• Does Stretching Really Benefit Your Running?
• Former RunTex Stars Jessica and Adam Dailey Build On Athen’s Excitement
• Drink Up, You'll Need It
• RunTex's Dugan On the Move
• Lori-Stich-Zimmerman's 2:38:44 Olympic Re-cap
• Building Back for Spring Racing 2004
• Start a Running Program Now!
• Luft is Jack of All Trades Master of Running

Does Stretching Really Benefit Your Running?

Go to any race anywhere, or to the Town Lake Hike and Bike trails and you’ll see numerous runners bending and twisting in any number of positions, trying to make themselves more limber. Why? Because they’ve been taught that stretching is good, and that it helps prevent injuries.

            Certainly there is nothing wrong with being flexible per se. But does it do anything for running? Some pretty good authorities say, no, not really.

            Four-time New York and Boston marathon champ Bill Rodgers, speaking at a running clinic, told how he once went out for a run with 1984 Olympic Marathon Gold medalist Carlos Lopes. Before they started, Rodgers asked Lopes if he stretched before running. Lopes said, yes, bent about halfway down towards his toes, and took off running.

            But don’t take it from a 2:07 marathoner—look at some scientific studies. In the May/June issue of Running & Fit News, an article by Stephen M. Perle on stretching points out that despite many systematic reviews of the effectiveness of stretching, not one has found that stretching prevents injuries, and in some cases may actually cause them. For one thing, he says, stretching is performed in a way that is very different from how muscles are actually used.

            And in a June 21st article in U.S. News and World report, Emily Sohn writes, “researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found only six studies designed to isolate the effects of stretching, and none showed a link between stretching more and getting hurt less.” She goes on to quote exercise physiologist Stacy Ingraham of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities: “more-pliable muscles might cause more injuries than they prevent, especially if you stretch before you exercise.”

            Perle suggests that the tightness runners develop in their muscles may actually be to their advantage. He cites a study that found that distance runners with tight calves and hamstrings are actually more efficient runners. “During certain phases of the running stride, these muscles will absorb some of the energy of the body’s movement, like a rubber band stretching. Then, some of this absorbed energy can be given back,” says Perle, “like a rubber band snapping back. The more energy absorbed, the less wasted.”

This has a net effect of saving energy and improving running economy. In essence, inflexibility allows the muscles to function as better levers.

“Flexiblity,” Perle says, “may not translate to better running times.”

            Perle does say that stretching may be of use in recovering from some injuries, but makes it clear that it won’t help prevent them.

            Most experts recommend warm-ups that involve running-type drills, or slow jogging, rather than stretching. Bottom line- there are still plenty of stretching proponents, but there are two sides to the story. By all means, stretch if you like the feeling, but it’s not likely to improve your running or prevent injuries.

Former RunTex Stars Jessica and Adam Dailey
 Build On Athen’s Excitement

Want to know what it’s going to be like for the Olympic marathon runners in Athens this August? Might try going for a 26 mile run at 6:00 p.m. in Austin one of these 100-degree days. So says Adam Dailey, who relocated from Austin to Athens with his wife Jessica earlier this year to form a business called Ludus Sports (from the Latin ludus, meaning games).

             Together, the Daileys, both elite runners with MBAs, are doing tours specifically for runners and track fans. Once in Athens, they quickly got to work and put up a Web site- www.trackandfieldtours.com. Currently, they’re organizing corporate hospitality packages for businesses that want to have a presence in Athens, and working with high-profile athletes and everyday track fans.

“Jessica and I both ran in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, said Dailey, who won the 2003 Statesman Capital 10,000. “Having the Olympics return to their birthplace is something special to us, and that is why we jumped on the opportunity to move here and see the city transform in the months leading up the Olympics.”

Like many, Dailey has had doubts about the readiness of the site. Denna Kastor, perhaps America’s best hope in the marathon, contacted Dailey about coming over and running the course as a preview in April, but he told her it just was about 80% unfinished and not in a run-ready state yet.

            The marathon course, under construction for months, was far from complete as recently as early May. However, in a phone conversation on Sunday, Dailey said they’ve really come a along way, and the course and the Olympic village are looking pretty good.

Last week, Dailey went on several different runs, eventually covering most of the marathon course, and reports that it’s really looking great, though certainly quite challenging.  

            “Initially, there we’re a lot of strikes and contractor problems—that sort of thing,” he said. “But they’ve gotten the whole thing looking great with landscaping and everything.”

