Come out for an easy Saturday morning run followed by watching the Marathon Trials.
We’ll be meeting at Cooperative Coffee Roasters for 9:00am for the run followed by the trials at 10:00am.
Cooperative will brew up some coffee and ARC will bring some snacks.
It would be great if you could us know you are coming by clicking “I’m in” on this Strava event.
Finally - bring your own chair!
After a lull in 2023, the ARC’s event calendar is starting to take shape for the new year. With the annual New Years Mile already in the books, momentum is building toward a more active year with opportunities for group training (join us at the weekly Wedge Run), team racing, community volunteering, and event hosting.
A date has been set for the Wedge Run 10k (May 4th) and information on 2024 memberships is forthcoming. Watch this space!
“Try not to succumb to the planning fallacy in your race. Have the expectation that things will go wrong. When they do, [think] ‘this is what is happening right now, I'm doing the best I can’. Just avoiding a freakout is 99 percent of the battle, really.” - Brad Stulberg
With less than two weeks to race day, the training part of the deal is largely over. It’s time to freshen up, plan for the logistics of race day, and hone your mental strategies.
I have some training ideas below for your taper with a big caveat that this final phase may need to be the most individualized period of all of your training. Experience, personal strengths, and more should weigh heavily in deciding how much you reduce training load (if at all) and what training sessions you choose to implement in the last two weeks.
To help with the mental side of your race preparations (and race day execution) I’ve called upon a couple of experts to share their thoughts. Read on for tips from Phil Latter about setting yourself up for a potential flow experience on the Shut In Ridge, as well as advice from Brad Stulberg about what to do when faced with challenges along your nearly-19 mile journey.
Also in this issue, AntiFragile Physical Therapy’s Wes Miller put together a great video focused on uphill and downhill running form. The cues provided should prove very effective in getting you up and down (and back up) the course in the most efficient way possible.
If you need a refresher on the work we’ve planned up to this point, check it out on the ARC website where we are archiving the training program.
Enjoying these newsletters? Share them with a friend, sign up to be a member of the Collective, or send us an email.
The internet is filled with a wide-range of “perfect” taper plans. You’ll see testimonials and sales pitches for special formulas and detailed prescriptions. Seemingly opposing ideas can be passed along with equal fervor. “Decrease training volume by 20% each week in the final three weeks”, “sharply decrease overall mileage while gradually increasing in speed in the final 10 days”, or “maintain high volume and regular workouts” (this is my favorite as it comes with a built-in excuse: “I was just training through this one…”). The tricky thing is that any of these different plans could be the perfect plan, if matched up with the right runner.
Experience and experimentation may be needed to know what works best for you. If you are lacking experience and/or unenthusiastic about the idea of risking your hard-earned fitness with too much last-minute experimentation, you may do well to follow some general guidelines. You can back off of your overall training load gradually, focus your final workouts around aspects of running that will make you feel good and gain confidence, and devote time to giving your mind and body some extra TLC.
This is not a great time to put in “crash training” to make up for deficits in your previous training. If you never really got going with long runs, and you missed the “money back” cut off days… well, just think of the last couple of months as a long taper phase. If nothing else, you should feel fresh on the start line.
Best of luck!
Training Phase 3: Focus on Racing
Key Points:
- Gradually decrease training volume
- Design workouts based on the specific demands of the race
- Prioritize recovery
- Finalize nutrition plan
- Plan routines for race day
Phase 3 Outline
Weeks 9 & 10: October 24 - November 6
Hill Climb (or Long Hill Reps)
Ex: 20 min (or 2 x 10 min, 4 x 5 min, etc) @ one-hour race effort on a moderate-to-steep grade. Focus on maintaining a consistent and controlled effort while locking in to your “climbing gear”.
Medium Long Run with Steady Piece
Ex: 60 min easy + 20-25 min at “race effort” + 5-15 min cool down.
Tune-Up
Ex: 2 miles @ race effort on trail (2 min jog) + 4 x 30-sec hill reps (slow jog down) + 4 x 30-sec flat (1 min jog). Stay relaxed and smooth. No need to crush this one.
Race!
Ex: Run close to 19 miles from the Arboretum to somewhere past Mt. Pisgah at a very strong effort.
Planning out these newsletters has provided a great reminder of just how many amazing performance-related resources we have in the Western North Carolina running scene. When thinking about the mental side of Shut-In preparations, Philip Latter immediately came to mind. This Brevard-based athlete, coach and Asheville Running Collective member is a co-author of Running Flow.
