WEEKLY SUMMARY – June 29 - July 5, 2008

Coach’s Corner

Race Pacing and Strategy – 10K
By Josh Clark
Even the most thoughtful and carefully planned training can be for naught if you don't plan well and execute smoothly on race day. Review our tips for smart racing, geared to new and intermediate runners.

The anticipation, the excitement, the color, the activity. Everything about a racing event tends to get you keyed up, and it should. Feed off the energy of your surroundings, and let your adrenaline do its work. But do keep yourself under control. The excitement of the starting line is a powerful mental tool, but it can also undermine your race if you let yourself start out too fast.

Early pacing
No matter what distance you're running, hold yourself back in the early stages of the race. After all of your training, you are strong and powerful, and doubtless you are aching to push yourself. You'll get your chance, but save it for the end of the race when you'll need it. At the beginning, just concentrate on settling into a pace no faster than what you plan to be the average pace for the race overall. The first few miles may feel ridiculously slow; think of them as warm-up miles and conserve your strength for the final stretch. (Reminder: The first mile or so of the Jungle Run is a hill.)

The Jungle Run is a medium size race so you will probably spend the first few minutes caught in the crowds. There's not much sense in fighting them; zig-zagging wildly through the throng will wear you out and could knock someone over (including yourself). Just flow with the crowd until you gradually get more space. Try to use a shuffling gait to keep your feet low and avoid tripping in the close conditions. As space opens up, ease into your familiar pace and stride.

Take it up a notch
Only when you reach the halfway point should you start considering a faster pace. Take a mental inventory of your body and how you're handling the pace. If you think you can take the remaining course at a faster clip, then gradually step it up. No need to rush into a sprint; just take it up a notch and see how it feels.

Try to keep your pace steady. Throwing in bursts of speed is not a great idea, especially for the inexperienced racer. Adjust your pace and effort to the split times you hear or read along the course. Because strange things tend to happen to your mathematical ability as you get deeper into a long race, you might want to bring along a crib sheet if you are running the half marathon distance. Jot down your target split times on a piece of paper tucked into your waistband.

Don't panic if split times show that you're off pace. Make a gradual, easy adjustment. But if you feel really lousy, and you just don't think you can keep up the pace you had hoped for, don't push it. Avoid injury and take the pace down.

Along the way, be sure to keep hydrated by taking water or sports drink of your own. Do not rely on the water stations. And do not forget to fuel your body with the food you have selected for this race.

Stay focused
Unlike your training runs/walks, when much of the joy of the outing is about letting your mind wander in a kind of creative romp, racing requires a bit more discipline and focus. You should be constantly monitoring your pace and checking your body over for warning signs or even reservoirs of available energy. Pay attention to your breathing, the weather, the terrain, and the runners around you.

The real trick is to do all of this while staying relaxed. It's not necessarily easy, since racing is largely about pushing yourself through pain. It is a peculiar irony; when you race you are in more discomfort than most people will ever be unless they become seriously ill. Yet the experienced racer remains at peace and completely at ease. Over time, you become used to being a kind of detached observer of your own physical condition, coaching yourself through each section of the race.

As you approach the last leg of the race, it's time for the kick. Gauge how much extra energy you have left for the final push. If you have good speed, you might pour it out for a last burst of speed and kick the final half mile. If your speed is not so good, you might bet on endurance and step up the pace for a longer distance. Depending on your conditioning, that distance might be anywhere from half a mile to two miles for a 10K. See what you have left to give, and push to the finish.

And most of all, do not forget to have fun and cheer on not only the Divas and Divos but everyone in the race.

Stretch of the Week: A Better Way to Stretch Your Back
Do this to stretch your back and keep tension off your hamstrings
Excerpt from Runners World
A strong, flexible back is a huge asset to a walker/runner. When you walk/run, it helps hold your body upright and forward. A stable back also helps keep the spine protected against the impact of walking/running. This active-isolated back stretch (below) is effective but gentle. It relaxes the back, while restoring range of motion to help you increase your flexibility without putting stress on your back or legs.

Don't do this: Toe Touch
♦ Lower back is forcibly stretched, stressing the vertebrae, discs, and muscles of the back.
♦ Locked knees irritate the hamstrings.
♦ Hamstrings are strained and tightened.

Do this: Back Rotation
♦ Sit with your back straight, knees bent, and feet resting on your heels. Interlock your hands behind your head.
♦ Contract your abs, and rotate left as far as you can go. Do this four or five times until you feel loosened up.
♦ When you're ready, rotate again, and then flex your body forward, leaning your elbow toward the surface you're sitting on.
♦ Hold for a second or two, then return to an upright position. Work one side at a time, doing 10 reps on the left, then 10 on the right.
♦ Abdominal muscles support the back through the movement.
♦ Oblique muscles are activated and strengthened.
♦ Lower-back muscles are gently and gradually elongated.
♦ Hamstrings are disengaged.

Save the Date!
What: Red Power Divas Family Picnic 2008
When: Sunday, August 10th, 12:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Where: John D. Morgan Park, Campbell

♦ Planning is now underway for our 2008 Family Picnic
♦ Join us for an afternoon of fun for the entire family
♦ More details to come…

Saturday Training Preview – July 5, 2008
Location: Campbell Park (corner of Gilman & Campbell Avenues)
Time: 7:30 a.m.

♦ Focus will be on Race Day Strategy and Preparation