RUNNING. Shoes and pavement. Any time, any 6 RUNNING GUIDE RUNNING GUIDE

W E N E H T RUNNING S E L RU If you thin k and as fa running is all abo st as y ut po to see res ou can, think aga unding the pavem in ults, you need ...
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W E N E H T RUNNING S E L RU If you thin k and as fa running is all abo st as y ut po to see res ou can, think aga unding the pavem in ults, you need to s . Experts say if yo ent as hard low dow u n and foc really want us on for m

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Alactic – fast twitch Anaerobic >165

Level 3 (155 BPM) 5.30-5.45mins/km

Level 2 (145 BPM) 6.00-6.15mins/km

Aerobic

Level 1 (135 BPM) 6.15-6.30mins/km

THE RUNNING PYRAMID running with a heart rate between 150-160 BPM with an average of 5.30-5.45 mins/km. Above that is the anaerobic zone and then the peak alactic zone.



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hoes and pavement. Any time, any place and at your leisure. That’s all you need for the ultimate workout. The list of reasons to run is lengthy. It reduces stress, gives you a feel-good endorphin boost and helps with weight loss. But with the pros come the cons and a dislike for running is common among people who have suffered from injury, lack experience or are running but not noticing any physical benefits. Well, now you can dust off those running shoes and say “adios” to old excuses because a new running method promises to have you reaching your goals and shifting weight in no time. The philosophy at Auckland running clinic Get Running is based on a five-level pyramid that uses heart rate (BPM) and pace to determine specific running stages. The bottom level is a slow and steady pace that acts as a base. This base pace is between 6.15-6.30 minutes per kilometre and a heart rate between 130-140 BPM. At level two, the runner’s heart rate sits between 140-150 BPM and pace averages between 6-6.15 mins/km. Level three is

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“First we build a large base of running ability at the bottom layer of the triangle and work our way up slowly by applying pressure but then pulling back a bit to let the body recover and strengthen. The larger the base the higher you can go,” says Gaz Brown, a running expert at Get Running. “If the body is conditioned well in level one, then when you head out to complete your goal run or race you’re going to be running at level two and up to level three. Near the end of a race you might reach the anaerobic zone, but only for a small amount of time.” Runners who suffer from injury or feel burnt out and overtrained are usually spending a lot of time running in the anaerobic zone, says Gaz. The word anaerobic is Greek for ‘living without air’, which is the exact position you put your body in when you work out under high-stress conditions. When the body performs in this high-pressure zone with a heart rate over 165 BPM, the cardiovascular system has difficulty providing your muscles with oxygen. While it’s valuable to reach this zone occasionally to push your body to improve, constantly working out anaerobically will prevent you getting results.

THE BEGINNER

Sarah

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SARAH’S TRAINING SCHEDULE MON

WEEK 1

TUES

WED

Run 4 mins, walk 2 mins x5

THURS

FRI

SAT

Run10 mins, walk 1 min x3

SUN

Run 20 mins, walk 1min, run 10 mins

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

WEEK 2

Run 6 mins, walk 1 min x5

Run 15 mins, walk 1 min, run 15 mins

Run 30 mins, walk 1 min, run 5 mins

Run 15 mins, walk 1 min, run 15 mins

Run 15 mins, walk 1 min, run 15 mins

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

WEEK 3

RUNNING ON EMPTY

Run 15 mins, walk 1 min, run 15 mins

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

Sarah, 30, is a running novice who admits to buying her trainers because they look good

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hat’s your goal?” asks running coach Gaz Brown when I meet him at Auckland-based running clinic Get Running. My goal? I think about it. “Just to like running.” I can tell he is instantly disappointed. “What about a marathon?” He suggests. “A half?” “How many kilometres is that?” I ask. “Twenty one.” “Is there such a thing as a quarter marathon?” I can tell I’m not off to a good start. It probably seems as though I have been forced to do this running challenge and that I’m not interested. But I am interested. I just don’t want to slog it out on the

