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MAY
2008 Vol. 1 Issue 3 |
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Welcome to Coach Al's Endurance
Scoop presented by Coach Al Lyman and Friends. Together
they hope to reach more athletes than ever before. And,
through the newsletter,
Coach-Al.com
website and your valuable feedback, want to empower and inspire YOU
and others like you to strive for and achieve your personal
best. |
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From the Desk
of Coach Al Lyman |
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 BE
FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE!
We have all been in situations where events unfold in
dissonance with our plans. For a myriad of reasons, things
are not going or happening as we expected OR an event such
as an accident occurs and within an instant our life is
changed, sometimes temporarily and sometimes forever.
"One must marry one's feelings to one's beliefs and ideas.
That is probably the only way to achieve a measure of
harmony in one's life."
-- Etty Hilsum
Flexibility and adaptability are words that are used to
describe many things. In our sport, being more “flexible” is
certainly a necessary component for success. However, I’ve
found that when it comes to flexibility (and adaptability),
in our daily lives is where it is even MORE important for
our success and happiness. What do I mean?
Back on May of 2005, I had a serious bike crash after being
hit by a car while out on a training ride. In the weeks and
months after the crash, I was mired in a daily routine and
circumstances that seemed completely out of my control, and
that was hugely frustrating! I went from prepping to race
Ironman, to trying to regain the ability to accomplish
menial daily tasks without severe pain.
We have all been in
similar situations before – when, for one reason
or another, things are not going or happening as we expected
them to, OR an event happens to us such as an accident like
mine, and in an instant, our life changes dramatically,
either for the short term or sometimes long term or permanently.
.
Bringing this point home to the present “real world,” how
many of you are as frustrated as I am about the price of
gas, the rising cost of living, and the ongoing conflict in
Iraq, among other things? These events are largely out of
our control, but they too can be absolutely maddening and
frustrating to think about!
Looking back, one thing I learned
from that accident and
subsequent injury is that one of the most reliable ways to
be miserable and frustrated in this life of ours, is to
insist that everything around us always be a certain
specific way. Conversely, one of the most reliable ways to
make life continually enjoyable is to be flexible and
willing to adapt to whatever comes along.
Real success in life, and in our sport, is not a matter of
being in absolute command of the world around you. The
success that truly matters comes from being at peace with
the world in which you live and doing your best with
whatever it is that you have at your disposal. You and I
both know that when it comes to our races and goal
setting, persistence will enable us to achieve great things.
But we also need to realize that stubbornness will keep us
mired in perpetual disappointment. That’s not fun!
By all means, I know in my heart as I sit here right
now, that despite what is happening in the world, I must remain
on my path and set ambitious goals for myself, reaching for
them with every ounce of my being. But I've also learned
that I can't trivialize the process by demanding or
expecting that every little detail go my way. Life is
not like that, and demanding that it be so only makes us
more frustrated, rather than fulfilled!
The more flexible we are about the stuff that ultimately
doesn't matter, the more able we'll be to accomplish
the things that ARE important to us. The more willing we are
to adapt and just let things be as they are, the more
enjoyable and fulfilling life will be.
Adapt to what is. If
we do that, I believe the odds favor a much better chance to
reach our potential on the race course, and have more fun
doing it!
-Coach Al
On a different note, I am excited to let you know that I am
introducing a
NEW “e-coaching” Program for a limited number
of athletes.
This NEW program is for runners and triathletes
who are seeking to improve their sports performance plus
their happiness and fulfillment through endurance sports.
 This is my way of reaching out and doing what I
love to do more than anything else, which is to HELP others
to achieve their dreams and goals and have fun and be happy
doing it!
If you think this NEW “e-coaching” program may be for you,
go here now to learn more!
Please note, this
EXCLUSIVE program will be limited to
ONLY FIVE ATHLETES! You will be required to fill out a questionnaire so
that I can learn more about you, and to be sure we are well
suited to work together.
Are you ready to take your life and performance, to the
next level?
