Fall Training Tips

I am days away from beginning the 2007-2008 travel season. Today is November 14th and I depart for West Yellowstone, Montana on the 16th. I will be competing in a 10 kilometer classic race on the 24th of this month; the first distance Super Tour of the year. This blog is up and running just in time (Thanks Amory)! Below is an article that I wrote in October, but might prove helpful still. Enjoy and check back often.
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“Tights? It might be too hot for tights; I’ll stick with shorts. A t-shirt and a vest…no, just a long-sleeve…but then I can’t shed a layer…” This time of year comes with so many training decisions to make. I will leave the wardrobe up to you, but here are a few hints once you figure out what to wear:

Create a goal for each workout. Having a goal gives purpose beyond recreation and a chance for success each day. A workout goal can be as simple as finishing your entire water bottle by the end of the workout; the point is to be effective and eliminate mindless training. You may not win the race, lose the weight or make the team in this workout, but if you achieve your workout goal, you have taken a step closer.

Warm up well. You cannot shift your car from first to 4th gear, so don’t expect your body to shift from an easy warm-up to intervals. By warming up all of the gears, you will prevent injury and increase your interval success. This is my favorite routine: 10-15 minutes easy (L1) followed by 5 minutes at a pace that is just a bit faster (L2). Then I do three, 1-minute threshold (L3) pick-ups. These are pretty fast, but I am still not feeling any burn in my muscles. I let myself recover for about a minute between each pick-up. I use the next 5 minutes to do some faster, shorter sprints, as well as stretch and take a drink if needed, before I start the interval workout (total warm-up ~30min).

Train efficiently. After your warm-up, get right to work. If you are doing an interval session that includes 4x4 minutes with 3 minutes of rest, you should be finished in 28 minutes. When you complete your workout, go directly into your cool-down (10-25 minutes) and call it a day. If you dilly-dally during your workout, you might be adding time to your training log, but you are decreasing the value of your intervals. Stick to your goal and accomplish it. Stay focused and efficient; get it done and do it well.

Give your body the opportunity to recover. A workout breaks your muscles down, literally tears them. When you finish a workout, you are weaker than you were when you started. The time that you are stronger/faster is once your muscles heal. You can aid this healing process by eating (10g protein and 50g carbohydrates) within 30 minutes after your workout. My favorite recovery treat is low-fat chocolate milk, which has 9 grams of protein and 30g of carbohydrates with only 3 grams of fat in a 1-cup serving.

Stretching is another important aspect of muscle recovery. When you break your muscles down (workout), they grow back stronger. They will also grow back denser if left un-stretched. Eventually, tight muscles will lead to serious pain and injury. 10 minutes of stretching after your workout will help your muscles have room to grow properly.

Above all, regardless of the grams of carbs and minutes of L3, have fun with it. Enjoy the privilege of mobility and fresh air. A friend once told me to “live today as your best because it is never coming back, not ever.” English was his second language and he was worried something was lost in the translation. I think he said it perfectly. Live it up!