Having a running blog can be a lot of fun when things are going well. It’s great to be able to talk about running accomplishments and exciting workouts completed.

However, it can be a real drag when the injury bug hits and running becomes painful. This is why my blog postings have really fallen off and I apologize for that.

The good news is that things are, in fact, getting better. The side-lying adductor exercise has really helped to stabilize my pelvis and my runner’s knee issues are much improved. The balloon blowing routine also seems to have helped my upper trapezius, but it is still not 100% perfect.

In dealing with all of these aches and pains, my training has taken a turn for the worse over the last few weeks, but I’m still planning on running in the hood to coast and race in late August.

Preparing for Future Speed Workouts

The challenge for me right now is to be able to run a few speed workouts prior to the race. As many of you know, it is very difficult to race very well if you only do easy, steady state running.

In order to maximize potential it is so important to run at least a few V02Max and lactate threshold workouts. Of course the problem with these workouts is that they put a lot more stress on the body than easy running and increase the chance of injury.

In order to lessen the injury risk, I am going to try two things when performing speed workouts in the next few weeks.

No More Concrete

First, I’m not going to run intervals on concrete. Concrete is really one of the worst surfaces on which to run. Its inherent hardness increases the stress on the lower leg and feet muscles tendons and bones.

Unfortunately running on concrete is easier for me because I try to do a lot of my running at work during my lunch hour. There are no dirt trails or synthetic tracks near my work. In order to get to a track, I’m going to have to run interval workouts in the evening after work.

Certainly not ideal, as I like to get home as soon as possible and see my kids. I will have to figure out a way to run the workouts as efficiently as possible.

Strengthening Calves

My second focus is to make a conscious effort to increase the strength of my calves. Many runners make the mistake of jumping into speed workouts without sufficient calf strength.

The increased pace of intervals and fast tempo runs forces the calf to do much more work than it is usually asked to do during easy runs. This can lead to a pretty nasty shin splint and achilles’ tendon issues.

In order to increase my calf strength, I am going to take the advice of Coach Jeff Gaudette over at RunnersConnect. He has a great article on prepping the calf muscles for speed work and racing.

One exercise that looks especially appealing is the eccentric heel drop.

I will also use the achilles’ tendon strength program in the Runners Connect Strength Training Program. Hopefully this will lessen the chance of injury.

I really hope that I’m able to get together a few good weeks of interval and tempo run workouts prior to the end of August. It’ll make the Hood to Coast race more enjoyed. I will certainly keep you updated.

Postscript – February, 2015

The 30 Minute Runner experiment ended after this post and never restarted.  The reason? Injuries.

One of the primary concerns I had with running workouts on only 30 minutes per day of running was the chance for injury.  Without higher mileage and long runs, I was worried that my body would not be strong enough to handle speed workouts.

This concern was validated.

When I started doing to 10-20-30 workouts, I simply did not have enough strength in my hips, hamstrings, and calves to handle the increased intensity. This led to multiple injuries and frustration.

I still think that the 10-20-30 workout can be a good way to obtain some high intensity training during a busy schedule, but it is critical to put in some base work – including runs over 30 minutes in length – prior to commencing the workouts.

So, in the end, the 30 Minute Runner experiment ended up being a failure. Unless a runner is blessed with tremendous biomechanics, I don’t see how it is possible to train for a fast 5k race on 30 minutes per day – with sufficient speed training – without getting injured.

Take a look on my new series on using the Egoscue Method to prevent the kinds of injuries that I sustained during the 30 Minute Runner Experiment.

The post Preparing the Calves for Speed Workouts appeared first on The Runner's Resource.

So my choices are to give up and go back to not running anymore, or making a serious effort to overcome the injury hurdle and get back to running injury free. I’ve chosen the latter path and have enlisted the help of a physical therapist to get me on the right track.

Postural Restoration Institute

The exercises that have been prescribed for me appear to be based on concepts from the Postural Restoration Institute. From what I can tell, Postural Restoration Institute is a approach to treating muscle imbalances in the body through a comprehensive evaluation of movement patterns. One of the focuses of the Postural Restoration Institute school of thought is to use proper breathing as a way to achieve stronger core muscles.

As I mentioned in my prior post, the main exercise for the back pain is to use the 90/90 hip lift balloon exercise. The idea of blowing up a balloon to combat back pain sounds a little crazy, but I have to say that I’ve experienced some progress.

Of course, the “progress” could all be in my head – the placebo effect – but my upper back already feels stronger and I understand the concept of trying to strengthen more core from the inside out.

