For many years we have been lead to believe that a dehydration level of more than 2% will negatively affect performance and therefore we should drink to limit dehydration to this level. This advice has even been given out by coaches and trainers for years and was the official recommendation of the American College of Sports Medicine in 2007.
Where this 2% rule came from no-one is really sure as there is no research to show that this is the case when applied to athletes in actual races. In fact there is an abundance of research to show the opposite.
A study(1) that looked at competitors in the South African Ironman showed there was a significant relationship between the degree of weight loss of competitors and performance time. The competitors that lost the most weight finished the fastest. The dehydration levels of the top athletes exceeded 7% .
Another study(2) looked at marathon finishing times and body weight loss and also concluded that the fastest finishers in a marathon were the most dehydrated.
If you look at what happens in longer races the same applies. Analysing results in 12 and 24 hour races researchers (3) found a linear relationship between weight loss and distance run. The more body weight lost the further the distance covered.
The same can be found in studies looking at the Rio Del Lago 100mile race (4) and the Marathon de Sables (5). Dehydration levels of up to 10% were reported in the fastest finishers.
In all of these studies the more dehydrated the faster the finish time. Clearly dehydration more than 2% isn’t detrimental to performance.
Dehydration and Core Temperature
It is also believed that hydration helps to prevent core temperature from rising yet several studies (6,7,8) have shown that running speed not percentage of dehydration was the determining factor in core body temperature
Is thirst a good indicator of fluid requirements?
We are often told that our sense of thirst is not sufficiently well tuned for us to rely on to determine our water intake. This may be true if we want to maintain zero to two percent dehydration but since performance isn’t hindered by dehydration levels this low, thirst can be used as the primary means of determining your water intake.
As Tim Noakes points out in his book Waterlogged every other living creature manages to use thirst as an indicator to regulate fluid balance so why would we be the only one incapable of doing this?
Should you replace all weight lost during a run?
The practice of weighing yourself before and after a workout to determine your fluid requirements is not only misleading it’s dangerous. A study (8) on the errors in estimating hydration status from changes in body mass concluded “body mass change is not always a reliable measure of changes in hydration status and substantial loss of mass may occur without an effective net negative fluid balance”
For example for every gram of glycogen in your muscles you need 3-4 grams of water to store it. As the glycogen is used for energy the water is released. This water wasn’t part of the water required for optimal function of tissues and cellular processes so doesn’t need to be replaced. If you burn up 400-500g of glyocgen thats 1.2-2 litres of weight loss you could suffer before even dehydrating even 1%.
Replacing 100% of your weight loss with water means you are effectively over-hydrating and the consequences of over-hydrating are far more severe than dehydration.
Thats not to say that you should deliberately try to dehydrate yourself just because the elite runners do. Elite runners have higher levels of dehydration because they are generating more heat since they are running faster and therefore have higher sweat rates. If you are working at a lower intensity you will sweat less and therefore wont be as dehydrated.
The point is that high levels of dehydration (5-10%) are NOT detrimental to performance or health and may even have a positive affect on performance due to reduction in body mass. It has been reported that Hallie Gebresallsie lost 10% of his body weight when he set his World Marathon Record. A weight loss of almost 5kg must have been advantageous in the later stages when fatigue set in.
Once again I’ll say that becoming that dehydrated isn’t the goal, its the consequence of drinking to thirst during a marathon, ironman or ultra-marathon and there are no side affects except becoming thirsty.
Of course if you ignore thirst or have no access to water when you are thirsty then dehydration can be a much bigger problem but in almost all endurance races around the world there is access to enough water to avoid becoming severely dehydrated.
Drink to thirst
The simple take home message is drink to thirst. Don’t impose a set amount of fluid to consume especially one based on replacing all lost weight with fluid.
If its hot drink more and if its cold drink less. Of course your thirst will tell you that very clearly. Listen to it.
Studies
1. Sharwood Collins, Goedecke, et al Weight changes, medical complications and performance in the South African Ironman Triathlon, Br.J Sport Med 2004
2.Cheuvront, Carter, Sawaka Fluid Balance and endurance exercise performance. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2003
3. Kao, Shyu, Yang et al. Athletic performance and serial weight changes during 12 and 24 hour ultra-marathons. Clin. J. Sports Med 2008
4. Lebus, Cassaza Hoffman et all. Can changes in body mass and total water accurately predict hyponatremia
5. Zouhal, Groussard Vincent et al. Athletic performance and weight changes during the ” marathon of Sands” in athletes well trained in endurance. Int J Sports Med 2009
6. Bryne, Lee et al. Continuous thermoregulatory responses to mass participation distance running in the heat Med. Sci. Sports Exer. 2006
7. Leo, Nio, Lim et al. Thermoregulation, pacing and fluid balance during mass participation dustance running in a warm humid environment Eur. J. APp. Physiol. 2010
8. Maughan, Shirreffs, Leiper. Errors in estimation of hydration status from changes in body mass. J Sports Sci 2008
Many ultrarunners I know like to keep it simple; put shoes on, head out the door and run. There is nothing wrong with that approach but if you want to improve then the body has to have the right stimulus to force it to adapt and become stronger.
Elite athletes aim to leave no stone unturned in training. They do all they can to provide the body with the right stimulus and recovery to maximise their training. Whilst many of us don’t have the time to focus on training that some of the elites do most of us could improve in a number of ways with very little if any extra time involved.
I’ve listed below 27 ways you can improve your running that don’t need much if any extra time. See how many of these you can implement in your training program.
