Budd Coates's Blog

From RunnersWorld.com's Racing News, June 5, 2008:

Washington State's 3200-Meter Champion Is Reinstated

The case of Nicole Cochran, who is bound for Harvard, attracted national attention. She easily took first place in the 3200-meter run at the Washington State Class 4A Championships but was disqualified after an official ruled she'd stepped twice on an inside lane line. Andrea Nelson, who'd finished second but was given the winner's medal, went over and gave that medal to Cochran. The girl who'd come in third but was given a second-place medal gave that to Nelson…and so on, through the top eight. Now, videotape has shown that it was a teammate of Cochran's, not Cochran, who committed the lane line violation.

I'm supposed to answer questions received by athletes and coaches in this blog, but sometimes you just need to "break loose."

I ran in high school, college, and as an open athlete.  I have also worked as a volunteer, official, and coach. Too many times I've seen "officials" interfere with one of the simplest sports in the world.

The gun sounds, the athletes run, the order they cross the finish line is the order of finish. No scores on spins, tucks, pikes, pointed toes, or steps. Yet, we have situations like the one mentioned above. I also received another complaint about a seeding time that may have been slower than that which an athlete actually ran. In this case, the athlete's coach claims his athlete was placed in a starting position that gave him "false hope"—thus he was put at a disadvantage "because he thought he was supposed to finish ahead of the other athlete."

I just don't get it.

Let the kids (athletes) sort things out. Track and field athletes are some pretty special people. The athletes in the 3200 in Washington proved this point.

Am I saying that we don't need judges and officials? No. But the focus needs to remain on the athletes, not "earning your stripes."

Let them run—and sort things out themselves.

-Coach Budd

Have a question for Budd? E-mail him at askbudd@rodale.com

Coach Budd,

I wasn't sure I could make it, but I did. I've been working hard since I was a freshman to qualify for our high school state championships and I finally did it. I want to make sure I'm totally ready to run my best. Can you give me a special workout to make sure that happens?—One Beaming Senior

Well, congratulations. What we sometimes forget is that 99 percent of high school track-and-field athletes don't get a chance to experience state championships. So, first off, give yourself a big pat on the back and be proud.

Now for the race. There are no "magic workouts" that will make you any better than you already are. The fact is, you survived the season, you progressed to districts, and you qualified for your state meet. That means you've been doing something right. I'm sure there are people around you that have plenty of advice. The fact is, you and your coach got you to states. Your coach may not be perfect (who is?), but she/he let you follow a plan that led to success. Go with it.

If anything at all, take these tips with you:

1) When in doubt, DON'T. This means, if you're within days of a big meet and you're not sure you should run quite so hard, don't. A rested runner will run better than an exhausted or injured runner.

2) Celebrate Before, During, and After. You have earned this race; enjoy it. When your name or high school is announced, smile, feel the goose bumps, listen to the applause, BE HAPPY. You are the one percent.

3) During the race, just be yourself. Don't try to be a superhero. Run the type of race that you've run all year.

Lastly, I asked a friend, Frances Koons (Pennsylvania State Champion and All-American at Villanova University), what she remembered most about high school running. Her answer? "The really fun yellow bus rides with all my friends—and quarters at mile pace."

You see? Competing, even at the highest level, is a lot simpler than many people want to make it. So have fun at States.

Have a question for Budd? E-mail him at askbudd@rodale.com

Coach Budd: I've been working out pretty consistently with dumbbells, bench presses, and assorted lifting devices for about four years. Lately, I've noticed I can't seem to put any more muscle on, and the weights I used to do are much harder to lift. Is it from the cross-country and track training? Thanks for any advice.—Sean.

Sean, years ago, when I was an undergrad at Springfield College, my Physiology of Exercise Professor, Dr. AJ Mahurin, talked about the "Energy Bucket Theory." Basically, it relates to using your body's energy and allowing time for the body to restore that energy.

Picture a bucket filled with water (energy) and a small hole in the bottom. At rest, very little energy runs through the hole. During exercise, more and more energy runs through the hole. Above the bucket is a faucet that allows water (energy) to fill the bucket. This replacement of energy is related to nutrition and rest.

Nutrition and rest need to meet or exceed the use of energy (or lost water) in the bucket.

Where the heck am I going with all this?

Well, distance running produces thin muscles that can repeat an exercise for long periods of time. Lifting "for strength" produces larger muscles that can lift heavy weights for a short time. You're asking your body to expend a lot of energy on two activities that produce different effects in the physiology of your body. You are draining the bucket faster than it is being filled. The end result is poor performance in the weight room as well as in your running.

