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The track.

For some, it’s a perfectly harmless oval; for others, it’s a symbol of torture. What side are you on?

Whether we enjoy it or not, speed work is a necessary part of most runners’ race training plans. Mixing up our pace by running faster has a lot of advantages. Speedwork builds strength because fast running recruits more fast-twitch muscles than slower-paced runs do. It also increases your aerobic capacity because when you run faster, your heart beats faster to get oxygen to your muscles faster; that leads to a stronger heart and more efficient oxygen use.

Knowing what to do in those lanes can seem a little daunting, so we polled a few regular tracksters to get their favorite workouts.

Eric Smith of Charlotte Running Club is no stranger to the track. In addition to his own speedwork, he leads a track workout group every Tuesday at Quail Hollow Middle School. It’s open to anyone.

The workouts that Eric suggests starting with are these:

2 x 1600 (4 laps) intervals with 800m (2 laps) recovery

2-4 x 1200m (3 laps) intervals with 400m (1 lap) recovery

5-10 x 400m (1 lap) with 400m (1 lap) recovery

Eric reminds us to always warm up with about 10-15 minutes of easy running and to be sure to cool down with the same afterward. “You’ll find the workouts to be challenging but satisfying when you find yourself running faster after the 3rd or 4th session,”  he says.

A lot of runners have heard of the next workout — the ol’ Yasso 800s. The idea with this drill is that running a series of up to 10, fast 800-meter intervals alternated with short rest periods will help you estimate the effort and speed of running a marathon at your target pace.

For example, if you want to run a 3 hour and 30-minute marathon, you would target a 3 minute and 30 second 800. Simple, right? One of the Novant Health Marathon Ambassadors, Arun Kalikadavil, likes this one when he’s focused on speed and is able to build up to it. “The average of 10 X 800s was truly the closest measure to test my goal race time with a level of confidence,” he says.

Meeting up at the track can feel nostalgic if you ever ran in school. Now that you have a few good workouts, channel your inner speedster and get out there!

Hip strength: it’s not just something that older or more experienced runners need to focus on.  Weak hips are often the culprit in a lot of injuries that can sideline us all, and no one likes that. So, why are they important and how do we keep them healthy?

Our hips need to be stabilized when we run, and the muscles around them do this. Strong hips help our running form. “One of the most common things I find in the exam is a lack of stability through the core and pelvis,” says Dr. Doug Bradberry of Greenapple Sports and Wellness. This can lead to injuries whose names strike fear into runners everywhere: plantar fasciitis, runner’s knee, shin splints, and IT band syndrome.

Dr. Zach Long of Onward Physical Therapy agrees. “The most frequent contributor we see to hip issues in runners is weakness of the lateral hip muscles. The gluteus medius plays a vital role in running form, and when this muscle is not strong, technique issues and pain often arise.”

“We typically see this in runners appear in the form of a hip drop as shown in the below image, where you see the athlete’s non-weight-bearing hip lower than his stance leg. As running volume progresses on a weaker muscle group, it will often get to a point of being overloaded and then become painful,” says Long.

So, how do we do our best to avoid these and become stronger runners? We need to start playing some offense and we’re going to have to work for it. “One of the best exercises for runners, in my opinion, is walking lunges. When done properly, this single exercise can address weaknesses in hip mobility, core/pelvis stability and glute strength” says Bradberry. Some others that are tried and true are bridges, clamshells and monster walks. Doing these a few times a week can make a huge difference.

Step up variations are a great strengthener as well, Dr. Long reminds us. Check out this demo by Forward Motion. 

Finally, rest plays a role in this process. “Training puts a demand on the body”, continues Dr. Bradberry. “If you don’t give it time to adapt to your activity, the tissues you are loading (muscles, tendons, and even bone) will break down. Improve your body’s ability to get stronger and avoid injury with rest days, proper nutrition, and sleep.”

 

 

 

 

“Where are you running this weekend?”  

