Sri Chinmoy Races Blog @ allaboutrunning.net

We all go through phases where we can't wait until the next time we pull on our trainers, and then we have other phases where our appetite diminishes for running and our life greedily swallows up the time we allocated for it! But we can inspire ourselves to keep up our running throughout the year, and here's how:

1. Variety is the spice of life.

If your daily run is the same five-mile route around the block every day, no wonder you're in need of rejuvenation! The chances are that your run is one of the few times of the day you have scheduled for yourself, so why not really make it something to savour? Think of it as a chance to do some exploring, or visit some favourite nature haunts. You could have spontaneous runs where you make right or left turns spontaneously even if you're not sure where you're going; many great running routes have been discovered this way. Try and look at your schedule with an eye for a running opportunity: if you have an unexpected trip from A to B today, is there any chance you could run there? (Or better still, run home where you have a shower waiting for you at the end)

2. Races are fun

Many of us have a very goal-oriented attitude, and scheduling races can be a very good way of focusing our attention and making us clear some time in our schedule to prepare! Longer races, such as marathons, involve a wide variety of different training sessions - intervals, tempo running, long distance and recovery runs - this mix of runs in itself helps mantain a sense of newness. There are so many races out there, in some of the most beautiful locations you could think of - why not pick a race in some far flung corner of the country you haven't visited in a long time (or even another country) - and turn your race into a weekend away?

3. Inspiration comes in many forms

Some friends to run with can be the single biggest factor in helping you keep your running appetite; it never ceases to amaze me how with other people you find yourself running quicker and with less effort. Your friends may also know a few nice little running routes that you don't! Similarly, a running club offers this support combined with a schedule you just have to fit into, plus you could be lucky to have a good coach who understands the ups and downs of running form and how to deal with them. One less vaunted method, but also very effective is to keep a helthy dose of running in your reading, magazines with the latest tips and tricks, inspiring websites (like this one!) or amazing running stories. You never know what you might read that will make you reach for your runners and head out the door again!

Every runner (and most non-runners) are familiar with static stretches - the image of a runner sticking his leg up on a park bench and holding the stretch until it hurts is pretty much a stereotype. Dynamic stretching, on the other hand keeps the body in motion, and more and more studies are beginning to show that it is significantly better at preventing muscle tightness before a run than static stretching.

The important thing in all of these dynamic stretching techniques is not to push the muscle you are stretching beyond what you would normally push it during static stretching. When you do this, it is called 'ballistic stretching' (so-called because you bounce in and out of the beyond-static-stretching zone) - this may spell trouble at the beginning of a run when your muscles may not be loosened.

As has been often repeated in these pages, a ten minute warm up jog before any intense exercise is pretty essential - so we've divided the dynamic stretches into ones you can do during the warm-up run and after the warm-up run.

During warm-up run:

High knees

This can be done walking or running. Just push your knees up as high as possible, whilst pushing off with the toes of the other foot. It helps to keep your arms as if you were running, pushing your elbows behind in a full arm swing.

Kick behind

Very simple: you just try and kick your own bum whilst running. This stretches the quadriceps and hip flexors.

Running butterfly

Turn 90 degrees to your direction of running, keeping your arms extended either side. Twist your hips and cross one leg in front of the other, bring your trail leg through, and cross your lead leg behind the trail leg. As one leg goes in front of or behind another, the hips are twisting first one way then another. It takes a little time at first to coordinate everything, but then all good things take time. It helps to stay on the balls of your feet throughout the run. I first saw this one in a training video by the great Joachim Cruz.

After warm-up and before the intense exercise

Side bend

Good for all the upper body muscles. Stand feet shoulder width apart, hold the left arm over your head and move to the right. Then quickly pace the right arm overhead and move to the left. Do 10 stretches each side - no need to over do the intensity of the stretch.

Walking high kicks

Do a straight leg kick in front of you, whilst bring your opposite hand up to try to touch it, then repeat with the other leg in the same movement. Only utilise three-quarters of your full capacity first time you try this, then you can extend to your normal static stretching capacity on your second drill.

