I constantly remind athletes to have a specific intent or goal for each and every workout – and strength training is no different. In my eyes, strength training serves two purposes. It is both a means of facilitating recovery and building “capacity” - and it is not “just another workout”! The primary goal is to simply load the muscles and tissues – to give them a stimulus unto which they will adapt. Tissues will remodel dependent upon the demands imposed upon them. Just like remodeling your living room, the final result does take some time but is fantastic when you're finished! There are a number of questions that I get regularly when it comes to strength training:

Do I need to do a lot of sets and repetitions because I am working on my endurance?

The answer is a resounding “no”. You build your endurance with your run training. The intent of the strength training is muscle recruitment (to build power) and tissue remodeling (to enhance the integrity of the tissues so that they can withstand increased training demands). The only way this is accomplished is via resistance.

How many sets and repetitions DO I need?

If the intent is to alter the structure of the tissues, then they need resistance – enough such that you're only doing one set of 8 to 10 repetitions, but feel like you could do 1 or 2 more repetitions. Research indicates that strength gains are similar between one and multiple sets – but more sets require a greater recovery (which is not the goal of the workout).

If I lift heavy weights, am I at risk of injury?

As long as you have a proper warm-up, maybe 5 to 10 minutes on a bike, you will raise your core temperature sufficiently to be able to lift safely. The resistance is based on what YOU feel like you can do – there is no hard and fast rule for how many pounds any given person should lift. If you're 80 or 20, the body still responds to loading.

Won't I get bigger? I don't want more bulk.

As long as you maintain one set, you may note some mild changes in muscular definition, but you certainly won't build mass. You'd need to do multiple sets to accomplish this, along with consuming a specific diet over time.

I've tried strength training before, but it always leaves me sore the next day and unable to run. What do I do?

This is typically a result of doing many sets or many repetitions (or both). If you're doing one set of 8 to 10 repetitions, you are providing the body with the intended stimulus, yet not creating a situation in which you body has to recover from a full “workout”. You may even find that your runs after a strength training session are better simply because you have given your central nervous system a stimulus that gets it “fired up” to work effectively.

What exercises do I need to do?

There is a value to upper body and lower body strengthening for runners. The primary lower body muscles that you want to strengthen are the gluteals, quadriceps, hamstrings, calf musculature, and the hip stabilizers. Your program doesn't have to be developed by a rocket scientist – some good, basic exercises work very well. In some light-hearted discussions with some strength-training-averse runners, I have said that if you only had time for one exercise, the best option would be quarter squats/leg presses as they utilize a number of these muscles simultaneously. Photos and brief descriptions of more specific exercise options are shown in “RunSmart: A Comprehensive Approach To Injury-Free

Running”.

A strength training program should be performed twice a week as part of your weekly training program. By doing so, the tissues will have a consistent stimulus to remodel and improve their architecture and integrity. Strength training will not only help to provide a solid foundation for your run training, but it will also improve your performance, help to keep you injury-free, and will foster an environment for injury recovery should the need arise.

For further information on RunSmart, training-related articles and discussion forums, please refer to the author's website: http://www.smartsport.info

New York Times

In a year fraught with injuries, the Longhorn produced perhaps the largest upset of the day. From 2005-2007, the Lady Longhorns had never placed better than 9th place at this meet. Though the team was making huge gains behind the consistent improvement of Betzy Jimenez, Larkin Geyer and Lauren "Steak" Salisbury. A solid recruiting class in 2008, allowed two new freshman to make a big impact at the Big 12 meet. Laleh Mojtabaeezamani was the highest placing freshman in the entire meet, while her roommate, Mia Behm was a solid 37th place in the team score. 

This year the team set the goal of being in the Top 5 at Big 12.  The Lady Horns placed 1st  two meets but they have also had some injuries that shook their confidence. Going into the Big 12 Conference meet they had a rough race at Arkansas' Chile Pepper Festival. Their team goal remained a top 5 placing. In the end, on an extremely challenging course, they were 15 places from 3rd place.

The Longhorn's travel on Saurday, November 15th to Waco for the Regional meet. I encourage all runners, Rogue & others drive up and check out the regional meet. Help Coach Sisson and the Longhorn's make it to NCAA's. The women's 6K race starts at 10 a.m. Central on the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course.

More meet details:
Texas Tech won its first team Championship with 44 points, snapping Colorado's nine-year winning streak. Baylor placed second with 71 points followed by Nebraska with 102 points. Tech's Sally Kipyego took individualist honors by finishing in 19:45.00 and became the first harrier in Big 12 history to win three consecutive titles.

Junior Betzy Jimenez led the Horns, clocking in at 21:27.10, for 10th place and a spot on the All-Big 12 Team. Jimenez took nine seconds off her time from the 2007 Championship to become the first Longhorn to garner All-Big 12 honors since 2003 and the sixth overall to place in the top 10.

Senior Larkin Geyer completed the 6K course in a career-best time of 21:48.55 for 17th place. Geyer shaved 21 seconds off her time from a year ago to collect her fourth top-20 effort of the year.

Freshman Laleh Mojtabaeezamani was the highest finishing freshman of the meet coming in 25th with her time of 21:59.45. Junior Lauren Salisbury crossed the finish line just three seconds after Mojtabaeezamani in 22:03.65 for 28th place.

Freshman Mia Behm rounded out UT's scoring with a 37th-place showing (22:16.35).

The Longhorns earned their fourth lowest point total in Big 12 history, and collected under 120 points for the first time since a 109-point effort in 2002.

We've created a video, and you might be in it! If you have photos of Rogues hanging out or running, please send them to laura@roguerunning.com for use in future videos.

At the Lake Bryan trail race, Kurt clocked in at 44:10, and the race director measured the total distance at 6.37 miles. The hardest thing about the course, he says, was that it “had many twists and turns, so it required some concentration and balance at all times. It also went on and off of a levee many times, which was mentally and physically tiring”. Still, despite being only his second 10K trail race, Kurt chased down his competition and settled into a rhythm that took him straight to first place at the finish line.