WEEK 4

Run 4km

Run 30 mins, walk 1 min, run 10 mins

Run 30 mins

Run 6km

Run 30 mins

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

WEEK 5

Run 20 mins, walk 1 min, run 30 mins

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

pavement for hours. And as a 30-year-old, I don’t want to get ‘runner’s skin’ that looks like it’s dropping and jiggling towards the ground. What I do want is the infamous ‘runner’s high’ that all my runner friends rave about after they run a long distance. To date, my running has been limited to very short sprints on the treadmill or

longer sprints on the netball court. But I’ve never run longer than 15-20 minutes. The first piece of advice Gaz gives me is to run at a pace where I can still hold a conversation, so my aim is to build a good foundation running at level one of the pyramid. He sets me a running schedule for two weeks, with three runs a week, and

sends me on my way. As a beginner runner, my sessions start slowly and for someone who goes to the gym regularly, I find them relatively easy. My first session involves running for four minutes and then walking for two, then repeating this pattern five times. It is all stop, start, walk, run for weeks. I hate it. In week three I go to see



“The people who typically sit in the anaerobic training zone are generally females with high-pressure jobs who push themselves to the limit and usually suffer from adrenal fatigue,” says Gaz. People who run anaerobically usually feel burnt out after exercise, have dry skin and tend to gain weight around the middle. They consume a lot of caffeine and crave sugar to help get them through the lulls. “The anaerobic level forces the body to burn sugar, not fat, and you end up relying on adrenaline. Your body is in a constant state of stress and repair. It’s been worked too hard and needs to find a way to keep functioning,” explains Gaz. “Adrenaline is amazing. It can keep you going for a long time. But what goes up must come down and if you stay in the anaerobic zone for too long the body will cope by taking on carbs and storing weight.” Visiting a professional to determine your foot strike pattern and posture is as important as a balanced running schedule, says Gaz. A podiatrist and physio will provide you with tips and strategies to ensure your body is working as efficiently as possible. Get Running’s ethos is that training should mimic how you live day to day. It’s important to put stress on and work hard, but not all the time. They say you can get faster, better results with a lower heart rate than you can by running at the anaerobic level. We put the theory to the test with the help of three runners; a beginner, a fatigued anaerobic runner and an injured marathon veteran. Here’s how they went…

Want to start running? Fill in the training schedule that matches your experience

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“Although I chose my running shoes because they look good, it turns out they are a good fit.” running at different speeds. Afterwards we watch the video and he kindly critiques my form, which as it turns out isn’t too bad. The problem is that I am not lifting my legs high enough at the back. Instead I almost skip along with pointed toes. The next day, Gaz gives me an exercise called the pony trot. I stand in front of a mirror dragging my leg up and back, much like a horse getting ready for a race. He tells me to stand straight and to only let the momentum push me forward onto a slight angle. “And those arms,” he says. “They’re pumping so hard because you’re legs aren’t doing enough work.” He teaches me to keep them at a tidy 90 degrees. We go out for a short run, the whole time concentrating on my new form. When we return Gaz seems happy with my progress. “Think of it like a new dance,” he encourages, “before you were almost speed walking. Now you’re running.” The next day I find changing my running style is no easy feat. My 30-minute run is a killer. My legs are heavier, my chest fuller. I

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feel exhausted half way through as I watch the time on my iPod pass at a glacial pace. When I finish I am spent. Using my new technique is harder than my first run, harder than my first three weeks put together. I continue this way for another week. Feeling fatigued, exhausted, sore and fed-up, I want desperately to revert to my old running style. It may not be right but it definitely got me from A to B. Instead I go back to see podiatrist Aaron, who films another run and compares it with my first effort. “It looks like a different runner,” he says. And it really does. I tell him how exhausting I find the new style and he consults the screen again to do some measurements. “You’re jumping higher,” he says. With each step I am jumping almost 5cm higher which is putting more impact on my whole body and making everything work harder. He tells me instead of jumping higher, I should focus on driving my leg slightly further behind me which should keep me closer to the ground.

