Triathlon 101: Running class notes

Training:

Technique: Running technique is important mostly because it will prevent injuries. Your speed will also improve. There are four elements to consider:

• Posture -- Run upright, leaning from the ankles, not bending at the waist. Shoulders should be comfortably back.

• Stride Length -- Keep it reasonably short, but pick up your knees so you don't shuffle. Running barefoot down a grass playing field will give you a good feel for how long your stride should be and how to naturally land on the ball of your foot. Be careful you don't overdue this drill!

• Cadence -- You want to mimic the biking cadence of 90 RPM. Count how many time either the left or right foot hits the ground in one minute. Shorten or lengthen your stride as necessary.

• Arm Swing -- Keep your elbows at 90 degrees, relax your hands, and don't cross over your body.

• Adapting to terrain -- On the uphills, use a shorter stride and focus on pulling your elbows back. On the downhills, lean forward and use the speed. If you try to brake on the downhills, you will trash your legs!

• Clothing: Dress appropriately for the conditions. I like Runner's World's tool, and over time you'll figure out what you like and don't.

• Shoes: There are about a million different choices for shoes, but make sure you get a pair that works with your biomechanics. If you have minimalist shoes, please build up to using them slowly. Expect it to take months.

• Watches: You can use a simple stopwatch and run by time. Or you can go for all the bells and whistles with GPS tracking and a HR monitor. By having more information, you can chart your progress and see improvements.

How hard to run:

Heart Rate (HR)/Rate of Percieved Exertion (RPE): You want to keep track of how hard your body is working when running. Over time, you will be able to run faster at the same level of effort. You can track this with a heart rate monitor, or on a 6-20 scale, known as the Borg scale. If this seems like an odd range, it roughly equates to your heart rate when multiplied by ten.

You can build an aerobic base through Maffetone running. The Maffetone formula uses 180-your age to determine your HR range and prevent you from going too hard. Another way to do this without a HR monitor is to only breathe through your nose and use that as a governor. (I breathe 4 in and 3 out.) Once you have a good base of aerobic running built up, then you can incorporate speed work, especially if you are doing sprint triathlons.

Hydration:

Because running is so strenuous on your body, consider training during the cooler parts of the day, especially if you are doing a high intensity workout. You won't need to worry about eating unless your are running at least ninety minutes. But making sure you have adequate opportunities to drink is very important. Your HR will be higher as it gets hotter, since your body needs to pump more blood to the skin surface to cool you down. This become more difficult if you aren't replacing fluid intake because the blood will thicken as you lose water. However, do not overdrink, since that can flush the electrolytes out of your system. Drink when you are thirsty and don't force it.

Gear:

Make sure you are wearing shoes that address your individual foot motion. Good running stores will look at your stride to see how your foot moves as you are running. To get an idea, the Runner's World shoe advisor will help.

For watches, you can go with a simple stopwatch, or use a watch with a heart rate monitor, GPS, or both. Think about what motivates you and how you are likely to train when deciding what to buy.

Race:

T2: Your biggest considerations here are racking your bike, taking off your helmet, and changing your shoes. Elastic laces will make getting your shoes on much faster. Put on a hat if you'd like, but remember that you can do that while you are running. Hanging the bike by the brake levers is faster than by the seat. If you use a number belt (highly recommended), just turn your number to the front.

Your legs will feel heavy for the first few minutes of the run. But this will go away. Hopefully, you have done some bricks in practice, so you know how long it will take.

If there are aid stations, be sure to take some water. Pouring water on your head can be nice in the heat. If there is ice and you are really hot, put it down your shorts. You'll want to prevent your feet from getting too wet, since that can cause blisters.

Keep focusing on the next short term goal, like running to the next sign or lightpost. This will keep you motivated when the finish seems like it is a long way off.

Other:

I love this cartoon from The Oatmeal about running.

Running is a great way to keep in shape while travelling. I have run in so many different countries, and it is handy for scouting out where you want to go during your sightseeing time.