Ballerina

I don't know what else to call this one - I learnt it from a trainee ballerina! Just stand at arms length in front of a post and hold it. Then let one leg swing from one side to the other like the pendulum of a clock. Do ten times, then repeat with the other leg. This is definitely one of the stretches you can go 'ballistic' on, so be careful.

If done properly, interval running sessions can be a powerful way to gain the much needed speed for that upcoming race. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your training session:

1. Warm up

Intervals are a more common cause of injury than longer slower runs, as the body is being through much faster changes in pacing. A ten minute warm-up jog is essential before any serous interval session; towards the end of the warm up, it is good to do a few running looseners, such as running with your knees up in the air, then running, or running fast on the spot. Then before the first intervals you can do some dynamic stretches. Then you can toe the line and off you go!

2. Don't overestimate the length of intervals

It is common for people to do intervals of a length longer then they need for the event they are training for, which can negate what they are trying to get out of the run. A good rule of thumb is not to have your interval distance more than one-eighth of what you are training for. For example for a mile race, 100m and 200m intervals are the ideal training. For longer races, there is obviously more opportunity to vary the distance of your intervals. For a marathon, you might start with sessions like ten 400m intervals or five 1-kilometer intervals, and then over the course of eight or nine weeks build up to three three-mile intervals.

3. The breaks between intervals: standing still or jogging?

It is much better if you have a slow jog in between intervals, especially shorter ones. It minimises the stop-start action that can place so much stress on the body. For shorter intervals up to 800m, a good length of time for the rest between intervals is the time it takes to slow-jog half the interval distance. For longer intervals, jogging is still the preferred option, but walking should be done in any case. Whatever you do, however, don't stay still!

4. Keep them regular

The optimum benefit is obtained from intervals when they are all performed at the same pace. Instead, we commonly go much faster than our target pace for the first interval or two, only to increasingly suffer as the session continues, and finish the last ones far behind our intended goal. It is actually no harm to do the first interval at a pace slightly slower than your target; your muscles are still warming up in any case and you will then naturally speed up as the interval goes on. Near the end of the interval, it can be easy to take a longer break between intervals, but try to resist the temptation (if you are truly exhausted, you should just stop the session there and then)

5. Warm down

Ten minutes jog slowing down to a walk near the end, then five minutes of static stretching. Interval sessions certainly counts as a 'hard' training session, and should always be followed by at least one or two days recovery running before the next hard session.

No matter how many older, wiser heads are there to to give advice, we invariably begin our running career by repeating the same mistakes everyone has made before us! In particular, the three mistakes everybody makes are increasing the mileage too quickly, choosing footwear that is a recipe for blisters and skimping on drinking water during running.

Let's deal with each of them in turn:

1. Too much, too soon.

This is by far the most common mistake people make, and also the most serious: the other two mistakes might mean you have a dreadful run, but the effects wear off pretty quickly. However, trying to do too much when your body isn't ready for it is a recipe for injury that might put you back for months. We often become inspired to run by someone else who is already doing it, and we start out thinking we can match their level of training straight away. Try to come to an honest appraisal of where you are in your fitness right now. If that means alternating running with some walking to start with, so be it. It could be that your cardiovascular fitness is well able to support a five-mile run, but your body mightnt be used to that wear and tear.

Thus we come to probably the most famous rule in running: on each week you should increase mileage by no more than 10 percent. Don't be fooled by an unexpectedly very good run into thinking you can push that bound considerably further, in fact you should factor that run into the 10 percent and tone down the rest of your runs that week accordingly.

2. Common footwear mistakes

Choosing the right pair of shoes can be a bit of a minefield for the new runner. A good running shop can be indispensable, as they will be able to look at how your feet are hitting the ground when you run and recommend a running shoe accordingly. Alternatively, you can read our article on selecting the right running shoe...

However, no matter what kind of shoe you select, be sure there's loads of room for your toes! With a tight-fitting shoe, there will be a constant abrasion between the toes and the front of the shoe which may eventually lead to soreness. Feel the toebox of the shoe when you put it on and see if there is at least a centimetre of space there.

