As many of you read the title of this you are probably thinking "but coach that's a race and not a workout ???" And you are correct a time trial is a race but there is an added benefit to racing this particular distance as a workout as well. So let's cover the basics first. First of all racing too often can lead to burnout and poor performances in the end of the season or post season when it really matters so we have to keep this in mind to not race too often and too early. That being said there is a benefit we get from every race we run. Each time you race you you learn to pace better and learn to adjust many aspects of your racing. How fast can you start and not die out? How early can you start to sprint to get the best possible time? And more! Learning to race is key to those big races in the future.​

​So all that being said why should we do a 2 mile time trial as a workout? The key factor here is that at this distance most runners will run at the exact pace to work one of our systems we are always taking about. In previous articles we spoke about VO2Max and how doing 1K or 800 meter reps are a great way to work that system and improve your running overall. What occurs at the 2 mile distance is that racing all out will produce the same effect. When you race 2 miles you are running at Vo2Max and getting an additional training benefit added on to the other benefits we discussed. Now word of caution is don't over use this as a workout but know that its an alternative to through in to break up the routine. The benefit I should mention is that doing this early in the season will give you a gauge for how preseason work is going and allow you to make any adjustments. This gives you a baseline as well to measure your season improvement. So how do you put this all together? Here is how:

2 Mile Easy pace warm-up
2 Mile Time Trial
3-4 mile Easy Run afterwards

Finals notes is that I like to add some mileage afterwards as this is still a workout day and one item you can add as well is some short 200 meter strides after the to work on speed on tired legs. More on that in a future article.

This week I'm taking you back to a route I used to run a regular basis. Typically Saturday mornings but an occasional weekday after or before work. In the mad mad world we live its nice to have a spot like the Back Bay in Newport Beach to get away from the concrete jungle we live in. If you are in the area or want to take a drive for a weekend run this is a great choice. The area is huge and part of a nature reserve located in Newport Beach very close to the beach and right off of Pacific Coast Highway. On any given day you will see runners, cyclist, and hikers in the area. The loop that goes around the entire reserve is about 10  miles long which makes for a great place for a long run without hitting red lights or other reasons to stop. This loop as you would expect is called the Back Bay Loop. Its made up of almost entirely of paved route dedicated to runners, walkers etc so no need to deal with cars. There are some exception where for a short periods you are on a streets but its very manageable and not very much lights . Most of the route is flat with a few small hills. Depending on whether you prefer crowds or not this may be for you. At times there can be a number of people on this route which is nice to have company and even run into other runners. If you prefer to be out there on your own that may be difficult here unless you are out there very early.  What you can't bet out there is the views of the bay through the entire run. Take that in as you are out there and make your run that much more enjoyable. There are many areas to park and start your run. Bayview park, Back Bay Lookout (along the street), and Upper Castaways Park to name a few. That's up to you. Next time you are in the Newport area stop by and give this route a run and see what you think. Here is the map to the Back Bay  loop: Back Bay Loop Map

 ​Today was a very busy day but the best kind of busy. The day started at 6:00 AM running with my WAR Elite Athlete who is also my assistant coach then 3 miles into our run we met up with another WAR Elite runner and the WAR running club and run 10 more miles! Then we rushed over to the Cal High All-Comers meet for some track and field action. Our Cal High distance team was running their first preseason meet and its always an exciting day to see how the season will start. They ran the 1600 meters race and the races were packed. 7 heats of 1600 meters in total and I was in 7th heaven watching each one of them. It wasn't just the fact that fast times were run but that we were now on a head on collision course with the season to come. As one heat after the other went off all I can think of is of the season to come and how will it go. You see this is my last season at the high school level and it pains me to start it as I know the end draws closer. I've been at Cal High for 5 years with 5 X seasons and a 5th track season on its way now. As sad as I am to be leaving I will cherish this last season for all its worth. As I watched the races today they seem to pass in slow motion as I pondered the future and the past all at once. 