The long run. 

Whether you’re officially training for a specific race or just heading out for a little longer than usual, the long run is a staple of a runner’s week.  

The problem is the same old routes can get soooooo boring.  It’s not very fun if you know exactly what you’re going to see each step of the way.  We asked some of our Charlotte Marathon Ambassadors to let us in on some of their favorite routes in the hopes of helping you mix it up and explore some new areas of Charlotte.  

Chris Zuerner has a few options: “I typically find my long runs these days on either of two routes, down the Little Sugar Creek greenway or the back half of the CLT marathon course. I’m running Around the Crown in Sept, Boston in Oct, NYC in Nov, and the CLT marathon just a week later. Long runs for me are 18 right now, but will work up to 22 during the heart of the training block.” 

He lives in Sedgefield, so it’s about 3.5 miles to the start of the Little Sugar Creek greenway (headed south) starting at Tyvola. “The greenway is nice, flat, shaded in areas, and oftentimes not very busy (especially early mornings for those fun Saturday long runs!!). It’s also nice now that the greenway extension is open all the way down to the Polk historic site in Pineville, about a 6.5 mile stretch” 

Chris doesn’t not only not hate the back half of the Charlotte Marathon route, he also uses it as training! “I’m a stone’s throw from Southend, so I pop on the light rail at the New Bern light rail stop, take that basically into uptown and jump on the route from there. This long-run is very different from the Little Sugar Creek greenway, given its urban environment and challenging, rolling hills throughout. It’s always nice to practice on the actual course to experience firsthand what race day would entail.”

Joseph Smith also likes to use uptown as part of his long runs.  “I usually park at the Scaleybark light rail stop and run the rail trail to Morehead, into uptown to 7th and take the light rail trail to optimist hall or further into Noda then back is 10-13 miles depending on when you turn back around.”

And how about South Park and Myers Park?  “My favorite long run starts at the Taj Ma’Teeter on Colony.  From there, I run up Colony towards the Booty loop, hop on the Greenway, and can run for as long as I want before looping back.  This is a great run for shorter days, too, and is always so pretty.  I’m not training for anything specific (and I rarely am!); I just run for fun”, says Meg Taylor. 

If out and backs are your thing, how about our lovely greenways? That’s where CJ Langely goes.  He hits up the Mallard Creek and Toby Creek Greenway for about 18, but the best thing about out and backs is that you can make them as long as you want.  For this one, he enters the greenway via Fairlea Road off Prosperity Church Road and runs all the way to UNCC. One of the good things about greenway runs is that there are great places to park.  For this one, check out the Stonebridge Church parking lot and the RFYL University parking lot.

Another one of CJ’s favorites is on the Highland Creek Parkway.  He can get 7 miles of rolling hills here and parks at the Ridge Middle School parking lot. 

Tired of the pavement? How about hitting some trails for a long one?  The US Whitewater Center has plenty of miles to choose from, and our favorite is Beast…we mean… East Main plus Lake Loop for about 10 shaded, hilly and rooty miles. Another way to do a long run on trails is to go by time, not miles.  Don’t be discouraged if you don’t cover as much ground on them! 

Wherever you log those long ones, remember that the benefit of the long-run has a lot to do with time on your feet, not always the speed at which you cover those miles.  Coaches recommend a pace 60-90 seconds slower than your normal pace for them.  

Runners sometimes cheat themselves from doing upper body strength because of the notion that running is all leg. Strength training for runners is important for a lot of reasons, injury prevention and good form included, so we need to make sure we aren’t ignoring our upper body.

Dr. Josh Kollman from Carolina Sports Clinic and an avid athlete explains, “Strength training helps to improve muscle activation which can assist in preventing posture-related injuries as well as increase performance by maintaining an ideal run form.”

