Mar/Apr 2012 - Level Renner

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Lane 3: Commentary Run Like a Champ… The Level Renner Way by Ray Charbonneau At races, people ask me “How can you be so fast? I mean, look at you!” and I just smile. It really isn’t that hard to become an awesome runner. Until now, I’ve kept my training tips to myself, but the competitive advantage my plan gives me just isn’t fair. So here, in a Level Renner exclusive, I’m sharing my running secrets with you: The Top 9 List 1. In order to be the best, you have to make running your number one priority. Friends, family, a job - those are all nice to have, but you always have to be ready to push them aside to make time for number one, or you’ll never finish number one. If you want, it’s OK to make friends with your fellow runners and train with them, but only if they always run with you at your pace and when it fits your schedule. 2. When you’re training, run the same loop over and over, and try to run it faster every day. It’s as simple as ABC – Always Be Competing! Never get that guilty feeling that you’re not trying hard enough. Even when you’re just training, every day should be a new PR. If you’re not improving, you’re not doing it right! If you have a bad day, it’s not because you need a break, it’s because you’re a failure. Train even harder the next day to make up for it! 3. Race often, at least once a week if not more, and always race as hard as you can when you race. You want to stay mentally tough. Taking it easy in a race situation will blunt your edge in the next race. Remember, practice makes perfect. 4. Don’t bother with stretching, massage, foam rollers, The Stick, yoga, or anything else designed to improve your range of motion or increase the flow of blood to your muscles. There isn’t any conclusive scientific proof that any of that stuff helps, and they all take time that can be better spent running. Running is all you need to get your blood pumping, flush out lactic acid, and carry nutrients to your muscles. Anyhow, any extra range of motion beyond what you need for running is useless. If you get a little stiff, that actually helps keep you from over -striding. 5. Learn the difference between pain and injury. If something hurts but you can still run, that’s not an injury. That’s just pain and you can, and should, push through pain. If you don’t run when something hurts, you’ll never run. 6. Never do any cross-training. Only running trains the specific muscles you need to run better. Runners don’t go biking, swimming, cross-country skiing, lift weights, or do plyometrics. None of that will help you. Runners run. 7. You need the best tools to get the best results. You need all the latest gear to be a winner, especially the newest and best shoes. Keep track of the latest shoe trends and buy your shoes from whoever has the most advanced technology. If you can’t decide, always buy the most expensive shoes. If they cost more, they must be better. Shoe companies have your best interests at heart, and they’re always working to get you whatever edge they can, however small. You may not be able to tell your current shoe from the newer model, but what do you know? 8. Eat as much as you want of whatever you want. If the furnace is hot enough, it’ll burn anything. Highcalorie foods, with lots of sugar and fat, are the quickest and most efficient fuel for a runner. Beer, especially post-race free beer, helps keep you hydrated and has B-vitamins and carbs for energy. Avoid too many fruits and vegetables. All that fiber just leads to unscheduled pit-stops while you’re out on the run. 9. The only way to run your best is to take it to the limit and train as hard as you can as often as you can. And the only way to find where your limits are is push beyond them. Sure, you’ll break down – that’s what makes them limits - but how else can you learn where they are? After you heal, your muscles will be stronger, full of tough knots to help protect against future injury. A few weeks or months off, and you’re back, better and smarter than ever, and ready to go out and test your limits again. If this were Runner’s World there’d be 10 rules you’d have to follow, but my exclusive Level Renner plan is so simple, all you need is nine! Pound out those miles! The hammer is the best tool you’ve got to turn yourself into a running machine! Follow these rules, and you too can bring home the hardware! Disclaimer: This article is meant for educational purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Use only as directed. No other warranty expressed or implied. May be too intense for some viewers. For recreational use only. Penalty for private use. Sanitized for your protection. Beware of dog. Not responsible for direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages resulting from any defect, error or failure to perform. Terms are subject to change without notice. Ray Charbonneau has very good health insurance. For more of his books and articles visit www.y42k.com. 22
Lane 3: Commentary Get the Most for Your $$ How to Save on Running Gear by Lesley Hocking Here are 5 quick ways to save money when you are purchasing your running gear: The Top 5 List 1. Buy two pairs of shoes at a time. This may sound counterintuitive, but it takes 24 hours for the foam inserts in shoes to bounce back, so running on them every day will wear them down faster. If you alternate between two pairs of shoes (preferably different models), you not only get more miles out of them, but you’re likely to ward off injury. Your feet will also weaken if you wear the same pair of shoes every day; many of today’s shoes offer so much support that your feet will accommodate the new support as a result. 2. Buy fabrics that feel good. Not all dry-fit shirts are made equally. Some develop a nasty funk a few miles into the run, while others tend to chafe. I find that I only wear three shirts in my running wardrobe because I gravitate toward the comfort of seamless clothing. I probably would have been better off spending a little more on an extra one of these nicer shirts than buying scratchy polyester on sale. (Incidentally, think of all the money you could save on perfume, Band- Aids and BodyGlide expenses. They even make odor-resistant shirts now.) 3. Invest in a foam roller. A masseuse may be better, but one hour with a masseuse will likely cost around $75, while you can snag a decent foam roller for a one-time cost of $30 online. Run for the Troops 5K Sunday, April 1, 2012 Andover, MA 9:00 start Funds from this race and associated Homes for Our Troops fundraisers will build a home designed for the specific injuries of one of New England’s own military heroes. Sgt Joshua Bouchard of Granby, MA Last year, with the help of 1,000 runners, we raised over $26,000. Let’s double that contribution this year! Bring a friend on April 1! To find out more about all race details and runner amenities, please visit www.RunfortheTroops5K.com Century Bank — Massachusetts School of Law 4. Medicine balls save on medical bills. It takes strength to ask your body to pound on pavement for miles. It doesn’t matter whether you lift with a medicine ball, use free weights, or join a gym. But a cheap way to get a full-body workout is to buy a medium weight medicine ball (8-10 pounds). Many brands offer kettle balls with removable handles that translate into medicine balls for a 2-in-1 savings. 5. Join Schwaggle. This online coupon site offers enticing discounts of up to 75% on many running-related items like pricy energy gels. They also offer relief from steep entry fees periodically, so if you don’t mind a few extra emails in your inbox, you could save big. Lesley Hocking is a USATF Certified coach through www.NERunningServices.com. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, Dan, and she teaches high school English in her spare time. 23
Page 1: Under this Ground… New Balance Gr
Page 4 and 5: Editor’s Note Let’s start with
Page 6 and 7: Lane 2: Nutrition A Healthy Dish on
Page 8 and 9: Featured Race Gansett Marathon nice
Page 11 and 12: A Day in the Life of Robert Ciprian
Page 13 and 14: Blake Russell The Elites in the hea
Page 15 and 16: Side by Side Reno Stirrat Photo by
Page 17 and 18: The Dossier Files: Becky Hutchinson
Page 19 and 20: Greg Hammett at the 2010 Bay State
Page 21: Q and A w/ Greg Hammett The (Semi)E
Page 25 and 26: Lane 3: Commentary Deconditioning b
Page 27 and 28: Lane 3 Commentary Olympic Trials De
Page 29 and 30: New Balance Grand Prix New Balance
Page 31 and 32: New Balance Grand Prix they pushed
Page 33 and 34: Continued from page 25 therapy (PT)
Page 35: Rat Re-Issues 1998 Stu’s 30K woul

Mar/Apr 2012 - Level Renner

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?