That's not a spelling mistake, a typo, a reference to the famous Steve Prefontaine, or anything similar. Pre-hab is a term I recently heard which describes exactly the direction my thinking - and practice - has been heading recently regarding overall fitness and injury prevention, from both a coaching and my own training perspective.
In essence, pre-hab is/are the training activities you undertake to develop the fitness, capability, durability, injury-resistance and performance of your overall physical fitness and conditioning. In the past I've referred to it as complementary training, in that it complements swimming, biking, running, etc, but more recently actually see it as an essential aspect of a training routine.
Adding pre-hab activities to your training schedule means adding drills and exercises to address both common and individual weaknesses you may have. These are particularly relevant for running where the battle against gravity is constant - any boost you can give your supporting infrastructure via improved strength will have on-going pay-offs in terms of pre-empting weaknesses which may lead to injuries, and maintaining form under fatigue.
Some of the most common problems leading to injuries in runners stem from weaknesses around their hips. Often as a runner increases their mileage, hip and core strengthening is left by the wayside. As the miles increase, so should the minutes devoted to strengthening those stabilising muscles, that is, pre-hab activities.
Relating this to the common ITB injury, a study published in February 2010 in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy recorded several key discrepancies between runners with ITBS and those without. “Most of the differences between them were up at the hip,” says Dr. Reed Ferber. “So the hip rotated too much and the hip collapsed inwards too much, and that drew the knee inwards.” In short, wonky hip mechanics were overworking the IT band, causing pain.
The same study found that only 12 percent of runners have a tight IT band. Interestingly, he also discovered that 80-90 percent had weak hip stabilising muscles. So for these runners pre-hab activities focused on strengthening glutes and related core and hip muscles would help to ward off potential problems before they occur.
Most often pre-hab activities are centred around core strength and control, something that I’m a huge fan of. It’s been rightly said that if your core isn’t strong then nothing else can be. Your core muscles – those around your hips, between your thighs and chest – support and enable every movement of your trunk. Think for a few moments how much you rely on these muscles for everyday movement, let alone the additional strain on them during exercise.
Core strength isn’t just about having a six-pack, it’s also about how well you control and maintain the muscle movement at times of low – and high – stress. The greater the fitness and endurance of these muscles the better you’ll be able to hold your form and efficiency together when it most counts, in the heat of competition. Plus the additional benefit of pre-empting weaknesses and imbalances which may lead to injury.
Pre-hab is not just limited to your core, it also includes things like your calf strength, ankle stability, and so on. Basically, any and every area of your body which is susceptible to injury can benefit from pre-hab. Just a few minutes per day can make a difference.
Don’t wait until things go wrong to do rehabilitation. An gram of prevention is worth a kilogram of cure. Building pre-hab activities into your schedule is a great step in the right direction towards all-round fitness, durability and performance.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Hawaii Ironman 2005
In 2005 I began my foray into Ironman triathlons and was lucky enough to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman at my first attempy, at the New Zealand IM in 2005.
So off I went in October 2005 to Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii for 2 weeks of acclimatisation - and sightseeing - before race weekend when my mum, dad and sister came over to watch. The day was amazing, to be racing over the famous roads where Ironman legends have been made. As with all IM races, my day had ups and downs, finishing on a high with family along the finish chute to see me finish and share in it all afterwards. It was an absolute highlight.
We then went to Oahu and spent a day travelling around the island, getting a taste for Hawaiian life and seeing the famous big-wave beaches on the North Shore.
This is a video compilation of photos from the trip, plus some video my sister took. I hope you enjoy it!! (BTW - the original soundtrack I used is copyright'ed, so what you hear is a substitute track.)
So off I went in October 2005 to Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii for 2 weeks of acclimatisation - and sightseeing - before race weekend when my mum, dad and sister came over to watch. The day was amazing, to be racing over the famous roads where Ironman legends have been made. As with all IM races, my day had ups and downs, finishing on a high with family along the finish chute to see me finish and share in it all afterwards. It was an absolute highlight.
We then went to Oahu and spent a day travelling around the island, getting a taste for Hawaiian life and seeing the famous big-wave beaches on the North Shore.
This is a video compilation of photos from the trip, plus some video my sister took. I hope you enjoy it!! (BTW - the original soundtrack I used is copyright'ed, so what you hear is a substitute track.)
Europe 2007 video
I went OS in June/July 2007 to do the Switzerland Ironman in Zurich. During the trip I stayed with a group in the Swis countryside, in a town called Willisau, from where we did some day trips to Zug, Luzern, Bern and into Zurich, where the race was held. Switzerland is a beuaitful country.
Post IM I travelled by train to Chamonix at the foot of Mont Blanc, then down to the French coast at Nice, over into Italy and along Cinque Terra. Then I stopped off at Lake Como on the way back to Zurich, and the flight back home.
It was a fantastic trip, and packed a lot into 3 weeks. Here's a video compilation of the photos I took, plus I wrote about it along the way which you can read here. I hope you enjoy it!!
Post IM I travelled by train to Chamonix at the foot of Mont Blanc, then down to the French coast at Nice, over into Italy and along Cinque Terra. Then I stopped off at Lake Como on the way back to Zurich, and the flight back home.
