Basic Training Concepts 2nd round

I guess by now you have already assimilated the first seven basic training concepts. Good for you! Let me continue with the remaining seven.

8) Maintenance

Some countries have off-season for running competition so those who live in these countries tend to stop training during these seasons. Maintenance simply means to continue on doing your running program even when it's off season. Since I am new to running, I am not sure if there is an off-season in the Philippines at all. I'd presume not. Perhaps there may just be cancellation of scheduled races when a typhoon hits the country but other than that, I'd say races tend to be scheduled year-round. If weather restricts your running on your usual outdoor track, hit the gym instead, just to keep up with your programme.

9) Listen to your body

I think this is the most consistent admonition that I encounter in running books. All runners must learn to listen to their own bodies before, during and after training. There is a big difference between the usual soreness that you feel after a hard workout and a specific pain in a specific part of the body. The latter needs a consult with your physiotherapist or a sports medicine specialist. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. You must also know the symptoms of overtraining and learn when to just lie in bed and recover or to hit the tracks.

10) Quality vs. quantity

More does not necessarily mean better. Have a good training plan that will put the right type of training for your particular goal, with the right type of intensity and duration.

11) Goal Setting

Goals should be specific, reasonable and realistic. Do not set to train for a marathon in just four weeks! There are specific guidelines for the duration of training and the frequency with which you train depending on the type of event which you plan to participate in. You can check the table on the left. I'd surmise that the half-marathon event would require a preparation time between 12-16 weeks. It's not specifically stated in the book but you can actually deduce from the other given information in the table. Actually ,I am very guilty of not following this type of guide, since I did not know this existed at all. My first walk-run was for a 10-km event (remember the Men's Health Miracle Run?) and my history for training at that time was archaic, if any. The angels have been very kind to protect me from injuries.

12) Trainability

You may not be consistent with your progress but the key is you should be very patient with yourself.

13) Warming up, warming down

You do warming up before your training and warming down after your training to reduce injuries and improve your performance. I think there's a good material for this and I might tackle this on my next blog.

14) Technique

There are techniques and strategies that may work well for you. Refine these techniques.

Hope these basic training concepts will come in handy for you. My husband and I just recently registered for the Isuzu Shake, Rattle and Run event. I think it's gonna be cool... I mean, literally (!) since it's gonna be a night run. But this time, I will just do the 5-km event. The Adidas King of the Road run last October 11 was extra challenging not just for the run on the flyover of Buendia but for the scorching heat of the sun! Now, I have added to my basic paraphernalia a sports sunglasses and a sunblock. The Spyder eyewear is nice because it is not so expensive, not so heavy and you won't mind your sweat soaking the rims.

I hope the Night Run is just as prompt as the Adidas KOTR event. My husband and I were really impressed with the organizers of the KOTR. Our salutes to them!

The Miracle Run

I am not a runner. I actually hated running. When I joined the 10-km Miracle Run last August 17, 2008 it was literally a 'miracle' for me. It is my husband who really loves to run and he was the one who pre-registered for the event. As for me, it was a very last minute decision. But for someone who hated running, you should congratulate me for finishing the course.... by walking.

I finished it at 1:41:08.

That's when it all started.

Two days after the event, I was still taking Eperisone Hydrochloride (Myonal), a muscle relaxant and Ibuprofen-Paracetamol (Alaxan) three times a day. I could barely walk straight. Then I decided to learn how to run. And not just that, I decided to learn to love running.
So I searched through my husband's library and saw this book, "Running for Fitness" by Owen Barder. It's just a 154-paged book, nothing to be afraid of. Totally looked harmless to me. It was very easy to carry around so I brought it with me to work. When my friend congratulated me, having heard from my husband that I completed a 10-km venture, I proudly held up the book and showed him my latest book-find.

He looked at me with disbelief and uttered, "Do you really have to read that in order to run?"

That caught me offguard. I did not know that there are actually people who just get into a hobby or a new interest without exerting an effort to read about the stuff. For me, if you are interested in something, you have to read about it and learn as much as possible about the object of interest if you really wanted to get the most out of it. Call me nutty, which I am, if nutty means being very theoretical about things first before putting it into practice.

Reading the book was very informative and I swear, it prevented me from falling into the many pitfalls that beginners tend to get into as they embark in this totally new world of running. For those who dislike opening a reading material which is thicker than a magazine, I welcome you to my blogsite, where I shall share with you little pieces of information about running which shall not cause you indigestion or diarrhea. This is for those who just love to run and do not want to waste their precious time idling around with a thick book on their hand.