BREAKTHROUGH He also notices that although my form is improving, my right hip is looking strange so he brings in physiotherapist Natalie Gray. Within seconds she works out the right side of my pelvis is the problem, and she gently clicks it back into place, where it stays. After that, everything changes. I get a Nike Sportwatch to track my pace and kilometres. I stop clock-watching and run four kilometres, five kilometres, six kilometres! I start seeing the same runners in the morning and give them a knowing nod. I’m not running marathons, I’m not even close, but I am enjoying running. Finally.

half marathon, my running has plateaued. On a standard week, I run five days between seven and nine kilometres and once every few weeks pound out 12 kilometres just to prove to myself I’ve still got it. Over the past year I’ve noticed little improvement in my strength and endurance, I feel tired and fatigued and have spent a lot of time stressing about when I can fit in my next run, come rain, hail or shine. While I still ‘enjoy’ running it feels at

THE C I ANAERAOLBE FEM

Daisy

Daisy, 25, used to enjoy long runs but now they leave her fatigued and feel like a chore

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xercise was the bane of my existence, until I discovered running. In the early stages, my relationship with running was very love/hate. I loved the endorphin high I felt post-run but hated the heavy, fatigued feeling that hit after 20 minutes of pounding pavement. For the first few months my version of running consisted of dragging

myself at a just above average walking speed but over a period of three years my body adapted, my strength improved and I got hooked. I finished my first half marathon in one hour and 57mins, just under my two-hour goal. Later that year I won the Great Barrier Island half marathon in just over two hours. During my training for the second half marathon I noticed a shooting pain in my right foot along with general discomfort in my hips, knees and legs. The pain would come and go and I could never pinpoint it to one specific area. Since my second

as suggested by Gaz. By week three I’ve settled into my new programme and start keeping track of my heart rate with a sportwatch. The results are varied but that is expected. Most days I run as advised at level two of the pyramid with an average pace of 6 mins/km, and a few times I reach level three but only during short, flat five kilometre runs. Gaz suggests visiting the Sports Lab to take a look at my running

“Over the past year I’ve noticed little improvement in my strength and endurance and feel fatigued.” times like a mandatory chore and although I can push out nine kilometres relatively easily, anything more leaves me feeling slow, sluggish and exhausted. My goal is to accomplish another half marathon under one hour 50 minutes but recently the thought of running any faster or longer then I am currently is enough to make me want to curl up into a ball. Enter, the Get Running clinic. After a chat with expert coach Gaz Brown it becomes obvious that I’ve been running anaerobically for a while. He suggests a schedule that involves less running and at a range of different paces from five to 12 kilometres. Every second week I run three times and never more than eight kilometres. I keep note of how long each run takes me, as well as how I feel during and after. By week two, I feel more enthusiastic about each run and less burnt out. Having a schedule that forces me to run shorter distances means I have more energy for the larger distances and my days off leave time to start strength training at the gym,

pattern, posture and foot strike. Podiatrist Aaron films me running at a fast, sprint pace and again at a slower, steadier pace.

RUNNING REVAMP The initial focus is to improve my strike pattern and reduce the force with which my foot lands on the ground. The second priority is to improve my strength capacity to tolerate force so that even when I’m feeling fatigued, I’ll be able to run comfortably in the correct form. Aaron notices that at the end of my stride I have limited hip flexion which causes me to hitch my hip to clear the ground. I’m also hyperextending when running at a faster speed which is causing my back to arch slightly and my shoulder and arm to rise, making rotation more difficult. All these factors would have contributed to the discomfort I’ve felt in the past. On the treadmill Aaron encourages me to lift my knees more, which changes where my foot lands and improves my form. The action feels awkward and silly but once I watch the video the improvement is obvious. The moving motion of my legs flows well and my foot strike is less clumpy. I leave the clinic with a two-part



podiatrist Aaron Jackson at Sports Lab, who looks at my running shoes and asks why I chose them. “Because they look good,” I offer. He gives them a good once-over and decides that, although I chose them for all the wrong reasons, they are in fact a good fit for my feet. Then he gets me on the treadmill and films me

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Aaron says he can see the improvement in my strike pattern. The quick result feels good.

CONSISTENCY Aaron tells me the key to mastering the best running technique is accurate consistency. Biomechanically, when you run you produce force which moves you forward and the more you produce the faster you run. Aaron tells me that by moving my body into the most efficient position I won’t overwork my muscles and waste

precious energy. Given my issue is fatigue, tweaking my form so it’s as accurate as possible will shave minutes off my time and provide me with more energy to use at the end of the race, when it’s most needed. A quick physio visit reveals my pelvis rotates forwards by four finger breadths, which affects my posture both standing and running. To fix this I need to lengthen my quadriceps by stretching regularly and using a foam roller. I’m also told to say goodbye to my new Nike Free running shoes. While they do the job

DAISY’S TRAINING SCHEDULE MON

WEEK 1

TUES

WED

5km flat run

THURS

FRI

8km hilly run

SAT

SUN

10km undulating

“Quality over quantity is my new running mantra.”