It was a fantastic trip, and packed a lot into 3 weeks. Here's a video compilation of the photos I took, plus I wrote about it along the way which you can read here. I hope you enjoy it!!
Friday, April 16, 2010
The year-round athlete
We all know there's 365 days in a year (+1 in Olympic years!), and, of course 7 days in a year, 24 hours in a day, etc. Usually we lament how quickly time passes, and that nothing you do will give you any more time. So the key challenge, then, is to make the most of each day, and in turn, each year.
From a sporting point of view, a year covers the whole cycle of annual events that we compete in, whether they're the same events each year or different ones. The benefit of doing the same events is being able to compare performance from one year to the next, where variety is the spice of life and doing different events provides new opportunities. As creatures of habits, I'd say we mostly tend to stick with familiarity, only occasionally stepping outside into new territory / events / challenges.
A year also provides a lot of time for training and competition, which is where the practice of being a year-round athlete has it's seeds. When considering a whole year there's lots of ways to break it down into sizeable chunks, based on training phases, competition phases, and so on. Of course there's also a rest and recovery phase which is almost a 'reward' for completing the work that has come before it.
A year-round athlete is one who will seek to make the most benefit of every cycle in every phase in order to further their athletic development. These people have learned the value of consistency across the year, and the compounding benefits of continuous development. They train hard, they race hard and when it comes to rest they're careful not to let it all go and slip backwards too far.
Rest is a relative term for a year-round athlete. Complete rest is taken when needed, but these athletes also realise the benefits of active recovery in all the forms it might take...whether it's a walk in the gardens, a hike, or any other recreation. Such rest runs in concert with mental rejuvenation, to pull back the physical and psychological intensity at other times in the year.
The year-round athlete knows their body intimately and what they need to develop their weaknesses, and build their strengths. They're always thinking about the fine points of performance, reading, learning and planning how to be more effective in training in order to squeeze more performance out when it matters. They are students of themselves - and their sport - always learning how they react and respond to different training stimulus.
A year-round athlete always maintains a level of fitness, and is looking to complement it in different ways. For example, you might see a year-round athlete doing pilates, core strength exercises and other strength and conditioning activities. They see the forest and the trees when it comes to ticking all the boxes.
While a year-round athlete follows a plan for training phases, they are able to compete well almost on demand, and are probably only 4-6 weeks away from top performance at almost any point in time. This is reflection - and benefit - of their consistency through the year.
A year-round athlete might seem a somewhat obsessive...and this is true of many type 'A' personalities who are attracted to sports...but a good sign of their experience is knowing how to maintain balance between family, work, health, social, sport and so on. They can switch "on" and "off" on demand.
Often you'll see or know of a year-round athlete and admire them - they may not always be overtly identifiable but once you spend time with or near them you'll know who they are. The thing is that year-round athletes exist at all levels of sport, each person inspired by their own goals and dreams, and what it would mean to achieve them. They're just people doing what they enjoy.
From a sporting point of view, a year covers the whole cycle of annual events that we compete in, whether they're the same events each year or different ones. The benefit of doing the same events is being able to compare performance from one year to the next, where variety is the spice of life and doing different events provides new opportunities. As creatures of habits, I'd say we mostly tend to stick with familiarity, only occasionally stepping outside into new territory / events / challenges.
A year also provides a lot of time for training and competition, which is where the practice of being a year-round athlete has it's seeds. When considering a whole year there's lots of ways to break it down into sizeable chunks, based on training phases, competition phases, and so on. Of course there's also a rest and recovery phase which is almost a 'reward' for completing the work that has come before it.
A year-round athlete is one who will seek to make the most benefit of every cycle in every phase in order to further their athletic development. These people have learned the value of consistency across the year, and the compounding benefits of continuous development. They train hard, they race hard and when it comes to rest they're careful not to let it all go and slip backwards too far.
Rest is a relative term for a year-round athlete. Complete rest is taken when needed, but these athletes also realise the benefits of active recovery in all the forms it might take...whether it's a walk in the gardens, a hike, or any other recreation. Such rest runs in concert with mental rejuvenation, to pull back the physical and psychological intensity at other times in the year.
The year-round athlete knows their body intimately and what they need to develop their weaknesses, and build their strengths. They're always thinking about the fine points of performance, reading, learning and planning how to be more effective in training in order to squeeze more performance out when it matters. They are students of themselves - and their sport - always learning how they react and respond to different training stimulus.
A year-round athlete always maintains a level of fitness, and is looking to complement it in different ways. For example, you might see a year-round athlete doing pilates, core strength exercises and other strength and conditioning activities. They see the forest and the trees when it comes to ticking all the boxes.
While a year-round athlete follows a plan for training phases, they are able to compete well almost on demand, and are probably only 4-6 weeks away from top performance at almost any point in time. This is reflection - and benefit - of their consistency through the year.
A year-round athlete might seem a somewhat obsessive...and this is true of many type 'A' personalities who are attracted to sports...but a good sign of their experience is knowing how to maintain balance between family, work, health, social, sport and so on. They can switch "on" and "off" on demand.
