. While low back pain and knee tendonitis make normal outdoor riding painful, it is often possible to ride pain free on a recumbent indoor bike at low resistance levels despite these injuries.

During his 2009 comeback season, Lance Armstrong suffered a collarbone fracture in a race crash. Four months later he still managed to finish third at the Tour de France. How? He trained hard on an indoor bike trainer for four weeks while his collarbone healed and thereby kept his fitness from plummeting.

Slide Boarding

Ice-skating and inline skating are quad-dominant aerobic activities like cycling, making them good alternatives for the injured cyclist. But it’s not always easy to find good places to skate, so the next time you have an injury that takes you off the bike, consider doing what many skaters do for cross-training: slide boarding.

A slide board is a flat sheet of plastic that you slide back and forth on while wearing fabric booties to simulate a skating action. Physiologically it is almost identical to ice- and inline skating, but you can do it in the comfort of your own living room. Quality slide boards such as the Goaler One start at around $250.

Running Alternatives

Steep Uphill Treadmill Walking

Research has shown that the human brain uses exactly the same motor pattern to run or walk briskly on steep uphill gradients. In other words, when you crank the treadmill incline up to 12 to 15 percent, running becomes walking and walking becomes running. Therefore, walking on a steep incline is a highly specific way to maintain running fitness when you’re injured and need to avoid the impact of running.

Many runners, however, don’t think of walking as a good running alternative because they assume they cannot match their normal intensity. Trust me: You can. Set the incline at 12 to 15 percent, increase the belt speed to 4 mph or so, check your heart rate, and you’ll see!
 
Bicycling

Bicycling may seem less running specific than other running alternatives such as pool running, but a lot of noteworthy runners have used it with great success. For example, in 2004, Meb Keflezighi relied heavily on bike training to build fitness for the New York City Marathon because of injuries. He still managed to finish second.

Swimming Alternatives

Modified Swimming

The most common swimming injury is shoulder impingement syndrome, which causes pain during the recovery phase of the arm cycle in freestyle swimming (when the arm is overhead). But despite this pain you may still be able to perform modified swim workouts that include technique drills, kicking drills, single-arm freestyle swimming, and alternative-stroke (e.g. breaststroke) swimming.

Rowing

Machine rowing is an upper body-dominant aerobic activity like swimming, and therefore a good alternative for the injured swimmer. Because rowing does not involve overhead arm movements, swimmers suffering from shoulder impingement syndrome can usually row pain free.

How runners can improve performance, reduce injury risk, and speed muscle recovery with alternative forms of training

Most of today’s elite cyclists, runners, and swimmers do more than just log countless miles (or meters) in their chosen endurance sport. They also lift weights and engage in alternative forms of cardiovascular conditioning. Why? Simple: Cross-training enhances performance in their primary sport, reduces their risk of injury, and helps promote proper muscle recovery.

You too can get these same performance and fitness benefits—and even maximize them—by choosing cross-training activities that best complement your main endurance sport. So which specific activities should you add to your training regimen to reap the most performance rewards if you are, say, a runner? What about if you’re a cyclist—or a swimmer?

That’s what our 3-Part Cross-Training Primer is all about. In an earlier post that was Part 1 of this primer we discussed the best cross-training activities and strategies for cyclists. Here in Part 2, we cover cross-training advice for runners. Finally, we’ll post Part 3, were we’ll focus on cross-training tips for swimmers. So, cyclists: Click on the link above for Part 1, your cross-training primer. Runners: Read on. And swimmers: Stay tuned for our future post.

Mileage, Plus

When you’re heavily into 10-K training, half-marathon training, or marathon training, there’s no doubt that running needs to be your primary form of exercise. But don’t forget the strength & power training, nonimpact aerobic activities, and perhaps even some specific stretches. Here’s why:

Strength & power training. There is a fairly robust body of research on the effects of strength & power training on running performance, and the benefits are clear. For example, in a recent study by Norwegian researchers, a group of 17 runners experienced a 21-percent increase in aerobic endurance after doing heavy barbell half-squats for eight weeks. Plyometrics training (jumping exercise) has also been shown to enhance running economy, while core strength training was found to improve 5000-meter race times in one study. In addition to improving performance, strength training also reduces injury risk in runners, mainly by increasing the stability of the knees and hips.

Just a little strength & power training goes a long way for runners. Two or three 20-minute sessions per week will give you noticeable results. Be sure to build your routine from functional exercises such as lunges instead of bodybuilding movements like biceps curls. Don’t have time to add 40 to 60 minutes of strength & power training to your weekly schedule? Then simply reduce the time you run each week by the same amount you spend in the gym and you will still come out ahead. This, too, has been proven in scientific research.

Nonimpact aerobic activities. To enhance aerobic fitness without increasing injury risk, runners should incorporate some nonimpact aerobic activities such as cycling and elliptical training into their training schedule. You can either replace one or more of the runs in your weekly regimen with similarly structured workouts in a nonimpact activity or add one or more nonimpact workouts to your weekly schedule while maintaining your current running load. If you do the latter, just be sure to proceed gradually and look out for signs that your body is nearing the limit of its capacity to recover.

