Most athletes competing in Ironman South Africa are going through a fear of the run phase right now. In fact, I bet about 80% of them are. I know they each feel their problem is unique, but it isnt. I get asked alot about my run philisophy and even managed to have an argument with someone this week about it. So I thought to put it out there. To show how I went from a 3:34 runner to a 3:15 in the space of about 4 months. That first jump when you do things right is huge, and I am hoping to improve 5-10min this entire year, but this is how I intend doing it.

blurbs and extracts from Gordo, Friel & my own experiences.

Run Training

Training for the run leg of an ironman-distance race is very different from traditional marathon training. A review of the run splits at any long course race will show that most athletes are operating far, far below their open run fitness. In fact, most athletes average in-race paces that are slower than their ‘easy’ run pace in training.

What I always try and consider:

1. How fast is the athlete going to be running in the race?

2. What are the requirements of being able to run that fast?

3. What are the things that can prevent the athlete from being able to run that fast?

4. Is the athlete’s program adequately addressing the above points?

What are the key factors that can derail an athlete’s run leg?

1. Cramps

2. Poor race nutrition

3. Attitude

4. Improper race hydration

5. Weak pacing

6. Equipment problems (inappropriate bike position, uncomfortable clothes, poor shoe selection)
7. Straight up fatigue

The two main reasons for marathon problems are improper early race pacing and an overall endurance limiter. Outstanding run splits are achieved by a training protocol, and race strategy, that keeps the following in mind:

1. durability dominates speed – this is most effectively built through high frequency running (running very often, more than running very fast or running very long); you guys are all running4-5 days a week (or supposed to be doing that). Even if its 20min in a day, its frequency that counts.

2. outstanding race specific cycling muscular endurance is required to enable an athlete to access their existing run fitness – “race specific” is important to bear in mind – we are seeking to create superior muscular endurance across 112 miles, not sprint- or Olympic-distance racing; So its not about the run? DAMN RIGHT.

3. athletes will be running a marathon when fatigued – run training must prepare the athlete’s body for running a marathon with tired legs BUT shelling our athletes with killer runs after long rides (mega bricks) will most often lead to biomechanical breakdown and injury; In your taper you will be doing a brick every 72 hours, and I will have you running on tired legs to get the body used to that. But more on that next week…

4. sane race pacing – swim and bike leg pacing must be guided by effort and based on a realistic view of an athlete’s current fitness level. Experienced athletes that have disappointing run splits should slow their first two race legs until they are able to run in line with training performance. This requires a level of humility and maturity that many athletes will never achieve. The performance benefits of moving well at the end of a race are significant – most importantly in terms of pain tolerance and mental toughness.

A well paced ironman-distance race will nearly always be characterized by the athlete reporting that they could have ridden harder.

Bear in mind that the purpose of the taper/freshening/peak period is to enable the athlete to run a marathon after a sane bike leg, not to enable bike performance above that which was achieved in training.

Given that most athletes come to me with sufficient ‘speed’ to achieve their run goals, the optimal training protocol will give them the overall endurance, durability and mental toughness to hold an ‘easy’ training pace on race day.

So what’s the optimal protocol? I like to keep it simple:

1. frequency – gradually, safely, build running frequency – this will take many seasons;

2. nutritional quality – give your athletes the knowledge and emotional support to address their 3. personal nutritional limiters. Encourage them to nurture themselves with high quality fuel for superior performance.

4. hills – perform the bulk of long runs in rolling hills to build all around leg strength.

5. steady-state flat running – insert blocks of steady flat running into the week – most athletes will only have the time and ability to handle one or two of these sessions. (i.e. strides)

6. get tired the right way – remember the keys to a superior run leg – generate the bulk of training fatigue from the sessions that most directly impact overall race performance. (bike sessions and the long run)

Once the athlete is coping with their run frequency and the rest of their training plan, you can creep the overall steady-state running volume up.

If there was any doubt to why you are all biking so well…… this is why! At the moment all my athletes are complaining that they feel slow on the run, and super fast on the bike.

Its not about the run, in essence. Its why your training runs feel slow. They are slow. On raceday, you will be able to hold that pace after a “easy” bike. That “slow” pace is a freaking good Ironman pace.

If I have to use my own example, I have to run 4:45/km to run 3:10-3:15 on raceday. 4:45/km for me is super slow when I am fit. But on raceday I am flying at that pace. I feel like superman and everyone around me is slower. I have to slow myself down for the first 14km, then its easy to run the right speed for the next 14km, and the last 14km its stupid hard work to get to that pace. My HR is sky high and I am running in essence, quite slowly.

Work is out:

3:45 marathon is 5min21 per km

4:00 marathon is 5min43 per km

4:30 marathon is 6min25 per km

5:00 marathon is 7min09 per km

Choose your pace and work out on your runs how that feels… in the next few weeks you should be running that pace in training. It should feel stupid easy. But remember, thats about as FAST as you can run in the last 12km on raceday, guaranteed.

mad love.