Phil was kind enough to share his thinking about the conditions and abilities needed for flow, appropriate goal setting, and how to use feedback for to keep you motivated.
Mark Driscoll: How can a runner use the final weeks of training and race prep to set themselves up for a potential flow experience on the Shut-In Trail on the first Saturday of November?
Phil Latter: I know this interview is geared towards sports psychology, but all talk about flow is off the table if you're not fit and healthy. One of the major linchpins of having a flow experience is called the "challenge-skills balance." Basically, in order to tackle the type of challenge that's going to lead to a flow state -- whether that's playing a game of chess or scaling Everest -- you need to have the skills in place to do it. With Shut-In, that's going to mean both the endurance to cover 18 miles on singletrack trail and the muscular strength to handle the rocks, and roots, and thousands of feet of vertical climb and descent that await.
That said, if the training has gone well, now is the time to really get in tune with where your mind goes during runs. If you're a person who favors headphones, now might be a good time to use them less so that you can mentally get used to being in your head for hours without distraction. It's also a great time to nail down specific goals for the race. Ones that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound -- yep, SMART -- are going to be the most helpful to achieving flow. That's because you'll be getting feedback in training that'll tell you whether you're on track to meet your goals. If you want to break 3 hours for the course but you're struggling to run 15-minute miles on trails, then it's probably time to set some more realistic goals.
Not all goals need to be outcome-based, though. In fact, having some that are process-oriented are even better. See if you're checking all the boxes each day, and if you are, take pride in the fact that you're doing your best to be ready on race day.
MD: With respect to the value of feedback, as well as the potential pitfalls of that feedback, do you have any strategies or suggestions for how an athlete can use feedback in the race to keep motivation high.
PL: Feedback is huge in the event itself. There are going to be internal and external sources. Internally, I'm going to be listening to my breathing, the sensations in my legs and arms. Does my stride feel smooth? Does my heart rate feel sustainable? Those types of things. I'm also going to be listening for signs of mental fatigue. Keeping the brain sharp is every bit as important as keeping glycogen levels high, and those two are actually pretty strongly linked. The brain is the ultimate arbiter here, and if it thinks energy stores are dipping, it's absolutely going to suck as much motivation away as possible to keep you from emptying the tank.
Even though our heart, lungs, legs, and brain are what's going to get us across the line, we often rely a lot on external feedback sources. This isn't just what shows up on the GPS watch, though that's a big part of it. It's also where your main competitors are, what the crowd is telling you, and so on. If you have trained on the course and have set paces based on certain way points, that's awesome. Just be mindful that external feedback is going to be hindered by external factors, and those are out of your control. You can't blow the leaves off the course any more than you can properly align the satellites in the sky. That's why it's so important to lean into those internal feedback sources.
MD: How can we avoid the trap of focusing on the wrong feedback?
PL: There's a blessing and a curse here. I guess if I were to hedge a little bit, I would say if all the external feedback lines up with the internal feedback, then roll with it. Splits are fast, legs feel good, where I should be in the race -- go for it without a second of doubt. If the external feedback doesn't line up with the internal feedback, then we have what's called "ambiguous feedback." That's less helpful. Usually, that's going to be something like you're feeling great, but a well-meaning person yells out, "Keep it in check. You have a long way to go still." Suddenly, you're snapped out of feeling great and doubting yourself. In those cases, I would do a systems check. During long races, I often ask myself, "Do I think I could maintain X pace for Y more minutes?" If the answer is yes, then roll on. If the answer is "no" or "maybe," then it's probably worth revisiting. But if you find yourself flying up Ferrin Knob like it's a joyous day in the park, then screw the bystanders. You're in flow.
Shut-In is a great place to [focus on internal feedback and effort], but there's also a comfort in knowing how far you have to go. I would consider a compromise. Turn off the auto split on your GPS. Remove all "pace" from your watch screen. Just have the activity time and the mileage. If you want to do some simple division at mile 12 to figure out your pace or to ensure you're still on your time goal, go for it. But in a race where the temperature and trail conditions are a guessing game, it makes sense to simplify the experience as much as possible to get into that flow state.
———
Interested in hearing more about flow? Check out this great discussion between Phil and Aaron Saft (he’s the #2 all-time men’s performer at Shut-In, by the way) on the MR Runningpains podcast.
