Loon Mountain Race Training (Part 3): Event-Specific Planning

Dave Dunham leads a charge on the
sneaky difficult Exodus climb.
Photo by Joe Viger Photography

"Details are the difference between good stuff and great stuff."  ~Stephen Brewster

The optimal length of an event-specific plan is somewhere between 16-20 weeks.  Any less and progressions are expedited which may increase the risk of soft-tissue issues.  And any longer challenges an athlete's ability to focus and maintain the necessary levels of motivation and attention.  By the middle of March we are 16 weeks from race day making this time of year the optimal time to begin event-specific planning.  The following are the key training units and progressions to consider when putting together your Loon Mountain Race (LMR) plan.

Starting Point
There are a number of things to consider when developing your LMR-specific plan.  They include; your current level of fitness, your available time to train, and your race-specific goals.  Taken together, these variables will help determine your starting point and your weekly training volume.  In an effort to cover as many people as possible I'll provide training objectives for three groups; first timers, PR seekers, and Top 10 finishers.

Event-Specific Plan
The LMR-specific plan has two important elements; running-specific training units and mountain-specific strength training units.  Let's look at the training plans for each group separately.  

First Timers
Running-Specific Training Units
At a minimum there are three running-specific training units which must be performed every week; aerobic endurance, strength endurance, and LMR-specific.  

Aerobic Endurance training units are 30-45 minute weekday runs which are performed at an effort level described as "easy to moderate".  No specific terrain is required although the more time spent 'off-pavement' the better and "hilly" is always preferred over "flat".  

Strength Endurance training units are 30-45 minute weekday runs which are performed at an effort level of "moderate to hard".  These training units should be performed on the hilliest route possible.

LMR-specific training units will gradually increase in duration over the course of the program to approximate the anticipated finish time.  In 2018 the median overall finish time for men was 1:25 and for women it was 1:47.  You can base your projected finish time on these numbers.  The terrain for these training units should be off-pavement and hilly.  Start your LMR-specific training unit duration consistent with your current fitness and devise a progression over the course of the 16 weeks to get to your target.  

Mountain-Specific Strength Training Units
Strength training is a fundamental complimentary training activity for all endurance athletes and should be performed year round.  There are times, however, when the volume of strength training is reduced to account for an increase in event-specific training.  The LMR-specific plan should include (at a minimum) two days a week of strength training.  Mountain-specific strength training includes a total body approach with an emphasis on increasing work capacity by minimizing idol time and maximizing heart rate response.  This is done by moving purposefully from one exercise to the next without taking a rest break.  Here's an example of a mountain-specific strength training program for first timers;

Synergy Stack® 
Full Crunch (20)
Incline Press, DB (10) 
Incline Press, machine (10)
Bicycle Crunch (20/side)
Leg Press (10) 
Side Touch Lunge (10/side) 
Plank (30-60 seconds)
Low Row, machine (10) 
1-Arm DB Row (10/arm) 
Rope Crunch (20) 
Leg Press (10) 
Turn Lunge (10/side) 
Oblique Crunch (20/side)
Shoulder Press, DB (10) 
Shoulder Press, machine (10)
Plank (30-60 seconds)
Leg Press (10) 
Drop Lunge (10/side) 
Tricep Press, rope (10) 
Bicep Curl, rope (10) 

NOTES:  This routine is performed as a circuit meaning the exercises are performed in order.  The number of repetitions are provided in parentheses.  

PR Seekers
Running-Specific Training Units
After having finished the Loon Mountain Race once, we often hear one of two reactions; "I'm never doing THAT again." or "That was really cool, I wonder if I can do it faster next year?".  Fortunately the latter is a more common sentiment than the former.  If you're looking to improve your time there are four running-specific training units which must be performed every week; aerobic endurance, ascent attacks, active recovery, and LMR-specific.  

Aerobic Endurance training units are 45-60 minute weekday runs which are performed at an effort level described as "easy to moderate".  Every effort should be made to include as many hills as possible.  Generally speaking these runs should have an ascent rate greater than 75 feet/mile.  

Ascent Attacks are strength endurance workouts designed to improve climbing-specific fitness.  These 45-60 minute weekday runs are performed at an effort level of "moderate to hard".  The objective is to find the hilliest route possible and attack every uphill.  Active recovery is performed on the flats and the descents.  

Active Recovery training units are 45-60 minute weekday runs which are performed at an effort level described as "very easy to easy".  These runs should be performed the day after Ascent Attack workouts.  The terrain should be kept flat(ish).  

LMR-specific training units are designed to replicate the terrain, surfaces, and target finish time.  The ideal setting for these training units are ski resorts which provide gravel service roads and grassy ski slopes.  Alternatively you'll be looking for the hilliest off-road route available to you.  Rather than focusing on the event distance (~6.6 miles), structure these runs around target finish time.  Gradually increase the duration of these training units to peak two weeks before the event (ie. apex week).  Optimally this progression ends with a run that is 15-20 minutes longer than your target finish time.  

