Ask The Coach

ASK THE COACH

By Coach Kirt West

Dear Coach: I have read your column on the Washington Running Report web page and want some advice on training for the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler. I am a college student and used to be an avid swimmer, working out seven to eight times a week. I have taken up running in the past year and ran a 39:22 at a November Turkey Trot 10K. I am presently running 30 to 40 miles per week with no speedwork or hills. What can I do to break 65 minutes at Cherry Blossom and to get as close to 60 minutes as possible? Andrea

Dear Andrea: You have a good chance of breaking 65 minutes. Your 10K pace is 6:19 per mile and you have to run 6:30 per mile for ten miles. You have done the right thing to start your running career by building an aerobic base of many easy miles. I suggest that you do two things to improve your chances at Cherry Blossom. First, you should slowly build up a weekly long run until you are running 12 to 14 miles once per week at a 60 to 75 percent effort. Secondly, I recommend that you incorporate two anaerobic threshold (AT) workouts per week. AT workout number one should be three times one mile at 80 to 85% with a one-minute recovery between miles. AT workout number two should be a 20-minute continuous AT run at 80 to 85%. Because you have never done any speedwork, I believe that you will see significant improvement after four to six weeks.

Dear Coach: I recently bought a heart monitor and just want to run to keep my weight down and to look good. Should I run four to five days a week for 30 minutes at 80-85 percent of my maximum heart rate? I prefer not to run for more than 45 minutes at one time. Michael

Dear Michael: First, I think you are asking for trouble if you run more than once or twice a week at 80-85%. To make sure you are in the right training zones, I recommend that you get the book Precision Heart Rate Training edited by Edmund Burke, published by Human Kinetics. The chapter on running written by Coach Roy Benson will explain how to calculate your maximum heart rate using the Karvonen formula. You should do most of your running at 60 to 70 percent of maximum heart rate (a conversational pace); otherwise, you increase the risk of overtraining, injury, and burnout. This is particularly true for someone who cross trains.

Dear Coach: I noticed an old web posting about sore knees in which you said expensive orthotics were needed. I was wondering if those did the trick for you. Paul

Dear Paul: In my case, I could not run more than a mile without my orthotics. I have worn orthotics for more than twenty years and have been without any knee pain for that entire period. I suggest you see a competent sports podiatrist to determine whether you need orthotics. Some of my runners have been told that all they need to do is switch the kind of shoes they are running in. Others have been told that they can purchase an over-the-counter insert to solve their problems. Then, there are the unfortunate ones like me who have to get the custom-made orthotics. If you truly enjoy the sport, the $400-500 you spend on a pair every three to four years is worth it. (Some insurance plans will pay at least part of the cost of orthotics. Editor)

Coach Kirt West is a private coach for motivated adult runners. Questions for the Coach can be sent to him at kirtwest@erols.com or c/o of the Washington Running Report.

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