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Relaxation And Running - Easy Does It
by Bob Cooper from
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Runner's World Online
We inspire and enable people to improve their
lives and the world around them Some
days, when you're lucky, running feels like floating.
Here are 10 ways to
get that feeling more often.
Relaxation is the key to entering the
effortless zone, and stress is the deadbolt that locks you out. When you're
stressed, your muscles tighten and your mind muddles.
That's why
work, relationship woes, and other problems should be left at your doorstep. If
these thoughts come meandering back into your head later in the run, fine.
Initially, though, try to flush them out.
"Stress can increase
fatigue and muscle tension," says Jeffrey Martin, Ph.D. "You don't breathe as
deeply when you're stressed, which increases the effort of running." The Wayne
State University (Mich.) sports psychology professor and former World Cup
marathoner adds that athletes under stress, according to studies, get sick and
injured at a higher rate than lower-stressed athletes.
It may not be
possible to run away from a "major stressor" such as a job change or divorce,
but you can make your runs a mental escape from lesser irritants such as
arguments, traffic jams, and computer malfunctions. Inadequate sleep can also
elevate stress levels, so try to get your nightly 7 to 8 hours.
Don't Expect So Much
Burdening your
runs with outside stresses is bad enough, but it's even worse to stress about
your running. Goals are great, but too rigid expectations can sour your
enthusiasm and prevent you from entering the effortless zone.
Don't
expect to break 50 minutes, for example, on a particular training run or in a
10-K race. Your on-the-run anxiety about doing it will actually reduce the odds
that it'll happen. Instead, settle on a broader goal, such as finishing
somewhere between 48 and 52 minutes. You'll be more likely to succeed. And even
if you fall outside the range, adopt the attitude that you gave it your best
effort. That's all you can do.
Says Martin: "Setting a narrow goal is
like painting yourself into a corner, because so many factors affect
performance: pacing, weather, course difficulty, stress, and so on. Sometimes
you just have a bad day. You need to acknowledge that you won't always run
fast, race well, or improve your time."
Strengthen Your Core
A strong "core"--which
includes your lower back, abdominal, and hip muscles--makes it easier to
maintain good, upright, effortless running form. "When runners with weak cores
get tired, they start leaning too far forward," says Janet Hamilton, an
Atlanta-area running coach, exercise physiologist, and author of Running Strong
& Injury-Free. "That's biomechanically inefficient, and will even limit
your lung capacity."
Like many coaches, Hamilton considers core
strength to be essential. "It ensures an efficient transfer of power from the
core to the legs and upper body," she explains. She recommends taking a yoga or
Pilates class, or doing the following gym exercises at least twice a week--but
not on long or hard running days. (If possible, have a personal trainer
demonstrate correct form.)
- Squats. Start to sit down, knees in
line with ankles; stop at "mid-sit" (before feeling pain); come back up. Do two
sets of 10 reps.
- Side bridges. Lie on your side with
knees slightly bent. With one forearm on the floor, lift your entire body,
keeping straight head-to-foot. Hold 15 to 30 seconds, and do three reps per
side.
- Modified crunches. Lie on your
back, with one leg straight and one bent. Place a hand under the small of your
back for support. Lift your head and shoulders a few inches off the floor, and
hold for 3 seconds. Do two sets of 10 to 15, alternating left and right leg
out.
- Ball toss. Hurl a weighted medicine
ball against a concrete wall. Do two sets of five to 10 throws, alternating
between overhead, underhand, and chest throws.
Skip a
Day
This one goes against the grain for lots of runners who
believe that when their running isn't going right, it's because they're not
running enough. Could be just the opposite. Remember, effortless running can
only happen when your legs are fresh, and that requires regular rest. If your
legs feel tired or sore fairly often, running fewer days per week could be just
the ticket. For example, Runner's World columnist Jeff Galloway suggests that
runners over 40 run only 4 days a week, runners over 50 run every other day,
and runners over 60 run 3 days a week.
"Without sufficient recovery,"
adds Hamilton, "you'll be fatigued and generally more prone to injury. Your
glycogen stores need to be resupplied, and your muscles and tendons repaired.
If you're still fatigued after a day or 2 off, take a clean break from running
for a week or even more. Keep active with walking, biking, swimming, or other
low-impact activities."
Besides taking occasional days and weeks off,
here are other ways to put the spring back in your step:
- Alternate between short and long;
fast and slow; and flat and hilly runs.
- Space your races several weeks
apart, especially those longer than 10-K.
- Don't run the day before or after a
short race, or for at least 2 or 3 days before and after a long race.
Start
More Slowly
Any mechanic will tell you to warm up your engine
with an easy idle before driving anywhere. The body's engine works the same
way. Yet we're often too rushed to warm up. We lace up our shoes and go. That's
a mistake, because a rushed start makes it unlikely you'll reach the effortless
zone on that run.
"You need to gradually increase your heart rate and
core temperature while warming up your muscles," says Norm Witek, an exercise
science professor and coach at North Carolina's Brevard College. "Otherwise,
you're going to go into mild oxygen debt, strain your muscle fibers, and end up
with sore legs."
Start each run by walking for a minute or 2, then
jogging. Barely clear the ground at first, then start lifting your knees higher
and lengthening your stride as you cover the first mile. On morning runs, when
your body takes longer to wake up, this gradual acceleration may continue for
more than a mile. But within 10 to 15 minutes, your body should be ready for
effortless running.
Add a Little
Speed
Add speed to run effortlessly? That's right. Regular doses
of fast running will make the rest of your running seem comfortable in
comparison, both mentally and physically.