1. Know when to run hard and when to ease up. Many runners run their easy sessions too hard and that means their hard sessions aren’t hard enough.
2. Spend more time working on your weaknesses – whether its speed, uphills, downhills, stairs, trails – whatever it is spend more time doing it rather than avoiding it.
3. Build up the elevation of your training runs so it matches that of the race you are training for. If there is 400m per 10k in the race then that’s what you should aim for in training. Even it the only way you can do that is to run up and down the same hill for hours.
4. Stop static stretching – its a waste of time.
5. Introduce dynamic stretching and do it daily instead of just when you are injured.
6. Add a running specific strength training program to your weekly routine. Thirty minutes twice a week can make a big difference.
7. Focus on running during every hard run. Dwelling on work problems during a hard run isn’t going to help your running.
8. Practise staying positive in every run no matter how bad you feel.
9. Smile when the going gets tough, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.
10. Step outside your comfort zone and choose some races that will show up your weaknesses.
11. Make getting 7-8 hours sleep a priority.
12. Stop eating processed food and increase your fruit and vegetable intake.
13. Include walking in your training – you do it in a race so practise it in training. It’s a big component of ultra running so why not train it.
14. Next time you buy shoes try several different brands on, not just your favourites and see if there is a shoe better suited to you.
15. Stop doing the same runs you always do and try a different route.
16. Run with people a fraction faster than you for your hard runs and slower than you for your easy runs.
17. Seek professional advice and get a personally designed running program.
18. Listen to your body and be prepared to have a day off or two when it needs it.
19. Don’t try and run through an injury.
20. If you have a persistent injury seek professional advice sooner rather than later.
21. Do the least enjoyable sessions more often, you’ll probably benefit more from them.
22. Practise your race day nutrition plan in your long run.
23. Do some regular meditation to develop the ability of the mind to stay focused.
24. Decrease your alcohol intake.
25. Don’t be afraid to every now and then push yourself so hard in an interval session that you can’t finish the session at the specified pace.
26. Running on technical trails is a skill so practice it often until it’s a skill that you have some level of competence at.
27. Don’t be worried about taking a few days off if you are feeling run down. We improve through recovery and if you aren’t recovering then all you are doing is breaking down.
I love winter running, Its the only time of the year that I can actually justify wearing tights in public, in the daytime. Early starts with the head torch, starting off cold under copious layers then warming up and regretting all of those layers. The sound of crunchy snow underfoot, the fleeting glimpse of wildlife in the woods and the lure of snowy peaks… I love it. This article is all about winter running and what you need to do to be able to do it, I’m going to start with the very basics in this post, then part two will be focused on what I think we’re all calling “Alpine running” – crampons and ice axe stuff… But for now we’ll start with the most important bit when running in wintery conditions.
The importance of warmth
It’s a balancing act, putting on the right amount of clothes in relation to the temperature outside – the fundamental requirement is not to freeze your bollocks or tits off. In all seriousness hypothermia is a real thing and could happen if you aren’t suitably attired for the temperature. Personally I can “get away” with shorts in temps as low as 2°C (35.6°F) but as I get older (and perhaps a bit slower) it seems that each year the Lycra is coming out of summer hibernation a bit earlier…
So lets have a look at a what to wear when the temperature creeps towards freezing. The best approach is to combine 3-4 thin layers that you can remove and put back on as necessary. I go for a technical t-shirt under a long sleeve thermal layer, these could be made out of a) Merino wool if you are rich, or b) Polyester if you are not so rich. I go for poly as I found that the merino tops that I can afford often shrink a little in the wash. A quick example of quality is my original long sleeve Helly Hansesn Lifa top which is still going strong after 11 years of use. Bomb proof – and truly deserves the moniker of “Smelly Helly”.
On top of that you may want to add a lightweight fleece top or a sleeveless gillet type of thing.
Finnish off the layering party with either a windproof or waterproof top depending on the weather. More info on “what waterproof in part 2.”
The body will pull heat away from the extremities to protect the core so make sure the hands and feet are toasty warm – I use a combination of proper ski glove mitten type things and normal runners glove – I’ve just purchased a new pair of Ronhill gloves with a tuck-in-able windproof over mitten which are quite frankly really bloody awesome. Here’s a picture
On my feet in winter I always, without any exception wear proper wool hiking socks. This really is my best beginner tip. Wool will stay warm when wet – and you are going to get wet if you run in anything resembling snow. The extra thickness will help with insulation from the ground too. I use socks made by a company called Bridgedale, they are well made and seem to last for ever, one thing you might have to do is remove the insole of your running shoes to accommodate a thicker sock, you can also try sizing up. Two shoes which work well in my arsenal are the Inov 8 roclite 295 and the Saucony Peregrine 4 (I take the insoles out in the Pery’s but not the 295’s). A slightly less minimal shoe is my preference – the increased stack height and added foam will contribute to the insulation from the ground.
Winter isn’t really a time to start barefoot running either, unless you want to be a bit of an attention seeker. You also hear about people who continue with shirtless running in winter… Look, I’ll never call anyone a moron for doing stuff like this, however, if the practices of winter barefooting and non-summer bare chestiness are combined with one of those knowing, smug looks that suggest that the secret of everything has been found… Well… I will most likely refer to a person like that as sactominious twat.
In this case a beard will not be a saving grace.