Mountain-Specific Strength Training Units
Mountain running is an incredibly demanding sport involving the entire body.  Mountain-specific strength training routines should be performed twice weekly (at a minimum), include movements for the entire body, and be performed with minimal rest between exercises.  The objective is to elevate heart rate and keep it elevated the entire workout.  Here's an example of a mountain-specific strength training program for PR Seekers;

Antagonist Pair Coupling®
Pull-Ups, wide (to failure)
Push-Up, traditional (double the number of pull-ups)
Butterfly Full Crunch (20)

Circuit #1: Push->Pull (primary) [no rest] 
Incline Press, DB, L2 (10) 
Low Row, machine, narrow (10) 
Bicycle Crunch & Reach (20/side) 
Angled Leg Press (10) 
Side Touch Lunge (10/side) 
Knee Extension (10) 
Romanian Deadlift->Calf Raise->Shrug (10) 
Arnold Press, DB, L7 (10) 
Face Pulldowns (10)

Pull-Ups, narrow (to failure)
Push-Up->wide-wide (double the number of pull-ups)
Marching Planks (10/side)

Circuit #2: Push->Pull (primary) [no rest] 
Incline Press, DB, L4 (10) 
Low Row, wide (10)
Rope Crunch (20) 
Angled Leg Press (10) 
Turn Lunge (10/side) 
Knee Extension (10) 
Romanian Deadlift->Calf Raise->Shrug (10) 
Arnold Press, DB, L6 (10)
Straight-Arm Pulldowns (10)

Arms 
Tricep Press, rope (10) 
Bicep Curl, rope (10) 
Tricep Press, V-bar (10) 
Bicep Curl, V-bar (10) 

NOTES:  This routine is performed as a circuit meaning the exercises are performed in order.  The number of repetitions are provided in parentheses.

Top 10 Finishers
Running-Specific Training Units
As the popularity and prestige of the Loon Mountain Race has grown, so too has the quality and depth of the field.  This includes non-championship years.  Any athlete who finishes in the Top 10 can count themselves as one of the top mountain racers in the region...and sometimes the country.  For individuals looking for a Top 10 finish there are five running-specific training units which must be performed every week; aerobic endurance, strength endurance, maximum lactate steady-state, active recovery, and LMR-specific.  

Aerobic Endurance training units are 60-90 minute weekday runs which are performed at an effort level described as "easy to moderate".  The goal for these athletes is to optimize weekly vertical gain so these runs must be hilly.  The target ascent rate is greater than 100 feet/mile.  

Strength Endurance training units are used to stimulate mountain running-specific skeletal and bio-energetic adaptations.  There are two common workouts in this category; Ascent Attacks (see above) and Vertical Compression.  These workouts should be performed weekly.  Vertical Compression training runs are 60-90 minutes, performed at an effort level of "hard+", and include as much elevation gain as possible in the allotted time.  Ascent rates of greater than 200 feet/mile would fit the optimal criteria for these training units.

Maximum Lactate Steady-State training units are 45-60 minute weekday runs performed at an effort level of "moderate to hard".  They are designed to improve the bioenergetics of racing at threshold levels for events greater than 45 minutes in duration.  There are many examples of workouts in this category.  A popular example is Tempo Intervals.  After a 15-20 minute warm-up, perform two 15 minute intervals at 10 km race effort with 3 minutes of active recovery between them.  Finish the run with a cool-down to 45-60 minutes.  The terrain should be hilly but not outrageously so.

NOTE:  Strength Endurance and Maximum Lactate Steady-State runs should have at least 24 hours of recovery (absolute or relative) between them.  These two workouts should not intentionally interfere with each other.  

Active Recovery training units are 60-90 minute weekday or weekend runs which are performed at an effort level described as "very easy to easy".  These runs should be performed the day after Strength Endurance, Maximum Lactate Steady-State, or LMR-specific workouts.  The terrain should be kept flat(ish).  

LMR-specific training units for Top 10 Finishers should simulate the three sections and five climbs that make up the Loon Mountain Race course (see previous article).  As mentioned before, the ideal setting for these training units are ski resorts which provide gravel service roads and grassy ski slopes.  Once again, rather than focusing on the event distance (~6.6 miles), structure these runs around target finish time.  Gradually increase the duration of these training units to peak two weeks before the event (ie. apex week).  Optimally this progression ends with a run that is 20-30 minutes longer than your target finish time.  

Mountain-Specific Strength Training Units
Mountain running is an incredibly demanding sport involving the entire body.  Mountain-specific strength training routines should be performed twice weekly (at a minimum), include movements for the entire body, and be performed with minimal rest between exercises.  The objective is to elevate heart rate and keep it elevated the entire workout.  Here's an example of a mountain-specific strength training program for Top 10 Finishers;

Bulletproof Circuits®
Pull-Ups, wide (to failure)
Push-Ups, traditional (double the number of pull-ups) 
Butterfly Full Crunch (20)

Mega Push Circuit (:30 rest between Chest Press->Push-Up Position supersets) 
Chest Press, Smith Machine (Smith), L0 (10)
Push-up Position (PUP): mountain climbers (10) 
Chest Press, Smith, L2 (10) 
PUP: pike (10) 
Incline Press, Smith, L3 (10) 
PUP: wobbly mountain climbers (10) 
Incline Press, Smith, L4 (10) 
PUP: frog (10) 
Incline Press, Smith, L5 (10)
PUP: jacks (10) 
Shoulder Press, Smith, L6 (10) 
PUP: alternate toe touch (10) 
Shoulder Press, Smith, L7 (10) 
PUP: spider (10)

