Keeping a Running Diary

My husband's running diary is his Nike+ kit, a small gadget which he puts on his shoes and is linked to his i-pod. This records his distance and his speed as he runs. He conveniently uploads his mileage to his PC at the end of his run and he is able to maintain a running log. As for me, since I just have an i-pod nuno (my MP4 player which resembles an i-pod nano in appearance) and am still waiting for my Nike+ kit December present, I am currently doing my training logs manually. I have this neat little notebook which serves as my running diary.

Keeping a training log is very helpful because you will be able to see patterns in your running and from there will be able to make adjustments for improvement. So what should be included in your training log so that it will provide you with the most information?

Basic information will include the date, length of the run, time you finished the run, your route and its description (if it is on flat oval track, hilly forest track, urban pavement, etc) , time of day, and weather conditions. The Complete Guide to Endurance Training has record sheets for an entire week and at the end of the week, a weekly summary can be done. The record sheets cover additional information like the feeling after the run, the benefit, nutrition, sleep, aim, intensity and other comments. Other books would also recommend taking note of your morning weight as well as your resting heart rate, average heart rate and maximum heart rate. The latter would require a heart rate monitor while you run. But you can also detect your heart rate manually, though it can be quite challenging while you run. Just feel for your pulse just below the angle of your jaw and count it using your stopwatch. No need to do a entire minute. Six seconds will do and this will provide you with a rough estimate of your heart rate. Multiply the heart rate taken in six seconds by 10 and you get your heart rate in beats per minute. Just a reminder though, do not rub your carotid pulse vigorously as this can lead to the immediate slowing of your heart rate which may cause you to feel dizzy and faint. This is what we call the carotid massage and we only employ this in emergency situations when a patient experiences severe sinus tachycardia.

Fine-tuning Running

I've missed blogging. The business has occupied me the past few weeks, I did not have time to write. Just glad I was still able to run thrice last week. The other week, when I was only able to run once and did an 8-km, I felt lousy. So this time, no more compromises. I will stick to my thrice a week routine and improve from there.

I have also concentrated on reading financial books lately that it was only by sheer chance that I picked up the Complete Running Manual again when I misplaced the financial book I was currently reading. Am so glad I did because I came across the section on Perfecting Running Style.

It is interesting to note that there is a difference between foot strikes of walkers and runners. The walkers hit the ground with the entire heel then rolls from heel to toes as they move whereas the runners, if you want a perfect form should "strike the ground with the outer edge of the heel, roll through the outer midfoot, then gently pronate through the forefoot to the big toe, which pushes off from the ground." I had to lift that out of the page since it was difficult paraphrasing the foot movement. Anyway, though many runners would differ in their movements, such basic principles may improve running performance.

So what are the other recommended stance? An upright posture, with open chest and shoulders at the back and not hunched forward is ideal. There is a slight forward lean and the hands are bent at roughly 90 degrees at the elbow and swinging in a relaxed way. It is also advised that arms should not move across the chest as this is energy-expending.

What about the stride? I always thought I must lengthen my strides in order to move faster ahead. No wonder my training log revealed slower, tiring runs lately. Shorter, lighter steps actually is less traumatic to your body and is more efficient. The way to determine if you are not over-striding is to look at your lower leg which should not extend out in front of your body. Your feet must remain under your body if you want to avoid injuries to your hamstrings and quadriceps. This way, you will also prevent bobbing up and down which also uses too much energy. Just remember, smaller steps close to the ground is the way to go...

Photo courtesy of: www.performancetrainingsystems.com