Another thing to bear in mind - the top-priced shoe of a particular brand mightnt necessarily be the best shoe type for you: these shoes are commonly the heaviest and most cushioned shoe, but if you are a lighter runner, than a lighter shoe might be more suitable. There's a very good guide at the Runner's World website to lead you in the right direction...

The other problem is once you have your footwear - doing too much on it when the sole is still quite hard is also another common cause of blisters. Walk around in the runners for a couple of days before you begin your first run in them, and keep your initial couple of runs on the short side. Some people tend to be more blister-prone than others: if you're one of those people, it might be no harm to keep a plaster or two on your first runs and put them on as soon as you feel the first sign of discomfort.

3. Skimping on the water

Much of the discomfort due to running is simply due do one thing - dehydration. There's another old saying associated with running: if you feel thirsty during a run - its already too late. Being well hydrated is something that improves your running experience considerably and keeps you inspired for more.

It's advisable to get plenty of water in the day before a long run so it's already in the system before you start. When drinking during a run, little and often is the key, that way the water will be absorbed by the system instead of coming out as quickly as it went in. You can buy small bottles that are designed to be held by runners, or bottles that fit easily into a running belt. Alternatively, you can run around a loop and take a couple of mouthfuls every time you go around.

One of the least recognized, but potentially most harmful situations that serious endurance athletes often land themselves into is the overtraining syndrome. The overtraining syndrome quite simply means the athlete has done too much. This is often due to the fact that almost all endurance athletes suffer from the same universal misconception: the fear of doing too little. Yet practical experience from countless experts in the field and scientific research evidence both point in the opposite direction. Instead of doing too little, most athletes tend to overdo things.

Since the days of Bill Bowerman, one of history's most famous running coaches, every running crack agrees that a hard day of training must be alternated with one or two easy days, where the training effort is markedly reduced. This recovery period is crucial as subtle muscle damage caused by intensive training is given the chance to be repaired. And in the process of healing the body makes sure to grow back more muscle tissues than before, so that it can withstand the shock of future intensive training. This is how the body adapts itself to the impact of intensive training and becomes stronger and faster.

When an athlete thinks he can run, swim or bike at maximum or sub-maximum intensity for almost every day of the week, he is well on his way to become overtrained. After each intensive training session the body is pushed into a zone of fatigue. During the recovery phase the body rests up so that it drops down to its original level of fitness. If this recovery is inadequate or even non-existent, the body does not fully come out of the fatigue zone and every other intensive training session pushes it even farther into fatigue, making it ultimately impossible to fully recover. Yet nature has its ways of dealing with our overzealous and often stubborn inclinations. Often at this stage an injury will occur, forcing the runner to stop training altogether so that the body gets its much needed rest. But there are other signs of overtraining as well:

- Fatigue. The overtrained athlete is much more tired after his training than usual. Even a moderate training session leaves him exhausted. His muscles feel shaky and agitated.
- Decrease in speed and difficulty to maintain normal training pace. The athlete is forced to decrease his cruising speed to a much slower pace.
- Difficulty sleeping. Although the athlete is exhausted from his heavy training he has problems getting to sleep and may wake up at irregular intervals during the night.
- Weight loss. The athlete loses weight which he cannot normally account for.
- Lack of enthusiasm. Training loses its enjoyment and the athlete dreads going outdoors for his daily run. He loses his "joie de vivre" as other areas of his life also suffer from his lack of inspiration.
- Heavy legs. There is a constant feeling of sluggishness and tiredness in the legs which doesn't seem to fade.
- Morning heart rate is higher than usual by about 5-10 beate per minute.

The only remedy for overtraining is rest. Depending on the seriousness of the case this period can vary from 4 weeks at the minimum to many months in a worst case scenario. As a rule of thumb once the athlete regains his enthusiasm and joy to start running again the recovery period is at an end.