As for the knee, the physical therapist prescribed the side lying adductor pull back exercise.  I could try to explain this rather complicated exercise, but it’s probably best to watch this video:

The basic idea of the exercise is to activate the adductor and glute medius muscle to assist in the stability of the femur. According to the therapist, one of the reasons for my knee pain is that my femur is basically inward due to the fact that my adductor and glute medius are not firing.

The unstable femur puts a tremendous amount of strain on the inner knee – thus the nasty and nagging “runner’s knee” pain.

Still Hoping for Hood to Coast

I apologize to all of those who have followed the blog over the last few months. It’s been pretty depressing with all of these injuries.  But it’s all worth it if someone is helped by any of my posts.  The biggest thing for me is to keep running and not give up like in the past.

I still have a goal to run in the Hood to Coast relay race at the end of August and also hope to run a tune-up 5k in July. However, I really need to get my body to state that allows me to run some solid tempos and interval workouts.  It is so hard to run a fast race without speed work.

Hopefully the techniques from Postural Restoration Institute can save the day. We will see!

The post Postural Restoration Institute – Hope For My Running Injuries? appeared first on The Runner's Resource.

However, the pain is back with a vengeance, so I decided to take a trip to a physical therapist.

A Surprising Diagnosis

Prior to my appointment, I thought that the therapist would recommend the standard strengthening exercises that other therapists have suggested to me for upper back pain, such as doing overhead shrugs, and “push-ups plus” type routines.

However, instead of suggesting that I strengthen the muscles on the outside of my rib cage, she felt that I should focus on my internal core muscles that assist with my breathing.

She took a look at my breathing patterns and felt that my short, weak breathing was causing all sorts of problems with my upper back muscles. Instead of using the powerful diaphragm muscle to work my lungs, my upper neck and back muscles, such as the trapezius and scalenes were doing most of the work.

These muscles are not designed to be the primary muscles for breathing, so they were getting incredibly overworked.

The Balloon Method

In order to fix my faulty breathing pattern, the physical therapist prescribed an exercise known as the 90/90 Hip Lift with Balloon. This exercise involves lying on your back with your feet on the wall.  After creating a slight hip lift, you breath in and blow into the balloon.

After you have breathed out fully, paused with your tongue on the roof of your mouth.  Don’t let any air from the balloon come back into your mouth, and don’t pinch the balloon to keep air out of your mouth.  After four seconds, inhale and repeat.  This video does a much better job of actually showing how this exercise is done:

Does the Balloon Method Work?

The short answer for me: It is too soon to tell. I’ve only been doing the exercise for a few days. Although I think that my back feels a bit better, this may be the placebo effect. I think it will take weeks for me to know whether my faulty breathing is the reason for my upper trapezius pain.

As always, I’ll keep you updated.

The post Can Blowing Up a Balloon Decrease Back Pain? appeared first on The Runner's Resource.

I ignored the knee pain when it first started – the pain was barely noticeable. It was probably just some phantom soreness after a hard run.

I still wasn’t too concerned when I felt the pain again the next day during a run.  This time it was a bit more localized on my inner knee, but I really did not want to take a day off and disrupt my training.

About 20 minutes into the run on the third day, I realized that I had developed a legitimate case of runner’s knee. The pain was pretty intense. After the run, I had a tough time bending my knee without pain and heard the dreaded “cracking” sound when I tried bending the knee joint.

Since my first experience with runner’s knee about two months ago, I have been working hard to find a way to get over this injury hurdle and get back to pain-free running.

I happy to report that, although I’m not 100%, my knee is feeling much better.  I attribute my improvement to two things:

• Diligently completing the hip exercises from the RunnersConnect Strength Training program twice per day – especially the clam shell exercises and side-lying hip abduction exercises, and
• Speeding up my running cadence. I haven’t spoken about cadence yet on the blog, so let me give a brief explanation.

What is Cadence?

Cadence simply refers to how often a runner’s feet hit the ground.  For example, if your feet hit the ground 160 times in one minute, you have a running cadence of 160.

This number may not seem like a big deal, but a low cadence may signal that a runner is over striding and subjecting his or her lower body to increased and unnecessary impact forces.  Based on research by the famed running coach, Jack Daniels, the optimal running cadence is about 180.

In dealing with my knee pain, I discovered that I had a cadence of about 150. Although I don’t think my slow stride was the sole reason for my knee pain, the increased impact force on my lower leg from the low cadence certainly exacerbated my pain.