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Yesterday afternoon I went for a normal trail run, which is normal for a Thursday for me. Trail running cleans my head out, especially now that I am allowed to run a bit harder not being focused on an Ironman in 7 weeks time. The experience is exhilarating. Hydra pack, iPod and Whasp Gels fuel the fury, and by then end of it I am spent, tired, hot, and have a big smile.

That running, salivating staffie vibe.

Difference yesterday was that the area was hit by trauma in the week before. Let’s have a look at what was going on in a nice video…

So, yesterday, off I headed into the bush to check out what was left of it. I did a similar thing after Table Mountain burnt to the ground (figuratively) and I remembered the total quiet, so yesterday I left the iPod in the car purposefully. It was 38 degrees Celsius, so an extra Whasp and some extra juice were taken as well. Both came in handy, might I add.

The route I run goes straight up for 20 minutes and the whole way I was amazed at the quiet, that at times, a whole eco system had been destroyed overnight. It was stark, sad and I was forced to remember that things do change quickly, in nature, and the same can happen in life. The beauty about plants is that they want to live. They have an inherent need to fight for survival. Humans don’t always have this. Next to smoldering ashes new plants had already started coming out of the ground, little green buds fighting for oxygen as smoke still hung in the air.

Here are some images from the top of the hill.

As I headed along the path I got into a really great rhythm and felt amazingly alive, hopping over tree stumps, ducking under fallen branches and my eyes opened just a little extra, the heat was in my nostrils and the hair on my arms lifted just a millimeter. Total runners high. I came out the other end to witness that the other side of the mountain was still fine. Gorgeous vineyards in tact, the sea looked blue and warm, and as I stood there the wind came up quite quickly, so I headed back through the forest.

To my horror, the flames behind me had lit up again as the wind picked up, and about 5 minutes of running back I was in the thick smoke, covering my mouth with my shirt watching the fire. The paint on the front of my shoes had bubbled from the heat & I was shocked and a little scared that my route back was more uphill than I thought. What’s an adventurous guy to do in this situation?

Stop and take pictures.

I ran out the other side of the dense bush and down the hill. Stopped to take a picture of the sun as it was being blocked out by then sun. It was dark and gloomy and the helicopters were starting to be heard overhead.

As I got across the small valley I stopped to get a picture of the helicopter, but only got a small image. It’s in the red circle.

Back up the other side of the valley I charged, feeling alive, as if I had escaped some sort of trap, and my heart rate must have been sky high as I sucked on the tube giving me water to find it warm and the gel I took was hot to the touch, and almost burnt my throat on the way down. As I crested the hill I came across what must have been a complete little house a week ago. Seems nature had other plans for it.

But next to it there were some more sprouts of life already popping out, so there is life after the fire after all, and I bet in a few months, there will be a full green mountain again. This was witnessed in Cape Town, and now, you can hardly see there was a devastating fire, not too long ago.

The run had me powered all the way home and I slept like a baby, some sort of physical happiness along with an emotional satisfaction that I haven’t had in a long time. I don’t think it was a morality thing because of the fire, just how hard and how filled I was with the whole run. I didn’t think of the world I had left behind once and it cleared a lot of the mental junk that clutters my mind a lot. Silly ego.

I don’t recommend you run in flames. But I do recommend you clean your mind once a week. How you do that is up to you. Go running as a start…around the block maybe. Then two blocks.

It has to start somewhere…

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Its been a few days since I started training again and I have also committed to a detox of sorts after a few weeks of good old fashioned retox. Whilst I am feeling tired and the motivation comes and goes, I know in the next few weeks It’ll settle down and my hunger will disappear. In the meantime though, it will relate to a few funny experiences. Yesterday was one of those.

A real pearler of a day here, I was in Stellenbosch and had planned to do a short run with some strides in around 5ish in the afternoon. I tried to gather some troops for the run (more…)

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On Saturday we went to the 1st (of many hopefully) Puma RunWild race. It was held at the glorious Hillcrest Farm in Durbanville, Cape Town. Set in a majestic quarry we set off as a collective on a fun day out. There were no prizes for first place. Awesome. Only 100 people were allowed to participate and we got 2 tickets! Double awesomeness!

You could try out Puma Running Shoes for the day, and this gave alot of people access to the brand that may have been too scared to try it before. All in all, a splendid idea. Well done. Many thanks to Marilu for the awesome pictures, great gorgeous company and some shared memories.

We`re all about the good cheer and Runners World allowed me to video the whole thing. Rocking. Check out the Runners World site as well as My Video site for the video in higher resolution. Check the video here and the pics after the jump (where it says “continue reading…”) …

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