 I thought about the kids that have come through Cal High over the last 5 years. Each one of them giving themselves to this program and in part to me as their coach. Some we got along right away others we struggled but in the end we found common ground in the love for our sport and the goals that we shared. Some were very fast runners others not as much. Some were very hard working runners others not as much. But each one of them taught me something new about coaching as all the athletes I have coached before them did. Each runners brings their unique personality and and perspective to our sport and from each I learn a little more how to bring out the best in them and future runners. In fact those that give me the most grey hair at the ones from which I learned the most. Every year I have a kid that wants to test me see how far they can push and seeing them grow and change year after year brings some much joy to my heart. You can see it the moment it "clicks" and they fully commit. The greatness is soon to follow and watching it is kind of magical! 

So the season is off to a great start with 4 boys 4:32 or better and 2 already under 4:30 for the 1600. 2 girls in the low 5:30's and all groups including freshman off to great starts this early on. As I type this article I realized looking up on the winter all-comers top list that our 1-2 boys are now 1-2 in the State in the 1600!!! The most exciting part if that we haven't even raced our bread and butter race the 3200! Or as I often tell the kids " the 3200 is our baby!" I can't wait to see how we do next week running our baby! We are going to make this last season one to remember! Thanks again for reading my Saturday ramblings! Best of luck with all your running goals! ​

As runners we all know we should be eating carbohydrates and for the most part we do a good job of consuming enough of them but on the protein side we may be a bit behind the times on the amounts and quality of protein that we need. When speaking of protein and performance together we often thought of weightlifters or body builders that needed to bulk up but rarely in terms of runners. We had this old fashion image of that scrawny bony runner when we thought of performance. Truth is runners today are stronger and more powerful than their counterparts of 20 years ago. We know now that distance runners need power and speed as much as they need endurance and stamina.  To this end you must consume a good amount of protein on a daily bases in fact preferred in every meal. Remember every time you workout and use any muscles it takes time and fuel to recovery those muscles and get them ready for the next workout or race. Protein is the building block for muscles and without it you will not get stronger and in turn faster.

So we are cleat that we need protein but how do we get that? I am not stating that you go out and buy a steak dinner each day. Most steak contains a high level of protein but also contains large amounts of fat. There are leaner cuts that help but we want to look at healthier options for runners to still get the right amount of protein but avoid other pitfalls like unhealthy fats and bad cholesterol. You want to gravitate towards other sources such as Fish, Chicken and Tuna. Did you know that per calorie Albacore Tuna contains more protein than almost any other food. In fact one can of white tuna can contain up to 41 grams of protein. That's only 220 calories with that much protein. How about nuts such as almonds contain 6 grams of protein per ounce of almonds. They are a great source of vitamin E, fiber, and healthy fats. Then there is eggs. Once label as a bad food due to its cholesterol levels now we know better and each egg contains 7 grams of protein not to mention the very healthy amino acids as well. 

There are many healthy choices of protein for runners and not to mention great tasting but you need to be smart in what you eat and how much. Remember you only need 1/4 of your meal to be protein the rest should be mostly Carbs with some healthy fats thrown in. you only need 80-100 grams of protein per day so keep note of that. So this makes more senses a 5 ounce piece of chicken already contains 40 grams of protein. So in general runners need protein but healthy protein and in small quantities. Select your food carefully and try to get the most protein for small amounts of calories and avoid the unhealthy fats. Here is our list of recommended food items:
​

• Avocado
• Chicken
• Roasted Turkey
• Soy Protein
• Whey Protein Isolate
• Wild Salmon
• Albacore Tuna
• Almonds
• Chocolate Skim Milk
• Eggs
• Low-Fat Yogurt

​The Flying Finns were known worldwide for their ability to run and in the early Olympic years they were dominate in the distance events. But since the 1936 games Finland has not won even 1 gold medal. When the young Lasse Viren came to the Munich Olympics he carried the entire weight of his countrymen on his shoulders or should I say on his legs! He woudl first be racing the 10,000 Meters and the question no everyone's mind was could Viren bring back the glory to Finland that they were so proud of? Virne was by no means the favorite. While he was fast he didn't have the experience to match most runners in the field. Just the year before at the European Championships he had only finished 17th in the 10,000 Meters adn 7th in the 5,000 but still he set out to make history.