After discovering my low cadence, I immediately worked to increase my turnover rate and get up to the 180 number.  It was incredibly awkward at first – I was putting each foot down so fast that it felt like my shoelaces were tied together.  However, by my third and fourth run, my knee actually started to feel better.

How to Measure Cadence

The easiest way to measure cadence is to use a running watch such as the Garmin Forerunner 310xt (with a foot pod).  With a foot pod tied to your running shoes, Garmin and other running watches will give you a real time read on your specific cadence.

Although I have a Forerunner 310xt, I have not yet purchased a foot pod, so I am measuring my cadence the old fashioned way: counting my steps. Here’s how I do it:

1. Every mile or so, I glance at my watch and notice the specific time
2. For thirty seconds, I count each time my left foot hits the ground
3. I then double this number to account for my other foot (i.e. if my left foot hit the ground 45 times, my cadence for 30 seconds if 90).
4. Then double the number for both feet to get my cadence for a minute (i.e. 45 times for my left, doubled to 90 for both feet, doubled to 180 for one minute).

Again, the goal is to be at around 180 per minute.  If I am below this number, I make a conscious effort to pick my feet up faster.

That’s all there is to it.

Unfortunately, my effort to increase running cadence has not helped my trapezius pain, but I hope that a visit to a physical therapist this week will help.

The post Want to Reduce Injury Risk? Increase Your Running Cadence appeared first on The Runner's Resource.

I apologize for not posting in a while.  To be honest, I’ve been really frustrated this past week about an injury situation that is threatening to derail my goals for 30 Minute Runner 2.0.

Trapezius Pain as a Running Injury?

If you’ve been following my prior posts, you know that I had originally scraped my plans during my original 30 Minute Runner experiment after I experienced some serious runner’s knee pain.

Well, the knee pain is much better after following the exercise prescriptions in the Runner’s Connect Strength Training Program. However, an old injury foe has decided to make its presence known in my training: trapezius pain caused (I think) my lack of scapular stability.

I have had trapezius pain off and on for about three years. It is certainly an odd injury for a runner to have…I am mean how much do runners really use their upper backs?

Nevertheless, about 20-30 minutes into my run, I get a stabbing pain in my upper trapezius that makes running super painful.

A Threat to the 30 Minute Runner 2.0 Experiment

I originally thought that I beat this injury a year ago my working on strengthening the trapezius muscle, but the pain is back.  Due to the pain, I wasn’t able to run my scheduled fartlek workout in the Run Faster program last week and had a super painful long run on Sunday.

Over the years I have invested a lot of thought into why my trapezius sometimes hurts so much during running.  I think the main culprit is my terrible posture when I’m working at my desk at work.

Whatever the cause, the injury really sucks.  One real downer is that many runners have experienced common running injuries such as runner’s knee, achilles tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis, but don’t have any problems with their upper backs.

Therefore, it is really hard to get good solid advice on the best way to treat this injury. I have an appointment scheduled with a physical therapist next week and am crossing my fingers that she will be able to help me continue with the 30 Minute Runner 2.0 experiment.

Stay tuned!

Photo courtesy of Galex

The post Trapezius Pain: A New Threat to My Running Goals appeared first on The Runner's Resource.

The 30 Minute Runner 2.0 experiment has entered into a new phase. After three weeks of base training with easy mileage, I’m now ready to start added some variety to my workouts – including the progression run.

I’m still in the “introductory” running period of the Run Faster program, so these first few workouts are not meant to be overly difficult of long – however, they are important in building a foundation for more challenging workouts in the future.

The Progression Run

I ran my very first workout yesterday in the Run Faster program – a 6 mile progression run. A progression run is simply a steady run that ends with a fast pace.  For example, my workout today was a 6 mile run with the last ten minutes at a moderate pace.  The ten minutes were also run uphill to maximize strength training.

One of the cool things about the Run Faster program is that it often combines the traditional Sunday long run with these progression runs. It is a fantastic way to take advantage of the benefits of the long run while also including a mini tempo run at the end.

Combining two workouts into run is a huge help for my very busy schedule.

It is important to keep in mind, however, that concluding a long run at a faster pace is really tough.  I had averaged about 8:20 minute mile pace for the first 5 miles of the run and I ended up dropping the last ten minutes to about 7:40 pace.

Due to the fact that I ran the last ten minutes uphill, I was really feeling it in my legs and lungs.  However, it was also a lot of fun to switch pace and get my legs cranking.

