OUT OF
THE BOX
By Norrie Williamson
COUNTDOWN TO YOUR MARATHON
South African runners are striding into the marathon and ultra season, but how do you make the most of the long runs to maximise the training, yet still walk away with a good time? Take my advice and you will be running faster at the finish than you were at the start! It’ s as easy as 1-2-3.
Since my very first Comrades Panel Talk in 1986, I have promoted a mix of running and walking, and have used this myself in many of the 100- mile, multi-day and ultra races I’ ve run. As a coach, I have also used it with Comrades gold medallists, 100km and 24-hour athletes as well as international and provincials level athletes, some of whom have earned podium places as individuals or teams at World, National or Provincial Champs.
The list of runners and triathletes who have benefited from the run and walk mix is considerable. Even sub-20 minute 5km runners have recorded PB’ s with a walk at 3km! Basically, splitting a distance up with periods of running mixed with short, determined, planned walk breaks will extend your endurance capability, improve overall pacing, make for better hydration and energy intake, psychologically reduce the distance into bite-sized sections, and, importantly, result in faster overall times.
LIMITED MOVEMENT
As a species, we have significantly reduced the amount of movement in our lower back and this has a‘ trickle down’ effect on the glutes, hamstrings, calves and Achilles. In my case, the amount of travelling I do increased dramatically since 2004, resulting in hours of cramped travel, both local and international, and sitting behind a screen. As a result, I was losing my flexibility and functionality in three key‘ hinges,’ the ankles, the knees( also affected by shortened hamstrings and tight calves), and vitally, the hips and lower back, while travel fatigue reduced circulation and the ability to get into a fluent running style on arrival.
However, not only did I find that a basic set of yogabased movements provided relief, but also that by mixing running and walking in a gradual escalation of distance, my warm-up and‘ body release’ was smoother and more effective. As a result, my training, particularly the day after intercontinental travel, began with yoga, then run one minute, walk one minute, run two, walk one, run three, walk one, run four, walk one, and then only moving to the actual long run. I noticed that this brought my heart rate up in a more controlled fashion, and my core running time was of higher quality, with a stronger finish.
NEW DISCOVERY
On one particular morning, I commenced as usual, but instead of just getting to four minutes, I continued counting up: Run five, walk one, run six, walk one, and soon I was at 10 minutes, when I noticed I had already covered 65 minutes at virtually the same pace that I would have done if I had commenced a non-stop run and kept my heart rate low into my fat metabolising level( 180-age + 5). I hadn’ t planned to go over 90 minutes, but the slower start had me now running with good rhythm and it felt as though I hadn’ t done anything, so I put in two minutes of walking after the 10-minute run and started to count down: Run nine, walk one, run eight, walk one, and so on …
As I reduced the run intervals, my heart rate took longer to get to the limit, but my pace was able to increase. Of course, this resulted in a positive mindset, which resulted in a faster pace, resulting in a still more positive mindset … an upward spiral of performance enhancement! And from being tired, tight and limited in pace two hours earlier, I was fluid and flying at the end of two hours 10 minutes of running, and had covered more in the second hour than the first. That final 3-2-1 was almost sprinting!
PUT TO THE TEST
I shared this process with a number of runners I assist and most reported similar experiences. Then it was time to test it on a marathon and similar results were experienced. For example, if you want to break four hours for a marathon, you simply use the count-up from one minute to 14 minutes running, have 2 minutes of walking, and count down from 14 minutes to 1 minute running. And you can also run the last minute of walking – in all likelihood you will be flying!
If you consider pace, to run a four-hour marathon requires an average pace of 5:40 / km, whereas this system requires a pace of 5:17 / km, but provides 28 minutes of walking at an easily achieved stride. Even if you are targeting a PB at four hours, you need to be capable of a 50:30 for 10km, which is a 5:03 / km pace. That’ s 14 seconds per kilometre faster than you require in this marathon, and yet you only ever run for 14 minutes twice without a break! It gets even better for ultras: A sub-6-hour Two Oceans requires you only to count to 17 and a 10-hour Comrades is in your grasp by counting to 23 and back! It brings new meaning to‘ The countdown to Race day.’
36 ISSUE 103 FEBRUARY 2018 / www. modernathlete. co. za
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Norrie has represented Scotland, Great Britain and later his adopted South Africa in ultra-distance running and triathlon. He is an IAAF-accredited coach and course measurer, has authored two books on running, and counts 21 Comrades medals amongst his more than 150 ultra-marathon medals. You can read more from him at www. coachnorrie. co. za.
Images: Fotolia & Jetline Action Photo