Take advantage of this special limited time
offer and apply now to be one of ONLY FIVE ATHLETES we
accept. This program will surely be filled
quickly, so apply today so you can be one of them!
 One last thing: If
you are a swimmer or triathlete and are seeking a
user-friendly tool
to help you improve your skills,
check out the Future Dreams Swim CD that I have
available for you, also referenced in the sidebar of
this newsletter. In all of my years of coaching
swimming,
this is by far the best learning technique CD
that I have ever come across!
That’s it for now… All the best,
-Coach Al
Coaching endurance athletes of all abilities for nearly 10 years, Coach Al Lyman, CSCS, continues to demonstrate his passion to help and inspire people of all ages and from every walk of life to achieve their dreams and goals through their participation in endurance sports -- most recently through his coaching company, Pursuit Fitness. In addition to being an Ultrafit Associate, he is certified with USA Triathlon, USA Cycling, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. As an endurance athlete, Coach Al has completed over two dozen marathons with a personal best Boston Marathon of 2:39, as well as having finished 8 Ironman Triathlons; including three trips to Kona, Hawaii for the Ironman World Championship. His personal best of 10:29 was achieved at Ironman USA in Lake Placid, NY.
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by Coach Al Lyman
 Make Your Daily Eating Habits Work
FOR You, Not Against You!
In talking with many
Runner-CORE users, I have found that quite a few haven’t yet taken the time to listen to the Audio CD. What?? Don’t you want to
get my take on the secrets to maximizing the nutrition side
of the training equation? :-)
If you are one of those that haven’t yet listened in, I encourage you to do so as soon as you can.
I bring this up because one of the
topics I cover on the CD is our daily eating habits, and how a few
relatively simple things such as meal timing can have a dramatic impact on not only our performance, but our body composition too!
Fact: many of us got into this sport to lose weight. Perhaps we reached a point when we realized that the belt was getting tighter, or the doctor told us we needed to lose it “or else,” or maybe our spouse had a comment here or there for us, and so we decided to embark upon an exercise program that inevitably involved running, and bingo, here we are!
When it comes to daily nutrition and our daily “habits,” perhaps the
most common mistake the MANY runners and triathletes make is
too much late day, or “back-loaded” eating. In other words, getting in the greater percentage of our daily calories, whatever their form, much too late in the day.
Here’s the
typical scenario that is very similar to what I here often (from novices AND elites):
“When I woke up I wasn’t that hungry, and I was in a rush to get to the office (or school, or work, or?), so I grabbed my coffee, a piece of fruit or an energy bar, and headed out. The morning went by in a rush, so I didn’t have time to grab anything, and before I knew it, it was lunch time. Now, sure, aren’t we all trying to drop a few pounds? Since I am, I figured this was a great time to “be good” at lunch, so I ordered a half of a sandwich with nothing but the best ingredients and a large salad, and a diet coke, of course! After lunch I felt like I was full enough, so I never bothered to grab anything else. Once the day was over, I knew I had the workout around 5pm, so I waited and yes, by the time the workout was here, I was hungry! After I was done, I was SO HUNGRY, I could have eaten a horse! By the time I sat down to relax and have dinner, it was about 8 O’clock and I swear, no amount of food at that point would satisfy me. I ate just about whatever I could get my hands on, that wasn’t moving! I ended up going to bed kind of full, not feeling that great. Oh well.”
That, my friends, is a typical scenario that ABSOLUTELY sets this person up for failure, not only with energy levels and recovery, but ALSO very importantly with
less than optimal adaptation to training, AND fat loss!
The person likely reached their afternoon workout having
taken in only 25% of their daily caloric needs at that point! They hadn’t fueled their body well prior to training, they
set up a “starvation” mindset within their body which meant the body would be less willing to give up FFAs (free fatty acids, aka FAT) as a fuel source, and they increased the likelihood that the calories they did consume after the workout would be “junk” rather than wholesome quality protein, fat, and carbs.
