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I've been talking about my ultra for a bit now. And finally a client asked me... "But... Why?" Goooooooooooooooooooooood question. Because
But one of the main reasons is that I never thought of myself as an epic endurance athlete. In over 3 decades of running, I can count on one hand the number of races I've done over 13 miles. And I found myself, consciously or subconsciously, saying... "Oh, I don't handle those distances well" But you can't handle/do/crush something you don't ever put in the effort... I was saying/thinking that statement without any real evidence. So to quote Yoda, "No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try." Life will keep moving forward whether we challenge our identities & limitations or not. We can stay in our safe places or venture out and explore what is possible. Do you want to? For me? I do. Questions? Comment below And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Want less pain in your neck, back, and shoulders? Make sure your scapula can move well. I used to recommend Scapula Push ups, but after seeing a video from Eric Cressey, I'm reminded that it's better to have your elbows moving above your shoulders to get enough range of motion. So what's better? Yoga Push ups, Bear Crawls & rocking backward, and (facing the) Wall Slides.
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Hey Runner!
During my training runs, one of my biggest priorities is getting in enough carbs. Sometimes that just means liquid calories or handful Sourpatch Kids Watermelon gummies. But especially on my long runs for the Ultra training, I'm not messing around. I aim for ideally 60-70 grams of carbs/hour. Maybe even getting up to 90 gram to really crush race day (if my tummy can handle it) This can be a lot and I want to make sure I get as much bang for my buck as possible. How? Have a sugar goal of 2 Glucose to 1 Fructose. Why? That ratio helps with absorption and not getting said tummy issues. Do gels work? Most gels will have about that ratio. But if you're on course for HOURS and want something a bit more solid than a gel, you'll need to dig into the nutrition label for other types of food (bc it won't be obvious). Look for...
So enjoy what you can on your adventures! Just make sure to brush your teeth afterwards as well :) Questions? Comment below. And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Squats= Ideally your shoulders go just about straight up and down. That means your knees should move as far forward as your hips shift back. Some people's knees will go way past their toes, that's ok. As long the toes & heels stay on the ground, knees won't combust. Hey runner!
Ugh, hip (and low back) pain. Woof. What do I recommend to clients? First: Assess glute engagement. If you can't feel your butt, it's hard to use it. And check out your hamstring tightness as well. Second: Check mobility (similar to knee) Third: Stability (similar to knee, but more core)
And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Squats= Up & Down... whether it be a dumbbell, kettlebell or a bar, knees go forward and hips go back to allow the weight to go straight (ish) up and down Deadlifts= Back and Forth... while the weight goes up & down (like the squat) it moves because your hips are going back and forth (horizontal) Hey runner!
Struggle with knee pain. Woof. First: Do all the ankle assessments and drills from the last post Second: Check mobility Third: Stability Finally: Strength
And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Remember, workouts break down your muscles and sleep/food/recovery repair them. In order to improve and make gains, you need to recover as hard (if not harder) than you train. Shin splints. Achilles tendon issues. Weak ankles. Plantar Fasciitis.
If you read any of those and winced, bc you know the pain... try this out. First, make sure you have enough ankle mobility. Then make sure you have enough ankle & calf strength... Can you do 30 uninterrupted calf raises? If you pass both, you'll want to do some, if not all, of these below:
And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Want to work your glutes & hammies? Do Deadlifts Want to work your quads? Do Squats Want to work both? Do Lunges/Split Squats Have you seen this article?
If you can look past the "hockey butt" in the URL... I agree that glutes are important to work for strength (they are the powerhouse of the hip complex) and agility (the medial does a lot of work to stabilize) So what are some of my favorite glute exercises?
And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Speaking of glute exercises... if you can't feel yours when you lift, try doing this first. As we wrap up spring race season and head into summer, I'm reminded of one of my favorite mantras:
Blissfully unsatisfied I read in Brad Stulberg's book on excellence that the "human brain did not evolve to be satisfied, but to strive" (I might be paraphrasing here, that book is still packed away). That goal is to keep trying (no finish line mentality), but also stay grounded and celebrate every win you can. And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! One of the most underrated exercise cues is to feel your feet. Whether you're struggling with balance (really think about big toe, then the heel and pinky) Or want more core and/or power (think about the middle of the food) Unless you're in the air or on your back/stomach... you should be thinking about your feet/foot. Don't major in the minors.
(paraphrasing John Rohn) What does that mean for running?
And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! If your knees cave when you do squats, add a band just below or above your knees. Counterintuitive (why try to make the problem worse??), but the extra tension will actually cause your body to automatically push against it. Have you heard about this yet?
TL;DR: A Puma sponsored sprinter is suing the brand claiming their super shoes changed her gait and caused permenant damage. I've been nerding out with some friends and believe there could be more to the case and we just don't know all the details (yet, hopefully). Or maybe it is a straightforward case which will prompt brands to put warning labels on their shoes... similar to McD's putting "May be Hot" on coffee cups. My friend shared this idea on her podcast and I highly recommend checking it out. Until they do, when should you wear super shoes?
And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! Don't hold your breath during core exercises. You should train your body to be able breath as your core squeezing or holding. Because you kind of need to know breath, run, and not have jelly core all at once, right? But first...
For the rest of the week (til 5/16/26), enjoy 10% off of my 8 week Post-Race Rebuild program Code: TEN "Intensity and drive are double-edged swords" -Brad Stulberg My client just ran Boston. Kind of a big deal. And now it's time to head into the next training block. So what do I recommend? With someone driven enough to tackle Boston, the issue is rarely motivation... but instead, how do you balance all of that intensity so that it increases performance without causing burnout? So how can you still keep the foot on the gas this summer without hitting a brick wall?
Summer can be one of the best times to run & exercise outside. Days are longer, mornings & evenings can have mild weather, and seasonal depression isn't wearing you down. But if you have big spring or fall races, you need to make sure you don't burnout out (have too much drive or intensity) when it might be more advantageous to be in recovery & rebuild mode. Use that drive & intensity to pour into activities that will help you adapt from your spring races and set a foundation for your fall races. And now an exercise form tip. If you have any suggestions, please let me know! I was listening to a podcast that was comparing the benefits of strides vs plyos. The coaches were all about strides (I love them, too). But were more cautious about plyos. Then I heard the study includes 10 SETS of plyos (with 3-6 reps I believe). If your goal is to improve running economy or resilience running downhills, I don't recommend more than 2-3 sets of 3-6 reps. More than that can really beat up the body. |
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