It is difficult to know if I ran the ten minutes at the correct pace.  In his book, Coach Hudson does not provide specific time goals for progression runs.  Rather, he leaves it up to the runner to determine what pace feels “moderate” or “hard.”

In order to run well during the “progression” phase of the run, I definitely recommend taking the first part of the run easy.

So without further ado, here is my current training for 30 Minute Runner 2.0 as recorded by the Garmin 310XT.  I realize that many of these runs exceed 30 minutes, but I had the time to go a bit further on some of the days and took advantage of it. Not every week will be the same.  Stay tuned for a recap of the first fartlek workout later this week!

The post Getting Faster With Progression Runs – 30 Minute Runner 2.0 appeared first on The Runner's Resource.

Dead legs. Trouble breathing. Aches and pains.

Some runs are just tougher than others.

I had a really tough run yesterday.  It was frustrating because I wasn’t doing anything special – just a standard 5 mile run at an easy pace.  However, by mile 3 I felt terrible and, at the end of the run, I felt like I finished a tempo run.

Why are some runs tougher than others?

One obvious reason for a bad run is if you are attempting to run after a hard workout or race. The pounding that your body took during the race or workout could certainly affect how you feel the next day.

But this does not apply to me – I’m still in the “introductory” phase of the Run Faster program. My focus right now is just to build mileage through steady easy running.

So what could have caused me to feel like garbage on the run? I think the culprit could have been one, or a combination, of three things: (1) weather, (2) low blood sugar, and/or (3) allergies

Weather

Weather has a huge impact on training. Cold and wet weather can make running miserable and hot weather can make running very difficult – if not dangerous.

In fact, according to Runnersworld, every 10-degree increase above 55 degrees will add an extra 3 to 6 minutes for a 3:30 marathon. So if you can run a 3:30 marathon in 55 degree weather, you may only be able to muster a 3:36-3:42 marathon in 75 degree weather. That’s a significant drop.

When running in hot weather, it is absolutely critical to hydrate properly. Before a run, runners should aim to drink at least 6 to 8 ounces of fluids.

It was certainly hot on my run yesterday – about 10 to 15 degrees hotter than it has been these past few weeks – so weather certainly could have contributed to my bad run.  However, I do think that I drank plenty of fluids before the run.

Blood Sugar

One often overlooked cause for bad runs is low blood sugar.  This problem is especially prevalent in early morning runs when a runner has not had the chance to eat anything substantial beforehand.

Low blood sugar,  also known as hypoglycemia, can cause symptoms such as dizziness, sweating, and anxiety. A runner who does not fuel himself or herself before a run risks hitting the “wall” caused by low blood sugar.

When deciding the best foods to eat before a run, it is important to focus on complex carbohydrates and lean protein. Examples include bagels and peanut butter, toast and eggs, and bananas and granola.

As for my specific run yesterday, I don’t think that low blood sugar played a role in my performance.  I had eaten an apple and some cereal about three hours before the run, so my guess is that I was properly fueled.

Allergies

Another often overlooked cause of a bad run is the effect that allergies have on a runner’s respiratory system. Allergies can cause all kinds of problems for runners including sneezing, congestion, and asthma flare-ups.

Allergies can be difficult to detect and treat and your own and it may be a good idea to see a specialist if allergies are really affecting your running. Weather.com is a great resource to determine the allergy counts in your area so you can plan your runs accordingly.

I know that I have allergies and am especially affected by certain weeds and pollen. Low and behold, according to the Weather.com site, the allergy count for certain weeds is currently extremely high in my area.

So I think I have found two possible reasons for my bad run – hotter than usual weather and allergies. Both are difficult to fix because they are completely out of my control.  But having the knowledge of why my run may have been difficult at least stops me from getting down on myself and my training.

The post 3 Reasons Why Some Runs Are Tougher Than Others – 30 Minute Runner appeared first on The Runner's Resource.

My experience of the “introductory period” of Coach Hudson’s Run Faster training plan continues. Currently, my running has only included easy runs to build mileage, a few (short) long runs, and a few sessions of hill sprints to build strength and help prevent injury.

While my training has been fairly routine during these first few weeks, a sneak peak at my upcoming training during the introductory period is very interesting. For example, next week I will run my first “progression run,” and the week after I will run my first fartlek workout.

I am surprised to see that the “base building” phase of the Run Fast plan includes these workouts at such an early stage.

Progression Runs

A progression run is simply a regular easy run that includes a section of increased pace at the end of the run.  The Run Faster program often combines progression runs with long runs – a runner goes on a usual long run, but accelerates to a faster pace for the final 20-30 minutes of the run.