On the
Runner-CORE Audio CD, I tell you the optimum strategy is to EAT BREAKFAST like a king, LUNCH like a queen, and DINNER like a pauper.
The message is to eat well early in the day, and taper your caloric intake throughout the day. To lose body fat, you should also try tapering carbohydrate intake a bit throughout the day also, but you must be careful with this, because getting in enough carbs to support your training is critical for performance, and recovery!
The bottom line: to train better, recover better, get
leaner and drop those unwanted pounds more easily and
effectively, AVOID back-loaded eating on a routine basis,
and you’ll
get the results you are seeking! :-)
Happy Trails!
- Coach Al
Coaching endurance athletes of all abilities for nearly 10 years, Coach Al Lyman, CSCS, continues to demonstrate his passion to help and inspire people of all ages and from every walk of life to achieve their dreams and goals through their participation in endurance sports -- most recently through his coaching company, Pursuit Fitness. In addition to being an Ultrafit Associate, he is certified with USA Triathlon, USA Cycling, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. As an endurance athlete, Coach Al has completed over two dozen marathons with a personal best Boston Marathon of 2:39, as well as having finished 8 Ironman Triathlons; including three trips to Kona, Hawaii for the Ironman World Championship. His personal best of 10:29 was achieved at Ironman USA in Lake Placid, NY.
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 by
Scott "Scotty J" Johnsonn
Have you ever had a friend who is a little ahead of the curve?
You know the type, the kid who was always the first on the block to get the cool new toys. How about the guy at work that has some new gadget or piece of software that, at first, appears a little too good to be true but in the long run really does provide him an edge?
Well, I have one such friend. He happens to be my coach! Nearly 10 years ago the ideas were not too earth shattering
-- cadence monitor, solid nutrition habits, and functional strength training. But in time I have been introduced to some pretty big ideas such as the proper application of power meters in bike training and most recently the
Vasa Ergometer.
Back in 2005 on the heels of Ironman Lake Placid,
Coach Al started telling me about this
new swim trainer he had discovered, the Vasa Ergometer. “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” I told him. I’ve seen those Vasa trainers in the corner at my local pool. But he insisted that the Ergometer was different. The same people that make the Vasa Trainer also make the Vasa Ergometer. That is where the similarities end.
The Vasa Ergometer is a
dry land wind trainer for swimming. The best way for me to describe the product is to send you to Vasa’s website:
http://www.vasatrainer.com/
Considering that I commute nearly two hours per day, have three young children, and at last check a life beyond triathlon, I thought long and hard about the opportunities such a device could provide. From the outset the
possibility of doing the majority of my swim training at home was more than appealing. Gone would be the bleary eyed drives to an over crowded pool hoping to secure an open lane.
My next hurdle was to
identify just how could I use the Ergometer to improve my technique. At the time I purchased the unit, I had been swimming four to five times per week including one Masters session and my times had stagnated. I must point out that I learned to swim as an adult in order to complete my first triathlon. After several underwater video taping sessions, input from a local swim coach, and studying video of world class freestylers, I had a fair understanding of what was required to execute an early vertical arm / high elbow catch and pull.
What I needed was the time to swim
20,000 plus meters per week to gain the strength, flexibility, and neuromuscular connections required to obtain that technique. Given my schedule limitations and the law of diminishing returns, Coach Al insisted that although not a 100% substitute for the time in the pool,
the Ergometer combined with a strategically positioned mirror can help me to bridge this gap.
Now the last question was
how do I purchase an Ergometer without breaking the bank?
For me, the solution to this puzzle was to relinquish my current pool membership and amortize the cost of the Ergometer over a one-year period and viola! The unit was paid for without breaking the bank.
Now fast forward to the northern hemisphere spring of 2008. I am
entering my third triathlon season training almost exclusively on the Ergometer. Coupled with frequent reminders of what proper swim technique looks like using Haydn Wooley’s Future Dreams Swim CD, my mental cues, and the mirror positioned underneath the Ergometer, I am pleased to report that I have
two seasons of solid swim splits behind me.