So, the answer is yes: The energy you are using in your running is going to affect your lifting workouts in a negative way.

Talk to your running coach and lifting coach about "periodization." This training theory creates phases of training throughout the year that will change your focus and goal. Done correctly, the phases will compliment each other as you progress from one to the next and allow you to reach levels higher than ever before.

Have a question for Budd? E-mail him at askbudd@rodale.com

Coach Budd: I'm a freshman in high school and as far as I know I'm the second best distance runner on my team. The events I'm interested in are the mile and the two mile. At my first meet I clocked a 5:04 for the mile and 11:12 for the two mile. The minute I walked into school the next day, I was told that I'm not doubling up on the two events. My coach's reason was he didn't want me to "burn out." I've been running all winter doing 40-45 miles per week. What should I do to try and convince him that I'm able to do these events?—Joe

Hi Joe. You are one lucky athlete. Your coach isn't limiting your races because he doesn't realize how talented you are; he's limiting them because he knows how talented you are.

You're a young, developing athlete and running two mediocre races rather than one good race is more valuable to your future. Mentally, it allows you to concentrate on one goal and learn to keep your focus on the task at hand. Physically, you enter one race fresh and ready to perform rather than one fresh and one tired. When doubling in the two-mile and one mile, that second race can lead to extreme fatigue and injury. Long-term fatigue and/or injury will hamper your performance late in the season, or at worst end your season early. No one remembers a good early season double but everyone remembers a great performance in those post-season invites.

Many coaches will have athletes double and even triple in an effort to put points on the board. In a few cases, the right combination of events (one long race and one leg on a relay, for example) can benefit the athlete. But as stated earlier, combining longer races is just too much.

Please tell your coach he's doing a great job.

Have a question for Budd? E-mail him at askbudd@rodale.com

Coach Budd:

I'm a high school runner and want to run a marathon before I graduate. I'm thinking about a marathon in early October, but there are still three cross-country races left after that date. Do you think it will cause a problem?—Malia

I'm in eighth grade, love to run cross-country, but also want to run a 25-K this May. Last week I did a 12-mile run and the next day my knee was so sore I couldn't run. What do you think it is?—Anne

Malia and Anne, my short answer to both of you is, "Don't do it."

High school distances max out at 5-K during cross-country season and 3200 meters during track. While many young adults are capable of running farther, the risk/reward is not in your favor. In both cases, you couldn't train correctly for your school races while training for the longer road races. Plus, the stress needed to prepare yourself for these longer races is more than your youthful bodies are capable of withstanding.

Sure, these road races look exciting. The crowds are great (most of the time), the t-shirts and other trinkets are cool to display, and conquering something others can't is pretty neat. However, the price you pay for these short-lived rewards is far too high. As Anne has already realized, her body may not be ready for the repeated stress of such long runs. Long-lasting fatigue and injury are far too often the result of such ventures. Poor performances at your school distances are also an almost unavoidable outcome. If you truly are training correctly for the longer road races, you will not have the leg speed for the shorter distances. If you train more for your school races, you'll suffer over the distance of the road race. Fatigue will also be a factor to deal with; too much fatigue can set you up for illness and injury. If either rears its ugly head, you can say good-bye to both the school season and the road race.

Keep your focus on the distances available in school events and save the longer road races until after you graduate.

Have a question for Budd? E-mail him a askbudd@rodale.com

Coach Budd:

I'm a basketball player and soccer player with a reputation for being speedy. When I started running more, I lost my speed. Now athletes I know I should beat are hammering me. What should I do?—Mbibbo

Coach Budd:

I love to run and have been averaging 4-7 miles a day, but I don't plan to run track this spring. I want to play soccer and then return to cross-country in the fall. Will playing soccer set me back?—Sofia

Thanks for the questions, Mbibbo and Sofia. I put these two concerns together because, in the end, the answers are similar. Such sports as basketball, soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse are all great and can prepare you well for the sport of running. In most cases, coaches of these sports will have you do some level of aerobic running (comfortable running for a warm-up or cool-down or early season conditioning). All coaches of these sports will have you perform countless sprint drills in every direction imaginable. And then there's the running that comes purely by competing in these sports. Each requires bursts of speed in all directions, countless times during practices and contests. The result is that you are quick at distances under 200 meters and pretty good at distances up to 800 meters.

Just how good you become at those distances and others depends on the specific type of training you do once you turn to running full time.

