running camp

Sarah and I after a long run this summer......

Running camp began this week ...... right at the moment I reached out and grabbed it. Like I said yesterday... you almost have to wait for that moment to come. It came through cold and rain and while I was out there running I decided. It was time for running camp to begin.

Part of this year's journey, now that I have learned how to run, is to become a faster runner. You might remember that for the better part of 2 years my focus was on Ironman running, which meant E paced running as defined by the world's number one running Coach Jack Daniels.

What is all this V Dot talk? It's a system. It helps if you have a Garmin, but I advise you to not get a Garmin if you are freaked out by numbers or one of those people who gets obsessive about it. I am the type of athlete who can read and also ignore my Garmin without emotion. This thing could fall off of me and I would only be upset because it was expensive. By using it I have learned my paces. I am not defined by it.

So let us begin in the beginning. To understand the V dot system, actually to understand any training methodology you need to have a basic understanding of physiology and training. It's not that hard. There are a lot of great articles out there. There are a few who write in a fashion that is simple and to the point about the basics and even about more.

References you are going to want to check out are: (and there are absolutely more, I just like this group. Also note that Trevor Syversen of TMS Multisports would be on this list if he actually PUBLISHED something.... he's awesome)

Gordo Byrn
Rich Strauss
Paulo Sousa
Chuckie V (some people disagree with this choice, but the guy is hilarious!)
The Science of Sport

And my favorite Jack Daniels. In fact here is a good article from a great site written by him:
http://www.coacheseducation.com/endur/jack-daniels-june-00.htm

What I do is I read an article, I put it away and I allow it to soak in. I often think about it during my next run or ride.

Back to V Dot. To oversimplify (understand by doing the reading, don't just go out and do something……) the process, you begin with a recent race time. For me…… a 5K.

21:10, somewhere around there. I will use this number because it's been where I have been running since the summer. This number gives me a V dot of 46. Based on this V dot JD set up paces for various runs. Now these names paces and definitions are designed by JD, as I will incorrectly reference them I am sure: (and here is a great site for V dot calculating). Important lesson here: never run at a V Dot you have not earned. Unless you want to be injured.

E pace; Easy pace. HR is 65-79% and quantity is lesser of 25% weekly mileage.

M Pace; Marathon Pace. HR is 80-90% and quantity is lesser of 90 minutes.

T pace: Threshold pace. HR is 88-92% lesser of 10% weekly mileage.

There are 2 faster paces, but we will save that for later.

My E pace is about 9:00-9:10 minute miles. When I first saw that I thought, holy cow, that's waaaay too slow! But I trusted it, I did it and I am able to run every single day at this pace. Running slower forced me to develop a higher cadence run, forcing me to land on my midfoot and forcing me to run more efficiently. When I run e pace I can sing happy birthday, I feel like I am going …. as Training Peaks would call it…. embarrassingly slow, best alone.

The benefits of running E pace are that you develop your aerobic foundation (that's putting it really really simply). You learn to run more efficiently. (Saves you $$ on Newtons) and by running more efficiently you will avoid injury. I can run E pace in my sleep, and when I am in pain. E pace is also the pace that many hold during an Ironman marathon. Rich Strauss and his friends have come up with what I think it a gorgeous system for power pacing on the bike and V dot pacing on the run for an Ironman!

Now….. of course if all you do is run E pace you will do nothing but run E pace. (Like me). Just as if I go out and run 6:45 miles for every run of every day I will get injured. During this phase of the year, during running camp, the goal is to build durability and endurance.

So I am officially in running camp. 30 runs in 30 days. All E pace. 90% of these runs are 30 minutes. The goal: to run every day. To do this requires a brutal sense of honesty with myself. I have that. I have been through enough injuries to know whether I should run through something or I should not. And not to worry I will keep you updated.

The real magic will come down the road. When the running foundation is super solid and we can get into T pace and even I pace runs. The E pace is the cake. A good solid chocolate cake. Those other paces are the icing.

Skeptical? Don't worry; it's worked for thousands of runners. It has worked for me for over a year. Now that the focused has shifted, we shift too.

Lastly……. what do you do if you don't have a Garmin? There are a few good systems based on heart rate, take a look around. The thing to remember is that one system doesn't work for everyone. Many opt for the no gadget at all system, which is a great system to follow! As I said before I happen to be someone who can be very causal about my gadgets. I can get lost in the pure beauty of a run through the forest and occasionally check my pace. I don't care how far I run I only care about time right now. If the battery dies the battery dies. Don't be owned by these things, you'll go mad.

These gadgets and numbers teach us how to read out bodies. They often time slow us down. I think the real magic in them is when you attain the same feeling without looking, and realize you nailed it. That right there is when you know you've got it!

So welcome to running camp. I am looking forward to the runs I will be doing in Florida. The sun, the warm, the sand. It's all good medicine.

So read up campers and feel free to shoot me some good references that you might have. I am a sponge, and I like to read. Especially when I am hanging at the beach. Watching an Ironman. With Ironman friends. In the sun.

Yes friends....... there is thing called the sun....... I have heard much about it......