On ZAP Endurance Coach Pete Rea's Running Quick Tips

Quick Tip #8 - The Power of Partners

In the early 1980s the Japanese Federation implented one of the most unique studies of "effort" in training. The hypothesis at the time was that running with a partner (or partners) would reduce overall exertion. Additionally theoretically a runner could execute "every day" runs and/or more intense sessions more quickly at a lower exertion rate under said hypothesis.

The study focused on a score of male Japanese National Marathon Team athletes (including legends brothers Takeshi & Shigeru So, 2:08 & 2:09 marathoners and world #1 Toshiko Seko also a 2:08 marathoner) and took their heart rates each day during a 14 week pre marathon training block. Heart rates were taken on days where athletes were told to run alone as well as on days with partners, and the results were astounding.

Of the 20 marathon runners, all but 2 saw a 5% or greater reduction in HR on identically paced days with partners, some days of intensity and others of recovery, than equivalent days prescribed alone. "It was the first time," said Seko "that we saw a direct correlation and understanding as to why we consistently felt better and even ran more quickly at no greater effort on days we ran with our countrymen as opposed to by ourselves."

And while the "why" part of this study is equally as important to our discussion today (stay tuned for next week), it is clear that training partners, assuming you are working with and not against your partner, can and will affect your running positively. Numerous studies in recent decades have found that caffeine can reduce perceived exertion in endurance athletics. Think of training partners as your strong cup of coffee minus the 5$ charge.

Go find a partner.

On ZAP Endurance Coach Pete Rea's Running Quick Tips

Quick Tip #7 - Cognitively Reframe Rest

In my early years as a competitive runner I commonly viewed rest days / recovery days as what I “wasn’t doing.” I only viewed harder days, longer days and those of specificity as ones in which anything was really being achieved. And then, in 1989, I was fortunate enough to attend a talk by the late great British Coach Harry Wilson (coach to World Mile Record Holder & Olympic 800m Gold medalist Steve Ovett) and my views began to change. Rest days “aren’t the absence of training,” said Wilson “but rather part OF your training, as important as any harder element.”

As a culture we admire hard work. We tend to glorify those who are relentlessly driven and work the hardest. In endurance athletics hard work is indeed necessary in various formats; however, to manifest that hard work rest must be paired with it. Moreover, we will be well served as a running community if we begin to view rest days from a new lens - - what we are achieving on that rest day, not what we are failing to achieve.

About On ZAP Endurance

A non-profit training center for post-collegiate, Olympic hopeful runners, and avid runners of all levels. We’re committed to developing the best distance runners in the United States, and providing that same level of expertise to runners of all ages and abilities.

ZAP Endurance Coaching is a running coach service for runners of all levels and all distances. Our passion is distance running and sharing our knowledge to help people of all ages and abilities reach their goals is our mission. It doesn’t matter how long you have been running, everyone needs guidance in their daily running to maximize their potential, stay injury free and most importantly, keep it fun.​ The heart of our philosophy is based on an individualized approach to training and a 1-on-1 relationship between running coach and athlete. Click here to learn more about ZAP Endurance Coaching.

Running Vacations

Build a community that will take you to new distances. For those that would rather have their heels to the pavement than toes in the sand. Come join us in the mountains, and work towards your goals in idyllic setting surrounded by other amateur runners who love this sport as much as you do. Click here to learn more about ZAP Endurance Running Vacations.

Runner Spotlight - Michelle Bischof

“The World’s Toughest Foot Race”

Covering 135 miles (217km) non-stop from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney, CA, the Badwater® 135 is the most demanding and extreme running race offered anywhere on the planet, as well as the 135-Mile World Championship. The start line is at Badwater Basin, Death Valley, which marks the lowest elevation in North America at 280’ (85m) below sea level. The race finishes at Whitney Portal at 8,300’ (2530m), which is the trailhead to the Mt. Whitney summit, the highest point in the contiguous United States. The Badwater 135 course covers three mountain ranges for a total of 14,600’ (4450m) of cumulative vertical ascent and 6,100’ (1859m) of cumulative descent. Competitors travel through places or landmarks with names like Mushroom Rock, Furnace Creek, Salt Creek, Devil’s Cornfield, Devil’s Golf Course, Stovepipe Wells, Panamint Springs, Darwin, Keeler, Lone Pine, Alabama Hills, and the Sierra Nevada.

