HOW TO KEEP YOUR TRAINING EFFECTIVE
Is your training plan looking a bit samey? Then you need to inject some variation or else risk a performance plateau. Our resident coach Ben Bright explains…
Many years ago, I remember reading a story about a Japanese marathon runner who had performed the same run session every day for more than two decades. By this time he was in his late 40s but was still running some really impressive times, around the 2:40 mark as I remember. In some ways this example goes against what I’m about to write, but it also confirms that there are many ways to achieve great performance.
One of the reasons we train is to improve our performance. Ideally, training should stress the system enough to illicit an adaptive response that means we become more efficient. If the stress load is not enough the adaptations won’t be significant and improvement will be minimal. If the stress load is too high the body will begin to break down and we become overtrained, ill or injured (or all three if you’re really unlucky).
An effective training plan (supported by good nutrition, hydration, sleep, therapy, recovery etc.) will stress the system enough to get the maximum adaptive response but will avoid chronic or acute overload. It’s quite the balancing act and very easy to get wrong. It’s also the reason for the explosion in more science-based training in recent years; the effective monitoring of what’s going on within the athlete’s body means you can make the tightrope even narrower, getting more from each session or block without going over the edge if you get it right.
One of the many amazing things the body is capable of is finding equilibrium. We can compensate and adapt to different stimuli incredibly well. Consider the different types of flora and fauna that live in the Arctic versus at the equator. Yet humans occupy both environments because of our ability to adapt and normalise.
This happens if we perform the same type of training for too long – the body is no longer stimulated to adapt and we plateau, or the constant stress of the same input means we become overtrained. This is why varying your training is important, particularly if you’re very consistent. Often the variation within a training plan is described as periodisation. I remember Dan Lorang describing the training plan of Jan Frodeno during a conference and there were four main and distinct phases – Preparation (getting the body ready); Polarized training (lots of low aerobic volume interspersed with some high end Vo2 and anaerobic work); Specific (more time spent at the specific race requirements for sustained periods); and Recovery. One of the key aspects of that plan is the variability. Not just doing the same over and again but keeping the body and mind fresh, stressing the system in different ways to get the adaptations they’re after.
Back to our marathoner – while his achievement in running such good times so consistently for so long is impressive, I always wondered whether he could have ultimately run faster by doing something a bit different once in a while. Even into his 40s he was running times comparable to what he was doing in his 20s. Maybe that was never his goal and he just liked the routine of it.
But if you’re feeling like your performance has plateaued it’s worth having a look at your own training plan to see if you can identify some variation in there, whether that’s in specific training periods or within your weekly routine, and adding some variety if it all looks a bit samey.
“The constant stress of the same input can lead to overtraining”
FASTED RUNNING BENEFITS
Q I’m aware of the many risks associated with fasted running but is it possible to do it safely? Lucy Gardner
A It’s true, there are many potential drawbacks to fasted running. Still, to perform well in races lasting longer than 90 minutes we need to burn a high amount of fat during exercise. So is there a way to get the benefits of fasted running without the drawbacks? I believe so.
One recent study in the US found that exercising after a protein-oriented breakfast, as opposed to a traditional western-world carbohydrate-focused breakfast, athletes burned fat at a very similar rate to exercising in a fasted state.
Instead of running wholly fasted, you could eat a protein and fat-based meal and still train your body to burn a lot of fat. Meals like omelettes, nut butter, protein bars, meats, or salads with protein are all great options.
Another study found that fat burning is highly correlated with VO2 max. A well-designed training plan will naturally raise VO2 max and your ability to burn fat as fuel. If you have a well-designed training plan, you might not even have to worry about training yourself to burn more fat.
When we speak with athletes who have plateaued in their training, despite doing every single workout outlined in their training plan, we always ask them, ‘What are you eating before, during, and after your workouts?’ One of the most common answers from these athletes who have hit a brick wall in their progress is, ‘Nothing; eating before training doesn’t feel good.’
In one case, we worked with an athlete to get them to eat more before, during, and after their workouts. Within a few months, they shaved 30 minutes off their half-Ironman time, set personal bests, and qualified for their first world championship.
We all train our muscles to work at a higher and higher intensity; we also have to train our stomachs to handle food while exercising. Doing so with the proper nutrients at the right time can fuel your body for your workouts while teaching your body how to burn fat as fuel, leaving fasted running unnecessary. Taren Gesell
SWIMMING WITH SCIATICA
Q I suffer with sciatica. Can swimming help ease the pain? Daniel Broadbent
A Sciatica or sciatic pain refers to pain or neural symptoms (pins and needles, numbness) that travel along the sciatic nerve, and emanates from the gluteal region (lower back, hips and buttocks) into the lower limb (down the back of the leg and into your foot and toes).
It occurs when something touches the sciatic nerve, usually a slipped spinal disc or an overgrowth of bone, and commonly affects just one side. While bed rest was once prescribed this has now been replaced with active treatments, such as walking, jogging, cycling and swimming, to name but a few.
