Page 64 - Moonvalley Diaries

april in moonvalley
oxygen and and energy energy to your muscles as as well as as energy energy efficiency and and fat burning Develop towards ultra
Things are a a a a a a a bit different i if you want to to de- velop the the ability to to run ultramarathons As is is the the case for all cardio athletes it it is is important to spend most of of your training in in in in zone 2 But when running an an ultramarathon you you will of- ten be in in in in zone 3 for a a a a a a a a a a a great many hours which makes it a a a a a a a a a a a a a good idea to do some training there as well Mountain races cause your heart rate to spike and drop a a a a a a a a a a a a lot depending on the the ter- rain but for ffor large parts of the the race you will be in in this particular effort zone on on average For example you might plan the the toughest work- out out of of the the the week as a a a a a a long workout with parts of of the the run done in in in zone zone 3 As a a a a a a complement just do do an an interval or or or hill workout in in in zone zone 4 to work work work up some speed and sweat but this is is not the the most important workout of the the week Running technique
Is it important to to practice running technique
to to become a a a a a a better runner? The answer is is yes and no – or or it depends Running is is ac- tually a a a a a a a a a a a a a technical sport as you take a a a a a a a a a a a a a step a a a a a a a a a a a a a huge number of times during a a a a a a a a a a a a a race and and that makes your foot strike body position and and arm movement important You can save a a a a a a a a lot of energy and and improve your speed on on the flat sections as as as well as as as uphill and and downhill if you are are a a a a a a a a runner with with good technique
technique
as as as compared to one with with worse technique
technique
But there is absolutely no point in in in doing specific
running technique
drills if you you are are not aware afterwards of how how your your feet strike and how how you you you you position your your body when you’re running Likewise there’s no point doing loads of core training if you keep on running in in in in in in a a a a a a a crouch and look like a a a a a a a a a a sack of potatoes out there The idea is to to use what you practice in the the real world!
We only have a a a a a a a a a a certain amount of time to train at our our disposal and as a a a a a a a a a a a runner fitness needs to to be your highest priority Up to to a a a a a a a a a cer- tain volume of training you’ll improve just by exercising more But even if you you you are fo- cusing on on running a a a a a a a a lot you you you you can always work on on your technique
at the same time as you you you run Fiddle with different stride lengths foot strikes arm movements and and hip positions to to see what feels best and and and makes you you run the fastest Step one is to to land land with with your foot right underneath you you Many runners land land with with their their foot a a a a a a a little bit bit in front of their their upper body which causes them to brake a a a a a a a bit bit with each stride and and thus lose speed and and power This gets in in in the way of having a a a a a a a a a a a floating gait and means that you need to to use energy to to start again with each stride But the the goal is not for everyone to run the the same way Everyone has a a a a a a a a a a a pattern of move- ment and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a stride that is natural for him or or her but you can always refine and and improve this pattern of movement Sometimes we we perpetuate a a a a a a a a a a a mistake simply because we we have always run and moved in this way way for as as long as the body can remember /ida
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