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Recently I was driving to an early morning group session when I noticed that summer was slowly disappearing and what was daylight at the very same time only a few weeks ago was now pitch dark. It made me aware of the challenges that early morning runners face as the days grow shorter.

Mottram would be treated the same

I have a thriving running group in Brisbane (PCRG) and I believe one of the main reasons it is so successful is that every runner is treated equal. I always make a point of cheering as many runners as possible throughout the group sessions. If Craig Mottram joined us he would be welcomed as an additional member of the group, nothing more.

The majority of runners I’m involved with have goals which they wish to achieve so it’s therefore my responsibility to make each runner aware of what is required to achieve their full potential. Given the fact I treat each with equal respect all I ask for in return is commitment.

PCRG members are respected by how much an individual is prepared to reach within, not by how long it takes to get from A – B.

Every run is an opportunity

The combination of a realistic/achievable training program and a genuine desire to achieve a goal should bring a level of commitment allowing every scheduled run to be completed. Every training run should be treated as an opportunity to become fitter/stronger and also a way to achieve a better quality of life. The dark cold mornings can test us though.

Commitment – Motivation – Commitment

One of the most common obstacles effecting commitment that runners seem to come across is an occasional lack of motivation.
I recall a story about Douglas Wakiihuri (87 World Marathon Champion). Douglas had a poster of himself winning a race, hanging on a wall in his bedroom. One may be excused for thinking that this is the obvious sign of a vane individual however when asked why he had a poster of himself displayed, Douglas advised that when he sees it he is reminded of what it is like to win.
Yes, even the most supreme runners occasionally need to be reminded why they should knock out those km’s.
Locking in an imaginary training partner is something I have often mentioned and the following words came from Tony when he was confronted with weighing up the options:

“When I woke up this morning there were few things I wanted to do less than get out of bed and go through an hour of pain. I had actually convinced myself that I had a busy day at work and that I was sore from the weekend and could do with the rest and rolled over to go back to sleep. All of this was probably true, but somewhere deep in the back of my head though I couldn’t get the mental image of a friend putting on a pair of shoes and getting ready for the run. This was what made me drag my butt out of bed (albeit late) and get myself to training which ended up in an unlikely PB.”

Chances are you’re at the start of your campaign and it’s totally up to you to lock in the level of commitment you’re going to adopt.

Prepare for the journey ahead

Douglas and Tony prepared well for the journey ahead with motivating reasons to overcome their weak side. I hope that you do the same, as life is something you only get one shot at and a degree of commitment is essential if you wish to achieve your goal in distance running.

RUN the talk, because the desire to achieve your goal is meaningless without the commitment to prepare.

The 4 weeks prior to any major race is always an exciting time. Training is in full swing and conversations are filled with talk of possible personal bests and post race celebrations.

It’s not only about the last 4 weeks

That’s 4 weeks before, but what about 20 weeks before? 20 weeks prior to a race is sometimes occupied with experiences involving thoughts such as, “It was raining and I just struggled with motivation to get out of bed this morning”.
If you wish to achieve your full potential you need to put in an effort for a longer period than 4 weeks.

One of the most trying experiences in my life…...

One of the most trying experiences in my life occurred when I was on Scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport. I was laid up as a result of an Achilles operation and all of my peers were still training. Getting around on crutches while seeing fellow elite athletes setting off for training runs was gut wrenching. This was not because I was a running junkie and missed getting my fix. My shattered state came from knowing that they were moving one step closer to making the next Australian team and I was taking one step back.

I still managed to train like a mad man, and at such a level that I ended up with a stress fracture from intense pool running. That’s right – “a stress fracture” in the head of my femur!!!!!!

I can honestly say that I never struggled with motivation throughout my career. This was due to:

• I looked upon each training session whether it was fast/slow/short/or long as sessions in the bank.
• The more sessions I banked the greater the reserve I could call upon on race day.

I always had in the back of my mind that if I missed a run, or did not apply myself in training when it counted, there was every possibility that my competitors were out there somewhere in the World training the house down and becoming stronger as a result.

At times your goal can feel like an eternity away

If you’re training for an event in the distant future, it will at times feel like the race is an eternity away.
Short term goals along the way will keep you entertained and aid in your development, however they fail to carry the importance a major goal oozes and the additional meaning it provides.

Look after your bank balance

If you do experience periods where your drive needs a boost remind yourself that every session you miss is one less session in the bank.

Create an imaginary competitor

If your goal is to break 3hrs in the Marathon create an imaginary competitor and when you place the alarm clock on snooze for the third time, picture your imaginary competitor out running and ask yourself the question: “Who’s more deserving”
“You’ll only achieve what you deserve to achieve”

When I was progressing through the ranks in the early 80’s I spent a great deal of time training with Lawrie Adams who inspired me to contest a marathon in Japan. Lawrie had a personal best of 2:15:59 which he had clocked at the Beppu Marathon in Japan. I eventually discovered that Japan had five elite marathons – Tokyo (January),  Biwa (March), Hokkaido (August), Fukuoka (December) and of course Beppu (February). All marathons are held on the first Sunday of their respective months.