Imagine being in a place where the air dries out your nose instantly, the wind blows sand that feels like it is piercing your skin and the sun sears your skin. There is no escape from the heat created by the sun and wind and night time is still a blistering 115° . The ground can literally fry an egg and a wet tshirt is dried within seconds. You step outside and you feel like you have crawled inside your oven while cookies are baking.

 Now. Go for a run. A long run.

 That is Badwater 135. A 135 mile endurance run that takes place in Death Valley, California every July. The race takes place on the Monday of the monthly full moon. And only 100 people are invited each year to participate.

 The start line is the Badwater Basin, 282 ft below sea level. The lowest point in the US. From there, you traverse the desert through Death Valley National Park, and onward towards Mt Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48 states, standing at 14,505 ft. The finish line sits nestled in the treeline, at the portal on the Whitney trail. The air temperature is regularly 120° or higher during the event. Even the night hours hover above 110°. You have 48 hours to run 135 miles; with 14,600 ft of elevation gain; traversing 3 mountain ranges; before finish with a brutal 13 mile ascent to the finish line on Mt Whitney.

 This has been on my radar since I ventured from marathons to ultramarathons. I first heard about the race from Dean Karnazas, in one of his books. Instantly, I thought no way...thats insane! But the more I learned, the more the yearning to try it grew. I have spent 4 years at Badwater, as a crew chief and pacer. The race has no aid stations, no water stops, nothing. You are required to have a crew with you, and they're job is to keep your alive! They follow you the entire course, pulling over to provide hydration, fuel and clean socks.

 There are several requirements you must fulfill before you can apply . I have spent multiple years, making sure I had the required distances and particular races needed to even try and get in. After years of racing and subsequent injuries, this past January, I finally got to submit my application for 2022 Badwater 135. With my friends surrounding me, in the back room of a Mexican restaurant, we waited to hear names of this year's field. To my utter shock...my name was called!! Let the insanity begin!!

 Training began instantly. Road miles. Hills. Speed work. Strength training. Heat acclimation. It takes months to be ready for this race. Hours spent in a dry sauna. Miles and miles of running. Testing gear and nutrition and hydration.

 Two weeks prior to the start of the race, my husband (who is my crew chief) and I flew out to Pahrump, Nevada (sitting an hour outside of Vegas, at the gateway to Death Valley). I spent hours each days driving into the park to run and walk. I spent the rest of my day, sitting outside in the heat, contemplating my life decisions! Coolers and food and a hundred other miscellaneous supplies filled our cabin. The amount of gear needed to take this on is crazy!

 Days before the race, my crew arrived. Kris Vance and Cynthia Heady, my dearest friends who agreed to crew and pace. They were in for an eye opening experience! One short run in the desert and I'm certain they were rethinking agreeing to this! We spent the days leading up to the race organizing the gear and crew van, going over pacing and contingency pacing plans, race meeting and photo ops. Truly, that was more exhausting than the race itself.

 Monday. July 11, 2022. 8pm. I am on the start line of the Badwater 135. The temperature is hovering around 124°, as the sun is beginning to set. The air is still and filled with anticipation and fear. I make jokes to the others around me, as we do the final photos. My way of handling nerves, bad jokes.  The anthem is sung and seconds later, we are running up the concrete ramp, leading us out of the start area and on to the road. It was going to be a long night.

 I felt good. Great actually! The heat wasn't suffocating and I had several bottles of ice cold water to hold me over until I saw my crew a few miles up the road. I chatted and ran. Getting to know the runners around me. All my nerves were gone and I was filled with excitement!

 The sun finally sets and the moon is high, casting a warm, white glow around me. With a few hours under my belt, I'm just cruising along. My nutrition and hydration have been perfectly executed so far, with my crew refreshing everything every 2 miles. I try to keep my pace conservative, knowing that the first big climb of the race will be when the sun has come back up. No need to burn through my legs yet.

 The night goes well and I am approaching the 42 mile check in just past sunrise. Here, I will pick up a pacer for the first time. Just in time to climb Towne Pass. It is a long 17 mile climb, leading us up to 5000ft. It also holds the first and toughest cut off. 50.8 miles. I had 14 hours to get to it and made it with plenty of time to spare. Cynthia and Kris took turns pacing. Each using their own skill sets to help me.