The difficulty about overtraining is diagnosing it early enough and being aware of the early signs. Often overtraining follows a period of increased fitness and good shape, which makes it a real trickster. The athlete is lured into a false sense of invincibility, his smooth running and fast recovery makes him feel he can do anything he wants. Often he ends up doing too much and very quickly overtrains himself.

As long as you monitor yourself closely and are alert on the early signs you can prevent impending disaster. Unfortunately conscientious self-monitoring is rare in athletes. Yet it is a virtue well worth developing. It might mean the difference between a long and successful career or a short and disappointing one.

Abhinabha Tangerman is a freelance writer and marathon runner from The Hague, The Netherlands. His current P.B. for the marathon is 2:43, which he hopes to improve in the near future. Abhinabha is a member of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team

The two hour mark may be the goal in sight for elite marathon runners such as current record holder Paul Tergat, but for many of us 'mortals' a sub three hour marathon is an achievement not to be sneezed at. Aiming for a sub three mark is certainly within the range of any fast runner below 35 who's done a few marathons already, but unless you are one of those people endowed with exceptional natural fitness, it definitely requires a step up in terms of the amount of training involved. If, so far, your training for running marathons has been based on a 'hobby' approach which had to fit around anything else that was going on in your life, then you might need to change priorities a little.

In general, you are looking at going out there for a run an absolute minimum of five days a week in the ten weeks leading up to the marathon. There is a school of thought out there that says six days on peak distance weeks, but certainly five is a minimum. The good news is that not all of this is hardcore push-yourself- to-the-max running, in fact relatively little of it can be with the right schedule. A good schedule will contain some intervals and temp runs almost every week but these will only just slightly push you outside your comfort zone, not destroy you completely.

In fact the only time you should be pushed to the absolute max during your training schedule is during the lead-in races. I would recommend at least three of these: a 10k seven weeks before the race (target time 39:30 mins), another 10k five weeks before (target time 38:30 mins) and a half-marathon three weeks before (target time 1:24). I know some friends of mine have suggested an even quicker half-marathon time, such as 1:22, but I'm going by the old "marathon time equals twice your half marathon time plus eleven minutes" rule. Try and pick out races that correspond to these times (plus or minus a few days is ok), and go to them even if they are a distance away. You can bring some newness into your training by combining it with a trip away, and running races always makes you feel more 'professional' about your approach.

If you can't find a race corresponding to your planned distance at the time, get out and try to do the distance in the target time anyway. Try and mentally create the conditions for a race - perhaps do a course you previously ran a race on (especially if you ran a good race that day!), do a trip around in the car and place water every few kms. Mentally shut out the feeling that "this is not a race and you won't do as good a time" - really feel that you are racing against the stopwatch.

Of course the other big aspect of training is the long distance runs. Instead of building up to having your big three-hour run three weeks before the event, try to have it so that you build up to a two-and-a-half hour run early on, perhaps even eight weeks beforehand, and then you can your first three hour run six weeks before hand. If you have run marathons already, your body should be able to take the upgrade (however if your known susceptible to overtraining injuries, then by all means grade your long run schedule over a longer period). In this way you can have up to three three-hour runs in the course of your schedule. One good idea to have with your runs is to start off slow, and then gradually speed up so your las twenty minutes is at marathon pace. This will help your body reflexes at mile twenty in the marathon - instead of slowing down, some part of you will want to speed up!

As for the race itself, if you've done the training, you only need to watch out for one thing - don't go out too fast. You can start out at 7:30 per mile for the first three or four kilometers and then slowly increase to marathon pace. If things get tough, remind yourself of all the training you've done. You did everything the schedule required, did all the races, you're more than ready. And most of all: enjoy the moment when you crossed the finish line, you worked hard for it!

Sri Chinmoy has utilised many modes of human expression - creative, athletic, bridge-building - to inspire his fellow world-citizens so that together they can all strive to a achieve a better world. Indeed, each of these strands has often ended up combined together in some imaginative way in the cause of frienshaip and harmony, and there is no better example of this as how Sri Chinmoy has utilised the sport of running to further the basic human aspiration of a more harmonious world.

