phillipdsblog-blog

[phillipdsblog-blog]

Running:  How to Start, and How to Keep Improving

Running is a universal activity. It’s involved in many sports and is even a sport by itself. Most of us know how to run, and that running more regularly will improve our ability to do so, but what do we need to know more specifically to go about improving our ability to run?

 Table of Contents

I. The first question is: What happens to the human body with regular aerobic exercise? II. The second question is: Where do I start? III. So I've been running for a bit, how do I keep improving? IV. Tips to prepare for events (5-10k, half-, full-, and ultra-marathons

I. The first question is: What happens to the human body with regular aerobic exercise? (Or any aerobic exercise regimen)

A. These are some of the changes that begin to occur, starting with the first workout

• The body stimulates for the production of red blood cells (RBC’s) to carry the new expected demand for oxygen. It takes about two weeks for stem cells to mature into oxygen-carrying RBC’s. In athletes, RBC counts tend to be lower, but with more “young” RBC’s that work better than older ones, as RBC’s are also destroyed during exercise.

• The heart muscle (myocardium) becomes more tone, possibly leading to mild tightness in the chest. Over time, the myocardium and chambers (the ventricles and atria that fill with blood as the heart contracts and relaxes) become larger, culminating over a period of years into the phenomenon known as the athlete’s heart.

• The legs, particularly the calf muscles, become saturated with lactic acid that they aren’t accustomed to. This is why the calf muscles commonly are the most painful area of your body when you first start, especially if you do too much, too soon.

• White blood cells (WBC’s) spike during exercise, but drop soon after. In the long- term, WBC counts decrease over time, as total systemic inflammation is reduced.

•Further down to the cellular level, cells begin to produce more mitochondria for the increased energy demand. In one study with older adults, after just 12 weeks of regular aerobic exercise, mitochondria increased approximately 53% +/- 15%.

B. Changes that continue to occur with regular aerobic training (From walking to jogging and swimming)

• Increases cardiac chamber size (atria and particularly the ventricles) - The more blood your heart can hold, the more blood it can theoretically pump throughout the body.

• Increase in younger RBC’s - The more your body can produce, the more damage you can take during a workout, and the more oxygen you can consistently get with each breath and the more efficiently and effectively your cells can receive oxygen.

• Increase in mitochondria (powerhouses of the cell)

• Increased vasculature - more blood vessels means more cells have more access to receive replenishment and the means to whisk away waste products. Over many years, you may develop collateral circulation, improving your chances of survival if you have a heart attack.

• Sprints and other high-intensity cardiovascular exercise will unlock that theoretical capacity of your heart to pump more blood with each heartbeat.

II. The second question is: Where do I start?

Many people find it daunting to begin an exercise program, even if they’ve exercised regularly in the past. They tend to want to pick up where they left-off or risk damaging their pride when they aren’t anywhere near as fit as they used to be. On the other end of the spectrum, those who have never worked out may visualize a foreign, impassible mountain before them that they’ll never cross, and so never take that first step.

The good news is walking is a super healthy starting point prior to running, and most people can walk. The transition to running may seem daunting, but is actually very simple, assuming one’s health is intact.

Here is an example of a starter walking program:

• Weeks 1-2: Walk for 15-20 minutes, 3 days per week • Weeks 3-4: Walk for 20-30 minutes 4 days per week • Weeks 5-6: Walk 30-45 minutes 5 days per week • Weeks 7-8: Cut back to 3 days per week, but add in short bouts of running, approximately 1/8 of a mile. • Weeks 9-10: Keep the short bouts of running in, but make the 3rd workout day of week 9 the day you jog for 10-15 minutes straight, and the 3rd workout day of week 10 the day you jog for 20 minutes straight. • Repeat a similar process of small increases in duration and intensity to reach up to the ability to jog 2-3 miles per day, 3-5 days per week, depending on your goals and other lifestyle factors that may limit the wear and tear you can add.

Two points to keep in mind • Improvements aren’t made until after recovery. • Further improvements are made when reducing overall sedentary nature of one’s lifestyle. Many health and fitness benefits are almost negated by an otherwise sedentary lifestyle.

The body adapts to the basic physical requirements within 6-8 weeks. At the 6-week mark, start adding in short bouts of running. Walk a bit then jog again. Don’t run until you’re completely out of breath, but just until you’re breathing a little harder. With regular practice, running becomes easier, not just with improved cardiovascular and metabolic function, but also with motor development, as your body learns to run more efficiently through biomechanics.

Now, we know that running is good for us, and some of the reasons why.

III. So I’ve been running for a bit, how do I keep improving?

Whether you’re preparing for a specific event, or just wanting train more efficiently and effectively for recreation, these are the types of running training and what they develop.

A. Stretching - Pre-workout, it’s typically best to do a light warm-up to get your heart rate up and activate different metabolic systems (jumping jacks, short walk) then perform 3-5 second static stretches of your main muscle groups. This allows for a warm-up without overstretching (thus decreasing performance during an event or workout). Follow your workout with longer static stretches (typically 15–20 seconds, or up to 30 seconds for particularly tight muscles). For long events or workouts, perform 3-5 second static stretches during the event or workout.