 The heat of the day is blazing. Hot air is suffocating and the sun is baking me. Run, walk, power walk faster, run. It only takes a mile before my ice filled water bottles are like warm bath water in my hand. It's hard to drink it. The ice in bandanas tied around my next are nearly dry each time I reach the crew. I don't even sweat...well, I don't feel the sweat, it evaporates instantly. My feet are hot in my shoes. Up and up and up some more. The climb is relentless. But finally, we reach the point of descent. It's not a relief. What i just climbed in 17 miles, I have to descend in 9...straight into a hot, valley floor.

 I tried to power walk down, but it is too steep. Gravity pushes me into a slow run. I'm trying to save my quads, knowing I can't trash my legs this early. Each mile down, the temperature rises. Finally reaching the Panamint Valley, I feel the full force of Badwater. Nestled between two mountain ranges, the valley floor, with its punishing cross wind, full sun and stifling heat...to me, this is Badwater in all its glory.

 Walk, hydrate, walk, hydrate. Shuffle here and there. It takes forever to cross the valley. But a small oasis sits at the other end. Panamint Springs Resort. Now, it doesn't seem like much...almost like a tiny shanty town, run down from the elements. But to the runners, it is glorious! My crew orders food and buys more ice, while I attempt to clean off the salt and ick from the day. I can't eat. I want to. But I haven't been able to eat for hours. I need to eat, but I know that my stomach just won't hold on to anything more than a tiny bite or two. I lay down in the van and take a small nap, 10 maybe 15 mins. I know I have a long night coming.

 I pop up from my nap (amazing what a couple mins sleep will do!), grab my bottles and head up the second of my three big climbs. Father Crowly, similar to the previous climb as far as elevation but totally different in layout. Towne Pass was a straight forward climb, straight up and over. Father Crowly though, is undulating...short steep ascents with even shorter descents. Up and down, then up again.

 The full moon rising over my shoulder, Cynthia and Kris still taking turns sharing miles with me. By the time the sun has fully set and I am surrounded by darkness again, and those little monsters in my ear start to talk. You know them, self doubt, fear, and all their friends. I beg my crew to let me run alone for awhile. To clear my head and get back on track. The night has a way of messing with your mind during ultras, but this was the second night for me...so I was starting to come a little unglued.

 I spent the next miles running and walking. Watching for the marker I knew was hiding on the side of a cliff. A culvert. Just an old culvert running over the side of a rock wall. The 100 mile mark. It was hard to see in the dark but I finally caught a glint of it. There were no cheers. No fanfare. No inflatable arch. Just me and the moon. And the desert mice dancing around my feet. 100 miles through the desert. And still more to go.

 In the distance I can see the faint outline of a mountain range. I know that is where I am headed. But it is daunting...so far away.

 As the second night gave way to the sunrise, my emotions finally take over. I begin to cry as I shuffle towards Kris and Cynthia who are waiting with fresh drinks and rags. Immediately they surround me as I cry, proclaiming how impossible this is. For the first time, I doubt if I can make it. They'll have none of it, letting me cry, they keep me moving forward, wiping my tears and speaking encouragement. I shuffle on.

 Sleep. I am so sleepy. It consumes me. I close my eyes for seconds as I walk. My husband gets on the road, shuffling behind me. Pulling me back onto the road as I stumble. I beg for a nap. Finally, I am placed in the van...my eyes close instantly. But I hear my crew talking...heat exhaustion? Heat stroke? What do we do? Can she keep going? Hearing them, my mind reels...no way am I stopping! I'm not dead, so I'm not quitting. I pop up and tell my husband "I ain't done yet!!". Ready to jump out of the van and go before they can stop me....he touches my arm and tells me to nap; we will reassess. I let my eyes close and immediately fall asleep. 20 minutes pass and I wake with a start. Time to move!

 No more tears or doubt. I see Whitney in the distance and know that I have to get to the 122 mile check point soon, or else I can't climb. I move. Cynthia by my side, we run. I feel like I am sprinting.  We aren't. But it feels fast! We keep moving. Drink, run, walk, sip. Repeat. Repeat.

 We make a turn. The check point is just up the road. I know exactly where without thinking. And I have plenty of time now. I run. Hard. My legs turn over and my only thought is, don't trip.

