Sportybrains

"The Secret is there is no secret". John L. Parker's "Once A Runner"

As I was coming up in my career as a therapist, I was constantly exposed to the phrase "know thyself, know thy client". Such simple, yet powerful words. Of course there is a multitude of techniques that have been supported by research, even different technologies to deliver client feedback and imagery, however, my belief from experience, is that in order to have steady progress, it really comes down to the statement above-especially "know thyself". Without consistent and careful self-examination; the therapeutic relationship runs the risk or never meeting its potential, even stalling out. All science aside, it comes down to knowing what's best and, ahem, actually following it vs. forcing something to change. Like therapy, running is the perfect outlet to push yourself, grow, and improve.

It was recently brought to my attention by a friend and a string of eyebrow-raising magazine articles to explore the topic of balancing safety, training, and information.

When training plans are dosed properly for an individual, you may have something magical. In today's society, however, it is easy sometimes to lose sight of what makes YOU tick as an athlete and what works best for you.Being a driven, information-driven bunch by nature, it's easy to want to get better, faster, stronger, NOW. While not the sole cause, I feel that the over-saturation of information and advice in the media makes it difficult to keep perspective. There are many other contributing factors, including comparisons with others, questionable coaching practices, and unintentional training errors. For sake of brevity, this post will zero in on the media. Just as a wise talking spider said in the classic "Charlotte's Web", humans tend to believe things that are written.

"So, I read this the other day"...

That line alone is an indication to use your critical thinking skills. All one has to do is to log onto any website containing running information, running magazine, or YouTube and you'll see all kinds of information; ranging from how to build your base, what (and what not) to eat, how to lose weight (as a psychology professional, I see all kinds of flags), how to boost your fitness in one workout, etc. etc. It makes my head spin just trying to keep all of it straight. Most recently, I've come across articles that recommend running workouts "at death pace until you die", spending a week of very high intensity and mileage, and hill running with kettlebells. I'm not arguing that some athletes are fit and knowledgeable to withstand such modifications, but for the vast majority, (even though there *are instructions for kettlebell technique and the recommendation of recovery weeks afterward) I see it as a potential red flag.

I am not an expert on all things running and training (I have yet to put in my 10,000 hours-LOL), but my philosophy is always do what makes sense. As I continually learn my physical limits and accept them, I know that I could likely physiologically survive none of those workouts without consequence. If I did not have that prior knowledge, I would likely grab some weights, spring some hills like a crazy lady, and run til I die. Would I get faster and stronger? Maybe. Is it worth the risk? Probably not. As it is no secret, I am as injury-prone as they come and I think trying to do too much too soon, somebody else's training, and a multitude of other misjudgements can be traced to being confused about what was best for me. A lot of it came from too much information available at my fingertips.

I am biased that I tend to gravitate towards the training philosophies of Hudson, Daniels, and Magness (he's got one of the coolest blogs on the web in my opinion and covers this subject much better than I ever could). I will also defer to the authorities on training for the physio aspects of this idea. What I do know, is that if an athlete wishes to go "all out", save it for race day. Training is a balance of stress and rest, and depending on a number of things, that stress tolerance and pacing of progression is as different as the individual athletes themselves.

What I recommend to my athletes as they prepare for events or training is to form a mental "checklist" to run through. This can be applied when faced with information that may or may not be right for them. A few things to consider are as follows. Be sure and consult with a certified coach or professional for specific issues and questions. ***

Knowing thyself...

a. Gut feeling/common sense. What's your first instinct when you think about performing such training?
b. Injury history
c. ACTUAL and current ability (sometimes a tough thing)
d. ACTUAL fitness level  (if you are not sure, consider a coach or referencing the VDot or McMillan formulas)
e. What workouts you have had experience with. Hint: if it's way out of the realm you've been doing, use caution; for example, if you've never done a double in your life, don't do 3 or 4 of them in one week, even if you're coming off of rest.
f. How many different systems and variables are being manipulated in a week, or just a session? Hint: if it requires an increase in distance (>10%, pace, or time), consider carefully. Sometimes training calls for a multiple-purpose workout, but it is to be carefully planned into a training cycle.  In a particular article, it is recommended that an athlete double their workouts, run more interval sessions, and go up to 50% more in mileage than usual in one week and comparing it to the camp format and altitude training. When according to South African running and triathlon coach, Bobby McGee (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Nfi1qWbOAY) talks about moderating intensity at altitude due to an extreme alteration that the body is not used to.

All this being said, training is intended to be a gradual progression of adaptations, both physical and mental, to an increasing load. At times, especially in races, we are called to test those limits. I am also not saying to avoid pushing yourself or not go hard on occasion-just be sure that you are aware of where you are and being a wise consumer of your ability and training advice. Push your limits, but know that their YOUR limits.

I encourage everyone to become a wiser consumer of your own training.

Stay the course, even if there are no quick fixes.