His advice to new runners is to “start conservatively. In training for a 10K, it’s a long enough race to tire you out. If you’re looking to run it well, the key is being able to hold a pretty fast pace once you feel tired.” Right now, Kurt wants to achieve his high school times again for a 5K and 10K, break 1:19 in a half marathon, and maybe try for a sub-3-hour marathon, “if I decide it’s worth the punishment,” and have fun running trails in the midst of all of that road training.

From the beginning of the fall marathon training program, Amy Anderson and Mark Enstone have awed participants with their stellar teamwork. Amy began coaching with Rogue when it was a mere embryo of business, and Mark joined this year, first as Amy’s assistant, before leading his own group for the Austin Marathon. Close friends, both triathletes, IronMan finishers, and runners, the two had much in common even before they stepped up to the start line. Their command performance at the St. George marathon would soon become another addition to the list.

Pre-race preparation, in addition to the training Amy did on the road, included naming and writing ten affirmations on a note card. She finds that referring to these simple positive statements about her preparation and ability maintains her focus and self-assuredness on race day. Amy’s coach, Rogue owner Ruth England, added the last two to the list to make ten. In the race plan meeting, “we worked on changing Amy’s pacing to 5K or 5 mile chunks, rather than mile-to-mile bits. We also talked about how she might possibly feel and what she was going to do to make the best of the situation, if it got tough,” says Ruth.

As race day neared, Mark gave Amy an ultimatum: “you are not checking essential running gear” onto the plane. She resisted at first, having traveled much herself and not having any anxiety about it, but when he offered to stuff her “little baby shoes” into his carry-on, she conceded. The essential running gear he referred to included shoes, shorts, a shirt and socks, because “nothing new on race day,” and these items were long run road tested for months already.

The day before the race, Amy and Mark drove the entire 26.2 mile course, walked around on some of it, and even memorized special landmarks in what they thought might be the tough areas. They decided that, at the wildlife crossing road sign near a vista point they encountered, they would “be golden” for the finish of the race. From there, they could recall the prior day and their resolution to finish strong. Also the day before, they planned meals carefully. Amy relies on a well-balanced lunch, while Mark counts on a rounded dinner as a pre-race meal. Funnily, they found themselves in a Chinese food restaurant for dinner, hoping to get in “plain fish, green veggies, and rice”; who would have thought?

The morning of the race was cold, rainy, windy and dark – miserable by most post-race accounts, but Amy and Mark positively reframed the conditions as a solution to their concerns that their time at the race venue had been too hot and humid, rather than dell on it as miserable and negative. Mark and Amy “dressed in race gear with an extra shirt over that, a dry-clothes bag in hand” and headed towards the bus stop. Because the St. George Marathon is a point-to-point race, all participants ride from the finish in St. George to the start in Central, Utah, where they start and run back the way they came. After two encounters with the bushes for bathroom breaks, some huddling under a towel to avoid getting soaked, dropping their dry-clothes bags in the U-Haul van, and each ingesting half of an Imodium tablet, they were ready.

Although Amy and Mark wanted to run a 3:40, they decided not to run with the pace group. With balloons just flush with the bobbing of running heads, they had a hard time spotting the group, but kept it in sight for perspective, occasionally measuring themselves against the pacers. Mark observes how he doesn’t mind running with pace groups if: “their spitting, snorting or snotting doesn’t land on your leg, arm or face, if their banter doesn’t wear on you, if their elbow doesn’t bang your bicep like an SOB”, and Amy’s belief in effort-based racing doesn’t align well with the concept. Instead, they decided to start easy and finish strong, with an eye casually on time.

Amy describes effort-based racing as “running how you feel” without giving in too soon. This type of racing acknowledges the possibility of off days, which she says can occur for any reason, including: the route, the weather, your nutrition and hydration, and your health. She articulates the cardiac drift phenomenon, which means “effort has to increase just to maintain the pace, not even to speed up, just to maintain.” Starting too fast leaves very little room to go up, while starting too easy causes a time-loss you probably can’t regain in the end.

Mark and Amy relied upon four time checkpoints, captured on his and hers cheat sheets, at miles 5, 10, 15 and 20, just as Amy and Ruth discussed. Amy never read hers, but Mark referred to his for both of them, and she verbally checked in to inquire about whether they had met their marks. After successfully executing their nutrition and hydration plans, they took gel for the last time at Mile 21. For Amy, a traditional Apple Cinnamon Carb-Boom did the trick; she takes the same gel at every marathon in honor of Claire, one of her Boston Qualifier athletes from another year. Mark had the same, and they moved in to close the race, pouring on the work and effort for those final miles.

Their final times were 3:35:26&27, five minutes faster than their projected goal time! It was a command performance, one that far exceeded expectation when consistent training and healthy choices culminated in the race of a lifetime. ]]> http://www.roguerunning.com/resources_articles_details.php?aid=222 http://www.roguerunning.com You have a plethora of opportunities to volunteer with Rogue, and now it's easier than ever to sign up! Go to http://theracetime.com/rogue, log in and click on the + sign to add yourself as a volunteer. It's easy, and you'll receive prizes for racking up hours:

1.5 hours: Rogue water bottle

4.5 hours: Limited edition Rogue Volunteer t-shirt. It's not for sale, so you have to volunteer to get it!

9 hours: $15 off of a Rogue program in addition to the returning Rogue discount

Plus, you'll have our gratitude!

Sign up now. Rogue up! ]]> http://www.roguerunning.com/resources_articles_details.php?aid=219 http://www.roguerunning.com http://www.roguerunning.com/resources_articles_details.php?aid=220 http://www.roguerunning.com by Allan Besselink

Is It Really An Injury?
When training for any event, be it your first 5K or your 10th marathon, there are always going to be some nagging aches and pains. As you place demands on your body, it has to then recover from the training sessions and adapt to the imposed demands. During this process of training-recovery, your muscles, bones, and tissues undergo transformation. At some times, when the ability to recover is less than the training demand, an injury may occur.