Beppu No. 1

Turn the clock forward to the first Sunday in February 1994 and I’m at the start line of the Beppu Marathon. My USA based agent, Derek Froude, arranged a deal for me to run in the race. I had been running track for a few years and from a race organisers perspective my 1988 2:10:44 Gold Coast performance was appearing a bit stale. I still had confidence in my ability to run well at the marathon and was keen to see what I could manage in one of Japans famous races.
Derek managed to secure a start in the race along with airfare/accommodation and a few bucks. There was one proviso though – I had to be a pace runner for part of the race.
My pace runner duties were to involve running as the B pacer and reaching 25k at 2:10 marathon pace. The A pacer’s task was to run 2:08 marathon pace to 25k. I accepted the offer however I advised all concerned that once I completed my pacing duties I had every intention to finish. I managed to finish fourth in 2:11:51, my second fastest time ever.

Beppu No. 2

Turn the clock forward another twelve months and I am back at the Beppu Marathon yet again and yes you guessed it, my bunny ears were firmly locked in place. I was contracted to run as the B pacer (rabbit) for the second year in a row.
I had come to the conclusion that the B pacing role worked well for me for it ensured:
A start in a race I would have had difficult gaining an entry in otherwise.
The pace I was expected to run was the same pace I would be attempting had I not been a pacer.
All expenses paid and a few dollars up front.
The field was a great deal tougher than the year before, notably including the then world record holder, Ethiopia’s Belayneh Densimo whose 2:06:50 WR stood for ten years. Also running was Germany’s 1992 Barcelona Olympic Marathon Bronze Medallist, Stephan Freigang.

Pace runners were “not” promoted

The race was being televised live throughout Japan. Pace runners were never revealed as such in the press for the Japanese wanted to depict what would  ‘appear’ to be a strictly amateur race as being free of any monetary reward.
Pace runners were asked not to reveal their role to the press and to portray at all times that they were serious contenders. Once pacing duties were completed pace runners were asked to either slowly fade into the distance or to possibly fake an injury. Times have now changed and pace runners are now openly discussed in Japan.
Conditions on race day were difficult. It was snowing and the temperature was well below 10 degrees, a far cry from the Canberra summer I was experiencing 48 hours earlier.
The A pacer took the lead pack through half way in 64.15 and I passed the same mark in 65.20. I must have had 20 Japanese runners feeding off me and Stephan Freigang was along for the ride also. Given the fact Freigang had a life time PB of just over 2:10 he had decided to take the safer option and tag along with me.
My race plan was identical to the year before. To fulfill my pacing duties up to 25k and to complete the race from there. The race organisers along with all of the invited athletes were aware that I had every intention to finish.

25k

As we approached 25k I noticed we were catching the lead pack which still included Densimo, the world record holder. A few k’s later I finally bridged the gap and found myself leading the race.

30k

At 30k Densimo stepped off the course totally exhausted and the lead pack was now down to Stefan Freigang, Dos Santos from Brazil, a Japanese runner or three and myself. From 30-35k the course is open with the ocean on the left and also involves a long gradual uphill climb. The wind at this point was gusting and made maintaining just under 20km/hr a difficult task.

35k

As we levelled off at 35k, Dos Santos and the Japanese had been dropped and it was down to the German and the Aussie! By now, I was hurting badly and momentarily, I doubted why I was there and thought about the possibility of using my pacer tag as a reason to ease back which would result in lessening the state of fatigue I was in.
I ran sub 15min between 35k & 40k
With the course lined five deep and the crowd full of encouragement and waving their little Japanese flags I somehow began running each k faster than the previous. My 5k split from 35-40k was run under 15min and also saw me break clear of Freigang.
Like all great Japanese Marathons the race finished in an athletics stadium. As I entered the stadium well clear of Freigang, the race organiser cheered me and yelled ‘Sub 2:10’ for a winning time below 2:10 would significantly add prestige to his event.

The finish

I crossed the line in first place in a career best of 2:09:39 and was followed some 30 seconds later by Freigang with Dos Santos taking third. Of particular satisfaction was the fact I had run the second half of the marathon one minute faster than the first (65.20/64.19).
I am fortunate to have experienced running in a number of events throughout the world. However when it comes to hospitality, the Japanese races and their organisers are second to none. I will always treasure the memories of my travels to Japan and I will never forget my Beppu win.

Ayele Abshero of Ethiopia won the Dubai Marathon on Friday, setting a course record of 2 hours, 4 minutes, 23 seconds in his first marathon. Four men broke 2:05 in the race, eight broke 2:06, 10 broke 2:07, 14 broke 2:08, 15 broke 2:09, and 17 broke 2:10 – all records as fastest-ever times for places were recorded in spots three through 17. Before Friday, the fastest a man had ever run in a marathon to finish fifth was 2:06:14. In Dubai, a guy ran 2:05:42 and was 8th. Similarly, before Friday, the fastest a man had ever run to finish 10th in a race was 2:08:38. In Dubai, a guy ran more than two minutes faster – 2:06:29 – and finished 10th. Check out this article.

by Kerith Duncanson www.helpyourself.com.au

Nutrition is an issue that has become increasingly important to women who compete in sport. Our expanding knowledge of how appropriate nutrition can enhance performance and how poor nutritional habits can impair performance has followed the progression of our sporting endeavors from a recreational to professional standard.