Pull-Ups, narrow (to failure)
Push-Ups, wide hands-wide feet (double number of pull-ups)
V-Tuck Circles (10-20/direction)

Bullet-Proof Leg Circuit (no rest between Angled Leg Press->Lunge supersets) 
Angled Leg Press (20) 
Side Touch Lunge (10/leg) 
Angled Leg Press (15) 
Turn Lunge (10/leg) 
Angled Leg Press (12) 
Drop Lunge (10/leg)
Angled Leg Press (6) 
Ice Skaters (10/leg) 
Angled Leg Press (12) 
Reverse Lunge to Single-Leg Post (10/leg) 
Angled Leg Press (15) 
Walking Forward Lunge->Russian Twist (5/side) 
Angled Leg Press (20) 
Split Squat (10/leg)

NOTE:  Start with a light weight on the angled leg press and increase the weight as the repetitions decrease.  Follow the same pattern in reverse as the repetitions increase again.

Pull-Ups, narrow (to failure) 
Push-Ups, pike & frog (double number of pull-ups)
Plank (60 seconds)

Mega Pull Circuit (minimal rest between Pull->Push-Up supersets) 
Face Pulldown, narrow, L8 (10) 
Push-up, single-leg (10) 
High Pull, narrow, L7 (10) 
Push-up, pike (10) 
High Pull, narrow, L6 (10) 
Push-up, off-set hands (10) 
Mid Pull, narrow, L5 (10) 
Push-up, side step (10) 
Low Pull, wide (10) 
Push-up, frog (10) 
Low Row, wide, L2 (10) 
Push-up, narrow (10) 
Low Row, wide (10) 
Push-up, decline (10)

Mega Arm Circuit 
Tricep Press, rope (10) 
Bicep Curl, rope (10) 
Tricep Press, V-bar (10) 
Bicep Curl, V-bar (10) 
Tricep Press, EZ-Curl bar (10) 
Bicep Curl, EZ-Curl bar, wide (10) 

NOTES:  This routine is performed as a circuit meaning the exercises are performed in order.  The number of repetitions are provided in parentheses.   

Success at the Loon Mountain Race takes a combination of physical preparation and solid mental constitution.  Beyond all else, consistency is the most powerful training variable.  Whatever your preparation, do it consistently.  

Do, Try, Skip: Foam Rolling, Group Exercise, Running Music

Do you need music to perform
at your best?
Photo: competitor RUNNING

This series is intended to provide an informative and entertaining look at common practices in endurance sports.  The views expressed here are my opinions based largely on a combination of professional experience as an exercise physiologist and personal experience as an endurance athlete.

Sports training practices change over time.  Looking back a generation (or more) some things seem preposterous now.  But in their day and time they might have been considered cutting edge.  This "Do, Try, Skip" series will look at current popular training practices and provide guidance based on science (if available) and personal experience.  Today we look at three popular training practices; foam rolling, group exercise, and listening to music while running.

Foam Rolling: DO
The practice of foam rolling is something many athletes (myself included) understand to be important but few consistently perform.  Interestingly, the technique may have originated as an inexpensive way for Broadway dancers to simulate deep tissue massage on tight aching muscles.  But the practice was undoubtedly popularized by National Academy of Sports Medicine founder and physical therapist Michael A. Clark.  Referred to as self-myofascial release stretching (SMFR) in his 2002 manual Optimal Performance Training for the Performance Enhancement Specialist the technique is defined as "the process of using bio-foam rollers and/or "The Stick" to improve soft-tissue extensibility".  This type of stretching utilizes the autogenic inhibition theory to correct length and tension imbalances of the muscles.  

Self-Myofascial Release of the TFL.
From livejacked.com

Autogenic Inhibition
The key to understanding how foam rolling works lies with muscle spindles and Golgi Tendon Organs (GTO).  Muscle spindles lie in parallel with muscle fibers and sense the rate and change of muscle lengthening.  When stimulated they may cause the muscle to contract resulting in "trigger points".  This can occur during times of sudden increases in training volume or new training loads (ie. change of surface or terrain).  A chronically shortened (ie. contracted) muscle not only may cause discomfort, but it is also less effective at producing force and may affect how the other soft-tissues nearby act.  

The GTO is a proprioceptive sensory receptor organ located within the junction between the muscle and the tendon and is highly sensitive to changes in tension and the rate of tension change.  When you use your body weight on the foam roller you are placing tension on the musculotendinous junction of that muscle and stimulating the GTO.  With enough stimulation, the GTO may "turn off" the muscle spindles causing the tight muscle to relax, unwind, or "unknot".  This occurs when the neural impulses sensing tension (from the foam roller) are greater than the impulses causing muscle tension (from the tight muscles).