Often you'll see or know of a year-round athlete and admire them - they may not always be overtly identifiable but once you spend time with or near them you'll know who they are. The thing is that year-round athletes exist at all levels of sport, each person inspired by their own goals and dreams, and what it would mean to achieve them. They're just people doing what they enjoy.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Pac-Man and Bob the Builder
I first heard this analogy from a sports doctor, and it's since been a story I've passed on to many athletes...and it's one they all remember!!!
Do you remember the Pac-Man video arcade game? (Do you remember video arcades??) Basically, Pac-Man was game where the objective was to guide the Pac-Man around a maze and gobble up pac-dots while trying not to be caught by a ghost. It was exciting stuff back in 1980 and became an icon of 80's pop-culture. But for the purpose of this story just think of Pac-Man as the thing that gobbles up anything in its way.
But when you rest and recover, you slowly feel the life coming back into your mind, body and limbs. Your muscles feel better and stronger, like you can jump tall buildings in a single bound!! It's an amazing feeling, like being on top of the world where you can do anything. This is Bob the Builder who tails along behind Pac-Man to patch things up and make them better and stronger. He's such a good worker that he often leaves things in a better, stronger state than before Pac-came along.
The tricky thing is making sure Pac-Man never gets too far ahead of Bob the Builder. To keep him in sight so the gap between damage Pac-Man does via way of training too much / hard is never more than Bob the Builder can handle via way of rest and recovery. It's an on-going balance you need to maintain in order to improve fitness and performance by means of overload, then recovery and adaptation.
The same analogy applies to injuries, and associated rehabilitation. Continuing to aggravate an injury by training is like Pac-Man gobbling you up, giving no chance for Bob the Builder to fix your injury, let alone help you recover from the additional training. You really need to give Bob a chance by resting so that all Bob's energies can go towards repairing your injury. Give him - and yourself - a chance so you can get back on an even playing field sooner.
So there's a little analogy to keep in mind every time you go out to train...or neglect to rest sufficiently. Are you giving Bob the Builder an even chance to do his job, and making it a fair battle with Pac-Man? It's your body and your choice.
Do you remember the Pac-Man video arcade game? (Do you remember video arcades??) Basically, Pac-Man was game where the objective was to guide the Pac-Man around a maze and gobble up pac-dots while trying not to be caught by a ghost. It was exciting stuff back in 1980 and became an icon of 80's pop-culture. But for the purpose of this story just think of Pac-Man as the thing that gobbles up anything in its way.
If you don't remember Pac-Man, you'll surely know of Bob the Builder. Bob is a building contractor with his colleague Wendy, various neighbours and friends, and their gang of work-vehicles and equipment. Bob's catchphrase is "Can we fix it?", to which the other characters always respond with "Yes we can!". Bob is basically a can-do, good guy who makes things better.
But what do Pac-Man and Bob the Builder have to do with anything?? Well, they're metaphors for what happens inside your body when you're training, when you're injured and lots of other circumstances. Inside your body is an on-going battle between these characters...one trying to break you down, and the other fixing you up. Let me explain some more...
When you train (hard) it wears your body down bit by bit. The overload fatigues and damages your muscles little by little. Eventually, without adequate rest, you'll get run down and fatigued, and possibly injured. I'm sure we've all seen or experienced this and it feels awful, when the overload has gone too far. This is akin to Pac-Man gobbling up your energy beans and leaving behind just empty husks. Sometimes, when you're really tired, you can feel him gnawing away at you. Life stress also adds fuel to Pac-Man's fire.
But when you rest and recover, you slowly feel the life coming back into your mind, body and limbs. Your muscles feel better and stronger, like you can jump tall buildings in a single bound!! It's an amazing feeling, like being on top of the world where you can do anything. This is Bob the Builder who tails along behind Pac-Man to patch things up and make them better and stronger. He's such a good worker that he often leaves things in a better, stronger state than before Pac-came along.
The tricky thing is making sure Pac-Man never gets too far ahead of Bob the Builder. To keep him in sight so the gap between damage Pac-Man does via way of training too much / hard is never more than Bob the Builder can handle via way of rest and recovery. It's an on-going balance you need to maintain in order to improve fitness and performance by means of overload, then recovery and adaptation.
The same analogy applies to injuries, and associated rehabilitation. Continuing to aggravate an injury by training is like Pac-Man gobbling you up, giving no chance for Bob the Builder to fix your injury, let alone help you recover from the additional training. You really need to give Bob a chance by resting so that all Bob's energies can go towards repairing your injury. Give him - and yourself - a chance so you can get back on an even playing field sooner.
So there's a little analogy to keep in mind every time you go out to train...or neglect to rest sufficiently. Are you giving Bob the Builder an even chance to do his job, and making it a fair battle with Pac-Man? It's your body and your choice.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Stretching Q & A
I'm not an advocate of stretching as part of training sessions, in particular not as part of the warm-up or during the session. This is a conscious decision from my perspective, preferring dynamic warm-up and dynamic stretching via drills, stride-throughs, etc.
Stretching post-session is a good idea, however, as part of muscle maintenance in the same way as a routine massage - self-massage or from a masseur - is a good idea.