Check out Phil’s writing: Running Flow & Faster Road Racing
Follow Phil on Strava for intel on good routes in Pisgah.
As Phil mentioned above, external factors can hinder our performance if we don’t have the right mindset. Stressing about the weather, the accumulation of leaves on the trail past 151, or last-minute course changes will take you out of the vital process-oriented mindset that allows you to focus on what you can actually control.
But what about the days when your preparation is top notch, your mind is focused, you are really ready to flow… but it all goes to hell anyways? How do we deal with the heavy legs, the falls, and the stomach cramps that pop up out of nowhere?
Contemplating these dreaded scenarios sent me down a serious doom spiral, so I asked Brad Stulberg for help. Brad is an Asheville-based performance coach, podcast host, and author who’s most recent book The Practice of Groundedness received a ringing endorsement from none other than Eliud Kipchoge. For years, Brad has been researching and writing about the characteristics and conditions necessary for excellence. He seemed like the right resource to help Shut-In racers plan for the tough days, and be ready to take advantage of the great ones.
Mark Driscoll: While runners train for (and pray for) a race day when everything "clicks", it doesn't always go that way. In your experience, how do high performers prepare for the days when it doesn't all go to plan?
Brad Stulberg: Anyone can perform when the sun is shining and everything is clicking. And we all long for those days when we enter the coveted flow state. But equally important to excellence is being able to show up and give it your all on the less-than-perfect days. Most endeavors, be it in sport or otherwise, don't go exactly as we planned or as we wished. There are so many uncertainties. The first and most important thing to remember is not to freak out. It is so easy to "doom spiral," to quote my dear friend and ARC's own Katie Driscoll, when things go awry. It's kind of the default mode for most of us, myself included. But if we are doom spiraling about what's happening that prevents us from doing anything productive or effective about it. So the first step is to recognize that things are going a bit haywire, and then to try and replace immediate rumination with acceptance of what is happening. I like to use the mantra this is what is happening, I'm doing the best I can. The more you can stay in the present moment and be with what is going on, the better chance you have of working through it. This is especially important in longer races, which almost always include some dark patches. How you navigate the dark patches often determines the overall tenor of the day.
Once you've accepted what is happening you can make a plan for how to deal with it. In the case of a race, it might be changing your fueling plan, resetting expectations, adjusting your pacing strategy, and so on. Then get on with the show, even if that means taking some negative thoughts or feelings with you. It's so important to remember that you don't have to feel great in the moment to perform well, and often it's the times when we don't feel well in the moment that, in hindsight, we look back on with a lot of pride for how we worked through them.
A helpful heuristic that covers a lot of this is what I call 4Ps: pause, process, plan, proceed, which is a lot different than our default of the 3Ps: panic, panic, panic.
MD: How can someone use the final weeks of a training block to prepare for potential curveballs and SNAFUs on race day?
BS: I think here the biggest preparation is just knowing that things could -- well, actually, in a race this long, things will -- go wrong.
All sorts of research shows that our affect, which is just science speak for how we are feeling, or mood, is a function of reality minus expectations. If your expectations are for a perfect race where nothing goes wrong, then when something does go wrong, you'll feel like crap, and be more likely to freak out. But if your expectations are that the race will be hard and full of dark spots, then when those dark spots occur, you won't be as liable to get sucked into them.
People tend to think about races as these opportunities to fully express one's fitness. This is great...if you are racing a 5K. The longer the race the more external variables that you may not be able to control come into play. Long races aren't just about physical fitness but about mental fitness and problem-solving ability too. And if you are freaking out when something goes wrong, you aren't in a good position to problem solve and make the situation better.
This comes up time and time again with any big event, so know y'all runners aren't alone. Daniel Kahneman won a Nobel prize for his work in behavioral economics. Part of this was something he and his colleagues called the planning fallacy. It basically states that all big projects -- such as building a bridge or a house -- take, on average, 40 percent longer than what is planned for and promised. The reason for this is that the planners don't take into account all the external variables that could occur: a death in the subcontractors family, a cancer diagnosis for the painter, a historic weather season, a pandemic, the city paperwork office being inundated because everyone is building at the same time, Clemson making the BCS playoffs so none of the carpenters can focus on their work for three weeks, and on and on and on.
Try not to succumb to the planning fallacy in your race. Have the expectation that things will go wrong. When they do, this is what is happening right now, I'm doing the best I can. Just avoiding a freakout is 99 percent of the battle, really.