More notable than the consistent and in some instances improved swim splits is the reduced energy expenditure during the swim.
These results have been obtained using the Ergometer two to five times per week depending upon proximity to race season.
Proof of the utility of the Ergometer in my training plan is found in this past winter, where I focused on improving my run and
took three months completely off from actual swimming. When I returned to the pool this April I
immediately returned splits within 30 seconds of my pre-break 1000 meter time. And, I also took 20 minutes off my marathon PR!
So, what does my training look like when I use the Ergometer? I utilize a progressive schedule that is focused on execution of flawless “front end” technique in low to moderate duration sessions, augmented with solid body-weight/core and swim-specific functional strength training (for example, using mini-bands and dumbbells to develop the external rotators of the shoulders).
In the early build period I lengthen the sets (up to 400 meters) and focus on building strength, stroke rate, and endurance while holding perfect form.
What distinguishes the Ergometer is the ability to monitor technique in real time without being sidetracked by simultaneously addressing body position and breathing.
Once I am fully into my build period
I add in a pool session per week focusing on the things I can’t easily accomplish on the Ergometer. The early sessions are drill heavy addressing body position, regaining true feel for the water (including the need to breathe…) and kicking.
Quickly, the sessions progress to race simulation sets. The race simulation sets are then augmented by sustained long sets on the Ergometer. During these long sets (up to 2000 meters) the ability to track your average stroke rate, power output for each arm, and pace per 100 is useful for goal setting and evaluation purposes.
Occasionally lifelong competitive swimmers
try to talk me into returning to the pool stating that if I want to improve my swim, I need to swim! The logic they use is sound. However, I believe that the amount of time I would need to dedicate in order to realize even a five minute improvement over 1.2 miles (say from 34 minutes to 29 minutes) would be better spent focusing on my run and/or bike.
This past off-season I have proven to myself my ability to at least maintain my swim split without making those daily trips to the pool, while realizing a 20 minute marathon PR.
To summarize, I think
the Vasa Ergometer is currently on the edge of current wisdom. Not that long ago, bike trainers, heart rate monitors, and power meters were new ideas. Now, nearly every kid on the block has one. So, unless you are in my age group,
I encourage you check out the
Vasa Ergometer
to augment your swim training.
Scrums!
Scotty J
Scott Johnson entered the world of endurance sports in 1999 after a ten-year hiatus from an active lifestyle. A collegiate football player, he spent a decade establishing a career, starting a family, brewing beer, and sitting on the couch! Since 1999 he has completed many triathlons from sprint to iron distance and several marathons. Race highlights include a pr of 2:11 at the Olympic distance, 4:40 at 70.3, and twice competing at the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, Fl. Along the way he has reshaped his body and remains 50lbs lighter then he was in 1998. In 2008 he is focused on the marathon and 70.3 distance triathlons.
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by
Jeff "Koz" Kozlowski
 Life is like a triathlon...
In my opinion, the importance of advisors is often underestimated. As children we are taught to be self-reliant and make our own decisions. As adults we are expected to be able to make decisions for ourselves. But in reality, the decision making process occurs after careful evaluation of all relevant information.
What each of us knows intuitively, but frequently forgets, is that
we alone do not have all the information. And even when we believe we possess the required information to make decisions we may be making these decisions from our own limited frame of reference.
Advisors are important from the standpoint of providing each of us with both the information and frame of reference that is crucial to effective decision making.
Information:
In sport, there is a wealth of information available to us at our fingertips. With the advent of the internet, any athlete can find answers to virtually any question they have regarding their chosen sport. We can Google anything and find 37,000 hits in .08237 seconds! While this may provide us with information (and actually an overabundance of information) it may not be information that is pertinent to us as individuals.
While I frequently use Google to provide me with basic information, I find that my advisors (in sport and life) have better and more reliable information than I can find anywhere else.