The following is a great Q & A that appeared on a thread on the Coolrunning forum recently. A sports physio was responding to questions posed by other forum members. The answers he gives support the approach I take in relation to stretching...and provide some really great background and reasoning. Thanks to whoever the "SportPhysio" member is!!
Is there any empirical evidence regarding the most efficient stretching routine (as in how long to hold the stretch for and for how many reps)?
There is no evidence to suggest that one set of parameters is more effective than any other. We do know that the longer a stretch is held, the longer the muscle will be in a lengthened state. In saying that, it basically works out that a 5 minute stretch will lengthen the muscle for 5 minutes. So by the time you've stretched your left hammy, the right one has returned to it's original length. This brings us to the inevitable discussion of "what are stretches good for?".
Based on available evidence we know that:
Stretching post-session is a good idea, however, as part of muscle maintenance in the same way as a routine massage - self-massage or from a masseur - is a good idea.
The following is a great Q & A that appeared on a thread on the Coolrunning forum recently. A sports physio was responding to questions posed by other forum members. The answers he gives support the approach I take in relation to stretching...and provide some really great background and reasoning. Thanks to whoever the "SportPhysio" member is!!
Is there any empirical evidence regarding the most efficient stretching routine (as in how long to hold the stretch for and for how many reps)?
There is no evidence to suggest that one set of parameters is more effective than any other. We do know that the longer a stretch is held, the longer the muscle will be in a lengthened state. In saying that, it basically works out that a 5 minute stretch will lengthen the muscle for 5 minutes. So by the time you've stretched your left hammy, the right one has returned to it's original length. This brings us to the inevitable discussion of "what are stretches good for?".
Based on available evidence we know that:
- Stretches alone DO NOT lengthen muscle except for the temporary change in length mentioned above. They can improve the tolerance of a stretching sensation which can be useful for dancers, hurdlers, etc.
- Stretches DO NOT prevent injury.
- Stretches DO NOT prevent/reduce DOMS.
- Stretches CAN improve motor performance (ie. agility).
- Stretches CAN improve power performance (ie. jump height, sprint start speed).
- Stretches CAN help reduce the loss of range after eccentric exercise.
So taking those 6 points as read then, is there any evidence to recommend dynamic stretching (walking lunges and the like) over warmed-up static stretches? Or is the relaxed feeling I get in my muscles from dynamic stretching purely due to a placebo effect?
Dynamic stretching is certainly more popular and there is some evidence to support it over static stretches. Early research suggested that static stretching actually reduced power performance, although more recent studies suggest that it may improve power. Dynamic stretches have always shown an improvement.
Aside from this, both types of stretches have similar effects as listed above so it comes down to personal preference and specificity to task (eg. AFL kickers can use a dynamic stretch that resembles kicking). As for the relaxed feeling, refer back to rule 1: If it feels good, do it. Placebo or not, it's working for you.
I have been told that I have tight hamstrings - how do I fix this problem if stretching does not lead to increased muscle length? Does stretching increase the flexibility of the muscle (rather than changing its length when at rest)? If this is the case does holding a stretch for 30 seconds increase the flexibility less than holding it for 5 mins?
Have you been told that your hamstring length is inadequate for a specific task or has it just been deemed too short relative to "normal"? Many people can't touch their toes (me included) but never have problems with their hamstrings. This is because some tasks (eg. running) do not require particularly long hammy's. The furthest a hammy would get stretched in normal running is probably less than it would during an every day task such as putting socks on.
"Tight" hammy's is usually a separate issue. In short, the muscle's job is to decelerate the leg as the foot is about to hit the ground and to add some early propulsion after heel strike.
The muscle feels tight due to overactivity or poor motor control. The muscle can get overworked in a runner who is overstriding. Another problem can arise if the hammy is trying to contribute to pelvic stability by bracing. This leads to contradictory roles where it tries to remain switched on all the time to assist stability as well as switching on and off to control leg movement. This leads to a feeling of tight hammy's and is not due to short hammy's.
These types of problems can usually be fixed by technique modification and control exercises. Note that stretching the hammy's can provide temporary relief from symptoms and that hammy strengthening can actually make the problem worse.
So if you wanted to improve flexibility, how do you do it? If stretching doesn't work?
Glad you asked.
Based on current research, we know that:
- Stretching only temporarily lengthens muscles and
- Muscle adapts to task.
As an example, a ballet dancer is flexible and stretches regularly. But it's the ballet itself that keeps them flexible; the stretching only gets them accustomed to the stretching sensation.
The same applies to yoga. It's not the stretching but the muscle functioning to stabilise or move the limb towards the end of its range that improves muscle flexibility.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Runners - extreme sports people??
Think extreme sports and you think of all kinds of crazy, risk taking outdoor folks with warped sense of humour doing things like sky-diving, downhill mountain biking, cliff diving, moto-cross stunt riders, and god knows what other activities. The "ooohs", "aaahs" and "oh my gods" from mere mortals hearing and/or watching their feats are only matched by the pain when things come un-stuck.
But as they say, the greater the risk the greater the reward / satisfaction in successful completion and walking away. Which means that, in effect, these extreme sports purists are perhaps the greatest risk managers going around, having a fine understanding of their own capabilities and weighing up the risk-reward equation in their favour. Most of the time, at least...