 I get to the check in. Smiles and cheers all around! Only 13 miles left. 13 of the hardest miles. Straight up a mountain. Kris has fresh bottles for me, as we head to cross the road and turn up Whitney Portal Road. The sun is still cooking me as we begin the arduous climb. This will be the slowest half marathon of my life.

 Slowly the hot air begins to fade. I can see the road as it zig-zags up the mountain. I count the turns. As we climb out of the heat, the air gets thinner. Now instead of suffocating from the hot dry air, it's the thin air now stealing my breath. Hands on knees, climb. Take a second to catch my breath. Climb again. Two turns left. My crew brings me a clean shirt. I excitedly pull it over my head, the soft fabric feeling smooth against my hot skin. I wipe my face. Blood. A nose bleed. Wonderful! I tell Kris her job is to make sure I don't have blood on my face at the finish line. We laugh and talk and complain. Climbing more. One last turn. It doesn't feel real. I've made this climb many times before, with other runners. But this time...its my turn. I don't know what I'm feeling.

 As the road gets steeper, I see my husband in the distance. We hike faster. Cynthia joins him, as Ed Ettinghouse gives us an American flag to carry across the line. He tells me we don't have to run, but I hear none of it. We are running to that line! There is a finish line tape stretched across the road, surrounded by tall trees and a few people. Race staff, a couple runners and random hikers. Small cheers as we cross the line. I am flooded with emotion...but all that I can do is laugh and cry!!

 It is a strange feeling, completing something you have spent years planning. But here I stood, an official finisher of the notorious world's toughest footrace, the Badwater 135.  Photos and the presentation of my finisher buckle followed quickly. And then, suddenly...it was over! All of it. Done.

 I sit at home now, having done something I have dreamed of for years. And all I can think is....when can I do it again??

Coach Pete's Quick Tips

For the next few weeks, On Zap Endurance Head Coach Pete Rea will be providing a weekly “quick tip” for River City Races newsletter readers, beginning this week.

Coach Pete’s tips are simple and can be embraced by runners beginner and veteran alike. Enjoy. We at ZAP hope you can grab a nugget or two for your summer training.

Weekly Coaching Tip #6

SET GOALS (2 kinds)

At first glance “set goals” might seem to be the winner of the most trite suggestion from a running coach you’ve heard all week, but here’s the kicker …… many don’t.

 From beginning runners to even the most competitive age groupers, few take the time to sit down and target specific outcome goals based on previous performances, reviews of training as well as a path toward achieving those goals (however, that part is a separate coaching tip for a future week). We see this time and time again here at our summer running vacations as well. This year break that cycle and take the time to sit down with your coach/advisor/training partner or whoever you use as a sounding board for your running and lay out some goals for your coming training block, year and beyond. As with sales goals in the corporate world, all available research shows that those who set goals achieve more than whose who do not. Wait … we’re not done. Bear with me and read below for a type of goal equally as important and rarely discussed.

 In 2007 I attended the “Podium Education” lecture series sponsored by USATF and the IAAF in Las Vegas. One of the keynote speakers was the late Dr Keith Henschen, renowned sport psychologist and the man widely known as the “architect of increased shooting %” for many NBA teams. I decided to attend. Verbatim from my notes … from Dr Henschen “everyone wants to perform better, run faster, place higher, set records but what are you doing today to make those outcomes more likely ? Are you sleeping 9 hours nightly? Are you eating quality proteins and whole grains and staying hydrated with specific amounts of fluid and electrolytes ? Are you acquiring massage work weekly ? Executing your weight room routines ? These check list items folks are goals as well. They are not outcome but process goals. These types of goals are 100% achievable goals, and when you check the boxes of process goals, the outcome goals become more likely.”

Don’t just set outcome goals in 2022. Set process goals as well you can - literally - write down and box check each and every week. By doing so you will make your outcome goals more likely to occur.

Weekly Coaching Tip #5 

Bounce Your Training Off Someone

In 30 years of coaching I’ve seen very few athletes, even veterans on the professional level, successfully coach / advise themselves. And while I believe athletes should indeed have a greater degree of autonomy & input into their training (veteran athletes know what they respond well to and what types of sessions they are passionate about) as time passes, it is the rare individual who can be objective about their own daily, weekly and annual blocks of training, regardless of age or ability. In fact the greatest mistake we see as a coaching staff at ZAP is the simplest of all mistakes: pushing too hard on a day to day basis with no one to advise otherwise. Does this mean everyone needs a professional coach? Certainly not.