Back to the advice. On top of your bonce you need a hat, I usually start with a normal beanie, then as I warm up I take that off and pull up the buff (which was around my neck as a scarf) on to my head – clever, I know! On my legs if temps are well below freezing I wear boxer type underpants, long johns and Lycra leggings – I’m a big fan of RonHill Tracksters, they’re not too tight, they have stirrups for keeping them from riding up, they are mega cheap, warm and really these days kinda cool in a retro ironic hipster type way.
The next really important thing to discuss (ladies this one is purely for the chaps) is how to “dress”… Lets face it, it’s difficult not to notice a poorly dressed man, there’s nothing worse than “positioning” yourself to either side when wearing Lycra… The best thing is to go for symmetry and dress down the middle and nothing says “I’m embarrassed about being a man” than wearing shorts over tights. You end up looking like a grownup pretending to be a super hero, its 100% geeky – it just doesn’t look good. I’ve heard it argued that “overshorts” are good if you run in the wind, or if temperatures are really low. This is, quite frankly, a poor argument.
Nothing beats putting on a full windproof over-pant and thus covering the entire leg – if it’s really that cold, then that’s what you need to do. Inov 8 make my favourite, the out of production Mistlite 130 (now updated to the Race Elite 85 windpant) which I’ve used to climb high peaks in raging weather. You can pay a lot more and buy fully waterproof taped over pants… I dare say that they are worth the money but I still have yet to find conditions where my windproof inov-8’s were lacking.
All you need now is a bag to chuck in the discarded layers as you warm up, for long winter runs I need about 10-12 litres of space – I’m currently using the Ultimate Direction PB pack, it is very good.
Buffs come in very handy…
Before you head out the door take heed of this advice – it’s okay to be wet and warm but not wet and cold, If the weather looks bad then either don’t go for a run, cut it short or wear a proper taped waterproof coat with a hood. As I mentioned earlier, I’ll go a bit more in depth on waterproof shells in part two. We also need to factor in wind chill – running will warm you up and you’ll be fine if you keep running, but if you need to stop for any reason you’ll get cold quickly. On big outings I always bring an extra windproof layer that I can bundle over or under my waterproof, takes hardly any space and can really make a difference. In recent years we’ve seen the proliferation of micro down jackets, which I have yet to try but look like a nice lightweight alternative to a fleece used as a midlayer, the only down side (err…sorry) is that once wet, duck down will be really cold. A waterproof outer layer is a must and even then in really bad weather its hard to avoid a soaking. So, remembering that wet and warm is best, we’re probably better off using a fleece as a mid layer.
Traction.
Before I wrap up part one I will touch on traction and grip. Snow is a bit slippery at the best of times, but honestly if there is a lot of it and its soft then a fall isn’t the end of the world – try out slushy snow or powder without any extra traction devices, I think shoe skiing should be recognised as a sport on its own… You need more grip when you encounter ice – after a cycle of freeze/thaw the snow will get more and more consolidated and turn in to a sheet of neve or snow ice.
Neve “snow ice” …very slippery
On a woodland trail a slip can be dangerous, on a mountain side a slip can be life threatening. More about the high mountain stuff in the next article, but for now we’ll touch on traction options for general trail running outings.
Your traction options..
You can screw permanent spikes in to your shoes, there are official products available or you can use Tek screws
If that doesn’t float your boat, perhaps you want something less permanent – you could purchase a product like Yaktrax which slip over the shoe. They have a number of different models to choose from – some use a metal ringed cord system similar in idea to snow chains for your car tires. They also offer a product that has tiny spikes or dobs under the forefoot area. Great for low level stuff and potentially the more comfy option for all day use.
Further up the hill I’d encourage the use of micro crampons such as Kahtoola Microspikes or Hill Sound Trail Crampon. Depending on your experience these could quite happily see you through sections of relatively technical stuff such as wide slopes of neve snow, iced up ridge running or single track and even short sections of more technical mountain – there certainly is a bit of a debate about when a trail runner should put away the micro crampons in favour of real crampons with front points, micro’s are without a doubt the easier option to “run” in however, you wouldn’t want to climb a frozen waterfall…But that’s not what we’re really contemplating is it? We’re runners and we need to draw a distinction between true alpinism and “alpine running” which I will ponder over more in part two…
…Until then…Happy Winter Trails.
Hey – if you’ve like this article, why not hit the share button on your favourite social media outlet or give me a little like button love. All the links above are non-affiliated you won’t be helping me at all if you buy anything as a result of reading this, but a share, well a share is worth so much more than money…
A little disclaimer…Trail running is dangerous and mixing it with winter is surely a recipe for disaster. I take no responsibility if you hurt yourself after reading my blog. None at all. The information provided is my personal opinion only – you follow it at your own risk. Really, I think it’s best that you just stay indoors with a nice hot cup of tea until the spring time.
Uphill Running – The best technique is the one that you already do.
It’s been close to 4 years now that I’ve lived in the Ariège Pyrenees, and if there’s one thing I do a lot of its up hill running. Now, when I first got here I was a touch over awed by the climbs, In the UK I lived close to a place called the Malvern Hills and in order to get a cumulative vertical gain of 1500 Metres I had to run the entire 9 mile chain twice. Now on my doorstep, I have close to the same amount of vert in one climb, about 1200 metres, from door to the top of the valley in about 4.5 miles. It’s been a somewhat steep learning curve (sorry).