Progression runs are a great way to help build a runner’s aerobic endurance without taxing the body too much.  This makes it a perfect workout to include in the introductory period of a training plan as it provides a bridge between easy base building runs and faster “threshold” workouts.

Fartlek Workouts

I’ve written about fartlek workouts extensively on The Runner’s Resource, but the way that the Run Faster program describes the fartlek was new to me.

As a brief refresher, “fartlek” is Swedish for “speed play” and refers to a workout in which a runner alternates fast a slow running. Generally a fartlek is an unstructured workout that is done on roads or trails.

I have always assumed that this workout should only be used after a runner has developed a solid training base. However, Coach Hudson uses fartleks throughout the entire course of the plan as a “specific endurance” workout.

According to Coach Hudson, fartleks are a great way to get the body accustomed to running at the specific pace of the “goal race” of a training plan – the “hard” portions of a fartlek are run at this specific pace or faster.

For example, if your goal is to run a 20 minute 5k, your goal race pace is 6:26 per mile.  Therefore, the “hard” portions of a fartlek should be run at 6:26 mile pace or faster.

Early in a training plan, the hard sessions of a fartlek are very short in duration (only about 30-45 seconds).  Again, the whole idea is to gently introduce the body to the goal race pace.

As the plan progresses, the hard sessions of the fartlek become longer (i.e. 50 seconds, 400 meters, 800 meters, 1k, etc). By gradually building your body’s tolerance for running at the goal pace, you will give yourself a great chance to achieve your goal time.

I’m excited to get into these early base building workouts and see how they impact my training and racing down the road.  It is a lot of fun to challenge my preconceived notions of what the “base building” portion of a training plan means.

The post Building A Training Base: What Workouts Should I Run? appeared first on The Runner's Resource.

The more things change the more they stay the same. Although I’m shifting to a different training plan, my running last week wasn’t all that different to my old plan – minus the 10-20-30 workouts.

Training in the “Introductory Period”

As I mentioned in my post explaining the 30 Minute Runner 2.0 plan, I am following the excellent advice in the book Run Faster by Brad Hudson and Matt Fitzgerald.  As explained in the book, quality training plans should always include  3-5 week “introductory period” of training.

During this period, the focus is on building mileage volume and strengthening the body for future speed and threshold workouts. Therefore, I ran an average of 30-35 minutes five days last week. On Monday and Thursday, I included one set of hill sprints.

The whole idea of using hill sprints as a method of injury training is still pretty foreign to me.  However, I’m going to commit to them and see if it improves my bad track record when it comes to running injuries.

On Sunday, I ran a five mile long run – long runs are something that were missing from my original plan. I think they are a key component of building aerobic endurance, strength, and reducing the chance of injury.

Status of My Runner’s Knee Injury

Speaking of injuries, I’m still working on fixing my runner’s knee.  My knee feels much better than it did a few weeks ago. The RunnersConnect strength training routines are fantastic and are helping to strengthen my weak hips, glutes, and quads.

Of course the real challenge is to commit to the strength program.  This can be really tough – especially with a busy schedule – but I am trying to include at least a few of the exercises in the RunnersConnect program after every run.

Another thing that is helping my knee is self-massage on my quad muscles.  After poking around a little, I discovered that my outer quad on my affected leg is super tight. I think the tight quad is slightly pulling my knee cap off its track, which causes pain on the inner portion of my knee.

I’ve been using a foam roller to loosen it up a bit – using the roller hurts a bit, but I think it’s working.

More Introductory Training – And Hood to Coast?

During the next few weeks, I am going to continue to build as much mileage as possible with my busy schedule and continue focusing on hill sprints at the end of some of my runs.

My hope that smart “introductory” training will provide me with a solid foundation for the speed workouts and threshold runs that will come later in the plan.

By now, you might be saying, “This all sounds great, Casey, but what are you training for?” Good question.

A few of the teammates on my old college team are pushing me to run on their Hood to Coast team in August.  If you don’t know, the 200 mile Hood to Coast race is one of the largest relay races in the world.  The course winds from Mount Hood in Oregon to the Oregon Coast.

If I run, I will be expected to run at least three legs of the relay, with distances that vary from 3 miles to 7 miles. I obviously have a ton of work to do to get into shape, but I think I will try it.  It will certainly provide me with plenty of motivation.

The first week of 30 Minute Runner 2.0 is in the books. Onward!

The post Building the Base for Hood to Coast – 30 Minute Runner 2.0 appeared first on The Runner's Resource.