In sport, I rely on my Coach to provide me with this information. There aren’t many people on the face of this planet who know me better than Coach Al. Hence, when I am deciding how to prioritize my workouts, or what tactic to take in a bike race, I call on Coach Al for additional information (which I’ll call advice) on how to best proceed. Ultimately the decisions I make are up to me, but
I’ll rarely make crucial decisions without first enlisting the advice of my advisors.
The same can be said for life. Our “life advisors” may include our spouse, family and friends, our accountant, attorney, and financial advisor, or our business associates. When it comes to making crucial life decisions, it is often wise to seek advice
from as many of these advisors as possible to ensure that all relevant information is accessible to us. The importance of this advice from our closest advisors is that it is relevant to us as individuals.
Frame of Reference:
While the information provided to us by our advisors constitutes the advice required to make informed decisions, it is the frame of reference that provides us with the context in which to make these decisions. To me, frame of reference is the
manner in which we view the information used to make our decisions. Frame of reference provides the emotion and intent behind the decision.
In many cases this point of view will help to determine the path we take towards making our decisions.
In sport, I rely on my Coach to help me shape the frame of reference with which I view my decision making process. More than once Coach Al has saved me from smoking myself from overtraining by
helping me understand the bigger picture. He has craftily managed both the information he provides me and the frame of reference that I should take when considering his advice in the decision making process. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard, “I know you are excited about your fitness and determined to take it to the next level…but I think you should consider your long term goals before we decide how to proceed.”
Boom – frame of reference.
In life, it is the same advisors that provide us with information that are the best qualified to
help us shape our frame of reference. I will often have my wife review an e-mail to ensure that the underlying emotion and interpreted intent will be evident to the reader. Her frame of reference, which may be different than mine, usually helps me craft the e-mail better than I could have done alone.
So it is that I enlist my closest advisors in sport and life to help provide me with both the information and the frame of reference required to make truly educated decisions. I encourage each of you to do the same.
Enlist the help of your Advisors.
Be Great!Koz (Jeff)
With a background in competitive college swimming and rowing providing the foundation, Jeff Kozlowski began his triathlon career in 1999. His career in endurance athletics includes finishing Ironman Lake Placid 5 times with a personal best of 10:48 and more than a dozen half-Ironman events with a personal best of 4:44. A four time finisher of the Mt. Washington Bicycle Hill
Climb, his personal best time of 1:14 was good enough to win the Clydesdale division in 2004. He has finished numerous marathons and holds a personal best time of 3:19. In 2008, Koz plans to take some time away from running and triathlon to focus purely on cycling.
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Tri Couture --
Let me address the triathletes... |
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by Matt Shaffer
Rules of the Road: How triathletes gain acceptance on group rides.
Let me address the triathletes in the crowd: have you ever shown up to a group ride, with a bunch of your roadie friends, only to see people roll their eyes? And then, once the ride gets going, they all shun you for the first 10 miles, until they drop you, leaving you saddened and feeling defeated?
Well, guess what: it’s your fault!
No, roadies are not jealous of you, and that attitude they throw at you, while SLIGHTLY obnoxious, is well deserved. Why? Because, let’s be honest: triathletes are by in large the most obnoxious riding partners a cyclist can have; they don’t know how to handle their bikes, talk way too much about themselves and their next race, and are simply a general annoyance to a group of people who want to just get out and hammer in a fun, slightly competitive group setting.
Now I know what you’re thinking:
this is just another article from an angry roadie who just wants a public forum to bash triathletes (and trust me, if you check the internet forums, roadies LOVE to hear themselves talk). I was first a triathlete, and always will be a triathlete. In fact, on any given day, I’d rather hang out with triathletes over roadies (we’ll save this issue for another article-roadies, I’m coming for you!)
But, as triathletes,
we need to acknowledge that as three sport athletes, we’re jack-of-all-trades, but a master of none.
We’re guests in the three sports of swimming, cycling, and running. As such, we should be gracious guests and follow the rules. But I understand that some of you are put off, or even baffled by the strange attitudes you receive, sometimes unwarranted, from roadies.
