ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GET OFF THE COUCH.

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1 THE MASTER PLAN It's a lot easier than you think to pick up a new sport or to finally improve after years of static performance. We ve talked to the pros in RUNNING, CYCLING, TRIATHLON, and SNOW SPORTS, and shared their secrets to getting started and getting faster. > ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GET THE COUCH.

2 bodywork >fitness, health & nutrition T H E Z O N E INSIDE: ALBERTO SALAZAR // THE HALF-MARATHON PLAN // INJURY PREVENTION // RACE-READY GEAR Master Plan PART 1: RUNNING The Fast & the Fit Put that weekly jog to rest and take your training to a new level with our guide to technique, gear, and recovery BY JUSTIN NYBERG > Remember Bob Kennedy, the last American-born middledistance medal contender? We forgive you. After all, U.S. running has suffered through two decades that we d kindly call subpar. But all of a sudden the sport is back. Running-shoe sales have jumped 35 percent since 2001, and the phrases American distance runner and Olympic medal contender are no longer mutually exclusive. Just ask Ryan Hall (left), who recently ran the fastest marathon in U.S. Olympictrial history. The world is taking notice, says Hall. As should you. For a start, try on a half-marathon training program tailor-made for you by Hall s coach (see page 53). photograph by Gregg Segal

3 bodywork >master plan: running 6. STRENGTHEN YOUR WHOLE BODY Good runners condition their whole bodies. The arms drive the legs. Keep your upper body and core toned with a lot of push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and back raises (don t forget that the back is part of the core). Stay away from machine weights and stick to Pilates, climbing, and dynamic flexibility work like yoga. 7. WEAR THE RIGHT SHOES The second-most-common cause of injuries, next to running too much on hard surfaces, is foot pronation and shoe instability. The more you run, the more support your foot needs. The Ten Golden Rules of Running ALBERTO SALAZAR knows a thing or two about his sport. A former world-record holder in the marathon, and three-time winner of the New York City event, Salazar was the face of American distance running s last golden age, which peaked during the Reagan administration. Salazar also learned his lessons the hard way: The famously competitive runner s body broke down at age 27, as a result of years of superhuman, 150-mile training weeks; last summer, he survived a near-fatal heart attack. Now fully recovered, the 49-year-old coach of Nike s Oregon Project is pairing cuttingedge technology with meticulous workouts to shape the most promising crop of American running hopefuls in a generation. This is a man who has almost given his life to the sport on multiple occasions he was once read his last rites after crossing a finish line with a 108-degree fever and he s lived to share a few pieces of essential wisdom. 1. BE CONSISTENT Find a training plan that you can stick to long-term. If you can run four days a week, every week, you are going to get 90 percent of the benefits of training seven days a week. 2. TAKE RECOVERY DAYS SERIOUSLY The day after a tough workout, the most you want to do is jog lightly or do some form of cross-training, like cycling. You need a recovery day after a hard day. No exceptions. 3. INCREASE MILEAGE GRADUALLY Do not increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 percent every month. No SALAZAR matter how good you feel, be very gradual. You won t know until it s too late that you re overdoing it. 4. STAY ON THE TRAIL Pavement damages joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. The more you can run on grass, wood chips, or dirt, the better off you are. My athletes run 90 percent of their workouts on soft surfaces. 5. RUN FASTER It s hard to race faster than you train. However fast you want to run a race, you ve got to do some shorter intervals what we call speed work at least that fast. 8. PERFECT YOUR FORM Every motion your body makes should propel you directly forward. If your arms are crossing or you are overstriding, you re losing force. Your posture should be straight, and your striding foot should land directly underneath you. 9. TACKLE DOUBT HEAD-ON At some point you re going to push yourself harder, you re going to enter into a gray area that can be painful, and you re going to doubt yourself. Push through it. Never think you are mentally weak. 10. EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY If you don t have enough knowledge behind what you re doing, you re not going to run well or you re going to injure yourself. With the Internet, GPS phones, advanced heart-rate monitors, and even your ipod, you now can be coached individually, even while you run. I have an antigravity treadmill in my garage. Use the knowledge and tools that are out there. Express Train with Chris Carmichael Q: WHAT SHOULD I BE EATING BEFORE I RUN? A: If your last meal hasn t traveled far enough through your system, you re going to feel it. Heavy proteins like meats and cheese digest slowly, so stick to light foods like whole-grain breads and fruit. My top running coach eats a peanut-butterand-banana sandwich 45 minutes before heading out the door. BRENT HUMPHREYS/REDUX OUTSIDE RUNNING WISDOM //Shoes: They re for running only, not trips to the market. Retire them after three months or 400 miles. //Overtraining: If you train so hard you need six liters of water by IV (see Salazar, Alberto; 1982 Boston Marathon), you re begging for an injury. //Night training: Run facing traffic. Wear reflectives, like Scotchlite.