It would seem a bit rich and almost disrespectful to also call runners extreme sports people. After all, running is mostly done in fairly benign circumstances on tracks, roads, paths, etc, devoid of any real obstacles to threaten the beautiful rhythm of a joyful run. It certainly seems a long way off the definition of risk as "A factor, thing, element, or course involving uncertain danger; a hazard." or "The possibility of suffering harm or loss; danger."
However, when running the risk of injury is ever present, which increases in direct proportion to the amount of running you actually do...notwithstanding the resilience and durability you develop in actually running a lot. It's the very nature of running that makes it risky - the weight bearing, pounding effect and impact of each step. The cumulative effect of the pounding and fatigue wear you down and expose numerous points of weakness to overload...thus injury.
The easiest way to avoid overloading your body and wearing it down is to keep on the doing the same thing. Maintain the status quo, so your body becomes familiar and accustomed to the routine and workload. Injury usually occurs when you do something different, that your body is not used to. So if you don't change anything you'll run a lower risk of injury.
The problem with the status quo is that you won't improve. Performance improvement comes about through increased fitness and capability, something you train for by stressing your body sufficiently (and then recovering) so it adapts to a higher level than before. By doing this over and over, and varying the stress you put your body under, you achieve long-term gains. And there lies the challenge - how much increase in stress / workload can you absorb before your body can't cope and breaks down...telling you about it in the shape of an injury.
It's a fine line between balancing the risk of doing enough to improve, and too much that you're not coping. Each person has an individual threshold and limit to what they can handle, and the tell-tales signs of overload can often be disguised as fatigue. The workload you can handle also varies from week-to-week depending on other stresses in your life like family, work, etc.
An experienced athlete knows how to tune into what their body is telling them...and it's the same experienced athlete who actually responds to what their body in telling by managing the contributing components of stress (physical, psychological, emotional, etc) to keep the overall level of stress within a manageable range. They take action based on the signals they're listening to/for...inexperienced athletes ignore the same signals, and continue head-long into greater problems.
So when you train, and especially when you run, remain mindful and vigilant of the risk you're putting your body at, and cumulative level of stress your body is feeling. When the risk-reward equation is in your favour the satisfaction of keeping on top of things is greater fitness, performance and results. But if it gets out of balance then, just like extreme sports folks, the crash and burn can be both spectacular and painful. Be your own risk manager.
But as they say, the greater the risk the greater the reward / satisfaction in successful completion and walking away. Which means that, in effect, these extreme sports purists are perhaps the greatest risk managers going around, having a fine understanding of their own capabilities and weighing up the risk-reward equation in their favour. Most of the time, at least...
It would seem a bit rich and almost disrespectful to also call runners extreme sports people. After all, running is mostly done in fairly benign circumstances on tracks, roads, paths, etc, devoid of any real obstacles to threaten the beautiful rhythm of a joyful run. It certainly seems a long way off the definition of risk as "A factor, thing, element, or course involving uncertain danger; a hazard." or "The possibility of suffering harm or loss; danger."
However, when running the risk of injury is ever present, which increases in direct proportion to the amount of running you actually do...notwithstanding the resilience and durability you develop in actually running a lot. It's the very nature of running that makes it risky - the weight bearing, pounding effect and impact of each step. The cumulative effect of the pounding and fatigue wear you down and expose numerous points of weakness to overload...thus injury.
The easiest way to avoid overloading your body and wearing it down is to keep on the doing the same thing. Maintain the status quo, so your body becomes familiar and accustomed to the routine and workload. Injury usually occurs when you do something different, that your body is not used to. So if you don't change anything you'll run a lower risk of injury.
The problem with the status quo is that you won't improve. Performance improvement comes about through increased fitness and capability, something you train for by stressing your body sufficiently (and then recovering) so it adapts to a higher level than before. By doing this over and over, and varying the stress you put your body under, you achieve long-term gains. And there lies the challenge - how much increase in stress / workload can you absorb before your body can't cope and breaks down...telling you about it in the shape of an injury.
It's a fine line between balancing the risk of doing enough to improve, and too much that you're not coping. Each person has an individual threshold and limit to what they can handle, and the tell-tales signs of overload can often be disguised as fatigue. The workload you can handle also varies from week-to-week depending on other stresses in your life like family, work, etc.
An experienced athlete knows how to tune into what their body is telling them...and it's the same experienced athlete who actually responds to what their body in telling by managing the contributing components of stress (physical, psychological, emotional, etc) to keep the overall level of stress within a manageable range. They take action based on the signals they're listening to/for...inexperienced athletes ignore the same signals, and continue head-long into greater problems.
So when you train, and especially when you run, remain mindful and vigilant of the risk you're putting your body at, and cumulative level of stress your body is feeling. When the risk-reward equation is in your favour the satisfaction of keeping on top of things is greater fitness, performance and results. But if it gets out of balance then, just like extreme sports folks, the crash and burn can be both spectacular and painful. Be your own risk manager.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The Art of War - Running Style
This post originally appeared on the excellent blog of Chuckie-V, written from a triathlon point-of-view. With a little tweaking it now takes on a running perspective.
