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Special beginner's guide Australian & New zealand edition
Get Fit, Stay Fit › Start Out Easy › Add Mileage Safely › Lose Extra Kilos › Stick With It!
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Quick & Healthy Power-Packed g Meals + A SurpSrisein cret Nutrition
april 2013
How TO HAVE FUN IN THE GYM p30
Chi Running
Should You Try It?
best sports bras
for all sizes p87
Social Or Solo?
Join A Group (Or Not) For Motivation
! orever F Run Healthy
UR FORM p62 YO E OV PR IM • 8 p5 S ER NN RU R STRENGTH PLANS FO CTS YOUR BODY p67 FE AF G IN NN RU W HO • 4 p6 S OE FIND THE RIGHT SH
MINUTES VS. KILOMETRES When to run by time – or distance
$8.50 09 $9.70
incl. GST ISSN 1440-5229 incl. GST NZ
PP 349181 / 00853 ISSN 1440-5229
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9 771440 522018
runnersworldmag.com.au
58 DON’T GET HURT! Here’s how proper form, a strong body and the right pair of shoes can help you sidestep setbacks.
69 BODY WORKS
Hormones are unsung heroes that play a key role in burning fat, building muscle and boosting running performance. Here’s how to manipulate your internal chemistry.
75 WHO ARE YOU?
We surveyed the readers of Runner’s World to find out how and why and when you run, what shoes you wear, and what you take with you on the run.
80 FINDING MY CHI
At an alternative running school, a chronically injured runner learns that effortless running takes some effort.
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BEGINNER’S GUIDE Whether you’re new to running or checking back in after a layoff, consult this top-to-bottom manual before heading out the door.
RUNNING 101: Are you ready to learn how to run, and to begin a new healthy life?
inside
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REGULARS
8 10 12
RAVE RUN EDITOR’S LETTER RUNNING INBOX
15 HUMAN RACE AnnMarie White runs in the hope of finding a cure for the disease she battled and overcame. PLUS: The Intersection (16) Back Story: Simon Leaning (18) Ask Miles (18) What It Takes To… (20) 98 I’M A RUNNER Shannan Ponton, 39, Sydney, The Biggest Loser personal trainer.
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WARM UPS 22
ON THE RUN How to deal with windy days.
27 TRAINING Run twice a day?! Here’s why “doubles” aren’t just for elites. PLUS: Headed to the gym? Try these workouts on common cardio machines (30). 36 MIND & BODY Social or solo? The pros and cons of running in a pack. 38 THE BODY SHOP Exercises to boost your strength and stability for trail running. 41 FUEL Need a fast, healthy, powerpacked meal? Open a can of seafood. PLUS: A simple protein-packed recovery recipe for every runner.
COLUMNS
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48 ROAD SCHOLAR Help wanted: runners to pace pent-up pooches and earn extra cash (plus lots more). By Peter Sagal
on our cover
87 GEAR The best new sports bras for runners of every shape and size
›SPECIAL BEGINNER'S GUIDE AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND EDITION
P.50
Get Fit, Stay Fit › Start Out Easy › Add Mileage Safely › Lose Extra Kilos › Stick With It!
P.41
QUICK & 5 HEALTHY POWER-PACKED
g MEALS + A Surprisin Secret Nutrition
APRIL 2013
HOW TO HAVE FUN IN THE GYM p30
Chi Running
Should You Try It?
BEST SPORTS BRAS
for all sizes p87
Social Or Solo?
Join A Group (Or Not) For Motivation
P.30 P.80 P.87 P.36
RUN HEALTHY• FOREVER!