But how do I know that it’s an injury? I have little aches and pains all the time. How do I know that this is something that I need to have assessed?
The first asks some basic questions – where are you feeling the discomfort, for how long has it been bothering you?

The second set of question that need to be ask will help determine the status of your injury status – or, better yet, the need to have the current condition (whatever it is) assessed by a medical practitioner. There are three primary questions:

• Does the problem limit your training how much you can train?
• Does the problem cause you to alter your running mechanics?
• Does the problem affect any of your normal activities of daily living?

If you answered yes to any of these it is time to see a “medical professional”.
If you answered no to ALL of these but there is still something bothering you we need to follow some there advice.

Difference between “hurt & harm”:
Now, I am sure you’re saying, “well, it doesn’t really cause me to limp TOO much” or something like that! This is where self-responsibility (and good self-care) come into play. Listening to your body is critical to effective training. Pain is one of your body’s primary feedback mechanisms. There is a difference between “hurt” and “harm” – and knowing how to differentiate between these two is key to understanding the injury process.

“Hurt” would be an awareness of symptoms that don’t increase during the training activity – and, 20 to 30 minutes after activity, have fully subsided. “Hurt” is generally an indicator that you are stressing the tissues but not producing any damage to the tissues. This indicates would that you should monitor the status of the issue, to adjust training loads, or to emphasize other recovery-based aspects of the program (such as strength training, massage, nutritional adjustments, etc).

“Harm”, on the other hand, would be an awareness of symptoms that increase during the training activity and persist for greater than 20 to 30 minutes after you’ve stopped. This suggests that it’s time to have the problem assessed by a professional.  There are different levels depending on what you would like to do.

Is It An Injury or Under-Recovery?
So … you’ve answered a hearty “no” to the first three questions. “Yippeee” you proclaim … maybe I don’t have an injury! Perhaps the awareness you have is related to a decreased ability of your body to adapt to the current training demands – either too much, or too soon. This is where we go into the next section that deals with the primary elements that prevent injury and foster good recovery from your training. Have you been integrating strength training, use of the Trigger point products, nutrition and recovery information, etc. into your training plan? These components are built in to the program to assist you – to help you stay injury-free. For many athletes that are having “hurt” (as opposed to “harm”), these elements are enough to resolve any minor issues that are being experienced. You may also decide to meet with one a doctor or massage theraphyist – all providing any of a number of adjunct training or recovery-focused services. This could include instruction in running mechanics (supplemental to the Rogue programs), nutritional guidance, massage therapy, and others. Again, “knowledge” is key in making good decisions about your self-care. Being responsible and listening to the feedback your body provides are the most important factors in maintaining a healthy and safe training environment.

The Injury Recovery Process

Most running injuries are related to the body being unable to adapt readily to the imposed training demands. Although “complete rest may at times be a part of the short-term solution, it is generally not a complete solution. Tissues respond and adapt to movement and become stronger when they are challenged in an appropriate fashion. With this in mind, an active approach to injury recovery is accepted in the literature to be the most effective in the greatest number of cases. So let’s say that you’ve made that first appointment to see your provider. There can be a great deal of apprehension prior to this initial meeting, so I would suggest creating a list of questions regarding your problem in advance. What is the cause? Will I be able to return to training? What is the prognosis? What steps do I need to take to resolve this issue? Are other adjunctive therapies such as physical therapy or massage therapy indicated for this problem? Though oftentimes the providers are faced with challenging schedules, it is fair to request their answer to your questions! As they say – “Knowledge is power” – and having an understanding of your problem with help assist in finding solutions. I would always be aware of any provider that is not prepared to discuss your concerns with you, or someone that seems uninterested in your eventual return to running. In the same vein, and given that most running injuries will be responsive to an active approach, if you’re not seeing a perceptible change in the status of your problem over 3 to 4 visits, then it is strongly suggested that you discuss this with your provider(s). Perhaps other adjunctive therapies are indicated – or that the current approach isn’t working for your problem. The goal at Rogue is to guide your return to running – and we have many providers that can assist this process. Along the way, there is an Injury Forum on the Rogue website. Though this will never be a substitute for active interaction with your provider, it would be a place to ask questions and share information.

Acupuncture Go With The Flo, 294-6925 Karen Smith

Chiropractic Advanced Rehabilitation, 467-1100 Dr. AJ Zielinski

Running Mechanics Go With The Flo, 294-6925 Karen Smith

Rogue Training Systems  280-5722 Carmen Troncoso

 Smart Sport International 914-0871 Allan Besselink, PT

RMT Kneadz 443-6400 Carmen Garza, RMT

Nutrition Sports Nutrition, Amy Culp 512.517.7624, amyculprd@sculpturetexas.com

Performance Therapy Tools Trigger Point Technologies 524-2804 Cassidy Phillips

Family practice – sports medicine fellowship Texas Sports and Family Medicine, 473-0201 Dr. Robin McCarty,  Dr. Mark Chassay,  Dr. Mark Hutchens

Orthopedics Sports Performance International708-8834Dr. Ted Spears Orthotics

Elite Feet Orthotics ,626-2323 Tammy Harbison

Forward Motion Pedorthics ,914-8338Bill Stone

Physical Therapy, Smart Sport International ,914-0871 Allan Besselink, PT

Scott Welsh, M.D. Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, 301-9922

See the write up at the Chronicle website: Best of Austin 2008

Though it may seem relatively simple to pin a number on your chest, step up to a start line, & race your guts out over 10,000 meters, things always tend to be a little more complicated. For the uninitiated amongst us, the whole process can be intimidating.