———
You can hear more from Brad on his weekly podcast The Growth Equation. His writing regularly appears in publications like the New York Times and Outside. See how deep he gets on these kinds of topics in his books: The Practice of Groundedness, The Passion Paradox, and Peak Performance.
Wes Miller and the crew at AntiFragile Physical Therapy have been serving the WNC running community for years. They are passionate about finding the WHY behind every ache, pain, or injury in order to help athletes gain knowledge, increase specific strength, and build resiliency.
When I asked Wes for tips related to hill running I expected an emailed response with some form cues or maybe a few running drills. Instead, Wes was able to create a whole video with running form demonstrations and a Shut-In case study. OK, I’m impressed!
Check it out for yourself:
The Asheville Running Collective would love to have you join our ranks!
Anyone can join, regardless of speed, age, or experience. With increased membership, we will be in a better position to unite runners and racers in Western North Carolina behind our shared mission, pull in more leaders and volunteers for ARC-sponsored events and initiatives (like this program), and have a broader reach in the community.
“When I do every workout I’m thinking about why I’m doing this workout? What is the goal? A session is part of a plan to make physiological, technical, muscular, metabolical or mental adaptations, and so I would focus on different aspects during that session to be sure I’m doing what I’m supposed to do.”
As recent Hardrock 100 and UTMB champion Kilian Jornet explains above, it’s helpful to know the why behind each workout in your training plan. This becomes crucial as you are picking and choosing how to spend your time and energy in the final weeks of preparation for a goal event.
Jornet dropped an absolute gem of a blog post earlier this month that is packed with training and racing wisdom that can benefit runners of all abilities. You don’t need to be one of the most gifted endurance athletes of all time to find a love for the training process, while seeking balance between the many important aspects of your life, and still managing to achieve your goals (…but I’m sure it helps!).
In Kilian’s post, he goes into detail on the hows and whys used to guide his training for this past summer’s racing season. There are many great connections to the next phase of our Shut-In Training Program, so I’ll intersperse his quotes throughout this newsletter.
While you spent the past month+ getting as fit as possible by utilizing variety in your training, it’s time to shift the focus to specificity. If you need a refresher on the work we’ve planned up to this point, check it out on the ARC website where we are archiving the training program.
Enjoying these newsletters? Share them with a friend, sign up to be a member of the Collective, or send us an email.
“I try to analyze what my capacities and weaknesses are (who am I, physiologically, metabolically, psychologically) and see where I should work, where I shouldn’t and where it doesn’t matter.”
Your training up to this point should give you a good idea about your strengths and your areas for growth. While I’ll layout some ideas for training specifically to the demands of the Shut-In Ridge Run, you also need to consider the specific training needs dictated by your own abilities. With six weeks to go, it’s a great time to perform a self-assessment and set some goals. In another month, you can revisit these goals to make adjustments for the race itself.
Considering the particulars of Shut-In (an hours-long event, ~5,000 feet of climbing, ~2,000 feet of descending, technical trail, etc.), think about the following:
What weaknesses can I minimize through training or planning in the next few weeks?
What strengths can I maximize through training or planning in the next few weeks?
The Specific Phase is not just about workouts and long runs. It’s also the perfect time to dial in race day plans. Consider the following:
What is my nutrition plan for the race? Train your gut now!
What gear do I need for race day? Head to your local running store and try on those shoes you’ve been eyeing.
Who is driving me back down the mountain? Secure a crew member now, so you don’t have to trick an innocent leaf peeper in the Arboretum parking lot on race morning (“I know the best spot for peak foliage viewing… just hold these bottles and I’ll meet you there in a few hours").
What’s my plan if it’s unseasonably warm on race day? How can you adjust your fueling?
What’s my plan if it snows? It’s not a bad idea to search for the closet for gloves prior to the morning of the race.
Even though it seems like winning may be the main motivation for Kilian, he explains how is approach is process-driven:
“Put into perspective what is the result of a race. This is just a small part of the journey that involves training and preparation. To focus on the process and what I’ve been learning and living during this process is way more important than the result of the race, that would be only a kind of validation of that process. But to switch the focus from the goal and result to the process and the journey is key to keep for me from feeling the pressure on the race day.”
By this point in the newsletter, you’ve probably picked up on the idea that you need to know why your lacing up your kicks and getting out the door. For some, Shut-In is a motivator used to test physical and mental limits. Others see it as just another reason to get out with friends on the weekend and enjoy the natural wonder that is WNC in the fall. Of course, for many of us, it sure beats therapy!