So when and how do you use the foam roller?
Foam rolling should be seen as a form of stretching.  Specifically as a corrective flexibility modality.  When used to correct muscle imbalances (length & tension) it is best performed in both the pre- and post-workout periods.  To obtain the optimal benefit from the technique place a tolerable amount of body weight pressure on the "tender/trigger points" of the muscle and hold for approximately 30-90 seconds.  This provides adequate time for the GTO to begin to inhibit the target/offending muscle spindles.  It's worth noting that other devices may be used to perform the technique including a lacrosse ball, medicine ball, or other handheld devices.  

IMPORTANT NOTE:  While foam rolling is generally safe, it should not be performed by persons with heart failure, kidney failure, other organ failure, bleeding disorders, or contagious skin disorders.  If you have any doubt whether or not the practice would be safe and appropriate for you, check with your physician first. *From NASM

Group Exercise: TRY
There is little doubt that to improve sport-specific performance you must spend a considerable amount of time performing that sport.  However, the cumulative effects of repetitive movements patterns can result in overuse-associated soft-tissue breakdown and subsequent forced rest.  Two common ways of reducing the frequency and potential impact of repetitive movement patterns are cross-training (ie. cycling for runners and running for cyclists) and complimentary-training practices (ie. strength & mobility training).  While these activities are unquestionably important to the sustained health and performance of an endurance athlete, there are often barriers to participation.  One common barrier is the perception of lack of mastery.  None of us want to look or feel like we don't know what we are doing.  This may be the case for an endurance athlete not familiar with either cross-training or complimentary-training activities.  Here's where friendly and supportive instructor-led group exercise classes fill an incredibly important role.  

Spinning Bikes.
From nursegail.com

Group exercise can generally be categorized in one of four ways; aerobic, strength, bodymind, and specialty.  All have potential benefit to the endurance athlete.  Let's take a look and some common examples and how they might fit into an endurance training program.



Indoor Cycling (aka. Spinning)
Type: cross-training
Category:  aerobic

While it's always better to be outside rather than inside, indoor instructor led group cycling classes offer runners a non-impact alternative to their high impact sport.  

Kickboxing
Type:  cross-training
Category: aerobic

This instructor-led group exercise format is a mix of boxing moves, martial arts, and aerobics that combine to provide a high-intensity training session and is great for cyclists as it gets them out of forward trunk/hip flexion and upright on their feet.  

Orangetheory Fitness®
Type:  cross-training & complimentary-training
Category: aerobic & strength

Led by qualified personal trainers this one hour exercise class uses heart rate to monitor high intensity interval training (aerobic & strength) giving users a targeted and effective training experience.  Because of the use of both aerobic activities (running, cycling, rowing) along with strength exercises it covers both the aerobic and strength categories. 

Yoga
Type:  complimentary-training
Category:  bodymind

The spiritual element of yoga separates it from most other instructor-led group exercise activities.  And while the bodymind benefits are translatable to all endurance athletes, it's ability to improve mobility may be it's greatest physical benefit.  

Running Music: SKIP
What's a blog without occasionally dipping your toe into a heated debate once in a while?  I am well aware that many runners use music while running to help them either escape from the drudgery or motivate them to push harder.  Both of these rationales are valid yet they don't overcome the overwhelming negatives associated with the practice.  Listening to music while running is considered a dissociative behavior.  That is to say, it's a way to disconnect from the activity.  This disconnection is both mental and physical.  But being connected to the activity provides a wealth of important and immediate feedback that helps to assure the activity is both safe and effective.

Safety
Whether on or off-road you are likely to be sharing space with other people.  These people are typically traveling by vehicle, bicycle, or on foot.  In each case there may be a need for you to yield the right of way.  When being approached from behind it is very difficult for you to be fully aware of your surroundings while listening to music.  Portable music devices today are typically quite inconspicuous and may not be noticeable to others around you.  This could lead to a dangerous scenario of an overtaking motorist (on road) or cyclist (on trail) attempting to signal their intent to you but to no avail.  

Efficacy
Your ears provide important feedback while running.  Running economy may be improved, in part, by soft quiet foot strikes.  Listening to music while running makes it impossible to gain this valuable feedback.  Lastly, many running events either discourage or prohibit the use of headphones due to liability concerns.  If you are conditioned to listening to music in training to help you "get through the tough times", you may be at a distinct disadvantage without it during a race.  

Let me be clear, there is a difference between listening to music while running outside versus listening to music while running inside on a treadmill.  Running inside on a treadmill is drudgery and anything you can do to take your mind off of the activity is probably helpful.  Just make sure the music you've selected doesn't get you so fired up that you miss the objective of the workout (ie. easy on easy days or target effort).  

Why The Finish Line Isn't The End

A well constructed recovery plan
will help you get back to training
safely, effectively, and efficiently.

"The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race."  ~Anonymous

Most training plans are filled will intricate details of distances and pace targets that culminate with an event.  Yet what you do in the seventy-two hours following an event of marathon distance or greater plays a large role in how safely, effectively, and efficiently you are able to return to training.  Endurance athletes tend to have busy race schedules.  It's not unusual for some to have multiple events of marathon distance or greater planned in the same calendar year.  This ambitious race schedule not only places a tremendous emphasis on preparation but also recovery.  Here are the essential elements of a post-event recovery protocol;

Immediate Post-Race
They've hung the medal around your neck, you've visited with family and friends, and now you finally have a chance to sit down.  Take a deep breath.  While the race may be over, the event still has one last critical element to execute...the recovery.  