For most distance runners simply having someone knowledgeable about the sport with whom you can bounce ideas off of will go a long way. What questions might a club leader or someone who has been around the sport with experience answer ? …….

Is a 20 mile run 2 weeks into marathon prep too early ?

Is the calf sorenesss I’m feeling normal or should I back off ?

How many times should I race leading into my goal race?

How much slower will be sessions be amidst hot humid summer conditions as opposed to cool dry days ?

Am I better off with intervals or hills this week ?

These and hundreds of other questions are ones the coaching staff here at ZAP field each year. As athletes you are correct to be curious and ask them; however, with only a handful of exceptions - even amongst the very best - few do a great job of answering those questions about themselves.

Coaching Tip of the Week #4

Expand Your Week !

Most of us exist in a 7 day week. Work commonly begins on Mondays, ceases on Fridays and the weekend is our transition. It is our set calendar and one many of us live by religiously. Runners too commonly live in the pre set 7 day week - - Sundays are long run days, Tuesdays are tempo day and Fri / Sat is the window for intervals or a race. The following week becomes more of the same and so goes the typical cycle.

More and more, however, particularly on the collegiate and post collegiate scene, competitive distance runners are setting up training blocks of 9 - 12 days rather than 7. Put simply this is a schedule with the same outline of a. something longer b. Something shorter and quicker and c. Something steady and sustained aka tempo ……….however, unlike the traditional 7 day training window it allows for an extra 1-2 days between longer or quicker days.

The late Ron Clarke of Australia (owner of 17 World Record runs) was one of the first athletes to openly work with a 10 day week. He told “Inside Sport” Magazine in 1994 “Most driven athletes like me don’t recover readily enough between the days they are really hitting it,” said Clarke. “By expanding my week to 10 days with a day extra between the tough stuff I stayed healthier and was more effective on those quicker harder days.”

Scheduling can be a bit of a challenge in setting up a 10 day week. Could you do a long run on a Wednesday morning if it fell mid week ? What about a Sunday interval session? For a while an expanded week might feel unusual for those set in their system, but over time rest assured you will feel better, recovery more quickly and have more effective harder sessions.

Week #3 Quick Tip - Slow Down Your Recovery Days

It is indeed a paradox (and one difficult for many even in the “endurance athletics” world to grasp) that working less intensely on recovery days will, more often than not, yield higher performance peaks and greater long term consistency. But believe us here at ZAP when we say this one minor shift will affect you positively and allow your days of intensity to be more effective.

It is unequivocally the single most “fixable” tweak we see here at ZAP with our summer adult running campers from around the world: commonly we have runners who have recovery day paces a mere 25-35 seconds per kilometer slower than their 5k race pace (aka too fast).

The late great British Coach Harry Wilson was one of the first global coaches to specifically recommend recovery paces for athletes with whom he worked. His “formula” was to keep recovery running between 1:30 - 2:00 slower per kilometer than your current 5k fitness. For example a runner in 24:00 5k fitness (4:48 per k) would look to run relaxed easy recovery runs at approx 6:18 per k (31:30 5k pace) to 6:48 per k (34:00 5k pace). For many reading this you might be surprised to see paces this far removed from race pace.

Former world marathon record holder Derek Clayton (2:08.33) used an almost identical formula during his career always keeping what he called “down days running” at almost 1:45/2:00 per k slower than his tempo or interval days.

Every runner is an experiment of one, and while no one change will benefit everyone, dialing back your easy days is a small change worthy of your experimentation.

Train intelligently and with intention !

Week #2 Quick Tip - Wait a Day

Distance runners, by nature, tend to be type “A” individuals. If a harder session (long run, intervals, hills, fartlek, tempo etc) is set for a certain day, most runners - come hell or high water - like to stick to that planned schedule.

As all of you know, however, niggles happen. Be it a muscle strain or a small imbalance, much of success in our sport unfortunately is the management of small physical issues. When these issues occur, take our ZAP advice and be open to waiting a day (or even to eliminating that harder session entirely)!