ITB stretches are often overlooked, but were where I started noticing the greatest improvement in performance, as well as a decrease in frequency of back pain. As you become more flexible, you could try adding dynamic stretches, however, I still believe short static stretches to be the most efficient and effective.

B. Distance - Long slow runs (LSR) will improve overall cardiovascular capacity, toning up your heart muscle, increasing red blood cell count, increasing mitochondria, metabolism of lactic acid, etc. This is also where you gain experience in how to pace yourself and control your breathing, stride, when to slow down without stopping, judgment of how hard to run, and so on. With LSR’s, the experience is a must if you plan on competing. The way you need to run changes whether running up/down hill, into the wind or with the wind at your back or switchbacks.

Expect measurable improvements every 7–10 days. Perform anywhere from 1–3 times every 7–10 days (less frequently for your longest runs, more frequently for your shorter runs). When preparing for a half-marathon or full-marathon, run for a distance of 12-24 miles once per 10 days, with shorter distances on other days.

C. Speed – In order to run faster, you have to train to run faster. Sprints and timed runs will accomplish this. These will further increase the force at which your heart can contract, overall core/posterior chain strength, neuromuscular development, as well as develop accessory/support muscles that are typically underdeveloped in recreational runners. The frequency varies greatly on how conditioned your overall body and how much rest/recovery you need, but a good ballpark range is 1–3 times every 7–10 days for the sprints, weaving in bodyweight calisthenics between, making sure to have rest days.

Examples: 6 sets of 100m sprints, 4-6 sets of 400m sprints, box jumps, lunges, squats, push-ups (wide, narrow, decline, Hindu). Adding a medicine ball to rest your leg(s) on or hand(s) will improve stabilizer muscles, but also make the movements more difficult.

D. Frequency – Since measurable improvements should be expected every 7-10 days, it’s typically necessary to create an 8–10 day or more workout “week” to hit key areas and account for recovery.

Example schedule for experienced runners

Day 1: 3-5 mile timed-run Day 2: Calisthenics Day 3: 1-2 mile light run –or- 3-5 mile timed-run Day 4: Rest Day 5: 6 sets of 100m sprints –or- 4 sets of 400m sprints Day 6: Light day 1-2 miles Day 7: Calisthenics Day 8: 10-12 mile long-slow run Day 9: Rest Day 10: 1-2 mile light run

You may need more rest/recovery, but I recommend 2 days of rest per 10 days as a minimum.

Tips to prepare for events (5-10k, half-, full-, and ultra-marathons)

1. Run 5–10k (3.125-6.25 miles) prior to running half-marathons. 2. Run half-marathons (13.1 miles) prior to running marathons. 3. Run full marathons (26.2 miles) prior to running ultra-marathons. 4. Prepare mentally as much, if not more than physically. Use visualization, draw from your experience accumulated through hours of running, and focus at first on finishing, not winning. 5. For super long ultra-marathons, your feet will swell and your toenails may blacken and/or fall off. Some ultra-marathoners have their toenails surgically removed before a big race. Although I don’t recommend surgery of any kind, I do recommend that you choose footwear accordingly. 6. Pack light snacks that you eat during the race. 7. If it's super-hot and you're running on a paved road, run on the white paint as it will be cooler than the pavement (still hot though). 8. Read about this guy: Yianni Kouros 9. Read about additional runners or athletes pertinent to your chosen sport or event. 10. You need to tape the insides of two adjacent toes that rub together. Use either band aids or moleskin. I prefer to use small squares of gauze as they also allow some breathing, absorb moisture, and are cheap. 2cm x 2cm is what I commonly have. I rarely get blisters though, mostly bringing them with me hiking as they have many uses. Gauze also don't have any adhesive that could irritate the skin further, or even peel off skin.

Getting better at running takes time and the benefits can continue for decades, but it takes a lot longer when only running a set distance every day. Adding specificity that you can measure, paired with an emphasis on recovery and stretching will greatly improve your run times, and, likely overall enjoyment and odds that you’ll continue to exercise.

**DISCLAIMER: This article is for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not meant to assume the existence of, or lack thereof, any medical conditions, known or unknown by the reader or someone else. It is also not meant to treat any medical conditions, known or unknown. If you have concerns regarding whether you or someone else are healthy enough to begin exercising, consult a healthcare provider.**

References:

Red blood cells in sports: effects of exercise and training on oxygen supply by red blood cells - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3824146/Effect of Different Doses of Aerobic Exercise on Total White Blood Cell (WBC) and WBC Subfraction Number in Postmenopausal Women: Results from DREW - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3281960/ The open window of susceptibility to infection after acute exercise in healthy young male elite athletes. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20839496Effects of Exercise on Mitochondrial Content and Function in Aging Human Skeletal Muscle - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1540458/