As background...The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise that was written by Sun Tzu in the 6th century BC, during the Spring and Autumn period. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it is said to be the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time, and still one of the basic texts.
The Rules of Engagement
1) If you want post-race peace, be ready for war. You must prepare accordingly and carry out what the race and your race goals demand of you. As it is in the original Art of War, the will to win means nothing without the will to prepare. Victory belongs to those best prepared. Come to terms with this before you come to blows, or you will blow your chances.
2) Be sure you have secured the proper army of supporters to back you: confidants, guides, medics, scouts, and the like. Though running is contested amongst individuals it is generally those with the greatest support network who rise to the top. Build your forces to the utmost or you will be fighting a losing battle.
3) Concern yourself only with yourself and your forces. Disregard the politics of war or what your adversaries claim to be doing, except when it furthers your cause (rarely does it further your cause). Utilize scouts if groundwork is deemed essential; focus upon your personal responsibilities.
4) Strive to be ego-free and humble. Laugh at yourself more than you do at those arrogant souls who take themselves too seriously and incessantly sound their battle cries. Then, so as to obtain the last laugh, be sure to quietly kick their ego-ridden ass. Let your performance stand on its own ass-kicking legs as you batter their battle cries into them.
5) Divulge nothing (e.g., training details; race plans; secrets; beliefs; principles, practices, etc). Reveal only that which returns to assist your cause. If a training partner can be of benefit, forge an alliance and share with them as they do unto you, and not a scintilla more. If not, abstain from the "assistance", as he may be an infiltrator.
6) Be intimately familiar with your competition, particularly that which lay inside you, but also in others. (This may sound incongruous with Rule #3 but it is not; you must know your competition's capacities and believe them to be comparable to yours.) Cultivate relationships in accordance with the aforementioned rule (Rule #5), with the understanding that ours is an 'every-man-for-himself' affair once the cannon is fired and war is waged.
7) Whether you win, lose or draw, respect your rivals. For it is when you least respect them, so too is it when you least expect them. In a historical perspective you must also respect those who've fought the hard-fought battles long before you. (This relates to the first seven words in the last line of Rule #9.) Moreover, you must absolutely respect those who will come to replace you; for if not, they will come to do so that much sooner.
8) Be intimately familiar with every element of the battlefield: the rules, the course and/or the terrain, the transition areas, the wind, the potholes, the layout of the land, the finish chute, the element of surprise, the potential problems, the possibilities...or you may end up a causality in the medical tent.
9) Nourish yourself accordingly: nutritionally, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, and cognitively. Put the "stud" in study; be a student of the sport and all that it entails. Learn from those who have "been there" and from those who have not.
10) Choose your battles carefully. Fight when all your reserves are in place. Entering a war ill-equipped to defend yourself may precipitate your demise, if not engender post traumatic stress disorder. Know precisely why you are fighting and what you are fighting for.
11) Choose your weapons wisely. Be intimately familiar with each of them, but do not overestimate their need. Use your internal weaponry and aim high.
12) Play fairly when winning or while being monitored by race marshals! Humour aside, you must strive to fight the good fight, both in deliberate practice and on the battlefield.
13) NEVER apologize for waging war. Whether victory is all but lost or completely secured, be sure to fight for all you are worth. The corpses of your enemies always smell sweet. Pummel them all.
14) Limit your mistakes, for they may be fatal. Understand too that he who has committed no mistakes has not fought for very long; exploit him.
15) Finally, you must come to terms that the war will not---and does not---last forever. It is an ephemeral affair, and one day (soon) you may come to miss fighting the good fight. Fight hard. Fight well. Fight to the bitter end. (Do all this and there shall be no bitter end.)
As background...The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise that was written by Sun Tzu in the 6th century BC, during the Spring and Autumn period. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it is said to be the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time, and still one of the basic texts.
The Rules of Engagement
1) If you want post-race peace, be ready for war. You must prepare accordingly and carry out what the race and your race goals demand of you. As it is in the original Art of War, the will to win means nothing without the will to prepare. Victory belongs to those best prepared. Come to terms with this before you come to blows, or you will blow your chances.
2) Be sure you have secured the proper army of supporters to back you: confidants, guides, medics, scouts, and the like. Though running is contested amongst individuals it is generally those with the greatest support network who rise to the top. Build your forces to the utmost or you will be fighting a losing battle.
3) Concern yourself only with yourself and your forces. Disregard the politics of war or what your adversaries claim to be doing, except when it furthers your cause (rarely does it further your cause). Utilize scouts if groundwork is deemed essential; focus upon your personal responsibilities.
4) Strive to be ego-free and humble. Laugh at yourself more than you do at those arrogant souls who take themselves too seriously and incessantly sound their battle cries. Then, so as to obtain the last laugh, be sure to quietly kick their ego-ridden ass. Let your performance stand on its own ass-kicking legs as you batter their battle cries into them.
5) Divulge nothing (e.g., training details; race plans; secrets; beliefs; principles, practices, etc). Reveal only that which returns to assist your cause. If a training partner can be of benefit, forge an alliance and share with them as they do unto you, and not a scintilla more. If not, abstain from the "assistance", as he may be an infiltrator.
