trainingregimen

WHY I TRAIN HOW I TRAIN:::
"The journey is more important than the destination." Meeting people along the way, and the
influence I let them have on my life, has shaped me into the runner I am today. I would be
hurt, injured, or not have even let myself get to that point, if I'd not listened to my friends who
have given me outstanding advice. My training was going in the right direction AND the wrong
direction at the same time. I was running longer and longer runs, but taking no time to recover
between them, and getting slower and slower on each outing. Also, the progression in duration
of my runs was EXTREMELY gradual.

How do you train for running 350? I'm still finding the answer; like it comes in parts. There's
so many parts to consider. Recovery is one I wasn't. There is no way, except if MAYBE my life
depended on it, I could go out and run 70 miles today. I'd end up having to walk it, at least the
last 40 miles of it, and thus not truly enjoying the run, but being in pure agony just to keep
moving forward.

Yes, there will always be a measure of pain. Yes, you will deal with AGONIZING pain. However,
you can't let yourself feel that every single day you run or you will not be able to truly enjoy
the one thing you love most to do...running!

Sometimes what I think is best for me is not actually what is best. I don't always have the
answer. If it were up to me, I would get outside every day and run longer and longer until I
could run no longer. If I were to take each day and run as long as it is humanly possible to run
that day, would I ever be able to run this event? Probably not. Do I need a day off? Yes. Does
my body (and mind) need rest? Yes. I admit, I am not a machine (I began to realize that on my
18th consecutive marathon, Nov 11 2007). I know that anything is possible with God, and that
God MAKES all things possible. This is why he gives me the wisdom to understand the body
and mind, and thus to understand how I must train. God doesn't want me to harm myself by
doing this, nor do I wish to harm the body he has given me to do this. Thus, I listen when God
is speaking to me as I pray to him, and I listen to God speaking to me through other people as
I am given useful advice from "the experts" God has blessed me with in life!

Thus, as you look at my training updates and how my training has changed, look also at the
different parts I am currently "adding" to my training, and also how much better I am able to
feel on my runs each day...versus feeling like death every single time I get out to run! Take a
look at the training page now and please contact me if you have any questions, or if you have
advice of your own!!!

KEY ELEMENTS OF ENDURANCE TRAINING
NUTRITION: cutting all refined sugars, white flour, fast food, soda, trans fat and saturated fat from the diet. This makes more a
difference than people know until they try it. This is what gives me the energy to go on such lack of sleep all the time, and to
thus be able to give more time to running that I would otherwise be using to sleep. This is what keeps my immune system
strong, and helps me handle the temperature changes from season to season...even from day to day.

RUNNING FORM: keep body in upright position, not leaning back or more than slightly forward. Keep arms at waist length.
Don't lift knees/legs more than necessary; keep close to the ground. Land midfoot to toe (flat footed). {Landing on heel can
slow you down and cause more impact with each step; can also lead to "rolling of the foot" which can cause ankle and
knee injuries}. Land as though stepping on hot charcoal...on and off each foot as if you were about to break something. Soft
landings with little impact!

SACRIFICE: Something we'd rather not think about, but something we must include in training in order to stay consistent and
keep pushing further. We must accept there needs to be sacrifice for running. If not, if we don't wish to make the sacrifice,
we cannot give our best. There may be sacrifices of time, money, sleep, diet, and of course the most obvious physical
comfort.

RELAXING THE MIND AND BODY: This comes with practice. The sooner we learn the best running form, the sooner we can
physically relax the body. However, as we relax the mind, we can even further relax the body. The thoughts we "keep" in
our mind are what affects our physical performance. Thoughts come and go when you're out running many, many hours.
Yet it's where we "keep" our mind that affects what we do. When I run, I keep my mind inside my run. I focus entirely on
what I'm doing and that is what matters most. I am aware of what is going on around me but don't let it distract me in any
way. Everything else in life is suddenly not on my mind; I forget about all bad, stressful things in my life; I may think suddenly
about something pleasant in my life; but for the most part, my mind stays inside my run! I am one with myself and I am one
with my run!

MONOTONY: Running the same course or loop over and over again. This should be practiced so that when you run 50, 100
miles, or whatever distance for which you're training, you will have a mental advantage because the course of the race
will be much more interesting and stimulating to the mind than the course on which you have trained. Also, certain types of
races "require" you practice monotony in your training, such as 24-hr or 48-hr track races; or races where the same loop is
repeated over and over, such as the McNaughton (150 miles is 15*10-mile loop).

HEAT TRAINING: (Something I'm passionate about nearly as much as running itself)...Adding extra clothing to make
temperatures "seem warmer" than what they are. This doesn't mean simply adding one more layer when it's cold out, just
because it's cold. This means adding enough clothing that you're warm, nearly stuffy, just by walking outside. This can be
done in either hot or cold weather, yet of course more clothing is required for the same effect in colder weather. This type
of training should be done when preparing to run in extreme heat, or when preparing to run extremely long distances in
even somewhat warm weather. Heat training also simply makes the run more difficult, especially when trying to keep a
quicker pace. Heat training will increase the body's need for fluid, which will in turn keep you better hydrated during the
run. Heat training will also increase blood plasma volume, as well as decrease your exercise induced heart rate and
decrease your perceived effort. Heat training makes you work harder, simply put, because it is difficult even to get started
sometimes!

WEIGHT TRAINING: carrying extra weight during the run. NOT going to the gym and "working out"; instead using running as
your gym workout. An example of this would be to carry a backpack full of food, water, and clothing (stuff you may need
on the run). This type of training is necessary when running a self-supported race with no aid stations (like the Marathon des
Sables in Africa), or in a race such as Badwater, where you are wanting some sort of fluid or electrolyte replacement
constantly in order to survive even one more mile! "Weight" training is also helpful because it simply makes the run more
difficult, AND teaches you to use your upper body more efficiently, as you have to in order to deal with the weight on your
shoulders and back. As you're able to use your upper body more efficiently, you are able to run a bit faster; and when pain
occurs, you can alleviate some of the pain from your legs by working your arms (taking a little more work off your legs).
Weight training is like running uphill all the time, especially when combined with heat training into the same run! Weight
training can, however, alter your running form, which can lead to injuries. So unless you have perfected your running form,
don't try adding weight to your runs.

HYDRATION METHOD: Whether water bottles or a Camelbak or waist pack, use whatever works for you to stay hydrated on
the run. This may be different depending on the course or type of race. For instance, if running around a track or loop
course, you may not need to carry your hydration; you can get water/electrolyte drinks when you get back around the
loop. On a race with aid stations, you could just wait til the next aid station to stock up on water and food (this depends on
how far apart are the aid stations and how hot the temperatures that day...it is usually better to carry something w/you on
the run). If you're doing a self-supported race, you would wish to carry your own hydration. It is important to practice
different hydration methods in your training so that you will be ready for the different situations you will encounter during the
races / solo runs you will be running.