            The marathon course, which is basically the same as one used for the Athens Marathon last November, is not going to produce any Olympic records.

            Not only is the point-to-point course challenging, but the women’s on August 22^nd and the men’s marathon, on August 29^th, the final event of the Olympic Games, are set for 6:00 p.m. And according to Dailey, although Athens may have some ocean breezes, temperatures of 100 degrees are not altogether unlikely on a late August afternoon.

            The race begins in the celebrated town of Marathon, where legendary Greek runner Phiddipides began his 26-mile run to Athens to announce “victory” before collapsing to his death.

The first eight miles, passing by the historic Tomb of the Marathon Warriors at six miles, and through beach city Nea Makr are relatively flat, says Dailey

“Rarely is there sidewalk for spectators to view marathoners zooming by, although this is a detail that construction workers are scrambling to ratify before the gun goes off in August,” he said.

The course hugs the coastline for the next 11-12 miles, passing through cities such as Rafina and ascending long and gradual hills, where the downhills come much less frequently than the uphills.

In fact, the course continues to climb until 20 miles. And then, finally, respite. The last 10K are a gradual downhill, as runners begin to enter the city of Athens. Here is where the Olympic Marathon is going to be won or lost.

 “I think it would be difficult to maintain a sub-five minute pace (2:10 marathon) here,” said Dailey. “It’s going to be so hot, and the course so challenging, I don’t see anyone making a move before 20 miles,” he said.

No matter how the marathon turns out, Dailey says the excitement is building. “I’m really confident that the games are going to be extremely special,” he said, “It’s going to be incredibly exciting.”

Drink Up, You’ll Need It

I was pleasantly surprised to get in 12 miles Sunday morning without the thermometer exploding.

            I drank a sports drink before heading out the door, and made three water stops during my 12-miler, but chances are good I’m going to have to pay even more attention to hydration in the coming weeks.

            People typically view sports drinks as simple glucose replacement, or as an aid for racing, but the reality is they play a much more important role than that—specifically in maintaining the body’s electrolyte balance.

            Runners in ultra events are often weighed at various checkpoints to detect fluid loss. In the Western States 100 Miler, for example, competitors losing 10 percent of their body weight will be pulled from the race. This is a prudent move on the part of race organizers, as fluid loss between 10 and 20 percent can be life threatening.

            While this is unlikely to happen during a regular workout around Town Lake, keep in mind that we do live in one of the hottest parts of the country, and need to pay special attention to fluid loss while running.  As the heat builds while exercising, runners using heart monitors may notice an increase in heart rate by about seven beats per minute for every one percent of body weight lost to dehydration. And runners may lose up to 32 ounces of fluid through sweating in an hour of running.

            Obviously, fluid loss means decreased performance, but that’s the least of your worries. Although the body is a precision machine, designed to regulate temperature and fluid balance, it can be thrown into a dangerous imbalance. Drinking too much water for example, can dilute the electrolyte balance, and cause a dangerous condition known as hyponatremia.

            However, this can be easily avoided by drinking sports drinks during and after workouts lasting an hour or longer. The best sports drinks contain sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. For runners finding that they tend to experience muscle cramps, make sure to choose a drink that is no more than about seven percent glucose (for better absorption) and make sure the drink includes calcium and magnesium. These two minerals work together in the action of contracting muscles.

            The American College of Sports Medicine recommends drinking 5-12 ounces of fluid every 15-20 minutes of exercise, and replacing each pound of lost fluid with 16 ounces of your favorite sports drink upon completion of running. While this may seem challenging, it’s certainly feasible. Four-time Boston and New York Marathon champ Bill Rodgers is known to go out and stash drinks along his running route the night before a workout.

            If you’re running alone, don’t be a hero and try to work through symptoms like nausea, cramps or chills. Stop running, find a drink, and make a phone call to get a ride home. There’s always tomorrow.

RunTex's Dugan On the Move

If you stop by RunTex La Frontera, you just might meet one of the fastest guys in town. Austin transplant Chris Dugan grew up in hilly Pennsylvania, and won an athletic scholarship to North Carolina State. As a Wolfpack runner, Dugan made All-American several times, focusing on the middle distances. Somewhat of a prodigy, he clocked an 8:38 for the steeplechase as a freshman, and was ranked fifth in the world for 19 and under runners at the time. While at North Carolina, he ran some pretty impressive times: he lowered his steeple mark to 8:34, ran a swift 3,000 (7:58), and set a personal best of 3:46 in the 1,500.  Sticking to the middle distance has enabled Dugan to maintain his focus.