The first running-based initiative envisioned by Sri Chinmoy was inspired by the American Bicentennial in 1976. Sri Chinmoy has always been extremely appreciative of the noble ideals espoused by the American founding fathers such as Thomas Jefferson; these great souls were the subject of a play written by Sri Chinmoy in 1975 called 'The Sacred Fire'. Now, to remind Americans of these great ideals, Sri Chinmoy organised the Liberty Torch run, a global running relay that would take the runners through all 50 states, carrying a burning torch keeping the ideals of liberty alight, meeting with schools, sports clubs and government leaders, sharing stories and inspiration. At a time when America was coming under intense criticism from all quarters as a result of events both domestic and foreign, Sri Chinmoy instead preferred to highlight her best and finest qualities, because sometimes a country, just like a person, responds better to encouragement rather than criticism. " America wants to play with the world because America has two big arms.", he writes in his book, also called the Liberty Torch. "America likes to eat with the world because America has a big heart. The rest of the world needs America, not because America is great but because America is willing — at times conditionally, but always unreservedly."

This torch relay was the prototype of what would end up as today's World Harmony Run. The method is the same - runners carrying a flaming Olympic-style torch, passing it from hand to hand in every community they visit, every person who holds it joining in a common call for a world guided by friendship and oneness instead of division and hostility. Over its 20-year lifetime, the Run has been to over 120 different countries, and currently takes in over 70 as part of its yearly traverse. The Run is organised by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, which has vibrant local clubs in over 25 countries, so it is not unusual to visit the World Harmony Run website and see that the torch is visiting three or four different places in different continents simultaneously!

Then there is the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team itself. Here we see where Sri Chinmoy's inspiration and his constant reminder that nothing is impossible when we live in the heart has had the greatest effect - on his students. Some of them have notched up world-class feats in the feats of ultrarunning - Asprihanal Aalto, (four time winner of 3100 Mile Race) Suprabha Beckjord (former 1000 mile world record holder, only person to finish 3100 Mile race all 11 times it has been held) and Dipali Cunningham (women's 6-day world record holder). The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team has also been involved in swimming the English Channel, where they hold the team prize for the most crossings, so far almost 40. To top it all, team member Ashrita Furman holds the Guinness World Record for having the most records - almost 60 at the time of writing. Like Sri Chinmoy, these incredible achievers are also very modest about their achievements, and spending an hour or two in their company could make you believe that perhaps one day you too, might be able to try something "impossible".....

Every year in June, a small group of runners arrive at a tree-lined street in Queens, NY at 6 a.m to begin an epic journey that will take them anything from one and a half to two months to complete. Every day they run for 18 hours, averaging anything between two and three marathons a day, around and around a city block measuring just over half a mile, in weather that can range from scorching heat to monsoon-like rain.

The race is organised by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, and one remarkable feature of the race is the level of support given to the runners as they attempt this toughest of challenges. From dawn to midnight, there is a crew of volunteers working on medical, massage and preparing food according to each runners individual needs. The runners often also have a personal assistant who volunteers their time to cater to each runner. Each runner on average consumes over 10000 calories a day, consisting of things like eggs, mashed potatoes and tofu, much of it dipped in olive oil. They also go through between 10 and 20 pairs of runners along the duration of this race, which is roughly the distance from New York to Los Angeles. The place has become a kind of ultrarunning pilgrimage place, with the runners getting regular visits from friends in the ultrarunning world as well as the race founder Sri Chinmoy, who often visits the course twice a day to encourage the runners.

The race record is held by Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk, a instrument maker by trade from Germany, who in 2006 shattered his own previous race record of 42 days by completing the race in 41 days 8 hours. Asprihanal Aalto from Helsinki, Finland has won the race four times, two more than Schwerk and Ed Kelley from California who have both run the race twice. Asprihanal has just won the 2007 race in a time of 43 days and 4 hours, the third fastest time in race history. Suprabha Beckjord from Washington DC holds the dual distinction of being the only female participant, and the only competitor to have participated in all eleven editions of the race.

