The last couple of years were great in terms of increasing my mileage. I discovered new distances, new terrains, and new challenges. It was exciting to see how far my body could go. The problem I ran in to was a large and sole focus on distance…logging miles. Because I had neglected all other aspects of fitness, this quickly turned into slogging miles. After completing the Marine Corps Marathon in October (one check on the bucket list), I decided to step back on the mileage focus with a new goal of rebuilding EVERYTHING.
When I say everything, I’m talking about all of the fundamentals…basic strength, stability, running form, finding that core I hear so much about. I wanted to pick up some speed from all of this, so I signed up for a 5K with the hope of a drastic PR (personal record). Having a race to look forward to provides motivation and a method to measure progress. The idea is that with correct form and added strength, my running would be more efficient, therefore, naturally faster. With the guidance of a running coach and personal trainer at my local gym, I had a training plan suited to accomplish my return to basics.
Correcting form involved doing a proper warm-up and stability exercises, which we often neglect when we lace up and head out the door. It's easy to forget about this critical component until injuries start to creep into our lives. The warm up included walking drills, core work, leg swings, etc. If you played sports in school, think back to high school track or cross country (or any other sport) and recall that you never just showed up and started running. There was a preparatory phase prior to the actual running to activate muscles and prepare your body to handle the workload effectively.
When I say everything, I’m talking about all of the fundamentals…basic strength, stability, running form, finding that core I hear so much about. I wanted to pick up some speed from all of this, so I signed up for a 5K with the hope of a drastic PR (personal record). Having a race to look forward to provides motivation and a method to measure progress. The idea is that with correct form and added strength, my running would be more efficient, therefore, naturally faster. With the guidance of a running coach and personal trainer at my local gym, I had a training plan suited to accomplish my return to basics.
Correcting form involved doing a proper warm-up and stability exercises, which we often neglect when we lace up and head out the door. It's easy to forget about this critical component until injuries start to creep into our lives. The warm up included walking drills, core work, leg swings, etc. If you played sports in school, think back to high school track or cross country (or any other sport) and recall that you never just showed up and started running. There was a preparatory phase prior to the actual running to activate muscles and prepare your body to handle the workload effectively.
Planks...family style.
Per my training plan, I began to incorporate speed work as 20 percent of my training (as I should have been doing all along, but neglected). The speed work was based on my 5K time goal and current ability, so I knew what paces to train at…gradually increasing time spent at that pace. (For example, in my first set I did a workout with intervals of two minutes at goal pace, one minute recovery pace, repeat five times. Every ten days, the interval time increased by about 30 seconds). My long runs were spaced further apart, every ten days instead of every week. I really enjoyed this spacing, and felt less burnt out by the end of training.
Things I learned in this process:
-I have a sleeping glute. Progress is being made to correct this.
-I greatly lack stability in my hips…again, progress being made.
-I’m starting to find my core and learn less boring variations on the famous plank.
-Core means more than just abs. There are a lot of muscles working together in the whole trunk of your body…back, sides, hip flexors, and glutes. Yes, still work the abs, but they need their neighbors to be just as strong.
-Don't race every time you run. Scheduled easy days are equal in importance to all other workouts.
-Increasing overall strength is awesome! It makes everyday tasks so much easier.
-It’s a slow but worthwhile process.
-Overall, I am beginning to feel stronger in my daily routines and in running.
-I actually ended up maintaining moderate mileage training for a 5K, but I felt the miles were better quality, and I stayed injury free.
-I nailed my PR!
-I can’t wait to do it all over again and become even stronger.
-Correcting form will be a continuous process.
Things I learned in this process:
-I have a sleeping glute. Progress is being made to correct this.
-I greatly lack stability in my hips…again, progress being made.
-I’m starting to find my core and learn less boring variations on the famous plank.
-Core means more than just abs. There are a lot of muscles working together in the whole trunk of your body…back, sides, hip flexors, and glutes. Yes, still work the abs, but they need their neighbors to be just as strong.
-Don't race every time you run. Scheduled easy days are equal in importance to all other workouts.
-Increasing overall strength is awesome! It makes everyday tasks so much easier.
-It’s a slow but worthwhile process.
-Overall, I am beginning to feel stronger in my daily routines and in running.
-I actually ended up maintaining moderate mileage training for a 5K, but I felt the miles were better quality, and I stayed injury free.
-I nailed my PR!
-I can’t wait to do it all over again and become even stronger.
-Correcting form will be a continuous process.
5K Personal Best! Prison Break Dash, Lorton, VA. And my family was there to cheer me on!
I’d love to chat with you about how you incorporate fundamentals into your running goals. What are some your favorite warm-up and stability exercises?
Run Strong!
Angel
Run Strong!
Angel
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