Welcome to 30 Minute Runner 2.0. 

As chronicled in the last few posts of the series, 30 Minute Runner 1.0 was a pretty big failure.  My original goal was to see how fast I could run a 5k with only 30 minutes of running per day.  My plan was to do easy 30 minute runs 3-4 times per week and run the 10-20-30 workout 1-2 times per week.

The hope was that the 30 minute easy runs would build my aerobic capacity, while the 10-20-30 workouts would help improve my VO2Max.  I thought it was the most efficient way to improve my running.

Well, it may have been efficient, but it was horribly misguided.  I ended up with knee tendonitis after running the intense 10-20-30 workouts when my body was not ready for them.

The Plan for 30 Minute Runner 2.0

Instead of jumping into intense workouts without a proper base, 30 Minute Runner 2.0 will be based on tried and true training principles. I will still plan to stick to 30 minutes per day of running – except for some long runs and speed workouts – but the plan will be very different.

My go-to guide for designing my plan is Run Faster From The 5k to The Marathon by Brad Hudson and Matt Fitzgerald. As I mentioned in my prior post, this is an outstanding book that simplifies complex training principles.

The foundation for the book is the idea of three training periods of training: Introductory, Fundamental, and Sharpening.

• Introductory: 3-4 week period in which a runner gradually increases mileage through daily easy runs and one long run per week to build an aerobic base.  This period  may include some light threshold training (sustained runs at close to race pace). Any speed workouts during this period are shorter in duration (i.e. 4 X 30 second fartlek workout). This period also includes a 8-second hill sprints in order to increase hip and lower leg strength to prevent injury.
• Fundamental: 5-7 week period in which a runner’s training because more specific for his or her race.  There is a focus on more race pace workouts for a longer periods of time (i.e. 7 X 600m at 5k race pace).  Hill training is included in this period, but they are “repetitions,” not “sprints.”  The hill repetitions are a good way to combine strength training with speed work.  Threshold runs are longer and more sustained.
• Sharpening: 4-6 week period which is designed to peak a runner for his or her goal race.  The workouts are designed to simulate your specific goal race as close as possible (i.e. 5 X 1000m at 5k goal pace with one minute rest).  All workouts are tailored for the exact race – you don’t run 400 meter repeats if you are training for a marathon.

By focusing on three different periods with different types of workouts, I stand a much better chance of maximizing the development of all of my body’s running systems.  This is much more comprehensive than just running 10-20-30 workouts every week.

How to Fit All This Into 30 Minutes Per Day

As you can tell, my new plan is more complicated than running easy 30 minutes per day with a few 10-20-30 workouts thrown in now and then.  The 30 Minute Runner 2.0 plan is a bit different and includes the following weekly pattern: (1) 3-4 days of 30 minute runs, (2) 1 long run, (3) 1-2 workouts (i.e. threshold runs, speed workouts, etc.).

This is going to take more effort than the original plan, but is also a much better way to train and will hopefully will be much more fulfilling.

With that said, I will have to break the “30 Minute” Runner rule at least 2-3 days per week:

• Long Runs: The original 30 Minute Runner plan included no long runs.  In order to maximize my training, I am going to make a real effort to introduce long runs into my training.  Long runs are really important in developing endurance and aerobic conditioning. Although my busy schedule leaves me no time for long runs during the week, I am going to try to run long on either Saturday or Sunday.
• Speed Workouts: Depending on the workout, I may have to run longer than 30 minutes.  Due to my busy schedule, this is going to be tough.  One option is to combine the long run day with a threshold workout (i.e. run the last 20 minutes of the long run at threshold pace). We’ll have to see if I can make it work.

However, before launching into 30 Minute Runner 2.0, I am focused on getting my hips and lower body muscles stronger to treat and prevent knee pain. I’m diligently following the RunnersConnect strength training program, including the Bia hip routine, and strength program for runner’s knee. I’ve been super happy with the exercises and already feel stronger and more stable in my lower body.

Follow My Progress

I have appreciated all of the support I’ve gotten from runners who are interested in a training plan that can work for busy people.

I’m sorry that my first attempt was unsuccessful, but I hope you understand that I’m not holding anything back – this blog contains my real experiences in trying to run fast with a family and full time job.

Please contact me with any helpful tips and advice. It is always great to hear from readers.

Let’s see if this works!

The post Welcome to 30 Minute Runner 2.0. Let’s Do This – 30 Minute Runner appeared first on The Runner's Resource.