The rules I lay out for you below
will not only help to smooth relationships with roadies on your next group ride, but more importantly help roadies realize triathletes CAN learn to ride bikes as well as the “other” cyclists on the road.
1. Learn to ride your bike before going on a group ride!
This one should seem pretty simple, but you have NO idea how many times I’ve been on rides where we’re teaching a person how to clip into their new clipless pedals, as they mount a $4000 Cervelo R3. Seriously people. I don’t mind you buying a crazy expensive bike with no prior riding experience, but these kinds of “learning” rides are best completed on your own, or with close friends who don’t mind being put in harms way. You need to be confident on how your gears shift, how to take corners at high speed, how to get up out of the saddle, and how to navigate virtually any situation on the road BEFORE trying to throw other people into the mix. Try riding with a friend or two before jumping into a big group. An inexperienced bike rider puts the whole group at risk. Don’t be selfish and threaten everyone’s safety because you’re not used to your bike yet.
2. Don’t bring a tri bike to a group ride! This one should seem pretty straightforward, especially for the RARE triathlete bike handlers out there. I acknowledge that there are some of us who can ride a tri bike with integrated aerobars and handle it better than most roadies you’ve ever come across. But the fact of the matter is, these triathletes are rare; and more importantly, aerobars are simply not safe in a group. Too many variables to throw into the complication of pack riding and they will put fear into those riding with you. No matter how good you think you are, DON’T DO IT!
3. Keep your numbers to yourself!
Triathletes LOVE numbers; HR data, wattage, your FTP and the percentage that you’re going to ride at today, etc. Well, I’ve got news for you. There are two people in this world that care about your wattage: you, and your coach. If you don’t have a coach, you have even less people that care. Your numbers may be important to your training, but to the typical roadie, you just sound like another triathlete trying to show off when you spout off that you can hold 300 watts for 10 minutes, or how “today is an easy ride, my coach said no more than 170 watts”. Besides the fact that it sounds like a lame excuse to cover up the fact that you’re riding like crap today, most roadies DO know what kinds of wattages they’re pushing, and secretly, they’re laughing because they can probably nail far higher wattage peaks. So just be like all the other roadies; smile when you see some impressive HR and wattage data coming from your bike. Save the celebration for when you upload your stuff to Training Peaks.
4. Humility is key. Triathletes like to talk about themselves. A lot. But guess what? In the world of road cycling, a roadie doesn’t need to talk about himself. People will know him or her based on the category they ride, the races they’ve won, or the crazy long pulls they’ve taken up a lung-searing climb. Roadies have to earn respect in a group environment, and so do you. So, rather than chatting with the person next to you about the 50,000 triathlons you did last season, and how you only got 8th place because it was your B race and you were treating it as a training day, try putting more effort into riding. Show the roadies your abilities by taking a long pull that leaves their legs burning. That’s how you brag about what training for an Ironman will do to your legs!!
5. Keep it real.
This is one that really, both triathletes and roadies should be reading. Everyone, ultimately a group ride is about having fun, and getting better on your bike. Leave the attitudes and egos at home, and just enjoy the ride.
Oh and
lastly, never try to tell a roadie that structure training
might help him actually upgrade a category, rather than
sitting at the same plateau he’s been at for the last 5
years; some people will just never learn!! :-)
Now get out there, and enjoy the ride,
Matt
Matt Shaffer made the transition from high school runner and
rower to triathlete by winning his first triathlon during
his senior year of high school in 2001. Since then, he’s
raced in triathlons at every distance, including two
finishes at Ironman Canada in 2004 and 2007, with a personal
best of 11:18. A self-proclaimed cycling specialist and
hopeless gear-junkie, he boasts a 5:21 Ironman bike split,
and spends the better part of his free time seeking out and
playing with the latest and greatest gear to either make him
faster, or at least look darn good doing it. In 2008, a ski
injury has cancelled his plans for Ironman Lake Placid, so
he now plans on tearing up the East Coast XTERRA scene on a
heavily modified, one-off, self-made mountain bike.