6) Be intimately familiar with your competition, particularly that which lay inside you, but also in others. (This may sound incongruous with Rule #3 but it is not; you must know your competition's capacities and believe them to be comparable to yours.) Cultivate relationships in accordance with the aforementioned rule (Rule #5), with the understanding that ours is an 'every-man-for-himself' affair once the cannon is fired and war is waged.
7) Whether you win, lose or draw, respect your rivals. For it is when you least respect them, so too is it when you least expect them. In a historical perspective you must also respect those who've fought the hard-fought battles long before you. (This relates to the first seven words in the last line of Rule #9.) Moreover, you must absolutely respect those who will come to replace you; for if not, they will come to do so that much sooner.
8) Be intimately familiar with every element of the battlefield: the rules, the course and/or the terrain, the transition areas, the wind, the potholes, the layout of the land, the finish chute, the element of surprise, the potential problems, the possibilities...or you may end up a causality in the medical tent.
9) Nourish yourself accordingly: nutritionally, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, and cognitively. Put the "stud" in study; be a student of the sport and all that it entails. Learn from those who have "been there" and from those who have not.
10) Choose your battles carefully. Fight when all your reserves are in place. Entering a war ill-equipped to defend yourself may precipitate your demise, if not engender post traumatic stress disorder. Know precisely why you are fighting and what you are fighting for.
11) Choose your weapons wisely. Be intimately familiar with each of them, but do not overestimate their need. Use your internal weaponry and aim high.
12) Play fairly when winning or while being monitored by race marshals! Humour aside, you must strive to fight the good fight, both in deliberate practice and on the battlefield.
13) NEVER apologize for waging war. Whether victory is all but lost or completely secured, be sure to fight for all you are worth. The corpses of your enemies always smell sweet. Pummel them all.
14) Limit your mistakes, for they may be fatal. Understand too that he who has committed no mistakes has not fought for very long; exploit him.
15) Finally, you must come to terms that the war will not---and does not---last forever. It is an ephemeral affair, and one day (soon) you may come to miss fighting the good fight. Fight hard. Fight well. Fight to the bitter end. (Do all this and there shall be no bitter end.)
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Ironman Australia from the sidelines
Spectating at an IM is a long and tiring day on your feet, where you become part of the day each athlete is having around the course. Here's what I saw and learned from my day on the sidelines.
Pre-Race
Pre-Race
- A lot people spend a lot of time standing around, and walking to/from the expo, coffee shops, accommodation, etc. This should be a time to keep off your feet as much as possible.
- Analysis paralysis is crippling. People - especially first-timers - over think, over worry, over analyse, over psych, and mentally wear themselves out instead of saving it for race day. The race and the course is what it is. Plan for it, understand it and then do it.
- First-timers tend to believe everything they hear and read. Use a grain of salt and apply the common sense filter. For example, a nutrition company at the expo had a sign stuck to their product saying "Prevents cramps. Increases VO2 max." I'll call bull*hit on that one...not to mention a lot of gimmicks currently invading the sport.
- Many bikes were loaded up with too much equipment, adding unnecessary weight. Keep it simple. Don't strap things to your bike "just in case" - there's enough support out on course to get you through.
- Non-competing spouses, most commonly women with a handful of kids deserve the biggest prize for the weekend, no make that the last 12 months, to support their competing spouse. They are amazing, and also bring the wonderful warmth and support that makes IM a true achievement of the whole family.
- Club and team spirit was enormous and really brings atmosphere to the whole race weekend. The value of being in a club uniform was immeasurable, with the associated support and camaraderie between team mates. Team PIS were fantastic, and their enthusiasm pervasive.
Race Day
- A huge range of super-aero bikes and equipment were on display, and an equally wide range of bike positions and riding styles. Aero helmets are (finally) catching on as a cheap performance benefit. However, numerous athletes negated the aero benefits of their equipment by frequently sitting up on their bars.
- Although many athletes spend $thousands on reducing the weight of their bike, some seem to ignore the impact of their own body weight...which is cheaper and easier to reduce than any bike component!!!
- Almost everyone in the race rode too hard, especially over the hills in the first lap, pushing big gears. The drop off in intensity from the first to third laps was markedly noticeable, although this did coincide with a general improvement in the smoothness of gearing and pedalling.
- Smart pacing in the bike was notably absent, particularly in the sub-6 hour riders. The head wind in the second half of the bike didn't help, but nonetheless a more conservative pacing strategy may have helped. Interestingly, some of the BOP'ers perhaps had the best pacing of all.
- Although there was a lot of drafting packs, it didn't seem quite as bad as last year...perhaps because the Technical Officials were reportedly doing a better job.
- Many athletes just coasted downhills rather pedalling to gain a little more advantage from what gravity already provided.
- Many athletes wore a dark coloured race outfit, which might look "cool" but in reality is not...especially given the beating sun on race day.
- On the run course a lot of people had wet, squelching shoes from tipping water on themselves. While water on skin is great for cooling, taking care so it doesn't run into your shoes can save a lot of discomfort later on.