When we get tired, our bodies recruit muscles from everywhere, so it’s important to strengthen muscles that are everywhere. How many of us have seen pictures of ourselves at the end of a race and thought “geez, do I really run like that?” At the end of a long and/or hard effort, when we’re tired, our form just goes – our arms get all wonky and tend to move less efficiently, our core destabilizes and we get that sloppy feeling. The stronger we are all over, the less this happens. “Strength training allows for a faster pace to be maintained especially late in the run/race when a kick is desired to pass a runner or finish strong at the line”, says Dr. Kollman.

Core and upper body work can have a positive effect on form. Even solely doing bodyweight exercises like push-ups helps. Consider the arm swing.  Energy being thrown side to side during a run doesn’t do any of us any favors when we’re doing our best to move forward.  If we are able to use our shoulder and chest muscles to maintain that rhythmic, forward arm swing, we’re better off. A simple exercise like the row can help with the arm movement behind the body, which typically could be improved.

As Dr. Kollman explains, “The lats and back muscles are also part of the “core”. Strengthening this tissue will result in the body’s ability to transfer force as well as improve the efficiency of the upper extremity arm swing during running.  Research correlates arm swing influences every movement from our hips down.  Our upper body arm swing can dictate cadence which our body’s neurology syncs with the lower body while running.  This increase in cadence can help reduce the impact forces the body is exposed to during the run.”

When form is good, efficiency follows – our gait is inherently connected to our arms. If you’ve ever heard a coach yelling “use those arms!”, it’s because driving those arms through the whole range of motion with proper form, especially at faster paces, makes a huge difference in our cadence and gait cycle. 

Our core strength is important because sometimes when running, we get off balance.  To put it simply, if our core is strong, we’re more solid and balanced.  Planks, side planks, and back planks (google them) work great in strengthening our stabilizers, particularly important in trail running. 

It doesn’t have to be a ton, but it does have to be something. The body, of course, is all connected.  If we’re off-balance, so is our running. Let’s get balanced!

Dr. Josh Kollmann’s philosophy is to utilize treatment plans founded on science and care of patients compassionately utilizing a variety of chiropractic, soft tissue mobilization, and Rehabilitative techniques which will eliminate symptoms and improve the overall function of the human body.  He is an avid triathlete and competitor.  He and his team of professionals can be found at Carolina Sports Clinic. 

Lisa Landrum is a USATF and NFS coach and the founder of Forward Motion which offers run and sports conditioning for all ages. 

 

We know runners like pounding the pavement — or trails – but we all need days to give it a rest. But if the idea of doing nothing leaves you feeling antsy, you can hit the weight room, or hop on a bike and get a good workout. Or you can do the best non-weight-bearing, gravity-free, zero-impact exercise out there: swimming.

“Swimming is a great cross-training exercise for runners,” says Natalia Flores, former Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassador, and current Ironman Triathlon coach. “Swimming can serve as an effective way to recover between hard runs or long training runs… (and) can help you improve your strength, aerobic fitness, and flexibility.”

Have you tried swimming as your day-off workout? Let me guess: yes, and you were exhausted and needed a nap. Then you raided the fridge and ate an unusual amount of ice cream (not admitting anything here, but….yes). Swimming is an all-over body workout that will stretch out your running muscles and limber up those tight joints.

“It can also improve lung capacity, strengthen hip flexors, IT band, and hamstrings; and increase ankle flexibility — all with very little impact stress on your knees and ankles,” says Flores. It’s also a great way to flush out residual lactic acid while building your endurance on a non-running day.

But if you’re not usually a swimmer, where do you start? First, find a pool. In the summer, many neighborhood pools offer lap swim hours. A few local swim teams also offer adult practices. Then get a suit and adult goggles, and if you have long hair, buy a cap (latex or silicone will do). You’ll need about 30 minutes a couple of times a week if you’re just starting, and trust us — it takes a few weeks, but it gets easier!

Ready? Here are some quick ways to get started.