As the race went off he was greeted by a blistering pace set by Dave Bedford of Britain with a 69.9 split for the first lap. That pace continued through the first mile crossing the line in 4:15 well ahead of world record pace. It was clear it would be a fast race with 18 runners in the race that had already run faster than the current Olympic record at the time but no saw this pace happening. Even more amazing was that 11 men were still in the lead pack and no one was was backing off. As they reached the mid way point tragedy would strike in the form of a collision in the lead pack. It involved Frank Shorter of the US, Viren and Gammoudi of Tunisia who ended up doing a cartwheel into the infield. Viren fell as well and for a split second just lay there on there on the track without moving. That moment was only but a second but for the Finns its was an eternity. But of course Viren got up and sprang into action with a sense of urgency. Less than a lap after the fall Viren was back with the lead pack but unfortunately Gammoudi was not able to recover and would end up dropping out. 

​After about 6000 meters into the race Viren road that wave of adrenaline right to the front of the race. then Yifter took it back and so began a game of cat and mouse in the front pack with neither one of them wanted to release the lead. By 8000 the rabbit Bedford who had pushed the pace so hard in the early going had now hit the wall and dropped way off the pace. Now 4 are left in the lead pack with a little more than a mile to go. Each runner watching the other to see who would make that final move. With 600 meters left it was Viren who dropped the hammer and with a loud statement said go with me if you can! No one could Viren ran the last lap in a blazing 56.4 to win the Gold Medal. He ran a 27:38.4 breaking not only the Olympic record but the World record as well! If that wasn't enough Viren would go on to race and win the 5000 race in that faithful race with Prefontaine. And if that wasn't enough he would go on to win the 10000 5000 double once again at the Montreal games 4 years later. And yes you guessed it if that wasn't enough he also ran the Marathon at the same Olympics and took 5th. Don't see anyone doing that ever again.

​So that's not a typo. HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training is a relatively new method to train distance runners but it's actually been around for quite some time. We have adapted this training from the weightlifting community. Weightlifters would put on more weight lift with much more intensity but less reps total and longer recovery in between. They found this produced bigger gains that the less weight and more reps. The concept is tried and true and as we mentioned around for a long time but what we have seen the last few years is this same concept adapted towards not only sprint runners and jumpers which makes sense but also for longer distance runners. Early on there was some resistance to this move and hesitation that it was the wrong way to go. I will include myself in this category as it challenged our traditional way of thinking in the distance world. As we learned more about the benefits of HIIT I became more convinced that not only is it a good training method but should be incorporated as a common and core component of any distance training program. 

​So what are these benefits we keep talking about? Before I answer this let me clarify that HIITs are not for everyone. You need to have a a solid base of endurance running and even have done some more traditional speed workouts before adding HIITs. What I mean by traditional is AT work, 400 repeats, 800 intervals, etc. All of this will make sure your body is prepared not only to not get injured but also gain the full benefits of these workouts. The benefits are as follows. First of all HIITs like it's weightlifting counterpart makes the muscles stronger but the muscles I'm speaking of is the heart and in general the cardiovascular system. HIITs will ensure it is much stronger and therefore able to pump more blood to the through the body and in particular to the "running" muscles meaning your legs etc. Remember more blood means more oxygen, more oxygen means faster running. The next benefit is that those "running" muscles themselves get better at using the oxygen being delivered by the blood. What's the point of receiving more oxygen if your muscle can't use it. Finally HIITS also provides a benefit of improving your stride. Your stride will become more efficient as the coordination between your central nervous system and those "running" muscles improves and provides a quicker cadence and more fluid running form.   