Recognize that this is the first in a series of races designed to help you begin getting a handle on pre-race logistics, pacing, race tactics, & other sundry essential preparations necessary for running your best at the Austin Marathon on February 15, 2009. You aren't expected to bust forth fully formed and prepared to run the fastest race you've ever run-- or even to know what the hell you are doing. I always like to say, "You gotta start somewhere," & here is your start to this season. You should expect to have a race in which you do some things right & some things impossibly wrong. Right or wrong, it is all a part of the process. I've outlined a basic race plan for all based upon date paces & what the course provides (elevation, turns, possible weather conditions, etc).

The Course:

The IBM course has returned back to their campus, which is sandwiched between Mopac, and Braker Lane off of Burnet Road. It loops around the IBM Campus. Starting on the eastside of the campus parking lot, the course puts most of its mileage by looping around and around their property. With less than 80 ft of elevation change over the entire 6.2 miles course, it looks to be fast. The first 2 miles, heading southwest to the Westside of Burnett with some slight ups in downs in the first mile but flatting out by mile 2 for some smooth running. Mile 3 has a short up hill as you pass through the Domain shopping center. This mile is followed by 2 relatively easy, down hill miles. You might not even notice this as you are racing. Mile 5 to mile 6 is probably the hardest part of the course, because of the hills, the repeat of the same concrete and where it is in the 10k race. Be prepared to suffer a little as you run through this section, but concentrate on holding pace. The course drops back down the final mile into the finish line, which is the same place as you began the journey. With its gradual declines & inclines, this course should prove to be honest & fast.

The Pre-Race Plan:

Packet Pick-up:

Amplify Federal Credit Union: 2608 Brockton Drive (Brockton @ Burnet) •

Friday, October 17th, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. •

Saturday, October 18th, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. •

Sunday, October 19th, 6:30 a.m. - 7:55 a.m.

Saturday: All groups have an easy 3-4 mile run followed by relaxed strides for Saturday morning. We will not meet as a group (only those not doing the race will meet on Saturday). Friday night is the most important night for sleep, so try to get into bed at a reasonable hour--or sleep in if you are forced to be up late. Be sure to hydrate throughout the day so you are not trying to force water down right before you go to sleep (you don't want to spend the whole night before the race getting up to go to the restroom). For dinner, avoid anything extremely spicy or greasy as this can cause intestinal distress (again requiring you to spend time in the bathroom better spent in bed). As you become more experienced with running races, you can begin to determine your best pre-race meals. For now, just try to keep it simple.

Set out you race clothes & anything else you think you'll need before you go to bed. This way, you won't be scrambling around searching on race morning for your favorite socks, for example, only to find them dirty. A little preparation goes a long way towards avoiding jangled nerves on race morning.

Sunday morning: Try to get up about 45 minutes to an hour before you need to leave to make it to the race site by 6:45AM. After waking, eat something light, like toast and/or a banana. If you are a coffee or tea drinker, drink up as soon as you wake up so that you can spend some quality time in your own comfortable & clean restroom. You should save the port-o-lets at the race start for quick trips, not the real business.

We are meeting at 6:45AM at the Rogue tent which will be announced as we get closer to the event. The coaches will give some basic pre-race instructions & begin a 2 mile warm-up between 7:15-7:30AM. We will not wait for you! Be ready. After our warm-up we'll disperse to allow everyone to get all their final details sorted out, hit the port-o-let one final time, and then reconnect at the start line at 7:50AM. For those who stick around between the warm-up and the start, we'll do some light stretches & drills. It is, however, more important that you handle all the details necessary to be ready to race before 7:50 as you don't want to be running around like a chicken with your head cut off; you need to be calm & collected prior to the race start. As you wait for the announcements & other pre-race details to occur, run through the race plan (given below) in your mind, review you reasons for running this race, & generally get your mind right as the race start approaches.

The Race Plan:

For all groups, the primary focus is running the fastest 10K possible on that day. To really be ready to take advantage of the course & your current fitness, you need a plan. What follows is a basic mile-by-mile guide to tackling the challenge ahead of you.

Start: Position yourself conservatively. If you plan on running under 40 minutes for the 10K, then you should be in the front quarter of the pack. If you are running slower than 40 minutes, position yourself anywhere but the front quarter of the lineup. More races are ruined in the first mile of a race than anywhere else, & this is usually due to poor positioning at the start and going out too fast. Know where you belong & start there. If you don't have any idea where you should start, then position yourself in the middle of the pack. All Rogues should try to get on the right-hand side of the start (looking from behind the start line). The race takes a pretty quick left onto Shoal Creek & it is better to be positioned on the right side so you avoid the crush of people turning left.

First Mile: Since the first 2 miles are really the fastest miles of the race, it is very important that you use caution at the start. Now that most of you have run a time trial, you already know what pace that correlates to in terms of a 10K. If you don't, then stop reading this essay & read the Time Trial/Fitness Assessment essay posted on the Essay page. I mean it: stop & figure out your current date pace for a 10K. Believe me; this is the most important step in planning your best race strategy. OK--so you know your date pace for 10K; this should be the time you try to hit for your first mile. If you are too fast, SLOW DOWN! Even if you feel like a million bucks, slow down. If you go through the first mile too slowly, do not react too quickly--just gradually pick the pace up over the next mile to get as close to your 10K date pace as possible. By the end of the first mile, you should be settling into the pace & relaxing. If you are really tired or tight, slow down a little bit & regroup.

Miles 2-4: You should settle into the 10K Date Pace designated by your time trial results and maintain through the 4th mile. If you are feeling excellent, you are welcome to pick the pace up 15 seconds per mile. Don’t try to go any faster than this through the 4th mile, as how you feel at mile 2 will probably be very different from how you feel at mile 5, & I believe that it is better for you to try to make up time on the last mile of this course rather than this uphill section. If you are running slower that your projected 10K Date Pace, do not freak out. It may take you a little more time to get into the race. Even if you find yourself 10-15 seconds per mile too slow, don't fret. Just try to find a rhythm & run as consistent a pace as possible. Remember that we are just starting this training program & you'll have plenty of time to get stronger & faster. Since you haven't gone out too fast, you should feel in control--& that is more important than anything else at this point.