Depending on the irritability of your sciatica, swimming will mostly provide a ‘calming’ effect. A reduction in pain intensity and symptoms may also occur.
The mechanisms behind this reduction in symptoms is unknown. However, we can reason that the very act of ‘moving’ in a ‘supported’ environment such as the water could enhance a sciatica sufferer’s self efficacy.
The chief mechanism by which swimming may aggravate sciatica is through an increase in neural tension/ neural load. When a swimmer tumble turns and places their chin on their chest, this increases neural tension in the spinal tract, which can result in heightened irritability of an athlete’s sciatica.
If we think about a 30 or 60min swim, this may involve scores of repeated ‘chin to chest’ neurally-loaded positions, which may increase symptoms. In tandem with neck flexion on turning, a rounded back (lumbar flexed spinal position) can also serve as a neurally-loaded position for the swimmer.
This position adopted in tumble turns, and to a lesser extent touch turns, can also heighten sciatica symptoms.
Lastly, if a swimmer is highly toned in the front of their thighs (quadriceps) and hips (hip flexors), this can lead to the swimmer trying to ‘swim up and out of their hips’, which increases the work being done at the already extended spine.
This tightness pattern can be treated via stretching or manual therapies in order to reduce the risk of triggering sciatica symptoms.
Anterior hip tightness can be tested for with an orthopaedic test called the Thomas test. To perform the Thomas test the
athlete sits on the edge of a plinth and hugs one knee maximally into their chest. The other leg hangs passively down. If the ‘hanging leg’ is ‘hinging’ above neutral it may be deemed a positive test for anterior hip tightness.
The athlete can then perform stretching or manual therapies to reduce the tone in this region. The result of this intervention being reduced anterior hip tightness and a better position in the water, with the pelvis placing less load on the lower back when swimming. Brad Beer
AERO BIKE TIPS
Q How can I get more aero on my bike? Jonathan Martin
A There are plenty of things that can be done to save watts and help you go faster. Here are some of my top tips.
Invest in a time trial or triathlon bike These are designed for speed and offer a huge amount of adaptability to make your ride both more comfortable and faster. It takes a bit of practice to get used to a new position so riding on an indoor trainer is advisable before you take it on the road.
Get a bike fit Once you have your bike ready to race, it’s important to get fitted by a professional to make sure you can ride safely without getting any subsequent injuries. These are nationwide and available to anyone.
If you’ve been racing a long time and are looking for more marginal gains then there are specialists in aero testing. These are costly but if you’re trying to squeeze a bit more out of race day then that is a very good option.
The testing I’ve done recently has saved me over 20 watts since my first longcourse race last year. The body on a bike creates the greatest amount of drag, so it’s well worth investing in a fit to refine your position for race day.
Choose your tri-suit and fabrics carefully There’s a huge amount of research on high-performing fabrics, but you have to balance comfort, breathability, flexibility, aerodynamics and hydrodynamics.
There are other accessories that can save a surprising amount of watts, too, like calf sleeves, toe covers, base layers and other items – the catalogue is forever expanding.
Consider an aero helmet There’s a huge range of aero helmets in all shapes and sizes on the market now. These have a big impact on watt-saving, so it’s definitely worth investing.
However, do consider that some may suit your riding position more than others. An aero fit will help to determine which is best for you, but I found that the bigger the helmet the more watts you save, within reason of how well it fits – that’s the first concern for a helmet.
Dont’t forget the geeky bits As with fabrics, there’s a growing market in aerodynamic accessories and 3D printing has opened up a new world to clean up your set-up. For budget improvements, you can make changes like swapping valve covers, skewers, computer mounts, bottles and hydrations systems. Even tape in the right place can make you go faster.
For moderately-priced improvements, pedals, chains, chainrings, tyres and brakes can all be replaced for a faster set-up. If budget isn’t an issue then a rear disc wheel and a tri-spoke front is the best choice. Tom Bishop
FOOT HEALTH FOR RUNNING
Q How can I keep my feet healthy for running? Catherine Field
A Cream, talcum powder, and socks – it’s important to get these right. The skin under your foot is seven times thicker than on your face and four times thicker than your body skin, so don’t use any old cream – you need a specialist cream. Apply it to the dry and cushioned areas, around the heel and the ball of the foot. Then massage the areas where both corns and calluses tend to build up, to improve your skin elasticity.
Do not apply cream between the toes, though – that’s where talcum powder goes. Use it between your toes and on the sole of the foot between the previously creamed areas.
Talcum powder is not designed to dry the skin but to control the perspiration and it leaves a thin protective veil.
Cut your toe nails short and square, smooth the lateral corners with a glass file (these come with a thick and smooth edge, allowing you to file any potential nail spur, without damaging the surrounding skin).
The importance of socks cannot be stressed enough – you need to change them often. Use socks that have elastic support in the instep, arch and ankle. This helps to position them well and reduce rubbing, which in turn helps to prevent blisters. Christophe Champs