In Sofia's case, her running has earned her a great fitness base and she'll be ready to use her soccer training to add more speed. Her task: In addition to playing soccer, she needs to run 4-6 miles two days a week. That way, she'll be in great shape heading into the summer and will be building toward a solid cross-country season.

In Mbibbo's case, he may have overstretched himself by a jumping into full-time distance running over such a short period of time. His muscles are just tired. A few days off followed by some short runs with gentle strides of 50-100 meters may help his legs come back to life. A longer rest may be required if this "quick fix" doesn't work.

The key in both situations is that you need to ease into any transition. If you've been running and you move to soccer (or any other sport), you need to begin at the beginning. The first day of soccer or basketball drills can leave you sore in places you didn't even know existed. Don't try to be a superstar the first day or first week. Take your time. Plan to work into the "elite" group over time. For a soccer or basketball player, the first long run can leave you walking slowly back to the school, or hunched over in the shower, or struggling to get your socks back on…and wondering how in the world you're going to get out of bed the next morning.

I know. I've been there, a couple of times.

What do you need to do? Talk to your coaches. Let them help you through the transition. And remember that during your transition, less stress will get you there faster than too much stress. Too much stress results in sickness and injury and they will keep you on the sidelines.

Have a question for Budd? E-mail him at askbudd@rodale.com.

Coach Budd,

I'm a high school sophomore who's running track and cross-country. I've had knee and shin problems for more than a year and I let these injuries get in the way of my performance. While I want to just push through these injuries, I don't want them to become more serious. How much training is enough and how much is too much? —Sara L.

Sara, first off, you don't want to "push through" these injuries. You need to train within them and find cross-training options that don't aggravate them. This could mean cycling, elliptical trainers, and/or swimming (or water running). In many cases, if the injury is minor, you can perform your hard workouts while running but move to cross-training on your easy days. The reverse may be your only choice if the injury is too far along. And then, on occasion, we all need to take some time off from running altogether. Some injuries (and I've had my share) require us to cross-train exclusively.

You also need to determine just what the problem is. With shin and knee trouble, you may need to have a shoe and/or foot specialist look at your "foot strike." You may be over pronating and need better support in your shoes. This could mean simply purchasing running shoes that are built specifically for "support." Replace the generic insert in the shoes with an over-the-counter orthotic (your best bet for those items are at a specialty running store). In extreme cases, custom orthotics from a podiatrist may be your only choice. (see "Orthotics for Your Shoes")

Many women and young girls also run a bit "knock kneed" where the knees move inward upon footstrike; improving your quad (front of the thigh) strength can help here. Have your school's strength trainer (or athletic trainer) help you with exercises for this.

Once you've determined the cause of your injuries and can get healthy, all you need to do is "trust your training" and your performances will take care of themselves.

Have a question for Budd? E-mail him at askbudd@rodale.com

Coach Budd

We run cross-country in the fall and distance races on the track in the winter and spring. We've been told that one way to run faster is to weigh less. How much faster do you think we can run if we lose some weight?—Cathy M. and Steven F.

Cathy and Steven, the idea that weighing less and running faster has troubled athletes, coaches, and parents for years. Yes, it seems to make sense that a body that weighs less would cause less work for your muscles to move—but it really isn't that simple.

First off, you need to know if you have weight to lose. This will require you to have your body composition evaluated. A body composition will tell you what percent of your body is fat and what percent is not (muscle, bone, and water). Now, I am not going to get overly scientific with this answer, but the message is very sound: While we all think fat is a terrible thing, it is not. Sure, too much fat isn't good, but you need fat to remain healthy—and girls need slightly more fat than boys. Certain key vitamins (A, D, E, K) are absorbed by the fat in your body. Fat is also very important as an insulator for your body and as a protective surrounding of your internal organs.

While exact numbers may vary a bit, the general rule is that boys should be in the range of 16-19 percent body fat and girls should range from 18-22 percent. Athletes are often 4 percent lower on average, but that would be the lowest acceptable level.

Most high schools have athletic trainers on staff who can evaluate and monitor your body composition. If they are not available, seek this information from your family physician.

Now, if you must lose weight, how should you go about this task?

Well, both of you are already distance runners, so exercise is not an issue—but nutrition could be. In my experience, it's not the meals you eat that cause the problem; it's the "extras." It's the snacks and energy replacement foods and beverages that sneak up on you and cause the problem. Yes, the stuff that we've all been told we need to supplement our diet with could be our worst enemy.

