Hi All!

 

Hope you’re all doing well and staying cool, hydrated and replenished. All three of those things take a lot more work in these conditions, so don’t take it for granted. Your body’s usual cues for thirst, nutrition and electrolytes/nutrients may be slightly off as you adapt to the heat, so make sure you pay attention and stay on top of it.

 

On that note, what I’ve been thinking about is an interesting analogy I heard about workouts as nourishment for our bodies. Before we nourish ourselves however, we need to have an objective. Is today a long, aerobic base building day? Then it is nourishing to push yourself a bit longer than usual through some fatigue so that your body adapts to going longer.  However, it is not nourishing to take the pace too fast and finish a ragged wreck. In that case you’re over-stuffing yourself and won’t be able to adapt correctly. If it takes you more than a day or two to recover from an effort, you’ve over-stuffed yourself.

 

If your workout is a VO2 max workout then it is nourishing to work hard within your range. However, adding an extra rep or running someone else’s pace is cramming yourself full and will not help – your body won’t benefit from the extra work. Just as your body will pee out too many multi-vitamins taken at once, there is a certain dosage of exercise that your body just won’t be able to do anything with and you won’t adapt. It’s been said many times that these types of workouts are best left with the feeling that you could do one more. That is nourishing. Your body is adapting and getting the exercise nutrients it needs for the purpose.

 

If your workout is a recovery run, it is nourishing to go by effort and feel. If you’re finishing your “recovery” runs tired or find them hard, they are not nourishing you. If you’re feeling tired after 20 minutes – stop. There is no recovery to be gained by doing more. It’s empty calories to your body.

 

So as we continue on our summer training plans, let’s remember to understand the intention behind what we’re doing so that we can nourish ourselves appropriately. A training plan will never be written out perfectly in an all-knowing way of how each individual will react and adapt. So be smart about listening to your bodies’ signals and understanding your own needs. Give it what it’s telling you it needs, not necessarily what the training plan says it needs.

 

Alright – onto tomorrow’s Lakeshore workout! (I will be there but eating my broccoli and doing mobility vs. the workout, but will cheer you on)

 

1. 3-4 x 1200 @10K pace w 2 min rec. Here’s the twist: take 45 sec rest at 800. So they look like 800 (45 sec rec), 400. This is because it’s hot and we’re building back up to longer reps at the right pace. I don’t want these to turn into a tempo (you already do those) and we’re also building the strength to hold the pace. In this heat, a little reprieve partway through will give you the physiological benefits you need. We’ll close that gap later on! For some ppl it will be more nourishing to do 3, for others 4. I trust your judgement. (hint – if you’re falling off your paces – stop)
2. If doing this as fartlek: 3 mins (45 sec) 1:30 – repeat 3-4 times

 

Have fun and see you in the am!!!

 

xo

 

Seanna

 

Hi Everyone!

 

It’s been so great seeing so many of you out doing a multitude of activities. And I hope everyone is getting in some good Olympics watching! I am loving it.

 

What I’ve been thinking about this week is the ability to ask for what we want or need. I think many of us have had this ability trained out of us by society or our own inner voices. But being able to ask for what you want is a huge strength. People want to help us – they just don’t always know how.

 

I was listening to a podcast with Brandi Carlile. She was asked whether she was good at asking for what she wanted. She unapologetically said “Yes! I know what I need and I can’t get it all alone”. I loved this. There was no shame in asking – only confidence. A lot of what she asks for is charity involvement for fundraisers. She joked that people in Hollywood probably screen her calls because she is so unafraid of asking, but she believes in what she is doing and makes things happen. And in reality, people do want to help.

 

A female friend of mine who is a top executive in a male dominated industry was on a podcast talking about going back to work with small kids. Her team had meetings at 8:30 am. She asked for them to be moved back an hour because she was doing the school run. No problem. She has since risen higher and higher and that is in part because she has been able to ask for what she needs.

 

Similarly, as we take on commitments in our lives as athletes and in service to others (paid or unpaid), it will only help us if are able to ask for what we want. Can you make dinner on these nights? Can we move these meetings a bit later or earlier? Can you join me on this hard effort? Can I have this half day off to attend to my wellness needs?