So let's put this into practice. First of all as always make sure you do a proper warm-up of 1-2 miles of Easy pace running. You should have a leg swing drill or other similar drills to do before any speed workout but especially these type of higher intensity bouts. The most straight forward workouts is to do 6 100 meter reps all out but with 2-3 minutes of recovery in between. Recovery can be walking or jogging but no standing for that time only. That can lead to tightness and possible injury. As you get more comfortable with these increase the number of reps and the distance of the reps but no longer than 300 meters. You can also reduce the recovery time but no lower than 1 minute. After of course do a cool-down of 2 miles of Easy pace running. Now that being said my favorite variation of HIITs is to do it blind. Ok just to clarify I do NOT mean to put on a blindfold or close your eyes what I mean is that you are not aware of the distance of the rep. You need a coach or a partner that will help you with this and a good loud whistle. Runners jog around the track and and at 1 whistle blow they run all out without knowing when the rep will end. Could be 8 sec could be 30 seconds it will vary. When the coach decides they will blow the whistle 2 times and go into a slow jog or even walk. Recovery should be at least double of the hard effort. Then the whistles blows once again for go! Do this for only 5-15 min total but offers a great workout on its own or an add-on to other interval work. The reason I like these is that it adds on more benefit to the list. Developing your runners brain muscles is just as important as the other muscles. This makes a runner more mental strong and prepared to handle anything on the track or road.  

Here is what a typical HIIT workout would look like:
2 miles warm-up at Easy pace
10x100 HIITs
with 3 min recovery of walking or jogging in between
2 Miles cool-down at Easy pace

Hope you found this helpful and as always best of luck chasing your running dreams!

​I would be remiss if I didn't write about our very own Greenway Trail. It's a blessing these days in the concert jungles we live in to have an area to run like this right in the middle of a city. The Greenway Trail (Whittier) runs from Mills and Lambert west until right before you hit the 605. Beyond just a nice place to walk run and bike it has become sort of a gathering spot for all of us that live in the area. It's rare when I am not running on the Greenway that I go more than a few miles before running into someone I know. The quick "hey how's it going" or "great job!" makes the run even better. This won't be a turn by turn direction of the route as there really is only 2 ways to go, East or West on the trail but here is some highlights on the Greenway trail. 

First of all It runs for 4.64 miles from Mills and Lambert to where you dead end on Pioneer Rd just slightly south of Beverly. Of course you can run it out and back or in reverse just up to you. Most of it has options to run on the paved path or on the side there is dirt if you prefer. You do avoid crossing some streets while on it or there are cross walks right on the trail but a few times you need to move to the street corner then cross. It even goes over 5 Points (Washington and Whittier Blvd) on a bridge but fair warning if you run a a group the bridge will wobble just enough to feel it. No danger of it collapsing or anything like that its on purpose but the first time you feel it wobble it may catch you off guard. Much of the way is covered with trees and shrubs and even flowers so makes for a much nicer run that on the streets. There are even some workout areas where you can stop a do some exercise and some historical information as well at some stops. Near Whittier High School there is a dog park which is fairly new and a great place to bring your dogs and let them free with other dogs. They are fully gated so no fear of them running away or chasing other runners or cyclists. Near the far end it also goes through Palm park which has restrooms and a water fountain. This is a great starting or turnaround spot for any run. And last but not least you can even find some art displayed through the run which makes it nicer.

​Now how to run it. You can definitely run from one end to the other and turn back at any point on the trail. While this is fine you can also change it up. I like to do runs where I start elsewhere and then connect to the Greenway for a few miles then exit somewhere along the way. At the West end you can turn right on Pioneer and left on Beverly to connect with the San Gabriel River trail less that .5 miles away to then run as far as you like in either direction. On the East side you can run north on Mills and cross Whittier to run into the hills or if you like a rougher trail type run just stay along the railroad tracks and you can run all the way into La Habra. Just keep in mind some area have lots of small rocks so be careful. The great news is that they will be expanding the Greenway in that direction through not just La Habra but Brea and eventually connecting out near Yorba Linda to the Santa Ana River Trail. I know land has been bought and now just waiting on permits and funding from each city through grants for the construction. So give this Trail a try and make your running journey more enjoyable!