4 1 Stay on Your Feet Running injuries happen, but they don t need to be inevitable. Dr. Stephen M. Pribut, former president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, tells you how to beat runners pains. 1. Runner s Knee Self-Diagnosis: Sharp pain underneath your kneecap. Cause: A weak inner-thigh muscle makes the kneecap grind on cartilage. Treatment: Gentle hamstring and calf stretches. 3. Shinsplints Self-Diagnosis: Sharp pain near the shinbone. Cause: Overstriding while running down long hills. Treatment: Stretch your calf muscles, shorten your stride, and avoid downhills Achilles Tendinitis Self-Diagnosis: Tightness in the Achilles tendon. Cause: Speed work or shoes with too much cushioning. Treatment: Buy a firm shoe and a quarter-inch heel lift to insert under the insole. Stop stretching for two weeks. 4. Plantar Fasciitis Self-Diagnosis: Pain in the heel when you first stand up. Cause: Overpronation and floppy shoes. Treatment: Reduce mileage by 50 percent and switch to a firm shoe with a midsole that doesn t bend. 4 2 DIY Foot Diagnosis Shoes are the only pieces of gear runners are allowed to obsess about. It s essential to get fitted at a specialty running store, where the staff can analyze your gait to make sure you re getting enough support for your foot strike. (Find a store close to you at runningnetwork.com.) But have a plan going in. Start by getting your feet wet and stepping on some pavement. Using your footprint and this guide, you can figure out what type of shoe you probably need Express Train Q: DO I REALLY NEED DIFFERENT SHOES FOR RUNNING ON TRAILS? A: Casual runners who train on suburban gravel trails should find a road shoe with solid support. If you re running on loose, rocky terrain, you want a bulkier, waterproof trail shoe with a rubber toe cap for protection against sharp objects and mud. But keep in mind that, while road shoes can handle light trail use, trail shoes are clumsy on the road. 1. Motion-Control Shoe You have flat arches and probably pronate heavily (roll your foot inward) when you stride. You need a shoe with severe pronation control, like BROOKS s BEAST ($120), which has a wide base and hard foam on the medial midsole (inner heel) to keep your foot from rolling inward. 2. Stability Shoe You have a normal arch. You probably pronate slightly (roll your foot inward when you stride). You should look for a shoe with light or moderate pronation control, like ASICS s GT-2130 ($95), which uses a block of higher-density foam to stabilize your inner heel. 3. Neutral/Cushioning Shoe You have high arches. You probably don t roll your foot when you run. If anything, you underpronate (roll outward). You should look for a soft, shock-absorbing shoe, like SAUCONY s PROGRID TRIUMPH 5 ($120), which has foam of the same density on all sides of your heel. OUTSIDE RUNNING WISDOM Long runs: Fanny packs are for dog walkers. Carry a hand bottle and a gel. // Downhills: Your ego feels fast; your joints pay the price. Slow down. // Road shoulders: If you can t avoid sloped roads, return on the same side of the street that you ran out on. // Hydration: If you drink like normal, you re not drinking enough. // Cash: Bring it in case something goes snap. illlustrations by Jameson Simpson