The common reaction by many upon first hearing of the race is one of incredulity that one could actually cover that much mileage. The prospect is certainly an extremely intimidating one for the runners as they toe the line on that first day, no matter how much long-distance running experience they might have. In order to complete the race one really has to go beyond the complaining mind and tap into a source of inner strength inside them which they might never have known existed previously. The first week of the race is especially difficult, as the runners experience the first signs of physical discomfort and fatigue, coupled with the knowledge that it will continue for another month. But as time goes on, the runners get into a routine and learn to cope with the schedule. Many runners find that they are able to discard the mental baggage that plagued them at the start of the race, and running becomes a much more vibrant experience. There are some beautiful accounts of the race written by people who have run in it (which you can read below,) which give some flavour of the experience of running these races, from the initial apprehension and race beginnings to the ultimately spiritual experience that one gets from pushing oneself to the limit of ones potential.

Personal accounts:

• You can read some personal accounts by runners Abichal Watkins and Sopan Tsekov, as well as co-race director Sahishnu Szczesiul on the multidays.com site. You can also catch up with the progress of the current race on the site's blog...
• Accounts by Australian Rathin Boulton of his race experiences from 2003-2005
• Article by Austrian Smarana Puntigam answering eloquently a (very!) common question: Why Run 3100 Miles?
• Arpan DeAngelo, who lives just a few hundred yards from the race course, ran the race in 2004. You can read a very nice article about it on his personal site...

Race videos:

• Here is an index of race videos produced by Canadian Utpal Marshall on the 2006 race...

Other links:

• In this footrace, the last 3000 Miles are the toughest - nice article on Columbia news service
• Blog dedicated to the 3100 Mile race
• Regular blog updates on Sri Chinmoy Races at planetulatramarathon.com
• Coverage of 2007 race start on Sri Chinmoy news blog
• Recent blog entry by Tejvan Pettinger on the 2007 race...

We all know after a particularly tough run, there can be stiffness for the next day or two, and the next run can feel like dragging a piece of lead around. These effects are often accepted as part and parcel of running, but with a good post-run recovery program they can be alleviated, and you might be vary surprised how soon your legs start feeling fresh again.

One important thing to bear in mind is that the race warm down should begin even before you reach the finishing point of your run. Use the last ten minutes to slow it right down to a steady jog, going down to a walk in the last five minutes.

Much of the after-race discomfort is caused by a build-up of lactic acid in the muscles, so immediately after you finish a race, the first thing to do is fill up the bath with enough cold water to immerse your legs in and get into it! The cold water causes the muscles to contract and expel the lactic acid. The cold water bath has been made famous in recent years as a result of its use by the marathoner Paula Radcliffe, and now it is used by world-class athletes in many sporting disciplines.

The next step is to give your legs a light massage using some massage oil (or olive oil if you have nothing else). This helps to restore the circulation and expel any toxins from the system. Start with your feet first and work your way up the legs, directing the massage strokes away from the feet towards the heart.

The after-race stretching you can do either before or after the massage - try to keep any serious stretching until fifteen or twenty mintes after the run, as your legs are understandably a little sensitive to sudden stresses. After massage and stretching, one very nice thing to do is a leg drain, where you lie on a floor and place your feet on a nearby wall. This allows the blood, and all the gunk that you just expelled from your muscles as a result of your cold bath, to drain away from your legs and get replaced by fresh blood.

Then there is the question of what to eat or drink after the run. If your muscles are lactating badly, it might be a good idea to take some sugar based drink. Aside from that, the main priority after the race is to get protein into the system to help the body's regenerative systems. If you're not feeling too much like solid food, a shake can be ideal - you can combine eggs, bananas, protein powder, and juice. If you have perspired a lot during the run, you might also be short of certain electrolytes like magnesium or potassium that are also essential for muscle recovery, so you can also take mineral supplements.

These are just general tips, and you can experiment and see what works with your own body system. By trial and error you can soon have a warmdown program that works for you and leaves you feeling fresh for the next race.

(The photos, by the way are of the article author, Shane Magee, getting massaged by his younger brother after last year's Dublin Marathon)