Running

Most people accurately surmise that I don’t run a great deal currently, but running has previously been a large part of my life. During my 30’s, there were years when every Monday and Wednesday evening and every Saturday morning was spent at the Fleet Feet running store. Most of this time was spent coaching my favorite group of runners – the 2 hour half marathon group.

That honestly is the best group of people to coach. They are fast enough that they are taking the task seriously, but they aren’t so fast that they become overwhelmed with the the competitive elements.

During a few of the seasons, I provided my runners with a weekly newsletter. Each week I tackled some aspect of the running process like the krebs cycle, hill running, shoe replacement, etc.

The newsletters were born out of a desire to improve my own running knowledge and the desire to share what I’d learned. I took the step of becoming a certified running coach through the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and I credit that program (and a lot of subsequent reading) with my running knowledge.

Since human physiology has been remarkably consistent over the last couple of decades, I am placing those newsletters here for your use now.

Week 1 – Training Plans

Dear Runners, Welcome to the first e-mail from Coach Shawn. We will usually send these notes weekly throughout the training season and in each one we will cover a different topic about running, training or racing. I am going to use these notes as a means to communicate several points of the science of running…

Read more Week 1 – Training Plans

Week 2 – Heat Acclimation

Dear Runners, So at the beginning of the fall training cycle it is hotter than the blazes outside and in addition to trying to build your base and increase your speed you have to deal with the heat. If you are an experienced runner, you know the routine and may be somewhat familiar with getting…

Read more Week 2 – Heat Acclimation

Week 3 – Breathing

Hello Runners, Let’s face it…you have to love summer in Kentucky! One day its 70 degrees and then three days later it’s 90 degrees. Hopefully the heat acclimation note from last week is helping you adapt. This week, I want to spend some time talking about proper breathing techniques. Every season I get questions about…

Read more Week 3 – Breathing

Week 4 – Energy Systems

Dear Runners, This week I have prepared a review of what is going on in our bodies at this point of the training. I prepared this quasi-complex answer to respond to a quasi-simple question. That question is “why should we run slow on the long runs even if it feels good to run fast?” At…

Read more Week 4 – Energy Systems

Week 5 – Speedwork

Dear Runners, For this note I wanted to spend some time talking about the tools of speedwork and also the changes that speedwork introduces to our bodies. Physiological Purpose Speedwork has one purpose and that is to make us faster runners. It is often said that to run fast you have to run fast. There…

Read more Week 5 – Speedwork

Week 6 – Hill Work and When to Eat

Dear Runners, Elevation charts are a wonderful resource when trying to determine whether to register for a race. A lot of runners are intimidated by hills but they shouldn’t be. There are different strategies for running hills depending on the length of the race, the length and height of the hill and total number of…

Read more Week 6 – Hill Work and When to Eat

Week 7 – Fatigue

Dear Runners, As the long runs are getting longer, remember that they need to serve as practice for race days. So pay attention to your pre, during and post race routines to make sure you have everything practiced before race day. You need to think deliberately about what you are eating, drinking, wearing before during…

Read more Week 7 – Fatigue

Week 8 – Mental Training Techniques

Dear Runners, Last week we talked about the first parts of fatigue and this week I wanted to explore the topic further. Specifically, I want to spend some time talking about the mental components of fatigue and more importantly, some tools to deal with the mental parts of fatigue. Justification for Mental Training Techniques There…

Read more Week 8 – Mental Training Techniques

Week 9 – The Anatomy of a Long Run

The Anatomy of a Long Run Dear Runners, This is an exciting time in the training program. Everyone has some training under their belts but there is still more to go. If you remember our first week’s note, each part of the training program has a specific purpose. Early on, the program focuses on basebuilding. …

Read more Week 9 – The Anatomy of a Long Run

Week 10 – Race Checklist

Dear Runners, This week I wanted to do something slightly different with this section and that is to provide a checklist for anyone who is may be new to running or racing. With the fall 5K only a few days away it is important to make sure you have your routine down so that you…

Read more Week 10 – Race Checklist

Week 11 – Race Reflection

Dear Runners, I know that many of you ran the Pure Tap 5K this weekend and I hope that you all had a GREAT race! As with every race, most people do well, some of you did great and a couple of people just didn’t have a good day. But before the day gets too…

Read more Week 11 – Race Reflection

Week 12 – Motivation

Dear Runners, I know that sometimes you just need a little “pick me up”. Maybe you had a tough week, maybe that project at work isn’t going as well as you’d hoped, or maybe that last run wasn’t as fast as you’d like. Whatever the reason, we are all human and sometimes you just need…

Read more Week 12 – Motivation

Week 13 – Running in the Cold

Dear Runners, In the traditional timing of the Spring coaching regimen, this note is one of the first ones that is sent. But with a Fall training taking place, it doesn’t make much sense to deliver a note about cold weather running in the middle of August. But this week the weather has dropped a…

Read more Week 13 – Running in the Cold