A great poster boy for this type of cross-training is 2004 Olympic Marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi. At times in his storied career, Meb has cycled as often as he has run (once a day) to maximize his fitness while working to overcome aches and pains. This unusual approach has not prevented him from winning 19 U.S. championships!

Stretching. What about stretching? Stretching is certainly a controversial subject in running. Research has not been kind to the notion that stretching reduces injury risk among runners. But any physical therapist who works with runners will tell you that tightness in particular muscles and tendons undoubtedly contributes to specific running injuries, and that reducing the tightness of these muscles and tendons unquestionably helps prevent these injuries.

So if you never get injured, you may not need to stretch. But if you are like most runners and you do break down sometimes, you probably should stretch your IT bands, hamstrings, calves, and Achilles tendons daily.

Keep your knees healthy for 10-K training, half-marathon training, or marathon training

Is your 10-K training, half-marathon training, or marathon training being hampered by knee pain that resides directly below the kneecap? If so, you may be battling the most common running injury: patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Also known as runner’s knee, PFPS accounts for roughly 20 percent of all running injuries. The main symptom of PFPS is pain below the kneecap that is generally mild at first and felt only during running. But if training continues and PFPS progresses, the pain becomes more intense during running and is also increasingly felt at rest.

PFPS is a mysterious injury in that it is not associated with any major structural damage in the knee. Experts now believe that the essence of the injury is chronic excitation of pain nerves in the knee caused by inflammation and general tissue degradation. Because it does not involve significant structural damage, PFPS usually responds well to modest reductions in training that give the tissues a chance to repair themselves and break free of the cycle of inflammation, and allow for the general muscle recovery necessary to any training program.

Studies have shown that PFPS sufferers commonly have weak hip stabilizers. The hip stabilizers are the muscles on the outside of the knee that must keep the hip and knee in alignment when the body is supported by one foot during running. If they are too weak to do their job properly, the knee’s movement is inhibited and tissue damage results. Doing exercises to strengthen the hip stabilizers—such as side lying leg lifts—is an effective way to prevent and overcome PFPS.

How to alter your marathon training or triathlon training when battling illness

When you are experiencing symptoms of a cold or the flu, should you continue your marathon training or triathlon training as normal, do you need to cut back, or must you stop entirely? It all depends on the type and severity of your symptoms:

Conquering a Cold

Most experts agree that it is okay to continue exercising as normal when you have a mild or moderate head cold with symptoms such as sinus pressure, runny nose, cough and sore throat. But a cold that has moved into your chest, with symptoms such as chest congestion and tightness, is more likely to negatively affect your training—and if a cold negatively affects your training, then your training may negatively affect your cold! So in such cases, listen to your body and use common sense. If you are reasonably comfortable when you train despite your symptoms, and if training does not worsen your symptoms, go for it. Otherwise let discretion be the better part of valor and take a day off.

Fighting the Flu

Until recently there was virtually unanimous agreement in the medical community that one should not exercise while battling flu symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and body aches. Newer research, however, has called that dictum into question. For example, a 2009 study by researchers at the University of Iowa found that moderate daily exercise improved flu symptoms in mice infected with a flu virus. The key word here is “moderate.” Attempt only short, low-intensity workouts when you are experiencing flu symptoms, stop exercising immediately if you feel horrible while working out at a low intensity, and simply avoid exercise completely if you feel miserable even thinking about working out. So, as with colds, listen to your body and use common sense in deciding whether to train with the flu.

Protecting Your Immune System

While exercise generally strengthens the immune system, strenuous individual workouts such as long marathon training runs or lengthy speed sessions temporarily suppress immune function. Therefore you should also consider your training workload when trying to decide how to respond to symptoms of illness. If you’re feeling under the weather yet you’re training moderately, it is unlikely that you’re suppressing your immune system and making it harder to beat the virus. But if you’re in very heavy training, it might be best to cut back your workouts to give your immune system a quick boost so it can beat the virus instead of letting it linger and possibly affect your training for many weeks.

This recommendation receives support from the results of a 2002 study by Ola Ronsen of the Norwegian Olympic Training Center. Ronsen measured various markers of immune system activity in endurance athletes after completing a pair of workouts on a single day on two different occasions. On one occasion they rested for three hours between workouts and on the second occasion they rested for six hours. And guess what? There was a significantly greater increase in stress hormones that compromise immune function in the short-rest trial than in the longer-rest trial.

These findings suggest that an endurance athlete who’s already sick will probably get well quicker if he or she takes measures to train in a more rested state, either by reducing the frequency of workouts or by making them less challenging. In this regard then, colds and flus should be dealt with much like those aches and pains that indicate incipient injuries. In other words, responding to impending illness or injury by “aggressively taking it easy” may prevent a much greater setback from developing.