The Final Mile: If you have gone out conservatively & at your Date Pace, you should be in a good place by this time. You will probably begin to pick off those impetuous runners who have gone out too fast. Once you turn onto Burnet Lane, you should begin to pick the pace up. As the race course descends after a small incline, you should be able to take advantage of the subtle decline & get faster. After you enter the IBM complex off of Burnett Road, you should be running strong & hard. Do not sprint, just keep this steady, strong pace up as you turn around the final turn & see the finish line. Hold this strong pace all the way across the finish line. The reason we do not want you to sprint to the finish is that you will NOT be sprinting at any time in the marathon, & it is important to begin to get a feel for what pace you can maintain as you close into the finish line. If you come in at a sprint, then you've left valuable time out on the course, & should work on budgeting your effort more effectively in future races.

Post-Race:

After the race, get some fluids & calories back in your system as soon as possible. Optimally, you'll really want to get 50 grams of carbohydrates back in your body within approximately 15-20 minutes after you come across the finish line. Relax for a little bit & then get back together at the Rogue tent. We’ll head back out on the course to the 5 mile marker & cheer in as many Rogues as possible. I want everyone to get in a 2 mile cool down after the race.

If you brought some goodies for after your cool-down, your coaches will be hanging out around the Rogue tent to celebrate a well-run race. ]]> http://www.roguerunning.com/resources_articles_details.php?aid=212 http://www.roguerunning.com By: Chris Matus

Working in the GIS/Mapping field and also measuring and mapping courses for Joe along with other trails, never use a GPS to measure a course.  Liam mentioned only a couple of the variables that will throw off the accuracy of the GPS.  Even if you set your GPS to collect a point every second, you will typically come up short compared to the actual ground distance.  A GPS is made to collect accurate locations based on a point and do very bad at figuring distance.  Even a survey grade GPS that has to do differential correction, either on the fly or by post-processing the data to get an accurate location (sub-centimeter) will be bad at figuring distance.

When a GPS records a track, all it is doing is recording it's location at a certain point on the earth per the set interval.  You will not see each individual point because most GPS software programs automatically connects the dots and what you end up seeing is the track line.  If you were able to see each individual point, you would notice that they don't follow the line you travelled precisely.  One may be 10 ft to the left of the line travelled, while the next one may be 20 ft to the right of the line.  And this continues throughout the whole collection process.  What the software and the GPS does is interpolate the distance.  This is why you typically come up short.  Though there may be times you come up long, but it's not very often.

The GPS also does not do elevation very well.  There are many reasons for this and too technical for this email, but the main thing to remember is that elevation on a GPS will be around 1.5 times less accurate than the X, Y (Longitude, Latitude) of the collected point.  What you can use the elevation for is just a general trend.

Now, that being said, if you are out in the open and don't have any obstacles blocking the reception from overhead or from the horizon and the satellites are evenly spaced in the sky to get good triangulation and there is no cloud cover and your not next to a lake or river and there is no weird atmospheric things going on and you travel a fairly straight line and you don't have much elevation change, then the distance recorded will be pretty close to the actual ground distance. 

When I make my maps, I use a GPS only for a general location of the trail.  The distances I list are from a survey wheel or a calibrated bike.  And even then, I use both products very carefully making sure the wheel stays in contact with the ground at all times.  By doing all this there will still be some error since most trails are typically wide enough where a person can take a slightly different path along it.  To compensate for this, the trail will be measured more than once and then the average used.

If you understand the limitations of the GPS, then it's a great tool to use for a general idea of the distance you have travelled or the elevation you have traversed.  Just don't take the numbers it gives you as the real deal.

Visit Panther's website to see pictures: http://rogueprproject.blogspot.com

E-mail Panther (phil@roguerunning.com) to find out how you can get involved next time! Want to dress up like these super heroes? Come to the Rogue Pumpkin Run and do 3,5,7 or 10 miles in costume. The top four costumes receive free entries to the Turkey Trot in November.

The marathon is the toughest race you will ever run. It’s an opportunity to play and suffer in equal measure. If it were all pain, you wouldn’t do it, and if it were all pleasure, it would have no inherent value. In order to succeed and meet your goals, psychological preparation is imperative. You’re already physically prepared; you have worked with Rogue to arrive there. Forget what you’ve missed; it cannot help you now, but it will hurt you if you dwell on it. Now is the time to trust your training, minimize distractions, and look back through all you have accomplished in your journey. A race plan will keep you on course and ensure that you arrive at the finish line satisfied by having met your goals. This race plan won’t work for every course, but it’s an effective general guide to follow. Meet with your coach to discuss specifics so you can walk to the start line armed appropriately for the individual race you’re running.

When the gun goes off, spend the first five miles relaxing and enjoying your self. You made it, and you belong here. Take it in. There’s plenty of time to suffer later, and you can make up for a slightly slower pace, but you will not recover from going out too fast. Especially with all of the pageantry at larger races, these first miles reward you for your hard work and remind you why you came.

Between miles five and ten, settle into a rhythm with your eye on pace. Follow how you feel on race day, and don’t get too emotional. Emotional energy can throw you off entirely, while an intelligent race plan will keep you in check whether you’re dragging or feeling strong. How you feel throughout will loop up and down, so don’t get carried away by a few minutes of pain or glory. Remember the rule of 1 to 4: for every one second you start out running too fast, you will lose four seconds later in the race as a result.

From miles one until ten, hydrate well to prepare you for the rest of the race. Drink water and slightly sugary drinks, but not gels or fuels. Ingest salts and electrolytes but, to avoid cramping, do so every three to four miles at most.

The mantra of miles ten to fifteen is, “trust the rhythm.” Runners often ditch their race plans and go too fast at this point, but it’s a mistake. Be patient and disciplined, and most of all “trust the rhythm” rather than your head. Be vigilant about staying on pace. At this point, runners enter the no man’s land of the marathon, and should rely on a race plan to get them through the confusion.

