Matt Fitzgerald - Runners World The Cutting-Edge Runner: How to Use the Latest Science and Technology to Run Longer, Stronger, and Faster

Notice
The information in this book is meant to supplement, not replace, proper exercise training. All forms of exercise pose some inherent risks. The editors and publisher advise readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the exercises in this book, be sure that your equipment is well-maintained, and do not take risks beyond your level of experience, aptitude, training, and fitness. The exercise and dietary programs in this book are not intended as a substitute for any exercise routine or dietary regimen that may have been prescribed by your doctor. As with all exercise and dietary programs, you should get your doctors approval before beginning.

Mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities in this book does not imply endorsement by the publisher, nor does mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities imply that they endorse this book.

Internet addresses and telephone numbers given in this book were accurate at the time it went to press.

2005 by Matt Fitzgerald

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

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Photographs by Mitch Mandel, except for those on , bairu-coach-ncaaxc04, bairu_simon2-ncaaxc04, dereuckcolleen4-freigh#1d198, and keflezighi 5km-nyrr8k04.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Fitzgerald, Matt.

Runners world the cutting-edge runner : how to use the latest science and technology to run longer, stronger, and faster / Matt Fitzgerald.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN-13 9781594860911 paperback

ISBN-10 1594860912 paperback

1. RunningTraining. 2. RunningPhysiological aspects. I. Title.

GV1061.5.F59 2005

796.42dc22

2005006193

Distributed to the trade by Holtzbrinck Publishers

2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1 paperback

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for Nataki

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the many great people who contributed to this book in various ways. In particular, I wish to thank Jonathan Beverly, Michael Boyle, Kim Brown, the late Edmund Burke, Matt Cliff, JoAnn Dahlkoetter, Jack Daniels, Irene Davis, Michael Fredericson, Donavon Guyot, Jane Hahn, John Ivy, Tamara Lave, T. J. Murphy, Benno Nigg, Tim Noakes, Andrea Pedolsky, Alberto Salazar, Joe Vigil, Alan Webb, and my family.

The Right Stuff: The Physiology of Speed and Endurance

An Experiment of One: Training Scientifically

Precision Preparation: Training by Intensity

World-Class Workouts: A Complete Training Menu

Step-by-Step: The Art of Periodization

Beyond Running: Why and How to Cross-Train

Running Right: How to Improve Your Stride

A Solid Foundation: Feet, Footwear, and Running Surfaces

Bouncing Back: Maximizing Recovery

Health First: Beating Injuries

Powering Muscles: Cutting-Edge Exercise Nutrition

Mind Over Miles: Cutting-Edge Mental Training

The primal simplicity of running is one of its greatest attractions as a sport. We are quite literally born to run. It is something most of us can doand enjoy doingby the time we are toddlers. There are few rules to learn and follow. You can do it virtually anywhere without any equipment, or even a stitch of clothing. Some places are better for running than others, naturally, and shoes and shorts are generally recommended, but even with these restrictions, running is more accessible and less material-dependent than any other sport.

However, these days you wont get very far as a competitive runner, or even if youre just running for fitness, without having some knowledge of various tools, race preparations, and training techniquesmany of them quite new to the worldthat can enhance your performance. This knowledge includes methods that help you improve your running technique, prevent and rehabilitate injuries, and fuel your muscles optimally for both performance and recovery. It also includes gear considerations such as footwear selection, use of shoe orthotics if necessary, and whether and how to use a heart rate monitor to control the intensity of your training. If you try to keep your running too simple, you just wont run as well (or as healthfully) as you would if you took full advantage of the latest training methods and running-related technologies.

We runners, I must admit, are a rather backward lot compared with other types of endurance athletes, including swimmers, cyclists, and triathletes. Ive been a runner for almost 20 years, a triathlete for 8 years, and a coach of both runners and triathletes for the past few years, so I have a basis for comparison. A large fraction of competitive swimmers, even young children, closely study the technique of Olympians and try to emulate their refinements. The typical competitive cyclist is a total geek for bike technology and is rewarded for it in races. And I routinely encounter rank-and-file triathletes who have an impressive knowledge of sports nutrition.

Running culture is different. Its decidedly more old school, fiscally conservative, do-it-yourself, and, well, Luddite. We runners care just as much about performance as other endurance athletes, yet we dont do as much to improve our performance as our sporting cousins. Were perfectly willing to train hard, but less inclined to look to the elites of our sport as practical training role models, to spend a little money on products like heart rate monitors and services like biomechanical analysis, to practice cutting-edge sports nutrition, and so forth. Too many of us are still doing the workouts our high school track coach showed us last century, buying shoes from nonrunning teenage salespeople in malls, and not so much as drinking even plain water on our long runs.

I love the lets just run mentality of the typical runner. Its healthy to prioritize the simple act of running above any and all means to run faster. Still there are plenty of runners out there who have this attitude yet also take advantage of the latest training methods, exercise science discoveries, and running-related technologies to improve their running. Such runners prove that you can have a proper appreciation for the primal simplicity of running and enjoy the performance benefits of the cutting edge at the same time. And if this is possible, what runner would want to do anything less?

For a while now, its been my job to stay abreast ofand even to help definethe vanguard of training for running and other endurance sports. In my work, I am fortunate to routinely talk shop with many of the worlds best runners, running coaches, sports scientists, sports nutrition experts, and sports medicine specialists. I also get a lot of opportunities to use, test, and try new gear of all kinds. And I read my share of research abstracts as well. In this book, I distill all of this information to bring you to the cutting edge of running, so you can become fitter, healthier, and faster with minimal fuss. Theres no gee-whiz science in the following pages, or any remarkable new gadgets that boggle the mind but have no proven benefit to runnersjust news you can use (and a lot of it).