            “I specialized in the steeple,” said Dugan. “It got me in to a lot of big meets, like the Adidas Classic and the Penn Relays.”

            Dugan graduated in 2002 with a degree in business and finance, and faced the tough decision of whether to pursue running, career or both.

“Because I got sick a few times in my senior year, I didn’t run that well, and I had some questions about how I would continue my future in running. I was looking at career options at that point- maybe banking,” he said

            But no one was really hiring right then, so Dugan worked as a substitute teacher in North Carolina, while continuing to train.

In February 2003, he went to the U.S. Cross Country nationals in Houston, and finished 11^th out of about 50-60 runners. “They were basically the top middle distance guys in the country,” said Dugan, “so I knew I was in pretty good shape.”

            Shortly after, Dugan developed foot pain, and was diagnosed with a metatarsal stress fracture. When that healed, a stress fracture in the other foot curtailed training for another few months.

            But an old friend, coach Jason Vigilante of the University of Texas called, and advised Dugan to head for Austin. He moved here last August, was hired by RunTex in September, and got back into training in late October.

Working with Vigilante, Dugan is now running around 70 miles a week. He’s doing a lot of tempo runs—running five minute pace for four miles at a time.

“I don’t have the speed I need yet,” he said.

But things have been looking up.

In early April, 24-year old Dugan won the steeplechase at a meet at Texas A & M in 9:10, a time he hopes to improve on.

“I’d like to go to the Olympic trials in the steeplechase- maybe make the final,” he said. The trials are on Jyly 15, in Sadcramento, CA., and Dugan has until July 1 to qualify. It takes an 8:36 to make the A standard, and an 8:40 for the B.

“I’ll be running a meet in Stanford, and maybe another in May and June,” he said. “Ultimately, I’d like to get my steeple time down in the low eight-minute range. My career in business can wait for a while. I want to take advantage of my running speed right now. I don’t want to pass up the opportunity.”

Lori-Stich-Zimmerman's 2:38:44 Olympic Re-cap

I wanted to drop a note to thank you all for your support and encouragement in getting ready for and running the Olympic Trials this weekend.  I felt so supported and motivated going in…  To the extent that I ran the best race of my life so far, I owe you all a debt of gratitude!! Several of you asked me to let you know how it went this weekend; others have asked for splits, a recap, etc., so here we go...

Executive summary:       

• 2:38:44 (personal best time by 4:17)

• 15^th place overall

• (144 qualifiers; 117 finishers)

 More Details
We were blessed by near-perfect conditions:  40 degrees at the start, with light winds.  I was able to position myself behind and between Deena Kastor and Colleen DeReuck (the top 2 runners in the field) and stuck there like glue for the entire first mile on that crowded track – fortunately, they started with a conservative 5:48, so I didn't have to choose between staying in that position and running the right pace.  The next mile out on the road was 5:29; even with the slight downhill in that mile, that was a bit faster than I knew I could maintain, so I backed off and settled in to 5:50s / just over 6-minute pace (varying according to the topography) for the next 16 miles or so, running alone for most of the race. 

After the mile on the track and one mile leading over to Forest Park, the remainder of the course consisted of 3 and a half loops around the park – great for spectators, and I was fortunate enough to have (in my admittedly biased opinion) the absolute best support crew there:  more than 30 friends and family showed up to help keep me motivated, and they were incredible in running around and popping up all over the course, wearing bright red Support Crew T-shirts that were the envy of other spectators, who kept asking where they could buy shirts like that.  J  I think Paul ran about 20 miles himself, sprinting back and forth and showing up about a dozen times per lap!!  He armed several people with boxes of Hot Tamale candies to shake as noise makers and motivation (I had given up candy since the first of the year), and Floyd Watson had armed some of the Austin folks with cowbells.  Dave & Barb Minier from Michigan had made a poster – and everyone's sheer excitement was contagious and uplifting!!