Miles fifteen to twenty are really what the marathon is about: working hard to stay on pace and meeting your goals. Almost no Rogue wants to run a marathon just to finish. After all of the speed work you’ve done and the time you’ve put in, a voice small or loud communicates a mental, if not spoken, goal. In order to succeed, it’s important to put a goal in place, and realize that those worth having are goals worth fighting for. This is your fight, and you can’t go back and forth between desire and apathy. The race is too tough, and you won’t make it through the pain if you’re somewhere in the middle. At this time in the race, ask yourself if you mean what you say, and remember the value of your training as you push through depletion of fluids, fuel and self-assuredness.

Finally, finish strong in the last 6.2 miles. Yes, it will be extremely painful, but the finish line will make it all worthwhile. Energy and emotion will return in whatever proportion you invest. Everyone is suffering. Everyone. When it’s over, congratulate yourself and stay positive. The marathon is the toughest race you will ever run, and you ran it.

]]> http://www.roguerunning.com/resources_articles_details.php?aid=210 http://www.roguerunning.com Happy 39th Birthday, Steve!

Congratulations on the win today. The UT women's team traveled to Kentucky for the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic and won by 95 points. The women were outstanding today, all of them running PR 5k cross country 5k's.

Junior Betzy Jimenez, competing in her first race of the season, paced the Horns with a third-place finish. Jimenez clocked in at a career-best time of 17:07.98. Senior Larkin Geyer also recorded her fastest time as a Longhorn, 17:38.28, to finish 11th.

Juniors Lauren Salisbury (17:54.86) and Alison Mendez, the neice of Richard Mendez local master's super star, (18:09.61) placed in the top 25, crossing the finish line in 18th and 25th, respectively. Both harriers also set new career marks in the 5K with their times.

Rounding out the Longhorn scoring contingent were freshmen Julie Amthor (18:10.94), Laleh Mojtabaeezamani (18:13.01) and Mia Behm (18:18.58). The newcomer trio placed 28th, 30th and 33rd, respectively, and earned points for UT for the third-straight meet.

The Longhorns head to the Chili Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark., on Oct. 18 for their final meet before the Big 12 Championships, held in Ames, Iowa on Nov. 1.

Congratulaton Coach Sisson and the Lady Horns!

It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done... and I’m ready to go again next year! From Friday, September 26th through Sunday, September 28th I chased pavement around the entirety of Lake Tahoe. The training seemed to prepare me well because even after all three days, I only felt real pain in my toes, several of which have swelled and appear to be angry.

The first day began at Inspiration Point, aptly named for its overlook onto Emerald Bay. I heard the shotgun and took off. Claire Secker ran with me, which made first day jitters less overwhelming, and Russ Secker and Keithly McNally crewed for me for two of the three days, something I couldn’t have done without. The altitude reached 7,000 feet and sank to lake level, so it was quite the climb; up and down we went. The first half felt great and leaned mostly downhill; it was just like a usual marathon in that, right around mile 20, I wanted it to end. That’s when the hills started. I ran hills from mile 20 until the finish, and the thin air made them even more difficult than usual. Even level ground was trying as we climbed higher up. I reminded myself that hills are never easy, and I tried to stay relaxed and focus on maintaining my pace. At the end of the day I felt good: 1/3 down!

Day Two started less formally than Day 1; someone yelled, “go,” and we took our cues. Definitely the most difficult of the three days, I let my guard down and began to feel defeated. It’s true what they (and I) always say: mental attitude has everything to do with how you perform. I realize now how important good nutrition is because, after the run on Day One, I hadn’t reloaded fully. My body was depleted and that made this day hard. The course tilted downward at the beginning, for the first 8 miles, and flattened out at Incline Village. Once again, the biggest hills came just in time for the last parts of the race, and from miles 13 to 16 I was wondering what I was thinking getting myself into this. After that, I shook it off, realized that I could do this; I was prepared, and I felt the weight of the day easing. After all, I was more than half way done with the entire triple. At the end of day two, a fellow Rogue runner, Debbie, said she overheard someone say, “If you wanna see a lake, buy a postcard.” Still, I felt grateful for not having injuries, and Day Three looked promising.

On the last day, I faced “The Hill From Hell”. Boy, was it ever! In fact, they had made these cute little signs along the way to remind us just how difficult it was. At the time, it was torture, but accomplishing it felt doubly rewarding. I would compare the Hill from Hell to Mt. Bonnell, straight up for two miles. After the worst came the best: the final 6 miles. I thought, coming into this, that those miles would wreck me more than any others, but I felt relieved instead of ravaged. I was exhausted, and the thought of not having to wake up the next morning and run yet another marathon kept me going strong.

Three days and a total of 78.6 miles is no easy feat, and that’s one reason why it has such value for me. Russ Secker put it well when he said, “Tahoe is beautiful but not for the fainthearted.... No one leaves disappointed or unfulfilled.”

By: Ruth England

When you exercise, sweat evaporates off of your skin, cools your body, and regulates your body temperature. In the summer, your effort goes into keeping the body cool, while in the winter you have to work to stay warm. Not regulating your body temperature correctly forces your heart to work harder. Some basic apparel choices will help your body balance external environment with internal temperature:

Cotton apparel absorbs and wicks moisture but holds onto it. It dries very slowly and gets heavy when wet. Plus, it’s a rough fiber. Wearing a technical fiber like Dri-Fit or Coolmax will help regulate your body temperature better and is more comfortable during workouts. In warm weather, it keeps you cooler since it evaporates moisture better than cotton, and in cold weather its ability to wick moisture away from your body leaves you drier and warmer. You do want Coolmax apparel to be fitted. When it is against your skin it does best at wicking the moisture away from you. Technical fabrics reduce the risk of chaffing and blisters because they are less abrasive than cotton.

Running accessories such as gloves, hats, headbands, socks also come in CoolMax. Wear Coolmax socks, especially on the long runs, to avoid blisters. Cotton socks hold on to moisture, rub, and can cause blisters. Women will need to look into finding a jog bra that serves its function and doesn’t restrict running. Look at this Rogue article for more information about how to pick them.