About a year and a half ago I wrote this article At the time I found it pretty difficult to sustain up hill running for more than a few hundred metres of gain. Fast forward to the present day and I’m now able to run in access of 1000 metres in one go – running – no walking, no poles, no chairlifts. Just pure up hill running. I easily pass people on the hills in races now, when folk seem to start walking I’m still happily grinding out the climb at a reasonable running pace – it feels good! In this post I’m going to share the secret of efficient up hill technique, and how you can get better at up hill running…
The Main Secret:
Put one foot in front of the other continuously and don’t stop until you get to the top.
Sounds easy enough. It is. There is no secret, no best technique and no special way to run up hill. Practice enough and your body will automatically work out its preferred and most economical way to climb.
But what about all the trainers and coaches who preach perfect form? Isn’t there “one best way” to run up hill?
It’s been very well studied that the pursuit of perfect form can be detrimental to our running economy. And let’s be honest, if there is an area of running where economy is vital it’s in hill climbing. In his book “80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster” Matt Fitzgerald goes in to depth on the subject of running economy and the”cost of correction” Fitzgerald provides solid evidence that runners who change their natural style or stride perform worse as a result.
Over the past few years I’ve come to see this personally. When I started down the minimal path, I like many others became obsessed with pursuing the idea of the “correct way to run.” In the process of transitioning to minimal shoes I looked at mimicking barefoot running form whilst shod. It took a lot of concentration but I gradually adapted. I stuck doggedly to it for the years that followed: the idea that there is a one true perfect form that fits all runners. I was convinced that a fore-foot or mid-foot landing was “optimal” and a cadence anything less than 180 would leave me sidelined with injury. In the past few years I’ve become less dogmatic, studies have now proved that there is no best foot strike or “best way to run” and according to Matt Fitzgerald book – Mo Farah’s cadence is just 160!
In my own experience, as I’ve naturally gravitated from a zero cushion, zero drop shoe to a more moderately cushioned lower drop shoe, I’ve seen my stride relax too. I’m no longer concerned about fitting in to the constraints of a branded running form. As a result of letting go and allowing my body to find its own stride again I’ve seen year on year race improvement, fitness gains and continual PB’s on my Strava Segments!
As Matt Fitzgerald writes, “Each runners stride automatically becomes more efficient over time so that conscious changes in technique are always counterproductive.”
An example of this “Self Optimization” in my own uphill running – I barely move my arms anymore. A form obsessed coach would seriously criticize this, but I’ve come to accept that my low relaxed carriage and almost non-existent arm swing is my body’s way of conserving energy as I run up hill in a steady aerobic state.
All of these changes are a result of letting go of an idea of “perfect form” but one thing I’m still careful about is posture. We can’t forget that the majority of workplace environments cause bad posture. Modern life generally sucks from a postural standpoint (I know another one.) One thing I do think about when running up hill is not to slouch too much, to pull my shoulders down a little, open my chest a bit, keep my abs flat… But In my case I really need to do this when I’m not running! I’m tall and as a result of growing up surrounded by short people I’ve developed a poor posture that I have to fight against daily! Cursed gravity! In summary, the secret to uphill running is just to do it, don’t over think and in time (it took me three years) and with enough hills you’re body will self optimize its own perfect technique that’s tailor made for you.
Further TRT’s for uphill running…
Grinding out the vert.
This is where it gets fun, in hill running the greatest sense of achievement, I believe, is to grind out a climb without walking. There’s nothing better than reaching a col or a summit and thinking, “I didn’t walk any of that.” As my stride has developed over the years I’ve noticed my ability to keep on “running” up hill has too. In fact I prefer running up hill in a quiet meditative aerobic state than power walking. The later is undoubtedly more efficient on steep grades, and after a while energy levels can’t support continual run climbing, but I can slow it all down and pace myself up the sharper bits and as time goes by I find I can go longer uphill in “running” mode before I call it quits and revert to walking.
Set your goals and the pace will adjust like magic.
Imagine running a half marathon the best you can do, you reach the finish line completely drained then the race director tells you that it was supposed to be a marathon! – you need to tack on an extra 13 miles. The chances are you’re NOT going to do it. You will more than likely crumple in to a deflated pile on the floor, the prospect of another 13 is ridiculous. Even though you may have run a marathon before and know you can complete that distance – that wasn’t the task that was set for you, Your brain and your body say NO!
Humans are task orientated, we like to know how long something is going to take, when we have a specific goal, like the end of a race, we’re quite willing to suffer for that finish line. It’s accepted that there is a certain amount of psychology that underpins the physiology. Hill running fits nicely in to this paradigm – if we know how long the climb is going to be we can make it to the top!
If you set out that your goal is to reach the top of a mountain, on a known path, where you can perceive the finish you’ll easily be able to pace yourself to the top – over a period of time you will get quicker and quicker at this route – simple logic. Your stride will self optimize, you may walk less (if at all) and you will gradually find it easier.
A great pacing test is to run up hill as fast as you can to a given point. You should, without really trying too hard, manage to pace yourself to the finish – as long as you are familiar with the trail. Every month I do the same “Vertical Half Kilometer” time trial – a steep 500 metres of gain in less than 4 km which is now saved as a Strava segment. So far, apart from the odd occasion, I’ve made an improvement each time – got it down to just over 30 mins. At the beginning I took off dramatic chunks from my personal best but now I guess I’m close to the fastest I can go, I’m taking seconds off, no longer minutes.
It’s all about pace. And I’m sorry there’s no magic pill, you have to practice and repeat your routes, practice and repeat. You will get faster I promise.
But what if you don’t know the climb?
There’s usually a situation where you undertake a climb for the first time and you need to perform to your very best. Maybe a race or perhaps you are attempting to escape from prison.