Just Swim Freestyle

“Front crawl” is probably the first stroke we all learned and the one that is the most efficient for distance swimming. Do one length at a time, and rest at walls until you catch your breath. When you get the hang of it, try two in a row, then four, then eight. Do a series of 50-, 100-, or 200-yard swims to build strength and endurance.

Do you still feel winded even though you know your endurance is getting better? It’s probably your breathing — or lack of. The first thing instructors teach new swimmers is to blow bubbles, for good reason. Every time you put your face in the water, blow your air out. Then roll on your side (or back if you need to) and take a breath while continuing to kick. You wouldn’t hold your breath while running, would you? No, you’d pass out. So don’t do it in swimming — we wouldn’t want you to pass out in the water. As your breath control gets better, you can breathe every 3 or every 5 strokes to improve your lungs.

Roll Over

For one, breathing is easier on your back — which is less stressful for new or out-of-shape swimmers. It’s also a survival skill — which means in a triathlon or other open water swim, it allows you to catch your breath if you inhale water, panic, or get uncomfortably winded. Learn to float and swim on your back as a way to ease the stress of swimming and “unwind” forward-swimming muscles. If back floating is hard, think of the 3 basic elements — lay your head back with eyes looking up, push your hips up, and flutter kick your toes.

Another benefit of backstroke is that the muscles you use on your back balance those used in forward strokes, which will keep your shoulders square and your neck in alignment to avoid “freestylers’ slouch.” If you get shoulder and neck cramps after swimming, throw in a generous amount of backstroke. Backstroke also relies on your legs much more than freestyle, so rev up those glutes and hamstrings with a strong flutter to keep your hips rotating and afloat.

Add Fins

Fins are a great low-impact way to strengthen leg muscles and can help you balance your body in the water when you slow down to stretch out your stroke. The extra work it takes to kick with fins is also great for another problem common to runners — stiff ankles.

“Using fins in sets can increase ankle mobility,” says Flores. If you’re someone who kicks like crazy (without fins) and still stays in one place, you need fins. Fins hold your feet in the proper kicking position and lead you to the flexibility you need.

To maximize your legs, kick on your side with your lower arm outstretched and your upper arm by your side. The back-and-forth motion of side-kicking with fins stretches and strengthens the muscles used for both forward and back foot sweeps. (Roll your whole body up to breathe.) Make sure you switch sides on each lap to get greater balance. Then roll onto your stomach and be a dolphin! The undulating motion of butterfly kick with fins (and arms by your sides) loosens up your back. For an additional ab exercise, try doing dolphin kicks on your back. For the best balance and flexibility, don’t use a kickboard with fins.

Drop Your Legs and Pull

“Using a pull buoy allows your legs to recover while making your upper body do most of the work,” says Flores. Pull buoys are great after a set of kicks, or to work your breath control while your hips and legs get a little help staying afloat. Slow down the arms and reach further forward with every arm stroke, rolling your body as you reach. Keep your elbows bent and pointed upward on the underwater pull, with fingertips pointed to the bottom, for best technique and to save your shoulders from excess strain.

For additional arm strength, add hand paddles. They’re great for building muscles, but make sure you use proper technique with them, or you could tear up your shoulders. It may be worth getting a little coaching once you get a feel for the water.

Add Intensity!

Swimming laps is the easy part — now push yourself! Just like you add sprints and high-intensity interval training to your runs, add intensity to your swims. A series of short swims at top speed increase the strength-building propulsion of swimming and gets your heart and lungs pumping. (Just remember to use good technique here, too!)

You may need a lot of rest for starters, but as you do more high-speed “repeats,” dial back the rest between them. Start with 4 one- or two-lap swims with :30 rest. As that gets easier, try 20 seconds, then 15, then 10. Check your heart rate after 4, and as always — stop if you feel distress and rest some more before continuing. If one lap at a time is too easy, do two or three.

Are you ready to hit the pool? Great! The time you spend building your non-running muscles and flexibility in the pool can balance your body and save you from injuries further down the road. Enjoy some of the many pools open this summer!