 

The people around you want your success. But they can’t guess what you need. So please learn to ask. If not only for yourself, then as a path that you’re carving for those who are coming behind you and who maybe won’t have to ask as loudly. Jumping through hoops while carrying all the balls yourself won’t help you. Please learn to ask. It will make you so much stronger and more successful.

 

For this week! We are back to hills:

 

1. 5-6 x Pottery Rd Hill – 3-4 min recovery then 2 x 8 mins @ mara pace w 3 min recovery
2. If on a recovery week, 3 x hills and a few good strides after
3. 5K runners: 5-6 x Pottery (or similar if in beach) and 4-5 x strides after
4. Short tempo for recovery week ppl if feeling like you need something: 5min, 2min, 2min, 2min – same tempo paces – don’t speed up bc it’s shorter – all w 2 min easy OR no tempo
5. Tempo for 5K ppl: 3 x 5 min w 2 min, then 5 min easy, then 5 min a bit quicker
6. Tempo for ppl building: 2 x 12 min w 3 easy

 

That is all for now – see you out there!

 

xo

 

Seanna

Hi Gang!

 

Many of us are getting into the groove of summer training. We have fall goals on the horizon and are excited to work towards them. This is what we love! Big goals with plans filled with hard work and fun in order to get us there.

 

As we start out and map everything out, I just want to set you all up with one expectation: expect the odd set-back. Most people will not have a completely smooth journey and be able to follow their plan 100% to the letter. That is expected. Most of us will confront schedule changes, energy ebbs and flows, injuries, life events that will lead to set-backs – large or small. That is OK. That is all part of the journey. These set-backs, and how we handle them, are actually more significant for our growth and learning as athletes than a smooth road.

 

I was listening to an interview with LeBron James. He was talking about his kids. He said they would never have the same drive as him because he could never recreate the circumstances that led to where he is. He grew up poor, in a single parent household, in rough neighbourhoods and schools. His kids have a stable family, live in wealthy neighbourhoods, and go to private schools. Of course this is what he wants to give them, but LeBron also said, I wish for my kids enough hardship and obstacles in their lives that they can grow and learn.

 

As parents and as coaches or leaders, we all sort of hope for this, but yet we would never put hardships or obstacles in our kids or athletes’ way on purpose. Rather, when they experience them, we don’t stress about it or try to fix it, but rather let our kids/athletes/mentees struggle and grow through the challenge – even if it’s uncomfortable.

 

So, as much as I hope for smooth journeys for all of you, I know as a matter of odds and experience that that won’t be the case. And when we each hit our own set-backs, although I won’t be celebrating them (they are tough), I also won’t be stressing and cursing and wishing it were different.  We all have the opportunity to gain wisdom, self-knowledge and strength with every new challenge, difficulty and failure if we are able to accept them, use them, and move on. So whatever happens, this will be a great season for all of us J

 

On to our Wednesday Workout: (6:15 am start at Lakeshore and Leslie)

 

1. 2-3 sets of: 800-800-400. 1:30 between reps, 3-4 mins (and 400m easy jog back) bw sets. Marathoners, do three sets as half marathon/8K pace. 5K runners do 2 sets as 10K/5K pace.
2. If doing this fartlek style: 3min-3min-1:30 w 1:30 bw reps, 3-4 mins bw sets
3. Tempo: 3 x 5 min w 3 min (unless you’re a marathoner doing work in your long run this weekend)

 

See you out there!

 

xo

 

Seanna

Hey All!

 

 

Happy Summer!!!

 

On many of my runs and walks this week I’ve noticed so many people out enjoying each others’ company, playing tennis, splashing in pools, playing basketball, walking, running, just enjoying life. And it makes me so happy. I feel welcomed back into our outdoor spaces – washrooms are open! Water fountains are on! We are being invited back out!

 

So what I was thinking, was: let’s allow ourselves to take a moment and just enjoy this. Enjoy summer. Enjoy everything we’ve put on hold. Enjoy not worrying if you’re doing the wrong thing and are about to get yelled at. Smile at people on the sidewalk! Breathe out. Pause. Let it all sink in. We deserve this.

 

Yes, there are still many injustices in our world and in our country and a lot of pain that we should keep our eyes and actions open to. But for a second, let’s just allow ourselves to feel happy. Feeling happy does not mean you don’t care about others who aren’t. It’s the opposite – when you really feel it, you want to share it, so it makes it easier to care. So go out and enjoy summer and spread the joy as much as you can!