Chafing occurs when skin rubs against skin or fabric rubs against skin on a long run. This can occur on runs of 7 miles or so and longer. You can use Vaseline or, even better, Body Glide on your next run to prevent chafing. Men sometimes chafe on the nipples and should try Vaseline, Body Glide or Nip Guards (Band-Aids) to avoid the problem.

A number of different clothing items: gloves, hat, long sleeved technical shirts, ear warmers, tights or running pants, and jackets all aid in warmth for the winter. In 50-degree weather, consider gloves, hats, long sleeved technical shirts and ear warmers. Hands are the first area you'll notice, so having gloves on can make your initial run more comfortable in slightly colder weather, and you can take them off, as the day gets warmer. What you wear will vary depending on whether you’re doing a training run or a race; in a race you'll likely warm up faster due to harder effort. In 30-degree weather, consider tights or running pants and jackets. In the winter, you should be chilly before you start running. If you are comfortable standing around in the parking lot before the run, you are wearing too much. Don’t forget the 20 degree rule: dress like it is 20 degrees warmer than it actually is to take into account how much your body is going to warm up.

When trying to gauge what to wear, think about how long you are going to be out. If it is 48 degrees at the start of the run, 2 hours later it could be in the upper 50s. On the other hand, if it is cold, don’t under dress. You will unconsciously run too fast. After you finish your run, you will become cold as your body cools back down. Bring a change of clothes, so that after the long run you can put something dry on.

I know that many of you will begin to consider me a very cruel man. A time trial is the one of the very first workouts of the program? The reason? So we can get a handle on where your fitness is RIGHT NOW. Why? So we can make sure that the times that you run for the workouts are appropriate for your current fitness. I am sure that some of you will be unhappy with your finish time; others of you will probably be surprised at how fast you run. Regardless of your feelings, I promise that this will be a very useful barometer for you throughout the training program.

So, what does my time for this 3200 meter run tell me? Well, first off, it is important to understand that the 2 mile distance is the optimal distance to test your fitness. This is because your body begins to go through some significant changes when you are running on the edge of your capacity for 1.5 miles. If you should run the time trial at a hard effort, in the final half mile you will probably feel that you very close to your limits. This feeling is your body working at its maximum level of oxygen consumption, which is when it begins to accumulate lactic acid. How well your body removes this by-product from the exercising muscles is a clear determinate of your current fitness. All this is “science speak” to say that the 2 mile time trial takes you closest to your limits, while still allowing you to run hard.

Just follow these steps:

Run your 3200 meters (2 miles/8 laps around the track) in the best time possible. I recommend that you start conservatively, & try to run faster as you progress. Starting too quickly is always the kiss of death for runners. We are trying to determine the best time you can run for this distance.

RELAX: Do not worry too much about this time trial. It is only a tool used to help you determine where you are in your fitness right now. You will only get faster as a result of this training program.

REMEMBER YOUR TIME!!!! We will not be able to remember everyone's time, so be sure you catch it. There will be a race clock at the finish line that will have your time. Once you have your time, login into your locker room at the top of the page is a link to the Rogue Calculator. Click the “2 mile” button & then input your 2 mile time trial time in the boxes below the table (be sure to put the minutes and seconds in the correct columns). Then, click "Calculate."

A graph will appear that shows you all kinds of times for a wide variety of distances & workout types. Take a look where your time places you in terms of a marathon time. This is an equivalent time to your time trail time. Of course, this is based on what you ran today, some of you in less than ideal conditions, which may not be a perfectly accurate time, but it allows us to begin planning our training schedule.

Print out your calculator page 2 times: once for yourself and again for your coach. Bring your page to the next workout for your coach.

10K Pace/Mile

Marathon Pace/Mile

Long Run Pace/Mile

Steady State Pace/Mile

Please keep these times available in your training log to reference in the future. As the training & your fitness progress, these times may become less relevant but they will certainly help us in the first workouts to set things such as Progressive Pace run times & to determine the right way to set up your race.

1. Drink lots of electrolyte-enhanced drinks such as Powerade and Accelerade. The benefit of drinking electrolytes is two fold: you ingest both calories & electrolytes from a single source, and, being in a liquid form, they absorb into your blood stream much more quickly than in any other form. The drawback to this method is that you'll need to take in many more calories than necessary to get enough electrolytes to remain in balance. For some, this is no problem. However, for others who either have sensitive stomachs or try to minimize non-essential calories, it’s best to avoid excessive sugar intake.

2. Take electrolyte tablets, pills, & capsules. For non-caloric options to replacing electrolytes, research the various pill forms of electrolyte replacement & see what works for you. It is very important that you begin this process before your long runs for a few reasons. Some folks need to practice taking the supplements while running; it is certainly an acquired skill. You will also want to see which brand or pill form works best for you. The following are two recommended brands:

Electrolyte Stamina: Manufactured by Trace Minerals & available at Whole Foods Market are a low cost & easily accessible option. I used this product all summer long in my difficult preparation for Pikes Peak. Many in my group began to call them the “magic pills”. Limitations include their large size & nori paper/seaweed-like taste that some find offensive.

E-caps: Manufactured by Hammer Nutrition (makers of Hammer Gel) is the original capsule, used & loved by ultrarunners since 1987. You can find these online, at GNC & at various pharmacies.

The only problem with pills is that you will still need to get your sugars in somehow. Many folks take a gel & a pill with water. This is especially recommended if the marathon you are running does not use the same drink you've used in your training preparation.

3. Powdered electrolytes are a great option for those that choose to add their electrolytes directly to water or to a sugared replacement drink. This is appropriate for those who can handle some sugared drinks but want to maximize the electrolyte content. This is the preferred method when pre-hydrating for a long run or race. The following are some recommended brands:

Nuun: With its light, tart taste, this product has won over many converts in the last couple of years. It comes in a convenient canister & is easily administered to any drink. The only drawback is the cost. You can find cheaper options, but they won't be as tasty or as convenient.