- While the sun was quite intense, the air temperature was quite OK at mid-20's. Many people crumbled in these conditions - perhaps mentally more so - which lead to an inevitable crumbling in their running form to a "survival mode". Athletes who maintained their composure during the run stood out as their body language was positive, reflecting their mental attitude.
- The white arm coolers / sleeves are a great idea and something I'd highly recommend. They aid evaporation, prevent sunburn (a performance inhibitor) and are just smart.
- Nutrition problems seemed very prevalent, with athletes commenting on not being able to consume anything during the run leg. This may have been due to over hydration as instinctive reaction to the perception of the hot day. Even on hot days there's a limit to how much liquid you can absorb - the rest just sloshes around in your stomach. On race day, the greater issue was sunburn, not necessarily hot air temperature.
- Everyone had ups and downs during the run. You've just got to "roll with the punches" and keep moving forwards at the quickest rate you can. Walking through aid stations rather than stopping still multiplied out through the day adds up to quite a difference in the end.
- Even if everything goes bad, there's huge respect in toughing it out to finish (as long as it's not detrimental to your health / wellbeing). Watching pro athlete Desiree Ficker (a 2:39 marathoner) tough it out with a 5hr+ marathon was impressive.
- Spectators have a ability to lift and encourage athletes through tough times. It's wonderful to see athletes lift when they get a cheer, and rewarding as a spectator to get even the smallest acknowledgement of their cheer...even just a raised eyebrow!!
- In cheering, there's fantastic, enthusiastic and encouraging support...and there's also annoying and ear splitting support. The former is far more welcome to athletes than the latter.
- I've never seen so many young kids at a race, who all had long days but added a wonderful family atmosphere to the event. It was the sum of many things that made the spectacle and occasion of IM a great place to be.
- Finally, the accomplishment of the slower athletes is something to be admired. Even as they struggle through the run leg, they're still moving after so many hours. It's dark and lonely out there, but their achievement has equal merit with anyone else in the race.
The main memory I've taken from this year's event is how great the whole IM occasion is, the positive environment, support and comraderie amongst competitors and spectators alike. Triathlon may be a minor sport, but in the lives of the people out there on race day, IM is about as big as it gets.
Ironman Australia perspective
Last weekend I was up at Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast for the Australian Ironman triathlon, held on Sunday. Held over the distances of 3.8km swim, 180km ride and 42km run, an IM is an unique event because of the inspiring deeds of those who compete - and complete - it. To watch and witness what people accomplish is amazing, from those finishing in 8+ hrs to those in 16+ hrs.
For me the trip to Port Mac is bitter-sweet - this was my 6th visit to this beautiful spot on the NSW coast. On my first trip in 2004 I surprised myself to win the Australian Long Course Ch'ships in my age group, and prove to myself that, in fact, I could be competitive over distances longer than Olympic Distance...which led to stepping up to IM races. Then came the bitter part - IM races were simply a bridge too far, and an event I never felt I raced well at. In particular, the Port Mac IM course humbled me more than any other triathlon I ever did...on two occasions.
The fact the most recent of those occasions was my last ever triathlon, two years ago, lingers as a non-ideal way to bow out of the sport. I can't explain the relief at waking up on IM race day and NOT lining up to race. For me, life has moved on to running as my participation sport, and coaching, supporting and spectating at the Port Mac IM is involvement enough for me.
In watching from the sidelines I strive to pick out the subtle - and obvious - differences between the athletes, for the things that give one athlete an advantage over another, and allow them to endure the rigors of the event better. It's not a race of speed, it's a race of endurance and tolerance - in a race that long, there's a million different influencing factors to look out for. From a coaching perspective, there's a goldmine of tips and information to uncover.
Now my task is to digest what I saw and use that to help the athletes I coach. Next year I'll be back again to watch and learn again...still happy that I'm not lining up to race again myself!!
For me the trip to Port Mac is bitter-sweet - this was my 6th visit to this beautiful spot on the NSW coast. On my first trip in 2004 I surprised myself to win the Australian Long Course Ch'ships in my age group, and prove to myself that, in fact, I could be competitive over distances longer than Olympic Distance...which led to stepping up to IM races. Then came the bitter part - IM races were simply a bridge too far, and an event I never felt I raced well at. In particular, the Port Mac IM course humbled me more than any other triathlon I ever did...on two occasions.
The fact the most recent of those occasions was my last ever triathlon, two years ago, lingers as a non-ideal way to bow out of the sport. I can't explain the relief at waking up on IM race day and NOT lining up to race. For me, life has moved on to running as my participation sport, and coaching, supporting and spectating at the Port Mac IM is involvement enough for me.
In watching from the sidelines I strive to pick out the subtle - and obvious - differences between the athletes, for the things that give one athlete an advantage over another, and allow them to endure the rigors of the event better. It's not a race of speed, it's a race of endurance and tolerance - in a race that long, there's a million different influencing factors to look out for. From a coaching perspective, there's a goldmine of tips and information to uncover.
Now my task is to digest what I saw and use that to help the athletes I coach. Next year I'll be back again to watch and learn again...still happy that I'm not lining up to race again myself!!
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