 

I know this isn’t totally about running, but it is in a way. If you run with joy and as a celebration of life instead of as self-punishment and guilt, you will get waaaaay more out of it.

 

Onto workouts for this week!

 

I promised we’d start getting together again, so anyone who wants to join or even run by and say ‘hi’, we’ll be meeting at Lakeshore and Leslie at 6/6:15. 6 if you want to do some mobility and strides, 6:15 Go-Time.

 

1. Cut-downs. 1 mile (2 mins), 1200 (400 jog), 1000 (200 jog), 800 (90 sec), 600 (90 sec), 400
2. If on a recovery week, let’s work on speed and neuro-muscular recruitment. What this means: if you make the connections to engage more of your running muscles, it will be easier for your body to use those connections and that muscle recruitment when running at slower paces. This makes you a more “efficient” runner (ie. You use less energy to sustain a certain pace). But you can only specifically engage some of this “muscular reserve” by training them through running fast. Recovery weeks are a great time to work on this bc you can do it while still taking a volume break.

• Good warm-up (maybe some more drills and strides than usual). 4 x 200 w 2 min rec. Focus on good form and power throughout. 4 mins. 4-6 x 100 w 2 min (or slow walk back recovery). 4 mins. 1 x 200. Cool-down.

3. Tempo – these are becoming specific to peoples’ builds, so if you have a plan, check those.

 

Enjoy and hope to see some of you tomorrow!!!

 

 

Xo

 

Seanna

Hey Crew!

 

What I’ve been thinking about this week is about being deliberate about knowing what we’re measuring and why. I think we all get in a trap of thinking certain measurements mean more than they do. Mileage, for example. We count it, track it, try to boost it. But that might not be what is helping you get to your goals. We get so caught up in getting to a certain volume, but weekly mileage is a false target. Running volume should be an indication of where you are in your training (ie. This is what it takes to support the amount of work you need to get done) vs. an erroneous target you’re trying to hit regardless of how you get there.

 

I coach a group of athletes who are divided into Middle Distance (400m-1500m racers) and Long Distance (5K and up). At certain times of the year, their workouts are somewhat similar, but as we get closer to race season they diverge quite dramatically. The other day the MD group had a TOTAL of 1200m in intervals. One of them remarked on how they were running ¼ of the volume of the LD crew. I reminded them, that’s not what they are measuring. I read that on average, Usain Bolt struck the ground when sprinting with 1,080 pounds of force. He needed to be building and measuring force and power so he could run fast. I bet he didn’t even count his milage. Middle distance runners (or long sprinters as they’re also known) – fall closer to that side of things when they’re in their competitive phase. The number of kilometers covered means nothing.

 

My point is, know what your goal is so you know what to measure and what doesn’t matter. If you’re injured, I think you should be measuring hours of sleep. That’s the only thing that directly helps you to recover. If you’re supplementing your running with other activities, start measuring time instead of km’s. KM’s don’t tell you the whole story. If you have a hard time keeping your easy days easy, you can do what the Bowerman track club does: count every KM as a standard measurement of time. For instance, every 5 minutes = 1 KM. Whether you’re going fast or slow. That way, you won’t be tempted to speed up on your easy days – you only get to count a kilometer for every 5 mins – even if you’re running 4:40’s (this also makes sense because your body knows how long it is spending doing something, not how much ground it is covering – so it does make sense to train that way).

 

So that is all – just a reminder to re-evaluate what you are measuring to make sure it is aligned with your goals.

 

One more thing: I am honoured to be doing a small contract working with War Child. I’ve become very moved by this organization and the big, hard work they do protecting children who have experienced war. They are holding a fitness fundraiser coming up in September (12-23 – around International Day of Peace). I will be entering an LES team, so I will hit y’all up to join that, but also wanted to put it out there that if anyone thinks their company or workplace would be interested in entering a team, please message me and I will send you more information. Thank-you!

 

Workouts for this week:

 

1. Hills! If you’re building for Fall marathons, let’s just build the volume back up on full hills. Workin’ on that strength. If you’re looking at a track 5K this summer, do an equal number of half hills to full (added on at the end). You will need to be able to call on power when fatigued.
2. Tempo: 3 x 6 min w 3 min easy (some of you are doing progression run vs. tempo, so no tempo for you this week)

 

That is all – enjoy!

 

xo

 

Seanna