Outcome goals look great on sticky notes slapped to your bathroom mirror. “Finish top-20”, “set a PR”, and “beat the cutoffs” are worthy goals. However, many of those outcomes are actually out of our control, especially six weeks out from race day. Process goals allow you to take actionable steps toward those outcomes. “Increase consistency of daily running”, “prioritize sleep”, and “work on hill climbing efficiency” may be the necessary process goals to set you on the path toward success, in whatever way you plan to define it.
Before you set any type of goal, it's important to be honest about your current state fitness in order to plan realistic process goals for the next month of training. This doesn’t mean you can’t chase big dreams. However, it helps if even your biggest goals are specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time bound (learn more in this video on S.M.A.R.T. goal setting).
Want more guidance on forming process and outcome goals? Check out The Growth Equation’s archive of podcasts and articles related to the benefits (and potential perils) of goal setting. I especially recommend checking out Asheville-resident Brad Stulberg’s quick article on an alternative way of approaching this topic, The Benefits Of Focusing On Principles Instead Of Goals.
Similar to Phase 1, the second training period is broken into two-week blocks. This will give you some flexibility when planning your workouts. The Taper Phase will follow as a final two-week block. You may respond better to a three-week taper, so plan to adjust volume and intensity to fit your needs..
Training Phase 2: Get Specific
Key Points:
- Hold higher training volume
- Focus workouts on long steady efforts & efficient climbing
- Prioritize recovery around big efforts
- Get comfortable on technical terrain
- Dial in nutrition plan
- Practice routines for race day
Notes:
- Continue to focus on effort, but plan in race-pace tests on the course or similar terrain.
- Use effort-based guides if you don’t have much experience with racing Shut-In (ex: “steady” would be an effort you’d hope to hold for 2+ hours of racing).
- This training outline does not include “hero” workouts, but now is a good time to work in some fitness tests, time trials, or tune-up races.
- Big efforts, like race-specific long runs and fitness tests, should be bookended with adequate recovery.
- Below are some workout ideas and types that may suit you well as priorities in your two-week blocks. Fill in the week with easy running, supplementary workouts, cross training, and/or recovery days as needed.
Phase 2 Outline
Weeks 5 & 6: September 26 - October 9
Threshold Run
Ex: 20 min @ one-hour race effort. This can be done on a flat road or treadmill if you want to dial into a consistent pace or on a trail if you want to focus on effort.
Long Run with Steady Reps
Ex: 60-75 min + 4 x 15 min “steady” (3 min easy between) + cool down to desired overall run time. Hit some ups and downs during the steady pieces.
Mixed Effort Hills
Ex: 4-5 sets of 3:00 strong, 1:00 power hike, 1:00 quick (jog back down after set). Use the middle 1:00 to practice efficient hiking and the final 1:00 to work on a quick transition back to running.
Goal Time Long Run
Ex: How long do you plan to be out there on race day? Aim for that same duration, but keep the effort easier.
Weeks 7 & 8: October 10 - October 23
Long Tempo / Fitness Test / Time Trial
Ex: 60 min steady—>strong, Segment Attack (suggestion: Chumbawamba), or a road half marathon
Long Run with Steady Reps
Ex: 75-90 min + 3 x 20 min “steady” (5 min easy between) + cool down to desired overall run time. Hit some ups and downs during the steady pieces.
Trail Fartlek
Ex: 5 min steady (2 min easy), 5 x 3 min @ strong effort (2 min easy), 5 x 1 min quick (1 min easy), 5 min steady
Fast Finish Long Run
Ex: 90 min easy, 20 min steady, 5 min easy, 10 min fast, jog to desired overall run time.
Training Phase 3: Focus on Racing
Key Points:
- Lower volume gradually
- Workouts become moderate in volume
- Emphasize strengths
- Set race day routines
- Mark
But I’ll actually be impressed if he drops a 2:01 on a leaf-covered trail on the first Saturday in November.
The details of the Taper Phase will be introduced and explained in the coming weeks.
Future missives will also cover:
- More workout ideas!
- A bit about the history of this special event
- Strategies to improve your mental game
- Tips, tricks, and race recollections from experienced Shut-In racers
What would you like to read more about? Send us your questions, comments, or ideas with “SHUT IN” as the subject line.
