So, this year's been an eye opener as far as learning about my mind and body and what it will take to be any kind of competitive athlete. After nagging problems and not being able to use my energy to run when I want and as far as I want, I've decided to take a step back and come up with some things that are key to my success, and would probably be to any relatively new runner like me.
Here's my list:
1. Overall Diet.
Naturally, nothing is more critical than a good diet for a runner. Without this foundation, there can be little improvement in building and maintaining muscle, strength, speed, endurance, injury prevention/recovery and a high level of performance. Additionally, there can be buildups of toxins in places like the lower digestive tract and muscles that can be detrimental to the quality of these items.
I will not specify what diet one "needs", because most athletes already know what kinds of things they should/shouldn't eat. I *will* list some of my top things, however...
Shoulds:
- Protein shakes (before and/or after a run). With water or milk. Muscle building and repair formula. A must.
- Nuts, specifically Almonds (unless you have nut allergies). High in good fats, protein, fiber.
- Fruits and vegetables. These *should* be your main (if not only) source of organic sugars.
- Organic carbohydrates. Examples: oats, rice, limited amounts of pasta.
- Low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Butter, cheese, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese.
- Poultry
- Seafood (fish, crustaceans)
- Morton's "light salt". NaKCl. MUCH better for runners than table salt.
- Bacon (once or twice a month)
- Sugar substitutes. E.g. maltodextrin. Non-depressing. Easier to process for running energy.
That's basically it! You can whip up many different meals and concoctions with these things, enough so to keep you busy and happy.
Shouldn'ts:
- Starchy carbs. A few roasted/baked potatoes are good every now and then.
- Excessive amounts of table salt or foods too high in sodium.
- Oily / greasy foods. Use stuff like spray olive oil instead. NO fried foods, sorry.
- Refined sugar. Yeah, this rules out pretty much all sugary junk food. Sorry.
- Excessive amounts of processed carbs. Example: breads, crackers, chips.
2. Cross-Training.
Although XT is an open invitation for you to improve yourself, it's also pretty much a MUST, especially when it's not race season. Get something like the P90X program, and do it. A strong body from head to toe will ensure you become a better runner without being prone to injury. During race season, make your own list of exercises with your desired number of reps, and DO IT. You won't regret it.
3. Hill Training
If you want to get good at running hilly races, or pretty much ANY trail race, you NEED hill work. These are much different than running on the flats or a treadmill. If you aren't conditioned for them, you will likely wear out and get hurt. Take a day and do nothing but hills for ~5 miles. Push a little more each time, but don't continue pushing if there's extreme discomfort or shooting pain. Train your joints and muscles to work at severe angles. For trail work, simply find a trail with a couple big hills, or use power line rights-of-way.
4. Muscle Maintenance
This has been an utter key for me as of late. If you're sore after a run, you NEED to address it. Remaining stiffness in muscles, either from overuse or toxin buildup, may not go away in a timely fashion. And if the problems linger, they will not only damage your performance, but will also create injury scenarios down the line. People overvalue stretching, for one thing. A good diet and training regimen should limit the amount of stretching you need to do. If you're constantly stopping to stretch because you're stiffening up somewhere, something is amiss with your diet or training program.
And, even if no pain, you should periodically examine your muscle groups for knots and kinks. GET THEM OUT. Especially in legs, if you run with knotted quads, hamstrings, or shin muscles, there WILL be problems, specifically tendonitis. You're actually lucky if you get acute tendonitis, because this indicates a muscle or group has knots or stiffness that needs to be worked out - doing so will make it go away. Chronic tendonitis can be much more difficult to address.
My Muscle Tools / Injury Menders and Preventers
- The Stick (or substitute). A thin rolling pin or PVC broom handle can get the job done. Roll out all your leg muscle groups in a linear fashion, focusing on knots/kinks. Use both arms and apply as much pressure as you can handle.
- Your fingers. If you find a knot, sometimes it cannot be rolled. Use one or more fingers and push as hard as you can directly in the center of the knot and hold for 30 seconds before moving to the next. Yes, this can be painful, but is more effective than massaging back and forth. You may be temporarily sore or stiff after, but you'll be completely loose and comfy within a day or two in most cases, unless injured.
- Foam Roller. This is a gentle way to get knots out of your lower body muscle groups. Find a PDF diagram somewhere that tells you how to use one and on what areas. Buy a good one, that's not too soft.
- ICE. If you have lower leg pain after a hard or long run, ice it down as soon as possible. Bagged vegetables and flexible ice wraps are good, but an ice bath is best. Use a garbage can or cooler with a bag of ice, fill with water, and dip the legs in. Go all the way up to your quads if necessary but no further. Ice increases blood flow to sensitive areas and can aid in dissipating knots, especially if using the Dixie cup massage (Google it).
- HEAT. Do not use on an injury unless later into the rehab phases. Use when and where necessary to limber stiff muscles.
- Compression. Socks, sleeves, suits, wraps, and braces can hold muscle/joint groups in place and provide warmth to keep them loose at the same time.
5. Sleep (in a GOOD bed)
6. Equipment
7. Mid-run Fuel
8. Foot health.
9. Terrain Variation
10. Speed Work.
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