p62 p58 IMPROVE YOUR FORM STRENGTH PLANS FOR RUNNERS p67 RUNNING AFFECTS YOUR BODY FIND THE RIGHT SHOES p64 • HOW
P.32
MINUTES VS. KILOMETRES When to run by time – or distance
$8.50 09 $9.70
incl. GST ISSN 1440-5229 incl. GST NZ
PP 349181 / 00853 ISSN 1440-5229
09
9 771440 522018
runnersworldmag.com.au
YOUR FORM p62 WORKOUTS FOR A STRONG BODY p58 IMPROVE TO HORMONES p67 FIND THE RIGHT SHOES p64 RUNNER’S GUIDE
9 771440 522018 Cover.indd 1
27/02/13 3:18 PM
April 2013 Volume 15 Number 10
Runner: Danielle Halverson, 28, triathlete Photographed exclusively for Runner’s World by Gregg Segal APPAREL Top: Mizuno (pink); Nike (yellow, under layer) SHORTS: Puma; WATCH: Nike; SHOES: Mizuno
93 RACES & PLACES Kisses from Snow White, high-fives from Donald Duck and a send-off from Mickey Mouse… it’s the Disney World Marathon. By Kerry McCarthy
rave run Photography by Pete Graham runners Participants in the Buller Gorge Marathon The Location Buller River, South Island, New Zealand
➔ THE EXPERIENCE The Maori name for New Zealand’s mighty Buller River is Kawatiri – “the Deep and Swift.” At 169km long, its tributaries reach deep into the hearts of three national parks on the South Island’s lush West Coast. Here, prevailing winds from the Tasman Sea meet the Southern Alps – a mountain chain extending the length of New Zealand – creating a veil of ever-shifting cloud over the region. Hawk’s Crag, a half-tunnel hewn into a vertical wall of rock in the Buller Gorge, marks the start of the scenic Buller Gorge Marathon. “The course follows the main highway leading into Westport, alongside the Buller River,” says race director Dennis Straker. “It’s hard to put the magnificent scenery into words.” – bullermarathon.org.nz
mind + body
MIX IT UP: Run with and without partners to maximise training.
Social or Solo?
There are perks to running with others – and alone. How to get the best of both worlds BY JEN A. MILLER
A
S A RUNNER YOU KNOW that a program that incorporates various distances, paces, and surfaces helps you perform your best. What you may not realise is that the same holds true with the company you keep – or don’t keep – on the run. Whether you’d rather chat away the kilometres with pals or be alone
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in your own thoughts, runners who are strictly social butterflies or lone rangers are at a disadvantage. “Being set in an introverted or extroverted running pattern can limit your experiences and prevent you from growing as a runner,” says Michelle P. Maidenberg, Ph.D., a psychotherapist who works with athletes. Mixing things up and seeking out – or passing
up – companionship can make you a more balanced runner.
SOLO DRILL Between chirping mobile phones, pinging emails, chatty co-workers, and rowdy kids, it can be tough finding moments of peace and quiet in your day. Running alone can allow you to hit the Buddies can help you get through long runs. But if you’ll be racing on your own, do some solo training to boost your race-day confidence.
FEEL better
warm ups that all the time can keep you from reaching your running potential,” he says. “And if you always run with a group that’s too fast, it can push you into doing more than you should.” Running by yourself is especially important if you’re coming back from injury and need to listen to your body to avoid another setback. Also, solo training makes you self-sufficient for race day: you’ll feel comfortable finding – and sticking to – a pace on your own without relying on a partner, and you’ll get practise recognising when your body needs hydration and fuel.
GROUP LOVE
mute button on the world (especially if you leave the gadgets behind) and take full advantage of exercise’s stressbusting benefits. “Running alone can be a meditative experience where you get to really think and concentrate or completely clear your mind and zone out,” says Maidenberg. There are performance benefits as well. When you’re on your own, you can pay better attention to your form, breathing, and pace, says running coach Brendan Cournane. “It’s easy to choose to run with a group at a casual pace, but doing
One of the biggest gifts running partners give you is accountability: it’s hard getting up at 5am to run, especially if it’s raining and you stayed up late watching Leno. But if you know that a buddy is waiting for you, you’ll have extra motivation to climb out of bed, says Cournane. And it works on the run, too: a partner can keep you from slipping off pace or cutting a run short. This positive peer pressure even works on a subconscious level – thanks to a concept called “social facilitation,” says sports psychology consultant Cindra Kamphoff, Ph.D. It was first discovered with cyclists – they had faster times when racing against someone else versus doing a time trial on their own. The same holds
true with runners. “When you run with others, you tend to give more effort,” she says. “You get caught up in the pace, and you might not recognise how fast you’re going.” Pairing up can also encourage you to branch out. “You learn more about how other people train and what they’re doing, and it can inspire you to do something different,” says Kamphoff. “It can open up your mind to trying new distances, races, or types of workouts.” Many beginners are solo runners, says Cournane, because they feel overwhelmed or intimidated by running with others. He suggests dipping your toe into the running community by pairing up with just one other person. Before you go, talk about your goals, especially pace. If your friend is faster, schedule your running date for a day he’ll be doing an easy, recovery day. That way you can enjoy the run without worrying about keeping up or holding him back.
THE RIGHT BALANCE With so many advantages to solo and group running, it’s smart to do both. A loner might want to pair up with a slightly faster friend for speedwork or join others for company on long runs. And a social runner could split off from her relaxed group in order to do a quality workout designed for her individual goals. That’s what Kamphoff did when preparing for a marathon. Although she prefers to log kilometres with her running group, she did solo runs in order to work on her mental game. “You have to train yourself to let go of the inner chatter that can get in the way of what you want to accomplish,” she says. “And that’s something you have to do on your own.” On race day, Kamphoff was able to reframe her negative thoughts. She was the first female across the line in 3:05.