The approach I’ve tried most often is to use a simple stopwatch timer – armed with the knowledge of how long it takes me to climb at a steady running pace and the amount of vertical gain in relation to the linear distance required to reach the top, I can usually get the pacing right – It’s even easier when you emerge from the tree line and can see the summit! But that’s not always possible – weather can obscure peaks and a climb can seem to take forever.
Another method is to use an altimeter, this is probably the best technique when you can’t see anything and its about as accurate an indication of how much more climb you have left to go than anything else. You can relax and just see the vertical gain accumulating before your eyes. Perhaps the best approach. The key thing is to be able to visualize the end goal and your pace will adjust like magic! Speed will come after practice.
What NOT to do:
Type “uphill running” in to YouTube and then copy someone else. Don’t Do that. Do not attempt to copy the rigid straight jacket techniques found in . Leave the pseudoscience alone – walk away. In fact it’s been shown that as an athlete gets fitter and more experienced they tend to have a more variable stride – looseness or fluidity develops. I’m not suggesting that professional athletes run around with their arms flaying all over the place, but they certainly don’t stick to the confines of a branded running style. If you take the time to look at a YouTube video of a top mountain runner like Killian Jornet, you’ll understand what I’m talking about; an individual, relaxed and fluid stride that is unique to Killian. Get out there and practice enough and you’ll be rewarded with your own best uphill running technique. Enjoy the grind!
Mary Wilkinson putting her uphill running tips to the test in last year’s World Mountain Running Championship trial race
Mary has represented Great Britain ten times in mountain running, winning six medals, including three team golds.
In 2014 she once again competed in the World Mountain Running Championships, helping GB’s women to team silver in the uphill-only race. A runner with over 20 years of experience, Mary knows what it takes to run uphill, and do so fast! Here are her top tips:
Running uphill can hold as much of a psychological barrier as a physical one. For long continual climbs don’t think of the whole distance and altitude gain. Instead, break it down into manageable segments that you can mentally tick off as they pass. If it’s a race, I will either run the route beforehand or look at the profile and identify key points, such as completing an especially steep section or getting to a flat section. For last month’s World Championship trial race, held over an uphill-only course at Sedbergh, I split it into five sections and thus it felt much more manageable in my head!
If the hill is sustained and has a constant gradient, try and find a good running rhythm and stick to it. I often find myself counting to my foot strikes, which keeps me focused and working at a constant effort.
Shorten your strides and lean into the hill, but keep the same rhythm and effort, as you would do when running on the flat. Taking smaller steps will keep you driving up and forward rather than over-striding and having to lift your weight over your foot plant. I also like the feeling that I am running faster and stronger with the higher cadence that accompanies a shorter stride.
Don’t look down! Keep your head up and maintain a good posture. Looking at your feet means that you can’t open your lungs as much, which means less oxygen to your legs, which makes the hill harder!
About 15 minutes before for an uphill race do a couple of short (10 seconds max) hill sprints to ensure your key leg muscles are firing.
Sometimes it is just as fast to walk very steep ascents, however, if you do, make sure you don’t take the opportunity to ease off and instead really power walk. It can be hard to get back into running if you do walk. So, rather than walking, try shortening your stride and keep running.
Ensure your shoes have good grip. There is nothing worse than your foot slipping as you try and drive off. My shoes of choice for uphill-only races are the inov-8 roclite 243 in dry conditions and the inov-8 x-talon 190 when it’s wet.
Don’t forget; when running uphill-only races you will finish at a higher altitude than you started and the weather can be very different so carry extra kit to offer protection.
While others are walking, Mary Wilkinson is still uphill running
There’s no greater buzz in running than nailing a downhill. It’s you versus the terrain. To win that battle feels amazing!
Being able to descend with confidence is crucial, especially when racing. You can be the best in the world at running uphill, but if you can’t descend then it will seriously hamper your chances of winning races, be that on the fells, mountains or trails. I have had to work hard to improve my downhill skills but that dedication to doing so paid off when I won last year’s English Fell Running Championships for the first time. Here are my top-10 tips to improve your downhill running.
1 Switch off your brain Runners worry about falling, slipping and hurting themselves, which is understandable. However, to think like this will only slow you down. It’s not easy, but what you have to do is, at the top of the hill, switch off your brain and let your legs take control. The less your brain is working, the better. Empty it of fear and you will run downhill faster. Because it has less time to think about things, my brain switches to no-fear mode much easier when I’m racing. So, when training downhill I often pretend that I’m racing, tricking the mind!
2 Keep strides long The most common mistake runners make – and I’m guilty of doing so myself when tired – is shortening their stride. Longer strides equal faster downhill running. I practice downhill running a lot and the focus is always on maintaining a longer stride. It takes time and a degree of bravery to improve your downhill running but the end benefits are huge.
3 Lean forwards Whenever you can, especially on gradual downhill, lean forwards. This will lengthen your stride and ensure your brakes remain switched off. On steeper descents, I try to lean forward but tiredness can mean I lean back slightly. This does in turn give you a little more control in your downhill running but you won’t go as fast.
4 Look ahead and pick the best lines Rather than looking directly at the terrain under your feet, look slightly ahead at what’s coming in two strides’ time. When racing, think more about your route choices and the lines you are going to take. I am always looking for the best, fastest lines, though these may not always be the most direct. Avoiding wet rocks in favour of a grassier, albeit slightly longer, alternative route can be quicker. I try and recce race routes in advance so I know the fastest lines and various alternatives.