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

WEEK 2

5km flat run

8km

8km hilly run

12km undulating

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

WEEK 3

8km hilly run

5km flat run

8km flat run

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

WEEK 4

8km at level 2

5km at level 3

8km flat run

10km undulating

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

WEEK 5

8km at level 2

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

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5km at level 3

at the gym and for short distances, running more than eight kilometres means I need more support on my feet and I’m recommended a pair of Brooks PureCadence, Mizuno Wave Sayonara or Nike Air Zoom Elite. By week five I’ve had a complete running makeover. I alternate running four times one week and three the next. Allowing myself to drop the distance has encouraged me to pick up the pace. I take part in the Sketchers six kilometres run and finish with a time of 30 minutes. My fastest ever. Quality over quantity is my new running mantra. This new mind-set, plus the foam roller and stretches have all contributed to me becoming a

14km at level 2

more efficient runner. I’m no longer excited by long distance, good pace and less fatigue are what thrill me now. At my next meeting with Gaz we go over my development and write up a new training schedule. “Your aim is to get to the finish line quickly which means your body is going to call on a number of different systems to make this happen,” he tells me. “You’ve made good improvements so in your current situation you don’t have massive changes to make. We now need to condition you into a new aerobic zone so we need to hit you with more strength and a faster pace, which takes a few months.” My training schedule has a 14 kilometre run planned for next week. Six weeks ago that would have had me shaking in my Nikes but now I’m excited and eager to hit it out of the park. Wish me luck!

THE INJUREDG RUNNINAN VETER

Nick

Nick, 37, is an enthusiastic long-distance runner who is regularly plagued by injury

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’ve still got the T-shirt from the first half marathon I ran back in 2000. I’ve collected a few others over the years, but along the way I’ve also accumulated an array of running injuries: Achilles tendon tears, calf tears, plantar fasciitis. I’ve seen everyone from physiotherapists to podiatrists, osteopaths and acupuncturists – I’d have seen a florist if I thought it would help. Unfortunately, the injuries have been a regular and frustrating part of a hobby I thoroughly enjoy. Last September I took up the chance to run the Sydney half marathon. It was the first race I’d run since the Auckland marathon in 2012. Constant calf muscle injuries had finally started to wear me down, to the point where I was running once a week at best. But I decided to up the ante for the Sydney trip. The marathon route was fabulous, flat like a drag strip at the start and pleasant and picturesque on the run home. I’d thoroughly recommend it – but not on the training I did. I had to curtail all training three weeks before the event due to a calf tear and had a fairly arduous time of it – I simply wasn’t fit enough. Motivation has never been an issue for me, but being able to run consistently has

been a problem for years. At Get Running, Gaz Brown’s solution is to take a much more disciplined approach to my training. I’ve always been a ‘chuck on the shoes and go’ type of runner, which is probably fine, if you make it back in one piece. My initial running plan from Gaz starts with a five kilometre jog at a 6 mins/km pace – much slower than I normally run. The increase in distances goes up to 10 kilometres, with the pace staying much the same. It really is similar to the Arthur Lydiard principle of running, bashing out a lot of base kilometres, and steadily

“Injuries have been a frustrating part of a hobby I thoroughly enjoy.” strengthening the body. The target heart rate in these base fitness runs is around 144-145 BPM. That is a change too, monitoring my heart rate and trying not to push too hard. I find slowing down a bit galling at first, but I really like the fact I can run every second day without pain. It’s hard to believe that just by



homework exercise. The first is to lift my knees higher while running. The second is an exercise where I stand fist-width away from the wall on one leg and kick out the free leg in a running pattern aiming to extend my hip and knee simultaneously. My first run lifting my knees high feels as awkward as it did on the treadmill, but I steal a few glances in nearby shop windows and bus shelters and find I don’t look as uncomfortable as I feel. The following week on the treadmill

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NICK’S TRAINING SCHEDULE

slowing down, the wear and tear is so much less. I can feel the benefits of doing some decent mileage too. The concern is what will happen when I want to speed up. For this, Gaz recommends meeting Sports Lab podiatrist Aaron Jackson to address the injury issues. Sports Lab deals specifically with sports rehabilitation and biomechanics and I feel like this is probably a long overdue appointment. I regale Aaron

MON

WEEK 1

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WED

THURS

5km at level 3

FRI

SAT

SUN

10km at level 2

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

WEEK 2

8km at level 2

5km at level3

10km at level 2

Actual distance/time

“My right leg is swinging like a barn door in the wind.”