Women who run regularly have different nutritional requirements to other women, but are also different to men who run and there also exists a broad spectrum even within distance running women themselves. The differences stem from our differing metabolic rates, training demands, stress levels, eating habits and food preferences.
Nutrition tips for woman on the run

We all have similar requirements for specific vitamins and minerals. It is advisable for women who train to ingest slightly more Iron, Calcium and Zinc than non-training women to compensate for the extra demands on these minerals caused by training. Recent studies also highlight a new area of possible benefit with the supplementation of anti-oxidant Vitamins A, C and E. In an ideal world we would obtain plenty of all the vitamins and minerals we need from our well-balanced diet. However, a concentrated multi-vitamin/mineral supplement is a good insurance policy for provision of a constant, high intake and thereby minimise risk of deficiency.

Beyond the micronutrients in our diet (ie. the vitamins and minerals) are the macronutrients. These are the calorie providers – fat, protein and carbohydrate. The combination and amount of these consumed on a daily basis, balanced against the amount of energy output (ie. exercise) will determine whether we are fat, lean or in-between.

A serious athlete would of course prefer to be lean, rather than fat or even in-between. Unfortunately, bodyweight becomes such a preoccupation for some female athletes that it becomes more important than performance itself. We must obviously aim for a balance so we are lean enough that we are not disadvantaged because we are lugging excess bodyfat, but we have enough fat to maintain good health.

It is difficult to prescribe an ideal diet because of the infinite range of variables between individuals. A diet based on carbohydrates, with moderate protein and minimal fat is definitely advisable for everyone, athletic or sedentary. In an ideal world (where we all like the same types of healthy food), a family or group of friends of all shapes, sizes and activity levels, can sit down to the same meal, and each can be optimally accommodated in terms of their nutritional needs. All that varies are the portion sizes dished up to each person.

The moral of this short article is that there are no secrets to success in the field of nutrition. Feed your body to meets its needs and you will put yourself in a position where you can minimise the risk of injury/illness and maximise your performance and consistency, while enjoying the edible and health rewards of being fit.

During exercise, more sodium is lost in sweat than is usually replaced by food and fluids. Your body can tolerate a degree of imbalance for a short period of time. If the imbalance continues for too long, sodium in the bloodstream is diluted and hyponatraemia (low concentration of sodium in the blood) results. Long runs and races carry a greater risk of hyponatraemia because of the total amount of sweat lost.  Adequate hydration and sodium intake – either via sports drinks or food – becomes vitally important during long races (or long training runs).

Symptoms of hyponatraemia can range from mild to severe and can include nausea, muscle cramps, disorientation, slurred speech, confusion, and inappropriate behaviourr. As it progresses, seizures or coma may result. Severe hyponatraemia is a true medical emergency.

Minor symptoms, such as nausea and mild muscle cramps, can be treated by eating salty foods and hydrating with a sodium containing sports drink. More severe symptoms require treatment by qualified medical personnel. If you think you are suffering from hyponatraemia or are unsure, seek medical attention immediately.

Some authorities recommend drinking less water to rebalance sodium and water intake. However, given the risk of dehydration and heat injury, this is not a practical recommendation. Increasing salt intake seems more prudent. By ingesting more sodium, hydration with water is balanced and dilution of blood sodium does not occur.

Rehearse your hydration, feeding, and salt strategy during your training sessions. There are so many variations between individuals that there is no single right answer. Know what your body’s’ needs are.

It is best if you strive to get your sodium from both sports drinks and salty foods – as opposed to salt tablets – for two reasons. Salty foods stimulate thirst, and it is possible to ingest too much salt with tablets but very difficult with food. One litre of sports drink contains approximately 500mg of sodium, half your hourly requirement. The remainder may come from food sources such as half a vegemite sandwich.

If you don’t think that your food and sports drink is providing enough sodium, then consider salt tablets. But make sure you know how much you are taking, and only do so under medical supervision.

Some practical pointers for you to remember include:

·       Drink frequently to attempt to stay hydrated.

·      During a long, hot race, aim for a total sodium intake of approximately 1 gram per hour. Please note that this may not be appropriate for everyone.

·      During training, heat acclimatisation, and for several days leading up to a big race make sure sodium intake is not too low.

·         Sodium is also important for recovery.

·        Anti-inflammatories, diuretics, narcotics, and certain psychiatric medications should be avoided during exercise, but especially during a race as they interfere with kidney function and may contribute to the development of hyponatraemia in athletes.

·        Check with your doctor if you have any health problems.