Once a race has finished the top three immediate recovery priorities are hydration, glycogen replenishment, and tending to minor medical needs.  The most effective way to re-hydrate is with an cold isotonic solution.  The amount is generally commensurate with the length of time and type of environment to which you were exposed.  A good place to start is with 20-24 ounces of this type of fluid.  Be cautious not to over-consume before you've tended to the second priority; glycogen replenishment.  The most effective way to replenishment glycogen following a glycogen-depleting activity is to consume a beverage containing a ratio of carbohydrates and proteins tailored to your individual needs within an hour of the event.  Finally, before you leave the venue make sure to tend to minor medical needs.  Commonly these involve the skin which is not only the largest, but also the most vulnerable, organ of the body and subject to integrity issues (ie. blisters, chaffing, etc).  

Post-Race Evening
Now that you're home and showered there are five things to do before your head hits the pillow for some well earned rest.  

1.)  Respect Food Cravings
Your body has a unique ability to signal which nutrients it needs through food cravings.  This is particularly true following an exhaustive event.  Listen to these cravings and follow their lead.  

2.)  Hydrate
Although it will likely result in you getting up multiple times during the night, continue your hydration plan.  Your objective is to return your urine to a pale yellow color.  It's worth noting, clear urine may be an indication that you have over consumed and potentially have placed yourself in jeopardy of electrolyte disturbances.  Pale yellow is best. 

3.)  Eat A High Performance Meal
Item #1 notwithstanding, the majority of calories consumed should be from healthy proteins and fats.  These nutrients accelerate skeletal muscle repair and assist in the regeneration of key hormones.  As much as possible attempt to limit simple sugars (ie. high fructose corn syrup) as they may contribute to inflammation during a time in which you are attempting to reduce activity-associated inflammation.  

4.)  Boost HGH To Aid Recovery
Consuming a serving of whey protein (mixed with water) within thirty minutes of bed time may enhance human growth hormone (HGH) levels.  HGH may aid in skeletal muscle repair of which you are going to need to do.  

5.)  Get To Bed Early
Although not always practical, it is good practice to get bed an hour earlier than usual.  Physiologic recovery occurs during rest.  Multiple factors may disrupt your sleep pattern following an exhaustive bout of physical activity so it's important to realize that even though you may have a hard time falling and staying asleep, as long as you are laying down you are resting and recovering.

The Next 72 Hours
Despite how you feel when you go down stairs, you are now well on your way to safe, effective, and efficient recovery.  But it's far from over.  The next three days are incredibly important.  Here are the items to focus on;

Physical Practices
1.)  No running for one (1) day for every ten (10) miles raced.  
2.)  Perform a 10-20 minute "active recovery" walk each day.
3.)  Follow that walk with some gentle mobility exercises.
4.)  Continue to get to bed an hour early each night.  

Nutritional Practices
1.)  Increase healthy protein intake in order to provide your body with the building blocks it needs to continue with skeletal muscle restoration.
2.)  Consume healthy fats to continue assist in the regeneration of key hormones.
3.)  Continue to hydrate to a pale yellow urine.  
4.)  Continue to consume a serving of whey protein (mixed with water) thirty minutes before bed.

After the 72 hour post-event period you should be feeling well on your way to completely recovered.  While you follow the "10 Mile Rule", consider adding some non-impact "active recovery" cross-training modalities to slowly increase your activity level and to mitigate significant alterations in form (ie. becoming stale).   

A professional endurance coach can not only provide specific details with respect to the recovery protocols listed above but can also provide guidance with regard to resumption of sport-specific training.  

Optimal Performance Weight For Endurance Athletes

Using total body weight alone is
like the cover of a text book.  It
gives you some idea of what's
inside but lacks important detail.

 "Never be fooled by what you see on the outside because on the inside it's often a different story." ~Anonymous

Human performance results from a complex interaction of physical, psychological, and nutritional variables. Your "optimal performance weight" is one of those variables. Let's drill down a little deeper into the topic.

Optimal Performance Weight

Body weight is an incredibly sensitive topic to discuss. Various societal pressures have increased the prevalence of disordered eating and exercise behaviors in young people. Some estimates suggest there are approximately 30 million US adults struggling with an eating disorder with 95% of them between the ages of 12-25. Female athletes make up a disproportionate percentage of that group. Many endurance athletes have experienced an eating disorder before or perhaps are struggling with one now. It is for that reason that I approach this subject very cautiously and in the spirit of supportive guidance rather than with disapproving judgement.

Body weight is inextricable related to endurance performance. More specifically, body composition (lean body mass and fat mass) is linked to endurance performance. But no online "optimal performance weight" calculator can determine that for you. Your optimal performance body composition can only be determined by consistent data collection over time. Here's how it works.

Body Composition
Your total body weight alone is like the cover of a text book; it gives you some idea of what's inside but lacks important details. With respect to body composition those details include lean body mass and percent body fat. If you're interested in optimizing endurance performance you should consider measuring your body composition routinely. These periodic body composition assessments create body accountability and data points. When assessing body composition consider the following guidelines;

1.) Assess Monthly
More frequent assessment is less sensitive to actual changes in body composition and more sensitive to daily or weekly fluctuations in body water.

