External Focus Best for Marathoners

If cognitive strategies during a marathon won't exactly make or break your race, they are still among

the most important weapons you have in your arsenal against fatigue. Below are the  four mental strategies to be the most common:

• Internal association: This focuses on how the body feels while running.
• Internal dissociation: This is essentially distraction: examples include playing songs over and over in your head and solving mental puzzles;
• External association: This focuses outwardly, on factors important to the race: passing or being passed by other runners, looking out for fluid stations and calculating split times;
• External dissociation: This, too, focuses outwardly-but on events unimportant to the race: enjoyment of the scenery, attention to throngs of cheering spectators or glimpses of outrageously costumed runners passing by.

Research has shown that the greatest percentage of those who hit the Wall said they had relied primarily on internal dissociation. It seems all-out distraction may make it difficult for you to judge your pace and to know other vital information, such as when you're dehydrated. It's therefore not a good idea to avoid monitoring your body altogether.

Internal association, while the most prevalent of the four strategies, magnified discomfort among the runners, who reported the Wall appearing much earlier and lasting longer than others.

Interestingly, external association seems not to lead runners into the trap of hitting the Wall, as you might expect from the results of internal dissociation. The researchers speculate that the observance, however unrelated to racing strategy, of passing by other runners and spectators may provide enough of the focus needed to keep the correct pace, effectively anticipate hills and so forth.

Similarly, runners using external dissociation didn't experience the Wall as often or as intensely as the internally-focused groups.

So, what's best practice for marathon racers? Check in on your body periodically-if briefly-and focus most of your attention externally: on both factors important to the marathon as well as on the enjoyable atmosphere. The latter may be unrelated to performance in any direct sense, but it nevertheless has the power to surround and energize you as you strive to keep your head up, your confidence high and your feet moving toward that finish line.

(Marathon & Beyond, 2003, Vol. 7, No. 5, pp. 61-72; BJSM, 1998, Vol. 32, No.3, pp. 229-234) © American Running Association, Running & FitNews 2004, Vol. 22, No. 1, p.5)

A Peek Into the Life of a Racer—James Carney

Recently, I had a chance to interview one of the Team New Balance runners—James Carney. James grew up just south of Pittsburgh, PA, but he now lives and trains in Boulder, CO. James is a 2008 US 20K Champion and a 2008 US Half Marathon Champion. His 5K PR is 13:37; his 10K PR is 27:43 and his Half PR is 1:02:21. Read on to learn a little more about James.

RD: How long have you been running?
James: I have been running now for about 17 years.

RD: What got you into running?
James: I grew up as a wrestler. I used running to condition for wrestling and I turned out to be a better runner than wrestler.

RD: What do you enjoy most about running?
James: I enjoy the solitude of it and pushing myself to the absolute limit.

RD: Your occupation is listed as “Athlete.” What's a typical day like for you as a professional athlete?
James: I train twice a day everyday except Sundays. I usually wake up and grab a quick bite of 200-300 calories and hydrate myself and then take an hour and go for about a 9 mile run followed by drills and strides. After that session, I usually head to the gym for strength training for approximately 45 min then get something for lunch followed by a nap. I get up and have about 2 hours of free time to catch up on errands and emails before knocking out another 9-mile run. If I have a track workout or long run things change a little.

RD: I see your event distances are the 5000m, 10000m and the Half Marathon. Which is your favorite? Why? Is there a distance you’d like to compete in, but haven’t yet?
James: I like the half-marathon distance because its about the maximum distance you can muscle without fuel becoming a problem. Maybe someday I'll jump in a steeple chase.

RD: Of the many running icons past and present, who do you consider role models and/or inspiration for your own running?
James: I have a lot of inspirations including Seb Coe, Steve Ovett, Peter Elliot, Dick Beardsley, Bronislow Malinowski, and Rob Decastella. Today I draw motivation from guys like Ryan Hall, Chris Solinsky, and Matt Tegankamp.

RD: How important is food to your training? What are your favorite training foods?
James: I eat whatever I want and have no regimented diet. I do like Digiornos Pizza as my night-before-the-race meal. As a pre-race meal, I like Cliff bars, Lucky Charms or Frosted Flakes. For a post-race meal, I like fish-n-chips and a Bass.

RD: Are you a lone runner or do you run with some buddies? What do you like about each?
James: I am by myself for most of my runs. Lately, I have been jumping in a lot of workouts with Brent Vaughn.

RD: What’s your biggest running accomplishment?
James: Winning a couple National Title on the roads was big for my career and taught me how to win races.

RD: Do you have a favorite running shoe? Why?
James: Most of my training I do is in the New Balance 905. Its a great neutral lightweight trainer.

RD: If you were speaking to a group of non-runners or runner wannabes and trying to encourage them to run, what would you say?
James: First and foremost, enjoy the ride. Be patient, consistent, and run with controlled aggression. Running is a microcosm of life. What you put in is what you get out. If you work and work at running, you with reap the harvest and get a lot out of your efforts.