5 Do repetitions in training Find a gradual off-road downhill gradient and do sprint repetitions down it, ensuring you use a long stride length. Each repetition should be about a minute to a minute and a half in effort. Jog back up the hill after each repetition to recover. I try and do 10. Ensure you stretch well, especially your hamstrings, both before and afterwards.
6 Bend your legs Try not to run downhill with straight legs, as this could potentially result in knee complaints. Your legs should be slightly bent, which will in turn will give you more spring in your step.
7 Squat for strength Leg strength is crucial for fast downhill running. One exercise I use a lot is the squat. Put your back against a wall, with your knees at a 90-degree angle. Push off your toes and force your back hard against the wall. Keep your knees at 90-degrees and hold for as long as possible. Yes, it hurts!
8 Pretend you’re a windmill! It’s important not to forget that your arms also have a key role to play if you want to run downhill faster. Push them out, as high and wide as you feel comfortable, and use them to aid your balance. You might think you look a bit silly doing so but it definitely works. Imagine you are on a tight rope, what would your arms do? Now replicate that when running downhill.
9 Trust your feet and footwear If you don’t have trust in your own feet and your footwear then you are in trouble. I like shoes with a really aggressive tread and wear inov-8’s X-TALON, MUDCLAW and OROC shoes when wanting the best grip.
10 Adapt your technique to the terrain Be ready to adapt your technique to the different terrains you encounter on a downhill. Loose rock and scree can often work with you as it moves forward under your feet – just ride it! Wet rock is the most difficult to negotiate – the less time your feet are in contact wet rock, the better, so stay light-footed and springy. When running downhill through mud, dig your heels in a bit more.
If you're reading this I'm going to assume you've already signed up and trained for an ultramarathon. As such, I'm going to leave out any reference to training and even how to run the thing. Mainly because they're huge topics in their own right and you've only got a week left and you're bricking it. So in no particular order, here are six things that I do in the week leading up to an ultra.
Stretch
If you're anything like me and most runners I know, you don't stretch enough. There's been a lot of research and discussion around stretching and the upshot is far from conclusive. Generally though I like the idea that you stretch to feel better, rather like animals do. So I'll do my hamstrings because they're like iron rods (not a good thing) and my hip flexors because I sit at a desk all day. Your muscles are probably going to be sore and tight after your ultra so I reckon it's a good idea to get everything as loose as possible in the days before the race.
Trust in your training
This applies to any distance but I think it's particularly important to remember the further you go, especially if you haven't run that far before. As with a marathon, you're unlikely to have run the distance of the race in training, so psychologically it can be a bit daunting. You're better off being undertrained and nicely rested than to go in knackered.
Ignore taperitis
While you've been reducing the quantity and intensity of your running to prepare yourself for race day, you might notice a twinge in your knee or a soreness around your ankle that you've never felt before. This is perfectly normal. (Unless you've actually twisted your knee or rolled your ankle. In which case, have a doctor look at it.) It's all psychological. I believe it is all your excitement and potential energy just waiting to burst out on race day, although you should also know that I am not a scientist..
Plan your route to the start
Sounds obvious but there's nothing worse than anxiously being stuck in traffic or hoping desperately that you make your train connection before you even start running. Check there are no planned engineering works, allow extra time for leaves/cows/trespassers on the tracks, and if possible have a back-up route (or plan) in mind. I did all of this for the Gatliff 50k and STILL almost missed the start. Bloody South-Eastern Railways.
Laying out the kit on your bed and posting a photo of it to social media sites is a legal requirement for all ultra runners
Prepare your kit
Depending on the length of the race, this could be no more than a water bottle and couple of Snickers, or it could be a full backpack of tent, sleeping bag and miniature rescue helicopter (just in case). Either way, make sure you know what you're wearing on the day, what you want, and what you absolutely must have. Many races have compulsory items so get them in place or your race might end before it begins. At least with a few days left, you've still got time to buy something vital from the Ultramarathon Running Store(other stores are available but most aren't as good.)
Get a good night's sleep the night before the night before
This is another one which is not only relevant to ultras but is all the more important if your race involves not sleeping for 24 hours or more. The night before the race you will most likely be nervous, excited and trying not to disturb all the kit laid out on your bed (see above). So target the night before that to have an early one and dream peacefully about your impending triumph.
There is a lot of discussion in the media and running circles about running technique, and specifically heel strike vs forefoot and the pros and cons of each. Unfortunately almost all the discussions have over simplified the topic and miss a few key points.
Before I go into more explanation let me summarise by saying: 1. There is nothing wrong with heel striking depending on where the rest of your body is when your heel strikes the ground. 2. Changing to a fore/mid foot strike doesn’t necessarily improve your running or decrease your risk of injuries and may even increase the risk of injury. 3. Forefoot strike is not necessarily a more effective, more economical way of running. Read on to find out why.
First of all let’s look at what runners actually do in races, not on a treadmill (where the majority of studies are carried out). Depending on which study you read somewhere between 65-85% of elite runners heel strike during a marathon. So if the majority of elite distance runners heel strike why is everybody trying to change to a forefoot strike? As with most things the answers lie in the shades of grey that most discussions on foot strike completely miss.
Speed The faster you run the more likely you will forefoot strike. Try sprinting for the bus and see if you still heel strike. If we are going to have a discussion on heel vs forefoot strike we need to put that in context of speed. A 400m runner that heel strikes is probably very inefficient, a marathoner who heel strikes may not be. When talking about speed we can’t talk about absolute speed since for a Kenyan marathon runner 3 minute kilometres are comfortable whereas for the average runner it is a sprint.
