Sunday, August 14, 2011

LSD is Good For You

No, not THAT kind of LSD.  I mean Long, Slow, Distance.  This is the foundation of any running program, particularly the marathon.  These runs teach your body to withstand the physical pounding of running for hours on pavement.  Mentally, you learn to be patient and to stay focused for the hours that the distance demands.

Long, slow, distance runs improve your endurance and aerobic capacity.  This is the best fat burning training zone to be in, as your body learns to use stored fats as fuel.  These runs should not be done too fast.  If you are using a heart rate monitor, you should stay well below 70% of your max heart rate.  If you are not using a HR monitor, you should be able to carry on an easy conversation without being winded.

The biggest mistake most runners make is doing these runs too fast.  You lose the benefits of training in a low HR zone, and you risk acute and overuse injuries.

To very loosely paraphrase Timothy Leary--shoes on, tune in & slow down.

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