ElectroMix: Made by the same folks that make EmerGenCy, the Alacer Corp, these come in packets that make either a liter or a gallon of calorie free sports drink. It is lemon lime flavor & can be very acidic. You'll want to try it out before any long run & ensure that it works for you. By far, these are the cheapest option to pre-hydration.

Ask around on the long runs to see what your fellow runners use, & ask them why they like what they’ve chosen. It’s really a matter of personal taste. However, taking some form of electrolyte replacement is absolutely essential to your long runs & quality workouts.

In addition to running the Austin Marathon regularly, Amy enjoys destination races like the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C., which she ran right after the terrorist attacks in 2001, and the Boston Marathon.  Her current goal is the St. George Marathon on October 4th, so “it’s coming up quick”!

A true Rogue pioneer, Amy helped to conceptualize what Rogue coaches do and how they do it.  Co-coach Mark Enstone describes his “summer-long old-fashioned apprenticeship” under Amy as, “illuminating.  Being the recipient of her advice, knowledge and mentoring, learning from her on how to mold my personality and experiences into my own coaching philosophy has been invaluable.”  As a contributor the Rogue Coaching School, Amy counterbalances information about the science of coaching with the art of coaching and organizes it into charts for later use as reference tools.  She describes the art of coaching as different from the science of coaching in the way it includes “developing a personal coaching philosophy and modes of communicating with athletes.”  Rogue co-owner Carolyn Mangold, describes Amy’s efficacy with statistics: “when we surveyed people in the past, most people chose the training schedule as the most valuable thing they received from Rogue’s programs, but Amy’s trainees chose the information they received from her.”  Amy exemplifies what she teaches in coaching school, combining technical knowledge and a personal but professional approach to participants.

Her first piece of advice to new runners is to “Join Rogue! Group workouts motivate most people to run farther and faster than they can on their own, and Rogue coaches help people set realistic goals.” The great thing?  We didn’t even tell her to say that.  Amy’s bag of mental tricks runs deep, and she thinks it’s important to remember “we have to put our bodies under a certain amount of stress in order to improve.  When the stress of the training load is appropriate, our bodies adapt to it.”  A routine problem she notices “is that we don’t always listen to what our bodies are trying to tell us.  The common running injuries don’t happen overnight.  We get plenty of warning.  If we don’t respond to the whispers, they’ll get louder and louder until they can’t be ignored.”

Currently, Amy coaches a Chicago/San Antonio/New York Marathon Training Program, which meets on Wednesday evenings for quality workouts, and she’s the coach for the Austin Marathon Short Course.   One of her participants, Jennifer Howard-Brown, calls Amy a “great team builder.  She succeeded in creating a close-knit group that looks out for each other and prioritizes the quality workout.”  In the past, Amy has coached 5k, 10k, marathon and triathlon groups.  She is really a woman of all trades.   After having accomplished five Ironman triathlons, Amy claims she’s “retired from triathlon.  Never say ‘never’, but for now I’ve returned to my first love: running.”

There is one basic plan that all of the athletes follow, but each athlete chooses, along with Coach Panther, which “work group” he or she is going to be in. The “work groups” are based on weekly mileage, with the least intense being 20 miles per week (for triathletes, duathletes, and half marathoners) and the most intense being 70 miles per week (for those training for multiple marathons in a season or for ultramarathons).

The plans follow 3-week cycles (2 hard weeks followed by 1 easy week), and, at the end of each cycle, athletes have the choice of either “graduating” up into the next workload or staying where they are, because of time constraints or because they need more time to adjust to the heavier mileage. Athletes include 12-minute milers to 6-minute milers, marathoners hoping to break 5 hours, 4 hours, and 3 hours, and many others. We have all kinds of athletes in our group, and everyone is welcome.

Although we are very social and are sometimes known for our fun side, we are a very serious group that is committed to running fitness. Whether you want to set a new Personal Record, qualify for the Boston Marathon, or get your running up to speed for triathlon season, Coach Panther expects every athlete to work hard, have reasonable goals, and do his or her best to follow the training schedule. We have a terrific team, and we reward our own hard work with team happy hours and our own brand of team support and encouragement.

The PR Project is a little more expensive than some running groups, but it’s worth it! Coach Panther writes the workouts, but he gets input from Rogue owner and UT running coach, Steve Sisson, one of the most knowledgeable running coaches in the US. Though the group most often meets at Rogue’s beautiful new facility on the East Side, we sometimes meet in other locations throughout Austin.

Come out and give it a try!

Crunches

Yes, you probably have experience with these, it's a basic exercise with extraordinary results. It's also probable that, having never examined proper form, you're unfamiliar with whether you're "crunching" the right way.

How to:

1. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat.
2. Cross your arms over your chest (see "variations" below about how to modify this to work other muscles)
3. Lift your head, shoulders and upper back off of the floor, curling your upper torso as much as possible while still keeping your chin parallel to the ceiling.
4. Exhale, return to resting position, and repeat.

Remember:

• Do sets of 20 crunches or more at a time
• Crunch slowly and maintain control, rather than concerning yourself with the number of crunches you do. Stop when you experience muscle fatigue.

Variations:

• Put your hands at your ears without joining your fingers behind your head.
• Put your hands over your head.
• Put your hands over your head and hold a light weight.
• Hold your legs straight or bent above the ground

Airplane

This one requires a little bit of reaching, but the side-to-side will make you look sassy. Although you start in the crunch position, you'll stretch side-to-side rather than up-and-down, so it's a whole different game.

How to:

1. Start in the basic crunch position, but place your arms at your sides.
2. Raise your shoulders and upper back off of the ground.
3. Hold this elevated position and reach, starting with one side first, for your ankles.
4. Now, reverse sides and reach for your other ankle.

Remember:

• Do not allow your shoulders to