➔ THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER: 72% OF RW POLL RESPONDENTS SAY THEY PREFER RUNNING BY THEMSELVES. runnersworldmag.com.au
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THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE
Head to Toe If you’re new to running, or checking back in after a layoff, you likely have a few questions. Like how much to run, what to wear, or where to find like-minded folks. You’ll find those answers and more in this top-to-bottom guide for newbies (and running returnees). Put it all together and get ready to run! BY JASON STEVENSON
runnersworldmag.com.au
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IN THE BATTLE against injury, a
runner’s best armour is a strong body. Strong muscles, ligaments, and tendons guard against impact, improve form, and lead to a consistent gait. “If muscles are weak, one footfall will not be like the rest,” says Reed Ferber, Ph.D., director of the Running Injury Clinic. “How your knee turns in, your hip drops, your foot pronates changes with each step. But with strength, these movements are the same each time, so your mind and body know what to expect.” When a strong body runs, the brain tells the muscles to brace for impact before
the foot hits the ground. The glutes and core contract to steady the pelvis and leg. The foot and ankle muscles are activated, providing a solid foundation to land upon. But if one stabiliser isn’t strong enough or isn’t recruited, other muscles get overworked, and the entire chain of movement is disrupted, says Eric Orton, a running coach featured in Born to Run and the creator of the recently launched B2R Training System, which combines strength training with form changes to reduce injury risk. Most runners lack strength in at least one muscle group, as well as in their
neuromuscular pathways, the lines of communication between brain and body, says Jay Dicharry, author of Anatomy for Runners. Strong pathways help muscles fire more efficiently and in quick succession, which enables you to run with greater control and stability. These exercises, adapted from Dicharry’s and Orton’s programs, strengthen running’s key muscles and those neuromuscular pathways. You can do them as a full routine or insert them into your day while watching TV two or three times a week. If possible, do the moves barefoot.
Donkey Kicks with Bar
Wall Press
WHY By adding a bar (or broomstick) to this old-school move, you teach the body to fire the glutes without arching your back – just like you should while running. BONUS You’re also strengthening the transverse abdominus, a stabilising muscle in your core. HOW Begin on all fours with the bar across your lower back. Lift one leg back, knee bent at 90 degrees, keeping the bar still. If the bar moves, perform smaller movements. Do 50 reps on each leg.
WHY Activates the gluteus medius in a bent-knee position, similar to running HOW Stand with your left side near a wall. Bend your left knee 90 degrees and make contact with the wall. Push your knee into the wall and hold, while keeping your body stable (i.e., don’t press your shoulder against the wall). Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Do two or three sets on each side.
by JOSHUA SIMPSON
ADD STRENGTH
Single-Leg Balance on Forefoot WHY Increases strength in the entire leg chain: big toes, calves, ankles, and hips HOW Balance on one leg on your forefoot (barefoot is ideal), heel off the ground. You should feel the side of your hip (gluteus medius) working. Hold for as long as you can keeping the body tall. When you lose balance, rest, then repeat three more times.
Plyometrics Jumping exercises increase elasticity – the springs that give running a light, bouncy feel. But they can also teach you how to minimise your impact on landing. If you’re not currently strength training, add these moves after performing the other exercises in this program for eight weeks.
Eccentric Heel Drop WHY Strengthens calves, ankle muscles, and achilles tendons, which allow for a stable landing when running HOW Stand on one leg on a curb or step with your heel off the edge. Lift up onto your toes, then slowly lower down until your heel is below the step. Start with a set of 10 on each leg. Build to three sets of 15.
Clam Shells
Standing Jump
Lateral Jumps
WHY Strengthens gluteus medius to improve knee and pelvis stability HOW Lie on the floor on your side, legs stacked. Bend both knees, keeping legs and feet aligned. Open the knees like a clam shell while keeping your feet together. Do two sets of 30 on each side. NEXT LEVEL Put a resistance band around your thighs.
HOW Use a step at a gym (or find wide steps at a park or building) about midshin height. Standing with the step directly in front of you, jump up with both feet landing softly. Step back down. Do 10 to 20 times. NEXT LEVEL When you can no longer hear your feet landing, jump up and then jump back down off the step.
HOW Place a pole (or broom) on the ground and jump over it quickly side to side, staying on the ground as little as possible. Aim for three sets of 10 jumps. NEXT LEVEL Switch out the pole for something taller, like a foam roller; the added height creates a bigger challenge.