Training Talk...............................

TECHNOLOGY VERSUS INSTINCT
by Sarah Robertson, MarathonFest Coach

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Webster Dictionary defines the verb ‘run’ as: “…. to move swiftly on foot so that both feet leave the ground during each stride.” Webster also states that to run is “to allow movement without restraint.” That sounds simple enough, right? So, how has this most simple, almost primal act, become so restrictive? The answer is human intelligence.

Human intelligence and the technological innovations created by our intelligence driving us into the 21st century could quite possibly be our own worst enemy when it comes to running, and the simple act of enjoying our beloved sport. Don’t get me wrong, I will be the first to rave about the newest “Dri-Fit’ fabric or the latest ASICS style out there. But when technology floods our minds with pace, heart rate, and miles; running becomes performance oriented rather than enjoyment oriented. The very outlet that many runners use as a stress reliever becomes a stressor!

With such great advancements in running technology, it is no wonder that there are so many people of all ages and abilities still running healthy. New shoe advancements, orthotics, fuel belts, gels, and nutritional and electrolyte supplements have been a godsend for the running community. Many of us have benefited from these improvements. I personally owe many successful and happy long runs with MarathonFest to GU. Runners alike have enjoyed the advantages of new enhancements in running technology; such as, heart rate monitors and elaborate running watches.

There are many perks to using a heart-rate monitor. As the Polar slogan says, “Listen to Your Body” a heart rate monitor will do just that. The Polar F series allows you to continuously monitor your heart rate while you are exercising. This is monitored in BPM or beats per minute. I also found that the Polar F series models of Polar Heart Rate Monitors also will blink and beep when you are exercising out of your desired zone. To find out more about different target heart rate zones, and all the other features and new advancements visit www. polarusa.com, or stop by Track Shack to see the real thing!

In Jeff Galloway’s book Galloway’s Book on Running, he talks extensively on heart rate monitor training. He states that some benefits include, ‘It enforces an easy day.” Say for instance you ran a hard workout the previous day, wearing a heart rate monitor on your recovery run will let see how hard you are really going. This can avoid running too hard and feeling fatigued.” Jeff goes on to write, “Which in turn means you will recover and feel ready to run when you complete your next workout or race.

He also states that using a heart rate monitor will allow a runner to “hold back at the end of long runs.” This way you will not be tempted to pick up the pace at the end, and save it for the race. Galloway also informs us that another great benefit of a heart-rate monitor is the fact that it can help you establish a resting rate. To do this, he states that all you need to do is “Put on your heart-rate monitor as soon as you arise and lie down for 10 minutes and find you resting hear rate.” To really get an accurate reading let yourself wake up naturally, an alarm can startle you and cause a rise in your heart rate; besides waking up naturally is so much better than hearing the high-pitched BEEP BEEP of your alarm as you jump out of bed!

But still, with all these advancements I wonder, is running becoming too technologically advanced? Have we forgotten our roots? Although Galloway writes about the benefits discussed above, he also writes that, “One of the greatest benefits of running is the development of intuitive monitoring of the many processes inside; pacing, possible over –exertion, when to push, when not to push. If we rely too much on technology to tell us what to do, we lose these instincts.” Or perhaps we never even develop these monitoring instincts in the first place if we always rely on technology!

Most runners are time savvy individuals. Come to any road race and stand by the finish line area and you will hear: “What was your time? What was your pace? Are the results posted yet?” In a time-oriented society, we tend to judge the success of our run by our pace and finish time. Paces must be obtained in order for the run to be considered a “Good Run” or a “Bad Run”. And if the designated pace is not achieved, the run then becomes a bust, successfully eliminating the “Runner’s High”.

In an article from www.runnersworld.com, Gabriel Sherman tells us of his struggles with obtaining his once 2:56 Marathon PR. He states: “As I increased my mileage, I grew frustrated and irritable when I missed my time goals on my daily runs. Two years ago, I decided to unplug.” That’s right! He peeled off the watch that controlled him through so many runs. “Training without a watch taught me to listen to my body and increased my motivation, says Sherman. “It made me faster and happier too.” You might be saying to yourself “Ok, so some guy took off his watch and ran better, big deal! There is no evidence…...” Well, read on all you naysayers! Frank Webbe, PhD sports psychologist, works with runners at the Florida Institute of Technology. Webbe says, “Training without a watch lets you run with a greater sense of comfort. It helps your performance because you’re paying attention to your body rather than to the watch itself.” Dennis Baker, the head coach of Team USA in Minnesota, explains “By running without a watch, you learn to train more efficiently in the best zone for gaining endurance”.

Runners would benefit more from listening to their body and basing their pace and intensity on how they FEEL during a run than by looking at a monitor. Some days your planned pace might just not be feasible due to heat, wind, rain, or lack of recovery from a previous run. Forcing the pace will only hurt your pride and further slow your recovery time. So how does one deal? Well, this might sound rash, but you could choose to not strap that piece of equipment on your wrist that has at times has been your best friend and your worst enemy. Yes, you heard me ditch the watch.

Training without a watch is a very subjective experience. Many coaches encourage their runners to use Perceived Exertion. Runners judge the intensity of the run by how they feel. Listen to your breathing, your feet hitting the pavement, note your sweat rate, your heart rate and simply ask yourself…”How do I feel?” Using Perceived Exertion is easy; if the pace FEELS hard, it is hard! If the pace FEELS easy, it is easy! Learning to feel paces is invaluable. Runners can get a feel for the pace by practicing with and without a watch. By learning paces intrinsically, one can avoid frustration and really learn to focus on how they feel and become more in tune with their entire body not just their watch.

So how does one learn how to hone in on these instincts? Is there any way to establish a criteria or standards? There are several. One of them is known as the Borg Scale of perceived exertion. Developed in the 1950’s by a Swedish physiologist Gunnar Borg, this method uses a scale of numbers to determine ones effort. This is all done by self-monitoring and can be very subjective depending on a person’s fitness level. Below you can see the Borg Rate of Perceived Exhaustion Scale. To use this, assume that 6 and below would be sitting doing nothing and work from there. Items to monitor would be how hard you are breathing, your sweat rate and how tired your muscles feel.

Another simple test used to gauge your level of effort is the Talk Test. My training partners accuse me of participating in this test a little too much. When we are engaged in exercise, you should NOT have enough breath to sing, but you should have enough breath to talk. The best intensity for beneficial cardiovascular exercise is at a moderate pace; being able to carry on conversation, but not being able to sing. Gasping for breath and experiencing difficulty talking is not ideal for gaining endurance.

Any of the methods discussed can be used as a catalyst to help you become a stronger and more efficient runner. Often one method might work better for one runner and than another. If you find that you really like heart-rate monitor training, go with it. Just remember that technology is never foolproof; if you find yourself without a monitor, relax and enjoy the run. Try the Borg Scale or the Talk Test, or just run! Find which methods work best for you and what keeps you on the roads and “run with it.” Most importantly remember, it really is OK for you to run without your watch or your heart rate monitor…… at least occasionally.

Relax and ENJOY your run, isn’t that why we do this anyway?