2.) Standardize
By creating the same testing conditions (time of day, clothing, etc) you significantly reduce the error associated with the testing conditions.

3.) Testing Considerations
When you test make sure that you haven't exercised or eaten for at least three hours prior to the assessment and always on an empty bladder and bowel (ideally).

Commercial body fat scales are now both widely available and affordable. Most use "bioelectric impedance" technology which has been around for decades and highly correlated with the gold standards for this procedure (skinfold and plethysmography).

Performance Outcomes
Once you are in the habit of collecting lean body mass and percent body fat data the next step is to correlate it to endurance performance. There are a few important things to consider. First, understand that body composition naturally fluctuates throughout the year and/or training cycle. Differences in eating and activity patterns during the winter months and off-seasons tend to result in natural and acceptable increases in percent body fat during these times. Secondly, we must always account for the effects of aging on both performance and body composition. That is to say, you should keep your comparison of body composition and performance to the last 3-5 years. Anything beyond that becomes an unreasonable and unrealistic comparison and sets you up for discouragement and resultant demotivation. Lastly, standardize the correlation by choosing an event or workouts that is both relevant and repeatable.

My Experience

The last four years of body fat and Orchard Cross
results clearly shows that for me; leaner is faster.

This graph is the last four years of my percent body fat and cyclocross performance. The body composition data was collected on a Tanita body fat scale once a month (I've actually been collecting the data monthly for over a decade). The performance data is from a local cyclocross race (Orchard Cross) that I've done for a number of consecutive years and represents the finish points in my Category 4/5 40+ race. For those not familiar with cyclocross, the lower the finish points the better the performance relative to the rest of the field. There are a few important things to note from the graph. The first is that you can clearly see seasonal fluctuations in percent body fat with the winter months generally representing the higher percent body fat values. Secondly, there appears to be a direct correlation to my percent body fat and my Orchard Cross results. In other words, the lower my percent body fat, the better the performance result (in lower points) at that specific race. While this really isn't a surprise, it's very helpful for me to see it in black and white (and red). This graph clearly demonstrates that my 50 year old optimal performance body composition is around 10% body fat. And just as importantly, I know exactly the dedication it takes to reach this level.

Please remember that this value is highly individualized. Your optimal performance body composition is uniquely yours and you must collect adequate amounts of data to determine that value.

Supraventicular Tachycardia & Endurance Athletes

Endurance athletes live longer
than non-athletes but are at
greater risk of heart abnormalities.
Photo from VeloNews.

"Follow your heart but take your brain with you." ~Anonymous
In the field of exercise science there is a concept known as The Exercise Paradox and it suggests that if you survive enough repeated bouts of exercise you'll likely outlive those who never exercise. While that sounds dramatic, the facts are that as exercise intensity increases so does the risk of bad things happening. And almost all of those things involve the heart. But the flip side is the adoption of exercise a lifestyle behavior significantly reduces the risk of hypokinetic early mortality-related diseases like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and certain site specific cancers. Recent evidence suggests that masters endurance athletes with a long history of training may be at increased risk of heart-related rhythm abnormalities including one called supraventricular tachycardia. And as luck would have it, I recently discovered I too have experienced it.

In a previous career I spent nearly 25 years as a clinical exercise physiologist and had the good fortune to supervise over a million person-hours of ECG-monitored exercise. It's fair to say this particular topic is in my wheelhouse. I also was witness to countless episodes of this phenomena in the patients I supervised.

Heart Rate Monitoring

Many endurance athletes collect heart rate data during training. The consumer version of the technology has become quite advanced, accurate, and much more commonplace in the last 20 years. The most popular versions include wireless chest strap and wrist-based monitors. Although my personal bias is toward the chest-strap technology, recent comparative reviews have shown that both technologies are reasonably well correlated if the manufacturers instructions are followed. For nearly all of us who add the technology and data to our training plans, the motivation is to add important detail with respect to cumulative training stress across all modalities. But the benefits should also include the possibility of uncovering one of the more common and perhaps most elusive heart rhythm disturbances in endurance athletes; supraventricular tachycardia.

Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT): What You Need To Know

Supraventricular tachycardia occurs when faulty electrical connections in the upper chambers of the heart (ie. atria, "supraventricular", or above the ventricles) trigger and sustain an abnormal rhythm. When this happens, the heart rate accelerates (ie. tachycardia) too quickly and doesn't allow enough time for the heart to fill before it contracts again potentially impacting it's performance.(1)

This heart rhythm abnormality is one of the more common found in endurance athletes and is generally categorized as a "tachyarrhythmia" (ie. fast abnormal heart rate).  It often manifests itself as a sudden unpredictable accelerated heart rate (150-200 beats/minutes) that is inconsistent with the amount of exercise performed, is sustained for a number of minutes, and often resolves spontaneously.  Endurance athletes are largely desensitized to the feeling of high heart rates, so it may go unnoticed (ie. without symptoms).  However, some individuals are symptomatic while it is happening describing symptoms such as a fluttering in the chest, abnormal shortness of breath, dizziness, or unusual exercise-associated anxiety.  These symptoms and this abnormal rhythm may last for minutes or days and should result in a visit to your healthcare provider.  If you experience these symptoms associated with a sudden onset of accelerated heart rate inconsistent with the amount of activity performed you may be able to "break" the arrhythmia by using the valsalva maneuver.  Sit down and expire forcefully against a closed glottis for a few seconds.  This "bearing down" can momentarily alter the electrical pathways in the heart and resolve the arrhythmia.