I felt really good for an astonishingly long time, mostly just amazed by how relaxed I felt at sub-6-minute pace, and by the fact that I was starting to hear people call out my place, which was in the top 20!  Between miles 10 and 16 I started picking people off, moving up to 12^th place.  I was working on reeling in #11, who seemed to be coming back to me around mile 18, when we went through the mile with a 6:26 split.  I realized that I had been lulled into slowing down without realizing it, so I came back with a 5:59 19^th mile, but fell to 6:16 for the 20^th mile.  At that point several things happened:  we hit the windy part of the course, completing our 3^rd loop around the park.  I got passed, which was demoralizing.  And (probably just getting lightheaded, as sometimes happens during a marathon) I started not thinking so clearly:  passing the 21-mile mark at 2:05, I freaked out when I did the math for having 10k-to-go instead of 5 miles to go, suddenly thinking there was no way I could even break 2:40, with 6.2 more miles…  It took about half a mile before I calmed down, realizing that I only had 5 miles to go and was exactly on pace to break 2:37.  But by then I had tensed up and gotten frustrated and a little demoralized…  and I think I also got a little complacent:  I was thrilled just to be in the running for a top-20 finish, so I started feeling satisfied with that.  My miles had trailed off to 6:20's-plus, and I couldn't get myself to dig down enough to pick it back up to 6-minute pace.  I let two more people pass me in the last 2 miles.  But I was still thrilled to cross the finish line in 2:38:44, finishing 15^th.

So…  I was 104 seconds off of what I would have considered a perfect day – but I'm definitely ecstatic about setting another PR (by more than 4 minutes) and finishing in the top 15 – both of which not long ago I would have considered impossible for little old me.  I decided to go to the awards ceremony, where they call up the top 20 finishers; it was awe-inspiring to be up there with so many of the "greats" in my sport, and I felt a certain satisfaction realizing that I was the only amateur in the entire lineup.  J

Surprisingly, I'm not in nearly as much pain as usual post-marathon:  my calves are tight, but my quads are fine – I can sit & stand with no hands!  J  (The runners among you know exactly what I mean; for the non-runners – just trust me, it's unusual.)  Mentally, I'm going back and forth between (a) being thrilled & ecstatic at having finally broken that 2:40 barrier – and (b) some healthy self-criticism / greed, as I look back with frustration, wondering whether I could have maintained pace for just 5 more miles to finish under 2:37, or a few places higher.  It's always easy afterward to reflect on the would've, should've, could'ves, but the fact is that I didn't.  Perhaps I need to do some more mental work to develop a little more hunger in a situation like that, and to stay focused during those late miles when the mind tends to wander…  All in all, it's probably a good thing to leave the table a little hungry, believing that there is more room for improvement.  I'm recalling sayings like, "a person's reach should exceed their grasp – or what's a heaven for?"  or, "The stars exist that we might know how high our dreams can soar."  Food for thought – later.  For now, I'm busy basking in the afterglow, and I'm still a little bit uncomprehending that I ran a time that I would have thought impossible just a few months ago.

Thanks to all of you for the kind words, the prayers, cards, the calls, the flowers, the positive mental waves, and the unswerving support and encouragement – especially from those of you who trained with me and/or were there to share in the excitement in person; seeing you there buoyed my spirits and kept my legs light when the going got tough.  Regardless of whether you were there physically on Saturday morning, you were all there in spirit.  It was a memorable journey to get here, all the more satisfying because I got to share it with such amazing, awe-inspiring people. 

