The power of the hill

I may be a really sick person, but throughout the years I've learned to really love hills.  It may be because I've never been an athlete and cycling up hills was the one thing I could do better than the rest of my TNT cycling group, or maybe it is because so many songs have good hill climbing beats, but one of my favorite ways to train is hill repeats. 
The reason I thought about this is because my morning spin class yesterday started out with hill repeats, and with the daylight increasing hill repeats are now on the schedule of weekly forward motion workouts.  Unfortunately, I will probably not be able to partake in them this year due to my sensitive piriformis (pain in the butt), but they are still one of my favorite workouts. 
Usually when people want to get faster and stronger they stick to intervals, but hill repeats can add to your strength and speed, sometimes even moreso than interval training.  Here are some links and advice on hill repeats...Hill training for runners, Runners World and Hills, Hill repeats on the Bike.





I would like to take a moment to mention the tragedy in Japan, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

What I know now that I wish I knew then

Yesterday was a very rainy sunday, and although I don't usually mind running in the rain, sometimes I even enjoy it, but I started thinking, "I'm so glad I own rain gear."  See when I started these three sports I didn't know anything about them except to put one foot in front of the other, that you pedal clockwise, and don't drown.  Now I have realized there are many techniques, tactics and gear to every sport that are necessary not only to try and win a race, but also to stay healthy and injury free.  Here is what I've learned...

Drink lots of water, if you have problems with cramps and side stitches this could be your problem.  I always have a water bottle on me.  If you feel thirsty your already dehydrated. 

Try not to increase workouts by more than 20% each week.  For instance, if you ran 25 miles last week then you should aim for no more than 30 miles the next week.  If you increase too fast you risk injury.  This is usually why a training schedule is a good idea. 

Try to vary the intensity of your workouts: what I mean by this is if you do track or tempo runs then take it easy the next day.  I injured my pirifomis by doing track on wednesday nights and then doing hill repeats on thursdays.  Your body needs recovery time even if you need to get the miles in so sometimes slow is better.

Practice what to eat and when: I have really strong glycogen stores so I can't eat before a race which means I can usually do long runs on empty.  I only need water after 11 miles (unless it is a race), I prefer perpetum to gu while running or riding, and I know what combonation I need to get an awful upset stomach.

Be prepared for different situations:  Don't assume you'll never get a flat, carry tubes (I always carry 2 just in case, I've had to use both of them on various rides) and levers and learn how to change one even if you have tires of steel.  I've had so many flats I could win a tire changing contest.  Check the weather, it may seem warm or cold but you may want to leave some layers at home or bring a few more with you.

Change your running shoes:  Typically you need to replace your shoes every 300-500 miles or if you run 25+ miles a week this is every 3-5 months.  I used to go forever without replacing them which caused some problems with my feet and legs.  If I start having problems then I know I need a replacement pair.

Roll:  I never knew about mayofacial release which is a real bummer because it really helps to prevent injuries and improve range of motion.  I make a point of rolling after every workout and I'm trying to get better about doing it before I workout as well.  If I have any pain this usually helps to get rid of it.

Cool Down and stretch:  I knew the importance of warming-up and stretching but I really didn't know how important it is to bring your heart rate down and stretch after.  I've been told that this may even be more important.  This is still something I'm working on, but I find I feel better when I stretch after.

Use heat:  So everyone always says use ice if something hurts, but using heat is just as important as using ice.  Heat helps to loosen up tight muscles so they can be stretched (or at least this is my basic understanding of it) so after you ice an injury it's a good idea to apply some heat as well.

Every 3 weeks go down 30%:  I always thought it was important to build up your workouts while training, but I didn't realize that every once in a while you should take a step back to recover.  Most training schedules are designed for the 30% step back, but if you train on your own then you may be missing this element which could increase your rise of injury.

Hit the weights: I never realized how important weights are until this year.  I still find them boring, but I now know they are important for keeping my bone density strong and healthy as well as building muscle.

Intervals are a must: This is really my first year of speed work and I've improved exponentially.  Track, tempo, spin, and masters have improved my performance and helped me capture a few PRs this year and even a few top 3 age group medals.

I'm sure there are many more I can't think of, but I find I am still learning.