On this month-to-month article sequence, ultrarunner, race director, and coach Gabe Joyes solutions reader questions on something and every thing operating. Study extra about this ask-the-athlete column, and make sure to fill out the shape beneath to submit your questions for a future article!
On this article, Gabe solutions questions on dressing for the chilly, energy coaching and taper schedules, and waterproof footwear.
Gabe’s Tip of the Month
Are you susceptible to tender tissue overuse accidents? Perhaps a serving of Achilles tendonitis, paired with some iliotibial band syndrome, and a splash of plantar fasciitis sprinkled on prime? A useful technique for maintaining these dreaded pains away is to keep away from doing two consecutive runs that look the identical. Altering the terrain, slope angle, footing, or depth of your run can go a great distance towards maintaining your physique wholesome. Even altering your mindset could make a distinction. Cross coaching works in the identical approach, spreading coaching stress all through your physique to keep away from overloading one space. Selection is the spice of life!
Gabe various the terrain and slope of his coaching grounds to be able to keep injury-free. All pictures courtesy of Gabe Joyes.
Chilly-Climate Clothes Choices
Chilly climate layering questions coming at you sizzling! Is wool value the additional worth? Is cotton actually so unhealthy? How about my trusty fleece? I detest being chilly. -Stefanie
It feels like you might be asking me to assist dial in your Christmas listing, Stefanie! For a lot of runners and outside recreationists, wool layers are the gold commonplace. Wool is a pure fiber with wicking properties and insulates even when moist. It has been used for millennia to maintain folks heat, particularly in chilly, damp climates. From my expertise, the standard of the wool and garment building makes dramatic variations, and never all are created equal. I’ve had wool clothes which can be so itchy they’re just about unwearable, and others which can be buttery tender that I by no means wish to take off. Some wool clothes stretch and lose their form when saturated with sweat, and others are remarkably resilient. My expertise is that high-quality merino wool blended with one other material, equivalent to silk, nylon, or Tencel, appears to work one of the best. You’ll be able to take a look at a few of iRunFar’s favourite choices in our Greatest Wool Operating Attire information.
Polyester fleece is my go-to commonplace for cold-weather operating. Though it’s a artificial fiber, I discover that it breathes properly, dries shortly, retains its form properly, and stays comfy even when moist. Some polyester fleece is shockingly costly, much more so than merino wool; nonetheless, there are a lot of pretty inexpensive but nonetheless high-performing choices accessible. Gridded polyester fleece, as popularized by the Patagonia R1 Jacket, is each breathable and really heat.
Cotton has a nasty fame for cold-weather train, and rightfully so. Though cotton is a pure fiber like wool, it holds onto moisture and dries slowly. Not solely does this make it vulnerable to inflicting chafing, however the moist materials additionally attracts warmth from the physique extra shortly, making you are feeling colder.
For extra concepts on clothes choices for winter, take a look at our Greatest Chilly Climate Operating Gear information.
Martin St. Pierre cruising some snowy Canadian trails in merino wool layers.
Scheduling Power Coaching
When do you advocate doing energy coaching in the course of the week? Ought to I run on the identical day I energy practice? -Maria
Like most coaching questions, there actually is not any one-size-fits-all reply for this, however I can provide just a few ideas. So far as timing goes, I like to recommend avoiding energy coaching the day earlier than an intense exercise, as it would seemingly zap a few of the energy out of your legs and negatively influence your upcoming exercise. For instance, in case you plan to smash some uphill intervals on Tuesday morning, save the energy coaching for Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday.
Some coaches like to stack energy coaching instantly after a tough interval exercise to make a tough day even more durable. This technique can work properly for sure athletes, however for a lot of others, it’s simply an excessive amount of coaching stress in someday. Plus, most people merely don’t have time of their lives for each exercises in the identical day. In case your energy coaching routine will not be too intense, pairing it with a simple operating day can unfold out the coaching load. Getting in a 30- to 45-minute restoration run or straightforward spin on the bike earlier than energy coaching is a superb option to have a productive exercise day with minimal to no operating pressure on the physique.
Dandelion Dilluvio-Scott used energy coaching this 12 months to assist her end the Hardrock 100.
Taper Time
Most extremely races begin on Friday or Saturday, and lots of coaching plans make the final long term the Saturday three weeks earlier than starting the taper. My “A” race begins on a Wednesday. When would you advocate my final long term be earlier than beginning the taper, given the mid-week begin? Is a three-and-a-half-week taper too lengthy? –Jon
Oh, that may be a difficult one, Jon! Let’s work backward for a second to determine this one out. You’ll not achieve extra health within the week main as much as your race, however you possibly can actually accumulate extra coaching fatigue, which may negatively influence your efficiency on race day. So the weekend simply earlier than your race is unquestionably off the desk for a long term. Nonetheless, the weekend previous to that — 10 to 11 days earlier than race day — is much sufficient out that almost all well-trained athletes can get in a reasonably good long term stimulus, take in the coaching, and nonetheless recuperate from it. The secret’s to play your playing cards proper in these subsequent 10 to 11 days. I wouldn’t advocate this being a peak coaching long term at that time, however an extended length run right here can be prudent for many athletes.
The weekend that’s 17 to 18 days earlier than your race is right for a correct lengthy coaching run. It’s best to have loads of time to reap the rewards of the coaching, and if, for some purpose, you don’t, my thought is it might be time to re-examine the coaching plan and restoration methods as an entire.
Good luck with this race, Jon, and allow us to all know the way it goes!
Gabe making it to the beginning line wholesome, glad, and prepared for prime efficiency.
Waterproof Footwear
Ought to I personal a pair of Gore-Tex waterproof path trainers? -Julio
The promise of trainers maintaining your toes dry will seemingly ceaselessly be unfulfilled, however that doesn’t imply they’re a ineffective merchandise, both. Even when a water-proof membrane in a shoe is actually waterproof, given the character of path operating, water will almost at all times discover its approach in by way of the highest of your shoe, the place it would keep ceaselessly trapped subsequent to your toes. That very same waterproof membrane, designed to maintain moisture out, additionally does a remarkably good job of maintaining water in. This contains sweat, no matter any guarantees of a water-proof shoe being breathable.
So, when does it make sense to put on a water-proof shoe? In chilly and moist climate, that waterproof membrane traps in heat, too. Even when your toes are soaking moist, when paired with a high-quality merino wool sock, your toes may keep heat sufficient to be comfortable-ish.
Waterproof footwear will be useful at maintaining toes heat in chilly climates.
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