Capitol 10,000 and Texas Round-up 10K
Post Marathon Re-building

Week one • Week two • Week three • Week four

There’s always a bit of a letdown after finishing a big race like the Motorola Marathon. Not immediately after, like at the finish line, but in the weeks that follow. After months of training, a goal has been reached. All of the focus, commitment and motivation pointing you towards finishing the marathon is gone, so it’s natural to feel a bit empty.
But the great thing about the Austin running scene is there’s always something new to gear up for. The trick now is to choose a goal that allows you to recover from the 26.2-mile race on a realistic timeline.
Using the aerobic base you’ve built for the marathon, you should be able to gradually reintroduce speedwork and prepare for the two huge 10K races in the next two months—Austin American Statesman Capitol 10,000 on March 28, and the Texas Round-up 10K on April 17.
The first order is to spend a few weeks of easy running. Avoid any taxing workouts. Although you may have recovered from the initial soreness following last week’s race, studies have shown that deep-down muscle cell damage may be present up to 30 days after a marathon. Also, consider getting a massage by a knowledgeable sports therapist. Massage is known to speed muscle recovery.
As soon as you select the new race date, it’s easy to get motivated again. For one thing, a 10K is so much shorter than a marathon that it seems easy. And by shifting training gears, you inject some new energy into your running.
Experienced runners should have no problem adding some intensity to their training week by March 1, and that still leaves four weeks to get some speed back in the old legs for the Cap 10. The best approach is to get reacquainted with fast running gradually. There are two considerations at this point. You have a high fitness level, but little speed due to the recent marathon effort, and further, your legs are still vulnerable to post-marathon injury. The long 20- mile Sunday runs you were doing to prepare for the marathon can be replaced with more moderate 10-14 mile runs. That should leave your legs somewhat fresher than marathon training did.
Hal Higdon, author of Marathoning A-Z and Run Fast, offers the following schedule for rebuilding post-marathon speed in one month. His recipe calls for two different workouts in addition to your regular easy runs and long run.
Week one: Tuesday- Try running repeat 400s at 5K pace, but do only four of them. Thursday: run three one mile repeats, but no faster than your marathon pace.
Week two: Tuesday- Up the 400 repeats to six at 5K pace. Thursday- three times one mile at 10K pace.
Week Three: Tuesday- eight times 400 meters 5K pace. Thursday- three times one mile at 5K pace.
Week four: Tuesday- Three times 800 meters at 5K pace. Thursday- three miles easy, Friday- rest. Saturday- two miles easy. Sunday- Race.
Note: This schedule is for advanced runners. Intermediate runners should cut out the Tuesday workout but still do the same Thursday schedule.
Folks running both the Capitol 10K and the Texas Round-up can easily continue the routine through April 17 for the second 10K.
As an added feature, runners can try to improve their 10K time in the second race. By April, the marathon’s effect on your body will be long gone, and you can add a third workout to the week- a 30-40 minute “tempo” run on Saturdays, done at about 20 seconds per mile slower than your 10K pace.
Notice the progression in distance, speed, volume and intensity is gradual over the eight- week period. That allows runners to recover and progress as they build back for the spring 10Ks.

Starting 2004 On the Right Foot

Many people will start off the new year with great resolutions for their health and fitness for 2004. And for many, that means beginning a running program. Unlike many fitness programs, those who begin running are likely to continue. The reasons are obvious: There’s no trip to the gym involved, no cost besides shoes and shorts, and perhaps the best benefit of all- you get the most caloric bang for your exercise buck. You can burn 400 calories in only half an hour of running- or roughly 100 calories per mile.

            Before beginning a running program, most adults 35 and older should get a physical. Barring any immediate concerns like high blood pressure or heart problems, your doctor will probably give you a full endorsement.

RunTex offers numerous running programs for beginners and advanced athletes alike. Beginning runners should start by mixing walking and running together, covering two-to three miles at a time. After a month or so of this, begin gradually increasing the amount of running to the point where you can run non-stop. At first, it will seem like a major endurance feat, but as the weeks pass by, you’ll find that your body adapts and improves, allowing you to run with far less effort than when you began.

The beauty of running is that for most novices, these modest fitness gains come so quickly, and are such positive self-esteem boosters, that they are more than happy to keep their new program going. It’s important not to reach too high or strive for too much. At this point, most beginners settle in to around 15-20 miles a week.

“I tell my beginners that they should always finish a workout or run feeling like they could have done more,” said Former Longhorn track man Donnie O’Neal, who now coaches runners for RunTex. “No pain, no gain, is not the way to start. Many novices try to hang with the more experienced runners, and get very sore initially. This may keep them from continuing. First-timers should seek out a training group, and tag along at a pace that does not hurt.”

“Beginners who don’t put too much pressure on themselves seem to have an easier time staying with it,” writes running expert Jeff Galloway in his best selling Galloway’s Book on Running. “If you simply walk/jog every other day, you’ll find yourself gently swept along in a pattern of relaxation and good feeling. Your workout starts to become a special time for you.”

Beginning runners can stay motivated the same way experienced runners do: by setting goals, training with others, and keeping a running log.

In the short space of a year or two, many novice runners will realize that they have found a lifelong exercise pursuit, and they may even move to the next level- competition.

“If kept under control, the competitive push can be a great motivator,” says Galloway, “stimulating you to train well and to push yourself further than you might have otherwise.”

Many of those who continue training and racing become bona fide athletes—true competitors for whom training and racing are important aspects of their lives. But even the “athlete” stage of running is not the end. Ultimately, those who keep on going become simply “runners”—combining all of the elements of fitness, competition training and social life.

“As a runner you experience the enjoyment of each stage and retain the best of each of them,” writes Galloway. “Having consolidated all of these stages, you enjoy the creative and positive aspects of each and let them enrich your running life.”