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When is a shirt NOT just a shirt?
When its on our Shirt Winner!
 CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SHIRT WINNER, ELIZABETH, FROM SOLON, OHIO.
We wanted to know all about our shirt winner, who is relatively new to the sport of running
and Runner-Core products, so we conducted a mini interview with Elizabeth.
We hope you enjoy getting to know one of
your fellow readers a bit more. We plan to feature more of our readers in upcoming issues, so be sure to watch for opportunities to share your stories with us!
SPOTLIGHT ON ELIZABETH
1. What is your name and where do you live? Elizabeth
from Solon, Ohio
2. What’s your age? 40
3. What’s your occupation? Chemical Engineer
4. How long have you been involved in your sport(s) and which one(s) are they?
I never played sport growing up, and started running over a year ago.
I taught myself to ride the bike in 2006, and am also learning to swim,
so maybe there is a tri in my future.
5. What are some highlights you can share with us – successes or failures, etc.
I ran my first 50k in January 2008. I still remember doing my first 5k, thinking I was going to die, and wondering why anybody would want to run further than this but I had a blast running the 50K!
:-)
6. What inspires you to train and keep moving you towards your goal(s)? I love seeing what my body can do
plus I have discovered so many hidden treasures in my city and around the area because my legs got me there. Running is also becoming a great way for me to sort through what is going on in my mind.
7. Are you a Runner-CORE customer? If so, how has that affected and/or helped in your training? Would you recommend it to others?
I will highly recommend the
Runner-Core program, even if all you do is the Fix the Hip, Fix the Knee program.
The Core segment of the program is very humbling. I love the strength segments, especially when race day is about a month away; it is just the right amount.
8. Do you have any particular goals or events for the 2008 season?
I ran my first 50k (√) in January, am planning my first Marathon in May and
want to improve my half marathon time.
9. Do you have any advice you might give to other athletes seeking to improve? (or new ones getting started, women, etc.?)
Strength and Flexibility
are very important, and I am finding out I do better
working on that than without. I recommend to use a good training program or find a coach/training group if possible. Running is an anybody can do it sport but you can
easily get injured if things are not done properly. Log your runs
-- you need to know how you are doing, what is working and
what is not, and it's also a good place to go review your
notes when
an injury occurs. There are many good free sites online you
can use for logging. (running2win.com; buckeyeoutdoors.com)
10. What are the 3 foods someone would always find in your refrigerator or kitchen cabinet? Gala
apples, raw almonds and at least 4 varieties of tea.
11. Please feel free to share any other thoughts you might have,
humorous or otherwise.
This is my first spring running outdoors and I have noticed the following: dogs hate runners, most drivers will gladly run you down and deer stare at you and wonder why exactly you are running! So
my advice is to run by
the deer, move as far away as possible from a car and get on the opposite side for a dog
since an invisible fence doesn’t stop most, and keep eyes on
all three regardless.
:-)
THANK YOU TO ELIZABETH AND HAPPY RUNNING! We hope you enjoy your
shirt (in the mail to you soon). Please
let us know how your Marathon goes plus any future events
and watch out for the deer, the cars and those dogs!
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Did you know?
Coach Al is
available for One-on-One coaching including cutting edge
Video Analysis for both Running and Swimming. Email for more
information:
CoachAl@coach-al.com
In response to your survey replies we have added a
female fit sleeveless wicking shirt (which Elizabeth was
happy about) and plan add more female oriented products in
the future. (MY suggestion, of course, said Christine)
We've also adjusted the shirt pricing in response to
your comments and changed up the logo on the shirt,
so hope you will like the changes we've made. These will be
posted soon, so visit our
evolving
PRODUCTS
PAGE to see them soon, plus more to come!
THANKS TO ALL
WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY. We take ALL your comments to
heart and for consideration and hope you'll continue to
share your thoughts with us -- whether it by about the
newsletter, the website, the products, and more.
Please email
coachal@coach-al.com with your feedback and watch for an exciting
new incentive offer soon!
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