Practical Application: How It's Uncovered

If the abnormal heart rhythm goes unnoticed it may not be until the post-activity review of the training data that the unusual accelerated heart rate is discovered. If endurance athletes notice this unusual accelerated heart rate the first thing that must be ruled out is a malfunction in the heart rate monitor itself. While home-based heart rate monitoring technology is robust, it is not without error. Generally speaking, if you notice sudden brief "spikes" in heart rate lasting only a few seconds it can be assumed that it is an equipment error. However, if these accelerated heart rates are sustained for minutes within a training session with an otherwise normally functioning device, then there should be suspicion that an actual arrhythmia has occurred.

My Recent Experience With SVT

Diagram 1:  The first indication that something
unusual had occurred was during the
post-activity review of heart rate data.

As "luck" would have it, this is exactly what happened to me during a recent fat bike ride. At nearly 50 years of age I have had the good health and fortune to have trained as an endurance athlete consistently for the past 30+ years. And working in the field of cardiology as a clinical exercise physiologist during much of that time, I have had a number of advanced diagnostic procedures performed including a 12-lead ECG, echocardiogram, and maximum graded exercise test. All had been interpreted as within normal limits. So although I understand the cardiovascular pathophysiology of long-term exposure to high volumes of endurance exercise, I was nonetheless taken off guard when I reviewed the heart rate response from a recent ride. Nearly halfway through a typical fat bike ride with better than average conditions following a fairly strenuous but not unusual climb (for me), I noticed my heart rate failed to drop on the easy downhill coast. You can see from the shaded area in Diagram 1 that not only did my heart rate fail to drop when I started back downhill, it actually accelerated above my average climbing heart rate (150 b/min vs. 180 b/min). Because my heart rate display was hidden under the sleeve of my jacket I was completely unaware during the activity that anything was out of the ordinary. The abnormally elevated heart rate spontaneously resolved after approximately 10 minutes. While there is absolutely no way to tell exactly what this abnormal heart rate was, the sudden onset, the rate, and spontaneous resolution are all highly suggestive of supraventricular tachycardia.

Diagram 2:  Two exact rides with one demonstrating
a suspiciously sudden elevated heart rate.

This frank episode had me wondering if it had happened before so I took a little closer look at some recent training data and low and behold I found another asymptomatic occurrence. This time on my hard tail single-speed bike and on pavement. And luckily I had another exact ride (route and equipment) for comparison. Diagram 2 is a comparative study of two exact rides on different days but on the same bike. The above heart rate data shows my "normal" heart rate response to this level of challenge. My heart rate increases during the climb and then decreases during the descent. This is very typical in cycling. However, the bottom heart rate data shows a failure of my heart rate to drop following the second ascent and subsequent descent. Although a little slower than my "episode" on the fat bike, this shaded area represents an average heart rate in the 160's and is consistent with SVT and because it occurred during a descent makes it suspicious.

Take Home Message

It's important to note that the diagnosis of SVT cannot be made by analyzing heart rate data solely although it is often the first indication the arrhythmia has occurred. You should become suspicious if when analyzing your heart rate data in the post-activity period you notice a sudden increase in heart rate (150-200 beats/min) that is inconsistent with the effort performed. If accompanied by the symptoms previously described and if it's a new phenomena to you, it's wise to contact your healthcare provider for follow-up. This follow-up will almost certainly include a physical exam and should include a 12-lead ECG. The paroxysmal nature of this arrhythmia makes it very difficult to document with electrocardiography. Many endurance athletes report having to wear an "event recorder" for multiple days including during exercise but without "uncovering" the arrhythmia. This often leads physicians to "speculate" what is actually happening. If however the arrhythmia is documented with an ECG and it has become performance-limiting, cardiologists may decide to either ablate (ie. destroy) the small cluster of cells in the atria causing the problem or slow the electrical conduction of the heart with a medication in the class known as beta blockers.

While this abnormal heart rhythm does not necessarily portend serious medical consequences in otherwise healthy hearts, it is worth noting and should always be followed up with a visit to your healthcare provider to rule out occult causes or other more serious tachyarrhythmias like ventricular tachycardia if you are symptomatic.

1 Mayo Clinic

Training Interference: Kicking It Down The Road

If you can't get in today's workout
should you kick it down the road?

"Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?"  ~Anonymous

The variable of interference is an integral part of every endurance training plan.  In every day practice the concept helps to answer the question, "If I miss today's training unit should I push it to tomorrow?".  The answer is almost always "perhaps", but let's look at why.

In the programming of endurance sports training, interference implies that one training unit has the potential to impact another training unit.  The magnitude of this interaction almost always is directly related to the time proximity of the two training units.  That is to say, the closer the training units are stacked together with respect to time, the greater the potential for them to interact.  When training programs are designed, this relationship between training units is fairly precisely orchestrated.