The Asheville Running Collective would love to have you join our ranks!
Anyone can join, regardless of speed, age, or experience. With increased membership, we will be in a better position to unite runners and racers in Western North Carolina behind our shared mission, pull in more leaders and volunteers for ARC-sponsored events and initiatives (like this program), and have a broader reach in the community.
The Asheville Running Collective is here for a second edition of the Shut-In Training Program newsletter to provide you with a proverbial medicine cabinet chock full of powerful supplements to boost your training. If you missed the the rollout of the program, you can check it out on our website where we will archive all of these posts.
OK, here’s the plan: take a teaspoon of ACV (apple cider vinegar, duh!), with a 1/2 gallon of EVOO (healthy fats!), 2 packets of expired GUs that have been heating up in your car all summer (save the safer room temp ones for race day), a handful of that green probiotic powder you bought on the recommendation of a podcaster, and a smashed up assortment of whatever you can find in those half-empty bottles of Runner’s Daily Multivitamins stuffed in the back of your closet. Now, fire up your Magic Bullet and…
Of course, that was a joke, and a gross one to boot. In reality, we’ve got a healthy serving of training ideas, strength exercises (from an actual expert!), and interesting resources to supplement the plan you’ve already got in place. Let’s dive in.
With a bit less than two months until race day, it’s a great time to assess your skills and abilities as they relate to the specific demands of the Shut-In race course. How’s your efficiency when climbing? Are you quick and nimble down the backside of Ferrin Knob or are your heels digging holes in the trail as you grab for the nearest tree at every switchback? What gives out first: your lungs or your legs?
As mentioned in the first edition of this training program, this is an aerobic event. High-end sprint speed is certainly helpful to grab prime camera time up front in the first 100m, but as you are crossing 151 with a couple miles and several hundred feet of gain still to come, you’ll probably be drawing on the strength of the long runs you’ve put in over the course of your training block (or cursing the ones you missed). So, aerobic conditioning, base building, endurance work, or whatever you want to call lots of time spent on your feet still needs to be the priority.
Beyond that, you should consider how to fill in the gaps in your fitness and/or skills. These supplementary sessions should be moderate efforts that don’t require you to significantly alter the rest of your week’s plan. Think of it like “skill building” rather than “fitness building”.
Here are a few different categories and session ideas, based on generalized runner types:
Runner A: I can go up all day, but I fall behind on the flats and downs.
Consider adding in supplementary workouts to improve efficiency and turnover. Short, fast sessions at the track, short hills at a quick effort, and pace-changing workouts on the trail could go a long way in this regard. Some ideas:
Strides: There’s really no bad time to throw in 4-6 x 20-sec quick (40-sec jog). Mix it up with some pick-ups in the middle of a run OR finish off a trail run with some quick & smooth parking lot bursts.
Hills + 200s: 4-6 x 40-sec hill reps at quick (but controlled) effort + 4-6 x 200m at the same effort (of course you can just do 40-sec on any flat terrain if you don’t have access to a track).
Up and Overs: Add a flat or downhill portion to your previously planned hill reps. Practice keeping your rhythm as you crest the hill and seamlessly transitioning to 10-20 seconds of additional running on a subsequent flat or downhill stretch.
“True” Fartlek: Over the course of 20-30 minutes, throw in pickups of 30-seconds to 2 minutes with easy running between. Don’t overthink it. Don’t try to structure the perfect session. Just run from this tree to that tree pretty quick, jog for a bit, and repeat a bunch of times.
Runner B: My legs give out before my lungs.
You may need to improve your race specific muscular endurance. This can happen in the weight room, but it’s getting late in the game to try too many new non-running routines. Instead, focus on the demands of the course that pose the biggest challenge for you. One guess: hills.
Steep Power Hiking: Find the steepest hill you can and power hike up several times. Keep volume moderate to begin, so try 4 x 5:00 the first time, and build over 2-3 subsequent sessions.
Long Uphill Grind: Find a the steepest grade that you can run and lock into your efficient climbing gear for 10-20 minutes. The treadmill works for this, too.
“Hit the Hills” Fartlek: Run this like the “true” fartlek above, but all pickups occur on the uphills. Flats and downs are run nice and easy.
Runner C: I move well on the flats, ups, and downs, but I run out of steam as the time goes on.
You need to focus on building your aerobic engine. Keep maintenance workouts in for climbing, efficiency, etc, but add in another endurance-focused session.