​Through out history non-fiction and fiction there have been many amazing duos. Batman and Robin, Abbott and Costello, and even Han Solo and Chewbacca! But none is more real and more amazing than Team Hoyt. They inspired a generation of runners and endurance athletes in general. I still remember the first time I turned on the TV and saw Rick Hoyt begin pushed by his father Dick Hoyt in a full Ironman race. I knew how hard it would be to finish an Ironman but to see them doing this together in this manner just left me breathless. Before Team Hoyt made it to the finish of an Ironman there is a much of a story to tell.
Rick was born to Dick and Judy Hoyt in 1962. As a result of a lack of oxygen when he was born Rick developed spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy. In his early years even though he couldn't speak his parents realized that Rick was very smart. His parents taught him the alphabet and took him sledding and swimming so he could live a normal life. They even sought out help to find a way to help Rick communicate. A skilled group of technicians from Trufts University setup a computer on Rick's wheelchair that he can use a cursor to point a different letters and speak to his parents.He had to use his head to tap on the letter he wanted to use.  His first words to them was not Mom or Dad as you woudl expect it was "Go Bruins!" Rick was a Hockey fan and the Bruins were in the Stanley cup. Already Rick's competitive side was showing.  Rick was finally allowed in school i 1975 at the age of 13. He would go on to graduate high school and from Boston University with a degree in Special Education.

In 1977 is when the running entered Rick's life or should I say the running community was blessed to have a new member join us. Rick told his father that he wanted to do a 5 mile race to benefit a Lacrosse Player who had been paralyzed in a car accident and his Dad of course said "Why not!" Keep in mind his dad was not a runner so this was going to be tough but they did it together. Finished next to last but they did it! When it was all over Rick told his dad that when he was running he didn't feel handicapped. So you guessed it, this began a path for both of them for Team Hoyt that now is legend. They began to train and race one race after the other. From 5Ks to half-marathons to even full marathons. They went on to even complete 6 full Ironman races which for those of you that don't know is 2.4 miles swimming in the ocean, 112 miles riding a bike and a full 26.2 marathon running all in the same day! All in all they have now run well over 1000 races as Team Hoyt. They travel the world and race and speak to anyone that wants to be inspired. The doctors were right when they told Rick's parents that he would never live a normal life... Rick's life is far from normal. It is spectacular due to him and his dad and all they have accomplished together. So the next time you need a little motivation think of Rick and his dad, Team Hoyt and know that we all have it easy and limits are just a myth!

I had a dream no really I had a dream last night where I was surrounded by runners of all ages and abilities, of all races and religions. I'm not sure where we were but it was an amazing feeling just standing there with thousands of runners. It wasn't the start of a marathon which would explain it but it seemed that these runners had come from different directions to meet at this point. As I looked around me I happy faces looking back at me and at each other. Some had on great brand new running attire while others had old t-shirts or Rocky style sweatshirt with holes. Some looked like they can win the Olympics and others well lets say we were more mortal. Some were tall other short. So many different types of runners all in one place. The question was why?
Well my dream never did answer it was more of a feeling but during my long run today I had to think about my theories on why would so many runners be in my dreams and why would they all be running to one place from so many different directions. As I ran I thought about all this and my thinking brought me to these conclusions. This last week was a very busy week. We had our first week of formal Racing team practices and seeing the team getting to know each other and the combined talent in this group is impressive. We held our first practice of our Warriors Youth Track Club and it was just plain amazing to see such enthusiasm from all those kids! If that wasn't enough we opened up our first WAR Running Club runs just today and seeing runners with their own story and reason why they run just put a smile on my face! And last but not least running my long run with the Cal High team is always such joy and pleasure. I can only imagine that this dream was a reminder that my life is full of runners and the dream of building a larger more united running community is one that can come true and in many ways has already start to be formed. I do hope that my dream was not just a happy thought but a plan to build a running community of all ages of all ability of all background with one thing in common. We all love to run to share the passion that it is to go out there with just our will and push ourselves together. I want to believe that we can build something beautiful together. Some will go on and run in the Olympics!  Others will just go on and run and run and run but all of us will love every minute of it. As I have warned you these Saturday long run post are a bit random but that was my dream last night and these were my thoughts this morning. I can only hope that more kids join our Warriors Track club and more community members come out for our club runs and that our Elite runners take running to new levels! WAR as an organization is here to stay and where it goes is more up to you than me. Thanks again for reading my ramblings and as always best of luck with all your running dreams and goals!