Heel strike and elastic energy There is an idea that if you heel strike you can’t take advantage of the elastic energy that can be stored in your Achilles tendon and used to propel you forward. This is based on the notion that it is the little stretch you get between when your forefoot hits the ground and when your heel touches (or moves towards the ground) that loads the Achilles tendon. But even if you heel strike the forward movement of the lower leg relative to the foot will load the Achilles if it happens rapidly enough. If you look at the diagram below you will see in figure 1 that if you heel strike out in front of the body the lower leg has to move through a large range before it stretches the Achilles. During this time a lot of energy will leak into the ground. If however, like in figure 2, the heel strike is near or underneath your centre of mass the lower leg doesn’t have far to travel before the Achilles becomes loaded.
Different types of heel strike It’s not as black and white as heel strike and forefoot strike. We have midfoot strike and also what I call a glancing heel strike. To understand a glancing heel strike is to understand why elite runners can heel strike and be very efficient and back of the pack runners can heel strike and be very inefficient.
Glancing heel strike A glancing heel strike has two main distinctions from a normal heel strike:
The foot lands close to or under the centre of gravity. The motion of the leg just before contact is either slightly backwards or downwards.
This differs to normal heel strike, which occurs when the foot is out in front of the centre of gravity and the motion of the leg is forward. Let’s look at both of those in more detail.
Foot landing position If the foot lands out in front of the body then a braking force occurs in the opposite direction of travel. If the foot lands underneath then this minimises any braking force.
Leg motion If the leg is moving forwards at foot contact then once again a braking force occurs. If the leg is moving backwards or downwards at contact then as the foot comes to rest momentarily on the ground the resultant momentum drives the rest of the body forward. Neither of these are dependant on which part of the foot hits the ground – it can happen with either heel or forefoot.
Effect of shoe on foot strike speed The lower the heel on your shoe the more likely you will land mid/forefoot regardless of speed. But barefoot runners can still heel strike. Despite what you read, barefoot or minimalist running isn’t a cure for heel striking but A higher heel will lend itself more to heel strike and the higher the heel the more likely (in general) you are to make contact with the ground out in front of your body.
What’s the ideal heel for a shoe? That depends on the person, the speed they run at and the distance they run. For a 200m sprint you wont need any heel at all since your heels won’t touch the ground. For an ultramarathon a little bit of support under the heel is probably a good thing as the cumulative load on the calfs and achilles is reduced with a slight heel. How much support? I recommend anywhere from 2-8 mm depending on the individual. Go too low and it can overstress your calves and achilles.
Should you change from heel strike to forefoot strike? The focus shouldn’t be on what part of your foot hits the ground but where the rest of your body is when it hits the ground. Minimising braking forces and conserving forwards momentum is the goal as this will improve running economy and decrease your risk of injury. To do this you need to land more under your centre of gravity and have the leg travelling backwards or downwards at point of contact. Unfortunately without slow motion video it’s very hard to determine where your body is when your foot hits the ground. A variable that is easier to measure is your stride rate. In general the lower your stride rate the more chance there is of your foot landing out in front of you.
Stride rate A quicker stride rate, or cadence, reduces the chance of your foot landing forward of your body and this is of far more importance than which part of your foot hits the ground first. Changing your stride rate will take time and conscious effort. Be aware it will also load muscles differently so you should make any change gradual. Start by focusing on stride rate during speed sessions (you are doing speed sessions aren’t you?). Particularly notice what happens to your stride length when you fatigue. In many runners fatigue increases stride length making you less effective.
Is there an ideal stride rate? You may have read that 90 is the magic number that we should all be aiming for. This is untrue and stride rate has a number of variables which change from athlete to athlete. Some athletes when they increase their speed increase stride rate, others increase stride distance, others do both. The key point is that if you increase stride length then that length should not come out in front of you, it should come from the distance the leg goes behind your body.
Hip extension One reason why we fatigue as our cadence drops and the foot lands in front is that we may lack hip extension. This means we get more stride length in front of the body rather than behind it. Developing greater dynamic hip extension will help increase stride length without the foot landing forward of the body. If you have plenty of available dynamic hip extension then it may be the glutes and/or hamstrings don’t have sufficient strength to propel you forward far enough to allow a longer stride.
Should you change your cadence? First of all become aware of your cadence and how it changes – if your cadence slows as speed increases or slows when holding the same pace as you tire you can assume you are over-striding. Quicken your stride rate slightly to get your foot back towards your body when it hits the ground. If your cadence is pretty constant at different speeds and less than 90 there may be nothing wrong with that. The only real way to know is to get someone to video you and look at it in slow motion. But it is still worth playing around with cadence to see if a small change feels more economical. Experiment in your speed sessions and see if you feel any better with a slightly higher stride rate. If you do then gradually start to work that into slower speed running. Like any change it should be increased gradually to give the body a chance to adapt. But whether your cadence is 84 or 94 or 104 you need to look at the whole body to determine if that’s a good or bad thing. There is not a magic number that applies to every athlete, our bodies are all individual. So don’t worry if you hit the ground with heel first, there may be nothing wrong with that, despite what you may read in some seemingly scientific articles. Unless you take into consideration the position of the rest of the body when your foot hits the ground it is meaningless.
The long run is obviously the most important training session of the week for an ultra runner but how long should it be?