Medium Long Run: this can be somewhere in the zone of 75% of the duration of your current long run. Keep the effort easy.
Steady Run: Elevate your “easy run” pace slightly. Use the “talk test” to go from chatting in full paragraphs to speaking in one or two sentences at a time. You are still in control and should be able to hold this effort for a long time. Start with 30 minutes in the middle of a run and build toward 60 minutes over the course of the cycle. This effort could be considered “aerobic threshold”, the top of zone 2 on a 5-zone HR model, or “steady state” depending on who you ask.
As a reminder, these sessions should all supplement the major workouts and long runs you are all planning. Beware of the temptation to turn everything into a “fitness building” workout. If you push these too hard, you run the risk of compromising a higher priority training day later in the week.
- Mark
Many of us in the WNC running community know Miriam Salloum as one of the three emergency contacts in our phones. Thankfully, she hasn’t figured out how to block our calls, and she actually keeps her cool when we text asking for an appointment in the next 20 minutes.
Miriam is the the talented physical therapist behind The Runners Mechanic located in downtown Asheville. Below you will find a series of exercises well suited to athletes taking on the demanding ups and downs of Shut-In. Use these as activation work prior to a run OR as part of a separate strength session.
Check out the whole playlist of Miriam’s videos here:
The Best Strength Exercises for Power and Symmetry with Running
One of the goals of this Shut-In project is to document the history of the event. Along with race stats, course changes, and interesting results, we plan to share race recollections and advice from a variety of runners.
This week, Javan Lapp got on the phone with 34-time Shut-In Ridge Race finisher Chris Campbell to talk about his long relationship with this special section of trail. Chris has a best finish of second place from the 1990 edition of the event.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Javan Lapp: Are there any secrets to your longevity or anything you’d attribute to your success over such a long time period?
Chris Campbell: Well, mostly dumb luck, I guess.
When I turned 40, I was going to try to run some races and try to set some masters course records. I immediately got injured. That didn't work out so well! It took a year or so to figure out what I could do as I got older. I think I've just done a pretty good job since then to monitor when I'm doing too much or when something doesn't feel right. I learned to back off, whereas my younger self would have just said “you can run through that”. And, as you will see, at some point, usually you can't.
JL: I'm already learning that lesson.
CC: Definitely. I’ve actually gone through the whole spectrum of finishes. From being top-20 a bunch of times to 2019 when I turned my ankle in training and really didn’t know if I would be able to make the cut offs. That ended up being my slowest year, but in a lot of ways it was really satisfying. Knowing the course helped me a lot that year, and knowing that I just had to plug away at it and not do too much too early.
JL: What are the differences in the experience of racing toward the front versus the middle or the back of the pack?
CC: They're really different. Most years now, I just try to get out and enjoy the trail. Certainly, you know, I want to run it as fast as I can on that day, but not at the expense of making myself miserable. My days of being out front are done, so I might as well get out there and enjoy the heck out of it.
I've had a couple of years in the last ten or so where I just kind of hooked up with somebody who was either a first time racer or a less experienced Shut-In runner. I’ve gotten into some conversations and gotten to know people in the middle of the pack, which was kind of cool.
1991...First time Shut-In is shortened due to snow.
JL: Any guiding advice for new Shut-In racers?
CC: The first thing I would tell them is basically treat it like training for a marathon. However, focus more on time than distance. When doing a road marathon most people work the long run up to 20 or 22 miles. Use the time it would take to run that far on the road to plan what you want your longest run to be on the trails.
Also, I've noticed that a lot of the mid pack runners or those from an ultra background walk many of the hills from the outset. You can't do that at Shut-In if you're going to make the cut off times. So somebody who's coming from an ultra background or someone trying to make the cut offs, they definitely need to have more of a mindset that they've got to run up hills that are not super steep.
JL: Has Shut-In always been the main trail race you’ve focused on?
It just became my fall marathon. I never really set out to to run it as much as I have. But I just haven't found a good reason not to run it.
Chris in 1988
Thanks to Chris for sharing his wisdom, as well as these great photos!
The details of Phase 2 and the Taper Phase will be introduced and explained in the coming weeks.
Future missives will also cover:
- Suggestions for planning your training volume
- More workout ideas!
- Tips, tricks, and race recollections from experienced Shut-In racers
What would you like to read more about? Send us your questions, comments, or ideas with “SHUT IN” as the subject line.