"When you add occasional
fast running to your program, this increases muscle enzyme activity, which
allows you to access energy more efficiently any time you run," says Robyn
Stuhr, an exercise physiologist at the Women's Sports Medicine Center in New
York City. "It also enhances neuromuscular function, raises your lactate
threshold, and on slower runs, delays the onset of fatigue." Regular speed
training will also make your races seem easier because you'll be accustomed to
the faster pace.
There are several ways to inject speed into your
schedule besides killer track workouts (though those are effective as well).
Here are a few examples:
- Speed sandwich. Run 2 miles slow, 2
miles fast, 2 miles slow.
- In-and-outs. Do several repetitions
of 1 to 4 minutes hard, and 1 to 4 minutes easy, at mid-run.
- Pickups. Periodically pick up the
pace for short distances between streetlights or trees.
- Tempo. For the middle part of your
run--say 15 to 20 minutes--maintain a pace that's about halfway between your
training and racing speed. It should feel comfortably hard.
Go
Longer
Just as fast running makes your standard pace easier,
long runs make your regular distance seem shorter--thus easier. By pushing the
pace on some days, and lengthening the distance on others, you'll be able to
cruise in the effortless zone on the rest of your runs.
"Long runs
train the body to use fat, so you don't have to rely as much on carbohydrates
for energy," says Stuhr. "Long runs also increase the number of capillaries,
the vessels that deliver oxygen to muscle cells and mitochondria, the
structures inside the cells that convert that oxygen into energy. The result is
a richer supply of blood providing energy to your muscles."
Psychological barriers also tumble when you go long. A big reason for the
98-percent finish rate among Jeff Galloway Marathon Training Program
participants is that they go the full 26-mile distance in training. This works
for shorter races as well. Prepare for a half-marathon or even a 10-K by
running (or exceeding) the race distance at least a couple of times in training
to boost your endurance and confidence. Nice side effect: More of your regular
training runs will be in the effortless zone.
Hit the Treadmill
It's hardly effortless to
sweat through a run in 90-degree heat on smog-choked streets, or to negotiate
an icy sidewalk in a snowstorm. Sure, you can run in any weather, but unlike
the mail carrier, you don't have to. The best way to enter the zone during
adverse outdoor conditions is to head indoors, where the weather and surface
are controlled.
"Once you set a treadmill on your desired speed, the
machine does the work of setting the pace," notes Sara Wells, winner of the
U.S. 2003 Women's Marathon National Championship. "You can shut your mind off
and just run. It's also less impact on your legs compared with running on
asphalt, and safer than outdoor running at night." Wells did most of her
afternoon runs on a treadmill last winter, including several 20-milers.
Here's how to make treadmill running more effortless:
- Wear headphones and pop in your
favorite CD to block out gym noise.
- Get on the gym treadmill with the
smoothest, most cushioned surface.
- Run alongside a friend, and get
into a conversation.
- If possible, visit the gym during
quiet, off-peak hours, like mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
Eat
Light and Often
Feeling full, empty, or nauseous will keep you
out of the effortless zone, so you can't afford to eat the wrong foods at the
wrong time. Be sure to follow these guidelines:
- Before a morning run, don't eat
much. A light carbohydrate snack such as a banana or half an energy bar, washed
down with a glass of water, will provide ample fuel for running without taxing
your digestive system.
- Before a mid-day run, eat a
good-sized breakfast, plus a carbohydrate snack 1 to 2 hours before your run.
- Before a late-afternoon or evening
run, be sure you eat lunch and a mid-afternoon high-carbohydrate snack.
Having a carbohydrate snack in the
last 2 hours before a run is critical. "Besides being easily digestible,
complex carbohydrates maintain your blood sugar to keep your energy level up,"
says Lisa Dorfman, M.S., R.D., a marathoner and author of The Vegetarian Sports
Nutrition Guide. "The best choices are low-fiber and lactose-free, to prevent
intestinal problems." Examples: bananas, energy bars, bagels, pretzels, rice
cakes, and sports drinks.
Drink
Up
"Water aids in the functioning of every muscle and cell, so
inadequate fluids can make you sore, weak, and tired," says Dorfman. "Even a
2-percent reduction in your total body fluid will increase your effort level
during running." Therefore, no possibility of effortless running.
When you run on a hot, humid day, you sweat up to 2 liters or more per hour. To
keep yourself fully hydrated, try to consume at least five servings of fruits
and vegetables (for their water content); 1 liter of fluid; and 1 additional
pint of fluid for each pound you lose on the run. (Determine this by weighing
yourself immediately before and after a run.)
On runs lasting more
than an hour, either take fluids with you, or stash sports drinks along the
way. Aim to take in an average of at least 5 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20
minutes.
Ready, Set, Relax!
To enter the effortless
zone of running, relaxation is essential. Here are five tips to help you relax,
courtesy of sports psychologist Jeffrey Martin, Ph.D.:
1. Look for social
distraction. Run with a friend or two, and your stress level will plunge in the
first mile of conversation.
2. Look for environmental distraction. Run a
woodsy trail, a quiet urban street, an interesting neighborhood, or any place
where there's a lot to see.
3. Ditch the gadgets. Try running unfettered
and unplugged. Leave behind everything that beeps, buzzes, or blares--the
watch, the heart-rate monitor, the headphones. (Hang on to your cell phone
though; it could come in handy if you run into trouble.)
4. Don't rush. If
you cram a run into your schedule, you'll probably skip the warmup and worry
about finishing the run before the next obligation. Schedule runs when you have
a comfortable cushion of time.
5. Calm race jitters. To harness the nervous
energy you feel before a race:
- (a) take long, slow, deep breaths;
- (b) whisper to yourself a positive
phrase like "smooth and strong;" and
- (c) picture yourself running
effortlessly. Repeat (b) and (c) throughout the race.
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