You see, your weight is the simple result of the calories you burn and the calories you consume. If you consume more than you burn, you gain weight (and the reverse). What you need to do is make sure you're getting three healthy meals per day and then, if needed, supplement that with the minimum amount of energy replacement options required. Energy bars and drinks are not packaged with YOUR exact needs in mind. You may only need ¼ of an energy bar to get you from lunch to practice, but once you open that package, it's easy to eat the whole thing. The same goes with energy drinks. In most cases, you don't need to consume the entire item. In fact, you may not need it at all. Water, a couple of crackers with peanut butter, or a Fig Newton (or two) may be all you need to get you through practice and on your way to dinner.

The bottom line: In most cases you are running enough but you just need to limit your eating to meal time and supplement on the light side. Let that energy bar and/or drink last 3-4 days.

Have a question for Budd? E-mail him at askbudd@rodale.com

Coach Budd:

I've been able to get 4-5 runs in each week since my layoff after cross-country and I'm really looking forward to outdoor track.  I've been told I should also be doing strength-training during the winter. What do you think? — Kelsey L.

Kelsey, great to hear that you've worked back to a steady diet of running.  It will pay off once your coach starts the pre-season track practices.

I am a firm believer in strength-training for a distance runner. Whether male or female, the benefits can show in both performance and lifetime health. Proper strength-training can create more efficient upper-body mechanics, help slow fatigue, and improve your body composition (fat to lean ratio). It can also increase your bone density (important for women) and enhance your bone marrow production (resulting in more red blood cells). These red blood cells will then help you circulate more oxygen.

For a runner the key to remember is, "Lift to run, not to get stronger." 

Now, you'll obviously get stronger with strength-training; thing is, you don't want to sacrifice your running in the process. To prevent this, you'll need to concentrate on weights (or levels of resistance) that allow you to feel fatigue between 8-12 repetitions per exercise. Key areas to concentrate on are:  shoulders (overhead press and bent-arm lat raise), chest (bench press, fly press, and pull-overs), upper back (reverse fly, lat pull downs, seated rows), and arms (bicep curls, triceps press). Most schools now have complete lifting facilities and all you'll need to do is share this plan with an instructor and you'll be on your way.

Perform one to two sets of these exercises 2-3 times per week and you'll notice a considerable and positive change.

If you do not have a strength facility available to you, you may want to check out the "Run Strong" program I developed. Go to www.spriproducts.com and type in "run strong basics."

Have a question for Budd? E-mail him at  askbudd@rodale.com

Coach Budd:

I finished my cross-country season well but mentally exhausted. I took a few weeks off and now want to get started again. Problem is, I don't know what to do. My school doesn't have an indoor track program. I don't have any direction and outdoor doesn't begin until March.—Fiona B.

Fiona, you're not alone. Most high schools in the U.S. don't have indoor teams—a fact that the late Bill Bowerman (famed University of Oregon coach) would be happy about.

Now that you've rested and the itch to get out the door and run has returned, you can do just that. The first thing? Recall what your highest mileage week during cross-country season was (having kept a running log will help you do just that). You want to run half of that mileage your first week back. All your running should be at a comfortable pace, and if you kept a daily log, you can vary your runs according to what you recorded for that week.

So, say your highest weekly mileage total was 40. Here's how you may want to plan your first week back, with the total goal being 20 miles:

Sunday 30% of your highest mileage, or 6 miles

Monday 10%, or 2 miles

Tuesday 20%, or 4 miles

Wednesday 10%, or 2 miles

Thursday 20%, or 4 miles

Friday 0%, or no miles

Saturday 10%, or 2 miles

During your second week of training, increase to 75 percent of that highest week; on the third week, do 100 percent. Now, make sure all of your running is at a comfortable pace. If you try to build in faster running at this time, you can risk injury and over-training.

On the fourth week, head back down to 75 percent again and add your first quality run for the winter. For instance, Tuesday could be a run over moderate hills, or Thursday could involve a series of short strides (8-10 x 200 meter surges with one minute of easy running in-between). If you do this on the road or in a parking lot (which I do), run 40-45 seconds quick and 85 seconds slow. This way you can start an interval every 2 minutes.

Week 5 takes you back up to 100 percent of your mileag. After that you just want to vary between 75-100 percent until your outdoor season begins. Just make sure that your runs on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday are at a comfortable pace.

Have a great off-season.

Coach Budd

Have a question for Budd? E-mail him at askbudd@rodale.com