How did it feel?

WEEK 3

8km at level 3

10km at level 2

10km at level 2

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

WEEK 4

8km at level 3

10km at level 2

12km at level 2

Actual distance/time How did it feel?

muscles efficiently, the soleus is being recruited into helping propel me along. It’s my poor overworked soleus that keeps tearing.

SOLE SOLUTION I tell Aaron that I’ve worn pronating shoes in the past to try to address the problems, but he recommends a neutral shoe with plenty of cushioning and insoles to try to hold my feet in a better position. There’s also a subtle change to my running style that will engage my other running muscles better, so the load goes off my calf muscles: I engage my stomach muscles more, to hold my hips into a position which Aaron calls ‘neutral’ but I think of as ‘slightly forward and down’. I project my knee further back to lengthen my stride and, to avoid slowing down

my cadence or leg speed, I’m told to imagine pulling myself up by my hair. This gives me a bit more bounce and means I have a longer stride at the same cadence. This change is definitely a work in progress as I find myself absolutely hooning along on my first trial run, which puts me at risk of injury. I need to work at it more slowly and carefully, and pull my hair more. I also see Sports Lab senior physiotherapist Joel Mowat who uses a few different techniques to undo some of the damage that has already been done. He also gives me a series of stretches designed to loosen the hips and quadriceps so I can extend at the back of my running stride. As I don’t yet have the insoles, Joel straps my feet with tape to hold them in a better position. I like the strapping so much

TEXT DAISY SILLIS • PHOTOGRAPHY DAISY SILLIS

with my catalogue of injuries and he films me running on a treadmill – something I’d thoroughly recommend for any runner prone to injury. On the computer playback I think my running looks fine. Slowed down however, it’s a bit of a mess; my right leg is swinging like a barn door in the wind and my left foot is rolling all over the place. Aaron points out there are two main problems which are contributing to my injuries; my knee isn’t straight at the back of my stride so I’m not getting enough drive power from big muscles like my glutes and quadriceps. And because of the way my feet land, I don’t gain the full benefit of the windlass mechanism of the foot. This is where the foot lands passively to absorb impact then becomes rigid as you push off through the ball of the foot and the toes, creating propulsion. This all adds up to bad news for my poor calf muscles. There are two main muscles in the calf: one is the gastrocnemius, which is the big one you can see if you do a calf flex, and under that is the soleus. The soleus is generally used more for posture and maintains the position of the foot and knee. Because I’m not using the rest of my running

TUES

I don’t want to take if off as I really feel the difference it makes when I’m running. Luckily, Joel offers to teach me to strap my own feet. It ends up being a fairly simple checklist of fixes to deal with a pretty frustrating succession of injuries. I’m always jealous of people I meet who have run all their lives without injury. I feel like now I know exactly what is causing the problems, and the process of correcting them is fairly simple, I can start to run faster and more consistently. There’s something about running long distances that has always appealed to me. I’ve done triathlons and lots of ocean swimming, but completing my first marathon was by far my most satisfying athletic achievement. I’ve already started thinking about marathons to run in 2015. 

RUNNING TECHNIQUE If you are serious about running, it can really pay off to see a specialist who will analyse your technique. However there are some basic rules to good running form: l Relax your upper body and swing your arms naturally. If you hold your arms or shoulders too tense you lose some important rotation of your mid and upper back. l Strike the ground under your hips or close to it. In order to do this your foot needs to begin moving backwards before making impact with the ground. l Use your glutes. An efficient

push-off from the ground is one which produces a large degree of horizontal force. Excessive vertical force (often produced by your quads or calves) will result from failing to lift your legs high enough. This tends to not only waste energy but may overload the smaller muscles, causing injury if done repetitively. l Turn your legs over quickly. This may sound obvious, but it is generally most efficient to hold a step rate (or cadence) of 170-190 steps per minute. This step rate should be similar whether you are jogging or racing.

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