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May 4, 2000

The Run Around

With changing of seasons comes need to spring into speed training

By Matt Carpenter

This is the time of year when runners take advantage of longer days and warmer weather and head to the track. The switch from base training to speed training is a delicate operation, so it makes sense to look back and see what has or hasn’t work- ed for us in the past.

I’ve had more than a few occasions where the first couple of track workouts of the season hurt me more than they helped. Thanks to my training log, I’ve been able to avoid duplicating many of the same mistakes. I look for the telltale signs in my log like “calves sore.”

Often this is caused by something as simple as switching from training to racing shoes. Other times, the cause is nothing more than our own ambition. Although many weeks or months of base training will leave us fit, more often than not, it does not leave us fast.

We’re often strong enough to push too hard trying to go too fast while our bodies have yet to adapt. Now, with a few years of mistakes under my belt, I always ease my way into the first couple of speed workouts of the season — resulting in a smoother transition.

A training log can serve as an invaluable tool for our running, yet many runners don’t keep one. Some claim they are too time consuming, which might be the case if you write down your pulse, pace and distance in 1-minute intervals. For others, the beauty is in the details.

I know one person who could tell you the temperature during every one of his runs. If you’re just starting out, try not to forget this most important tool. If you’ve been running a while and never kept track — or just stopped keeping track — consider again the value of a training log.

You can buy one designed for this purpose, or just use a simple pad of paper. This works for me because, on most days, I only log the time spent running, where I ran and some key words to describe the overall run.

Several days of the word “tired” or “sluggish” serves as a warning to take an easy day.

Reply to All

My upper-back thigh has been tight for several years. It doesn’t prevent me from running, but I notice it almost all the time. I stretch before and after every run, and it generally doesn’t bother me once I am running, but then it is back the next day. Do you have any idea why only my left leg is affected? Is there anything I can do? Should I see a doctor, a physical therapist, or whom?