​Every Track and XC season I  am often asked by my runners, "Coach what should I eat before my race?" That could be a wide open question and not as clear cut as one would think but I'll try to provide some overall guidance. When we say before a race that comes in various stages. Do we mean right before the race? 2 hours before? the night before? Is this for a race in the early morning or later on in the afternoon or even at night? Are we racing a Marathon or a 1500 meter race? All factors that need to be considered carefully before throwing out a generic answer to this question. For the sake of this article we are going to focus on eating correctly before the start of a 3K to 10K race. So a 3200, a 5K, 8K and 10K race all fit into this plan. We will also assume a morning race. We will focus on 3 stages; The night before. First thing in the morning (2-3 hours before). And finally the last 30 min leading to the gun!

Starting off with the night before lets consider that we are not talking about very long races. In the grand scheme of things we are talking about efforts that will last approximately 10 to 50 minutes on average. There really isn't a need to "Carbo-Load". Don't get me wrong your body will need complex carbs to perform well when that gun goes off but no need overload the body. So to the dinner the night before you should have a well balanced meal with carbs, protein, healthy fats, etc. Be careful of 3 items. Don't carbo-load as we discussed you don't need to but also many times we can't sleep well before a race due to excitement, anxiety, or good old fashion nerves. If that happens to you and you ate too many carbs or food in general you may not fully digest and wake up feels sluggish and still full which can impact your ability to perform well in that morning race. Second stay away from anything that may irritate your stomach even the night before such as tons of hot(spicy) food, dairy products, or really anything new you have never ate before. Last but not least stay away from red meat like steak. Don't get me wrong I love steak just like the next guy but one the night before will take a ton of your bodies effort to digest and believe it or not will still be trying to digest it come race time the next day. Goes without saying but water water water must be consumed the night before hopefully as part of your daily regular routine.

The morning of the race you need to eat 2-3 hours before your race. I know many of you are thinking or saying "I can't eat before a race I'll just drink water and eat after" This is not a good idea as overnight you converted much of the carbs you had to fat and will only have fat to burn which is not an efficient fuel to burn for a race. The longer the race the more the issue this becomes. Wake up early even if you don't have to just to eat. I know runners that get up drink water eat a small meal and go back to bed. Hey its a little weird but it works. You should eat meals very similar to what you eat for a morning long run or other runs. Nothing new even trying a new electrolyte drink the morning of is a mistake. Try anything new in training not race day. So what should you have? Start with water. You need to take in at least 2-4 water bottles worth of water early in that morning. Remember you dehydrate while you sleep not just while you run. So every morning we wake up dehydrated. Next you do need a little electrolytes but that doesn't mean a full 32 oz bottle of Gatorade. In fact water it down with the water you already need to drink and stick to 1 to 2 cups of the electrolyte drink. Which one is up to you. Last try what you know won't upset your stomach like banana, toast, bagel, other fruits, dry wholewheat cereal, etc. This will vary greatly and it has to be what works for you but you MUST eat  but again never anything new so don't do what X pro-runner did last weekend do what you do last weekend and you had no issues.

Finally the 30 min before. This is much more straight forward. No food at this point as it will not digest and will just sit in your stomach. Water yes but low amounts. Not really a point to hydrate more to keep you already hydrated and not having cotton mouth during the race. Electrolyte drink NOPE! Even though this is a liquid it will act similar to food in terms of having to be digested pulling need blood flow from your legs and lungs to your stomach and intestines. In longer races you may have to digest and fuel your body as you run but not here. Keep the blood meaning oxygen in the right place. Hope this has been helpful and stay tune for more useful info for all runners! As always best of luck no your running dreams!