For simplicity let's categorize interference three ways; maximal, potential, and minimal. An example of all three is depicted in the training log below.

Maximal Interference
When performed on the same day, two training units have great potential to interfere with each other.  The type, duration, and intensity of the training unit will determine the amount of time needed for recovery (complete or incomplete) and therefore the magnitude of interference exerted on the subsequent training unit.  In this example, a running-specific hill workout precedes a mobility/strength training unit.  Because this training cycle represents a specific preparation phase for an upcoming event (within 4-8 weeks), running is given priority over mobility and strength development.  When two training units are scheduled and performed on the same day it can be assumed that the first training unit will maximally interfere with the subsequent training unit.  Sometimes there is an attempt to avoid this interaction (as in the case of scheduling the running unit first), and sometimes the interaction is used purposefully (as in the case of pre-fatiguing the sport-specific soft-tissues with "doubles").

Potential Interference

A common program design philosophy includes microcycle variability.  This is seen as following "hard" days with "easy" days to give the body's adaptive mechanisms a chance to do their work.  When multiple hard efforts are scheduled in sequence, not only is there less time for important training adaptations to occur, but the risk of overreaching is considerably higher.  In the example above, Thursday's steady-state workout is scheduled forty-eight hours prior to Saturday's long run.  This design is described as "potential interference" in so much as there is likely to be some carried fatigue from Thursday without compromising Saturday's training unit.  This carried fatigue is both purposeful and potentially important with regard to sport-specific performance.  In other words, marathon and ultramarathon sports have both a strength endurance and metabolic endurance component.  Performing Saturday's long run on some carried fatigue helps to prepare the athlete for the physical and energetic demands later in races.

Minimal Interference

Lastly, there are times in which training units are scheduled to minimally interact with each other as in the case of these Saturday long runs.  Although often this more a function of time availability, it does end up serving an important design benefit.  Training units of two hours in duration or longer, place significant stress loads on the body.  This includes the structural components (ie. musculoskeletal system), bio energetic systems (ie. glycogen and fat), and immune system.  The ability to successfully complete these long training units is vital to sport-specific performance.  Therefore while some carried fatigue is beneficial (as in the potential interference example above), an excessive amount of carried fatigue not only potentially compromising the successful completion of the training unit, but is also significantly increases the risk of soft-tissue injuries and illness.

In summary, because most weekly training schedules often use all three forms of interference, be careful when you "kick a training unit down the road" by moving it to the next day.  

Marathon Training: Seeing The Forest For The Trees

A well designed plan, executed
with consistency and purpose,
places an athlete in the best
position for success.

"To see the big picture, get out of the dark valleys, climb to the sunny summits."  ~Mehmet Murat Ildan

In the midst of a 16-20 week marathon training plan it's easy for an athlete to lose sight of the big picture.  Every day seems to be precisely orchestrated with minute details of distance, time, and pace.  Coupled with that are the endless emotional highs and lows of training hits and misses.  While it's true that athletes need to commit their full attention to making the most of every training opportunity, it is helpful to understand that a larger picture with a longer view does exist.  

The Daily Grind (aka. The Trees)
Endurance athletes are asked to focus on what's directly in front of them, taking on today's training challenge with full attention and commitment.  It is only then that the athlete optimizes the time spent.  Every training unit has a prescribed intensity and duration.  This is known as training volume.  Training stress is the daily accumulated volume of exercise (both endurance and strength training).  It's important to note that it includes training units that are successfully completed and those that are not.  

The Big Picture (aka. The Forest)
Endurance coaches are keenly interested in both the objective execution and subjective analysis of individual training units.  Both the objectivity (data) and subjectivity (feelings) help the coach to understand how the athlete is tolerating the training stress.  It can never be predicted, with any acceptable degree of certainty, how an athlete will handle a larger training cycle at the outset.  The flexibility to adjust a training plan from day to day, week to week, and month to month is the hallmark of effective athlete-coach communication and engagement.  

Ultimately the athlete-coach relationship results in the improvement of sport-specific fitness.  Fitness is the result of accumulated training stress over a period of months.  A properly designed plan will gradually place increasing training stress on an athlete to stimulate sport-specific accommodation.  Fatigue is a by-product of training stress and represents the impact of the last few weeks of training.  The difference between fitness and fatigue is referred to as form and describes an athlete's readiness to perform optimally.  During periods of advancing training stress, it's expected that an athlete will carry more fatigue than fitness.  This is represented by prolonged periods of negative form values and subjective reports of tiredness from an athlete.  Both are monitored closely by an endurance coach.

With one eye on the present, effective endurance coaches look ahead to the apex of training and the subsequent taper to assure that the athlete has reached adequate levels of fitness and then successfully shed fatigue while mitigating losses in fitness to arrive at race day in optimal form.  The specifics of the apex and taper help the athlete and coach set reasonable performance goals.  

While much planning, preparation, and focus is rightfully given to race day, endurance coaches must also see and plan beyond the event.  This includes immediate and remote recovery practices (nutritional and physical) as well as training logistics (time away from running and off-seasons).  Taken together, this overall training plan results in both readiness to perform in the short-term and long term sustainability of performance.