Too often runners feel the need, regardless of their body’s signs, to stick to their “on paper” schedule even when things are slightly off, commonly resulting in a larger more significant injury. You will lose little to no fitness by skipping or moving a workout. You are far better off with the consistency associated with long term healthy running than risking injury by “managing” something small during a hard session.

When in doubt take our advice - WAIT A DAY !

Week #1 Quick Tip

Take the watch / Garmin off a couple of times each week and simply run on feel.

We live in a world where virtually everything in training is tracked. Be it heart rate, cadence count, pace per kilometer, daily steps, status of recovery, and numerous other metrics, runners today are flooded with daily computerized data.

On occasion, particularly recovery days, buck this “must know everything” trend and go back to childhood basics by simply heading out the door for your favorite run with ZERO feedback other than the sounds of your breathing, your footsteps and the nature around you. The “Mindful” part of your personality will thank you.

About On ZAP Endurance

A non-profit training center for post-collegiate, Olympic hopeful runners, and avid runners of all levels. We’re committed to developing the best distance runners in the United States, and providing that same level of expertise to runners of all ages and abilities.

ZAP Endurance Coaching is a running coach service for runners of all levels and all distances. Our passion is distance running, and sharing our knowledge to help people of all ages and abilities reach their goals is our mission. It doesn’t matter how long you have been running, everyone needs guidance in their daily running to maximize their potential, stay injury free and most importantly, keep it fun.​ The heart of our philosophy is based on an individualized approach to training and a 1-on-1 relationship between running coach and athlete. Click here to learn more about ZAP Endurance Coaching.

Running Vacations

Build a community that will take you to new distances. For those that would rather have their heels to the pavement than toes in the sand. Come join us in the mountains, and work towards your goals in idyllic setting surrounded by other amateur runners who love this sport as much as you do. Click here to learn more about ZAP Endurance Running Vacations.

Why Physical Therapy is Important

Why Physical Therapy Is Important

Coach Della Irby's Training Column - www.coachdellairby.com

Physical Therapy (PT) not only treats your specific injury, it will also help you strengthen the surrounding muscles. PT improves mobility and function in athletes who have injuries, illnesses, or medical conditions. Not everyone likes PT because it takes time, work, and costs money. However, one of the main reasons PT is so important is because it is an effective and less invasive treatment method. A licensed therapist knows the types of injury your favorite sport can cause and can created a recovery plan for you to get back as soon as possible.

Here are the top five reason why I feel PT is important and some of the benefits.

1.) Reduces or eliminates pain: PT exercises and manual therapy such as joint and soft tissue mobilization or treatments can help relieve pain and restore muscle and joint functions. Therapists use treatments such as ultrasound, taping, electrical stimulation, and massage along with many more.

2.) Helps to avoid surgery: PT can help restore joint mobility and function so surgery may not be needed.

3.) Helps to recover from surgery: If you still need surgery PT can help with both pre and post surgery rehab and get you back to your sport much quicker. An appropriate recovery program will be developed for you that will get you back on that starting line or enjoying your daily workout.

4.) Improves mobility: If you are recovering from a knee injury or hip injury PT can help strengthen and stretching your muscle and joints.

5.) Improves balance: When you begin PT you will get assessed and you may find that your balance is not as well as you thought (I fell into this category). PT can help you with exercises that will improve you lack of balance.

There are many more reasons PT can help you and assist you not only in recovery from sports injury but in cancer recovery, vascular conditions, heart recovery, stroke recovery, etc.

Find a therapist you feel comfortable with and be your own advocate during the sessions. PT is not a one size fits all, make sure the therapy you are getting is specific to you and your goals. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, take notes and photos. You can eventually take the knowledge and continue PT on your own.

About Coach Della Irby:

As a IRONMAN Certified Coach, USA Triathlon certified coach and US Cycling certified coach and along with over 25 years of endurance racing and coaching experience, Coach Della specializes in periodized training for endurance sports. Her training methodologies make it possible to develop a successful performance training commitment within the day-to-day framework of clients’ busy lives.

Coach Della works with athletes all over the United States. It doesn't matter if you live in Texas, KY or CA, Coach Della can help you attain your athletic goals.

"There are three things that I believe are essential to making progress in Triathlon; consistency, recovery and balance to your training.

Coach Della!