Check out this video clip of James stretching before a 20-miler. I kind of like his approach. LOL!

James Carney's Warm-Up from CoachJayJohnson on Vimeo.

One Runner's Perspective on Running and Racing

I'd like to introduce you to James. James is a great runner and has a great mind-set about his racing. Even though I don't think I could keep a racing schedule like James, his approach and thinking about racing has helped me keep things about my own running in perspective. In his own words, here's James' thinking on racing.

I am no elite runner, however I do like to run. During the first five months of 2006 I ran seven marathons and three half marathons. January was easily my most busy month as I ran in the Inaugural Goofy Challenge (Half Marathon Saturday/Full Marathon Sunday) and ran the Houston Marathon a week later. February was also a two marathon month (Surfside/Tampa), but I at least had two weeks between them. March was my easy month with only one half marathon (and two 10Ks). April opened and closed with a marathon (Dallas Big-D/Oklahoma City) and in May I ran my last marathon (Green Bay) in that five month time period. I finished off with a half marathon in Madison a week later.

There are many different ways, other than speed, that we can challenge ourselves when we run.. The key to my accomplishment is that I balanced challenging myself with a goal of finishing each race as healthy as possible so I would be ready for the next one. I was still able to set 10K, half marathon and marathon PRs during that time frame, including lowering my marathon PR by eight minutes at Green Bay, the seventh and final marathon over that five month period.

A PR is a wonderful thing, especially because of the additional joy it gives us – although it is a bit fleeting. But what I took away from the experience is that a marathon is a great way to see a new city and that no matter where you run, there are wonderful people to run with.

Thanks James! Be sure to check out James' blog—Das Mixture.

Josh Cox Breaks the American 50k Record Video

Athlete for a Cure, Josh Cox not only breaks the American 50K record on January 18, 2009, in this video, he reminds us about all of the good in sports and competition.
Josh Cox Breaks the American 50k Record Video

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Runner's Cheat Sheet #2: Racing Terms

Just like most everything these days, the world of running and particularly racing is full of unfamiliar words and acronyms to the new runner as well as the experienced. Below is the second in a series of Runner's Cheat Sheets that I'll be providing. Hope it helps!
• 5K—race with a distance of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles)
• 10K—race with a distance of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles)
• 15K—race with a distance of 15 kilometers (9.3 miles)
• 20K—race with a distance of 20 kilometers (12.4 miles)
• Bandit—a person who runs a race without paying the registration fee
• BQ—a Boston qualifying time or a race that's a Boston qualifier
• Carb-loading—eating a high-carbohydrate diet (60%-70% of the total calories) at least three days prior to a race to fill the glycogen stores
• Chip time—finish time that's recorded by a computer chip typically worn on the shoe or around the ankle. Tracks each runner's time from when they cross the start line and finish line.
• CR—course record
• DNF—did not finish
• DNS—did not start
• Elite runner—a person who has reached the highest level in his sport
• Gun time—finish time that begins when the start gun sounds until the runner crosses the finish line
• Half-Marathon—race with a distance of 13.1 miles
• Hitting the wall or bonk—a time during a race when your glycogen stores become depleted and fatigue overwhelms you. Typically happens around mile 20 in a marathon.
• Marathon—race with a distance of 26.2 miles
• Master—a runner 40-years-old or older is classified as a Master in the US. In other countries term used is Veteran
• Negative splits—running the second half of a race faster than the first
• NR—national record
• Pace—the measure of speed of running; usually thought of as the number of minutes it takes to run a mile during a race
• PB—personal best
• PR—personal record
• Road Race—running contest that takes place over streets
• Taper—reducing your mileage several days to a few weeks prior to a race
• Ultra—any race longer than a traditional marathon which is 26.2 miles
• USA Track & Field—the national governing body for running in the US
• WR—world record

Race Pace Solution

Do you find it hard to juggle keeping up with your time and pace during training or while racing? I sure do. In the past I've used pacing bracelets but they usually get soggy and are hard to read by about halfway through the race. I've even tried covering them in clear packing tape and that helps but eventually it still gets wet. Remember those temporary tattoos that you decorated your body with as a kid? Well recently I discovered an awesome new tool called PaceTat 2.0 that takes those kid tattoos to a whole new level. You just apply it to your forearm before running and your equipped with an easy-to-read listing of your pacing times that will last the entire race! It even has mile splits with metric splits every 5 kilometers so that you can use them in shorter races as well as marathons. They're only $2.99 a piece (if you buy 10 or more you get a little discount). The tattoos come in 14 different pacing times from 3hrs to 5hrs. I highly recommend you check out PaceTat. This video clip showing how to put on one of the tattoos is pretty cool too. Also check out what Runner's World has to say about PaceTat.