I was initially of the opinion that longer was better but after building up to a long run of 75km before my first ultra and dying big time in the race I re-evaluated my ideas.
For my second race my longest run was only 45k and it was run at a much slower pace than my previous long runs. This was a resounding success as I was still running strong with 95 miles of running in my legs.
Why the big difference and why did running less ks at a slower speed in long training runs result in me running more ks at a faster speed during the race?
Whilst you may read about some of the pro’s putting in 8 hour training days on a regular basis the majority of us haven’t got the time to do this or the bodies that could handle that kind of training so we need to be a bit smarter about how we go about it. The often quoted rule when training for marathon is if you can do 30-35k in training then you can do 42k come race day. Using the same percentages for an ultra would have you running 70+k run for a 100k race or a 120k+ for a 100mile race. Clearly not a realistic goal.
So what is the ideal distance?
Unfortunately there is no best answer for this as it depends on a number of variables including the amount of ascent descent covered in the run, the speed you run at, the terrain you run on, what your body can handle, the recovery time necessary after a long run and the amount of training you have done for the rest of the week. Manipulating these variables to discover the optimum long run distance for you is more art than science but there are several guidelines you can apply.
1. Recovery Time
The longer the run the more recovery time you’ll need. There is a point of diminishing returns where the longer your run the more days recovery you will need. This obviously impacts training for that week. If you need any more than a days rest before you can run again then I feel your long run is too long (or you are running it too fast)
2. Intensity
A common mistake for runners making the jump from marathons to ultras is to continue to run their long runs at the same pace. This is fine if you are training for a 50k but if you are training for 100k or more then you need to slow down. Your long run should feel easier than the long runs you did training for a marathon. Running your long run faster is not necessarily better. The aim of the long run is to build endurance by improving the bodies ability to burn fat, increase capillary density and mitochondria in the muscles. The faster you run the less fat you burn so the less stimulus there is to improve your fat burning ability. the faster you run the more damage you will do to your muscles which can affect the rest of the weeks training.
3. Terrain
Your long run should be done on similar terrain to your race. You can’t expect to cope with running 100k with 5000m of ascent descent if your long runs are 40k and covering 500 m elevation change. A good aim is to work at increasing the elevation change per km to the same as expected in the race. Ie if the race has 5000m in 100k then that’s 500m per 10k. You should aim to gradually increase the elevation change so that you get to approx 1500-2000m for 30-40km.
You can also use this principle based on time rather than distance. Ie If you are hoping to run 100k with 5000m of elevation change in 20 hours then that’s 250 metres per hour so a 4 hour run should have at least 1000m of ascent descent.
If your race is on technical trails then it makes sense that your long run isnt done on road or gentle fire tracks and vice versa – train specifically for the course.
Photo by Stefica Key
5. Back to back or single long run?
Running back to back suits many runners better than a single long run. Covering 50-70km in 24 hours is a lot less stressful on the body than covering the same distance in 12 hours. So for example running 25-35k on Friday afternoon followed by 25-35k Saturday morning would place less stress on the body than running 50-70k non stop on Saturday.
The one proviso for this is that you don’t run any harder just because you are doing only 25-35 compared to 60. When you set out Friday afternoon tell yourself you are running 60k and adjust your pace accordingly. When you stop after 25-30k you should feel comfortable and not be exhausted.
Another way to use back to backs is to do a shorter but higher intensity run the day before the long run to get you used to running long on already fatigued legs.
6. Walking in your Long Run
Too many runners think that walking is a sign of weakness , after all if you are a runner isn’t walking cheating? However in an ultra – particularly a trail ultra almost everyone walks some of it. So you may as week practise it. Walking in your long run also allows you to cover more mileage with less risk of injury . For example running 40km non stop will put a lot more load on your legs compared to running 50k but broken up into a 5k run 1k walk. For more info on how to improving your walking during an ultra have a look here
7. The really long run
Once or twice before your main race I think it’s worth spending a weekend getting one or two long days on your feet. Before all the successful 100milers I have done I have spent a weekend around 4-5 weeks before the race covering 120-160km in a period of 2-3 days. As I compete in trail races this is all done in trails and includes a fair bit of walking. I have found that although I generally need 2-3 days off after this the benefits gained outweigh the lost days training. The pace for these should be very very easy and the goal is more to spend 8+ hours on your feet for a couple of days rather than trying to run a certain pace. It’s also a great chance to test out your nutrition strategy and race gear. Depending on what your weekly mileage is and how long your long run is will govern how much you run and how much you walk.
8. Injury Prevention
Always remember the more you run in a fatigued state the more susceptible to injuries you will be. The length of your run should always be moderated by what your body can handle and what it can recover from. Keep in mind that some injuries such as tendon injuries are cumulative so whilst you may feel ok after one long run, a month later you are in pain. Progress slowly and always err on the side of caution.
So why did a much shorter run at a slower pace give me far greater training benefit than a longer run?
That 45k run was run over 6 hours and included well over 2500m of ascent and descent. It was preceded by a 30k run the night before which also included nothing but hill reps. I recovered well enough from this to hit the track two days later and clock up some respectable 1 mile repeats (sub 5.30). Previously the long run built up to a point that I would need at least 3 days to recover from. Being able to back up from long runs and run at speed a few days later made a massive difference to my endurance at the back end of a 100 mile race.
Thats not to say this is the best option for you. This worked for me when I was training for UTMB with the massive amount of ascent and descent but for less hilly 100 mile races I have trained differently.
By considering all the variables and listening to your body you should be able to find the optimal distance for your long run.