5 Twelve Weeks to Glory Any ex-jock with two weeks to burn can run a decent 5K. Want a real running goal? Race a blistering-fast half marathon with this 12-week training plan from TERRENCE MAHON, who coaches American half-marathon record holder Ryan Hall. OUTSIDE ONLINE Pick one of 30 target races coming up this spring at outsideonline.com/halfmarathons and start rehearsing your victory speech WEEK MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY x 3-min intervals with 90- sec easy jogs in between, 15-min 6 x 4-min intervals with 2-min easy jogs in between, 15-min 5 x 5-min intervals with 2:30 easy jogs in between, 15-min 4 x 6-min. intervals with 3-min easy jogs in between, 15-min 3 x 8-min intervals with 4-min easy jogs in between, 15-min 2 x 10-min intervals and 1 x 5- min interval, with 4-min jogs in between, 15-min 3 x 8-min intervals with 3-min easy jogs in between, 15-min 4 x 6-min intervals with 2-min easy jogs in between, 15-min 5 x 5-min intervals with 1:45 easy jogs in between, 15-min 6 x 4-min intervals with 90-sec easy jogs in between, 15-min 7 x 3-min intervals with 90-sec easy jogs in between, 15-min 8 x 2-min intervals with 2-min easy jogs in between, 15-min 30-min min warm-up, 20-min Hills: run, finish with 6 x 30-sec uphill sprints (mile pace effort), easy jog down for recovery min warm-up, 25-min Hills: run, finish with 6 x 45-sec uphill sprints (mile pace effort), easy jog down for recovery min warm-up, 25-min Hills: 30-min run, finish with 6 x 60-sec uphill sprints (mile pace effort), easy jog down for recovery min warm-up, 30-min Hills: run, finish with 6 x 45-sec uphill sprints (mile pace effort), easy jog down for recovery min. warm-up, 30-min Hills: run, finish with 6 x 30-sec uphill sprints (mile pace effort), easy jog down for recovery min warm-up, 20-min 25-min run, finish with 6 x 20- sec strides (mile pace) with 1-min rests in between run, finish with 6 x with 1-min rests in between 6 miles easy, 4 miles at goal race pace, 2 miles easy run, finish with 6 x 6 miles easy, 5 miles at goal race pace, 2 miles easy run, finish with 6 x 6 miles easy, 6 miles at goal race pace, 2 miles easy run, finish with 6 x 6 miles easy, 7 miles at goal race pace, 1-2 miles easy run, finish with 6 x 6 miles easy, 6 miles at goal race pace, 1-2 miles easy run, finish with 6 x min Long run (75 min total): 50-min run, 8 x 1-min at 5K pace with 1-min jogs in between, 10-min cooldown Long run (80 min total): 55-min run, 8 x 1-min at 5K pace with 1-min easy jogs in between, 10-min cooldown Long run (85-90 min total): min run, 10 x 1-min at 5K pace with 1-min easy jogs in between, 10-min cooldown Long run (90-95 min total): min run, 10 x 1-min at 5K pace with 1-min easy jogs in between, 10-min cooldown Long run ( min total): min run, 10 x 1-min at 5K pace with 1-min easy jogs in between, 10-min cooldown min min easy long run Race day PACE KEY Mile paces are for a target 90-minute half-marathon time. Warm-up and Run at 65-70% max heart rate. Mile pace: 8:40-9:20 Easy runs and long runs Run at 70-79% max heart rate. Mile pace: 7:40-8:40 Half-marathon simulations Run at 80-85% max heart rate. Mile pace: 6:50-7:10 Progression runs Run at 85-90% max heart rate. Mile pace: 6:40-6:55 Intervals Run at 88-93% max heart rate. Mile pace: 6:25-6:40 Strides and hills Mile pace: 6:00-6:10 Crucial Workouts How to Run Intervals Consult the chart at left for your starting speed and make each interval slightly faster than the last. Jog for 90 seconds between intervals. Focus on having your feet land under you and let your hands drop below your waist: A relaxed upper body saves energy. Quit when you have one fast interval left in you. How to Run Hill Repeats For short sprints (under a minute), choose a steep grade. Keep your eyes fixed 40 yards uphill. If your head drops, your stride length will suffer. You ll need more recovery time after each hill, so let your heart rate drop below 70% of your max before starting the next hill. Finish with ten minutes of easy jogging. 40yards ahead OUTSIDE RUNNING WISDOM Cotton: Soft is for your sheets, not your socks. Go synthetic. // Warming up: Jog lightly before doing speed or hills. // Cooling down: Always. // Short shorts: Mobility is good, but don t go John Stockton unless you want to invite hecklers. // Hecklers: They get fatter with every pump of the gas pedal. Ignore. // ipods: USA Track & Field outlawed them because they give you a competitive edge. So use them. illlustrations by Jameson Simpson

6 [THE LAB RAT] Tread Lightly With the help of a gravity-busting treadmill, the Lab Rat endangers a world record BY NICK HEIL I M ON PACE to run a three-minute mile, which will obliterate Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj s world record of 3:43. And I m barely sweating. How is this possible for an every-other-sunday jogger who is usually psyched to run a nine-minute mile? I m harnessed into the new G-Trainer, a high-tech treadmill that s suspending me on a cushion of air, allowing me to run harder and with less effort. Eat my waffle soles, Guerrouj! The G-Trainer was developed by Alter-G, a company that s been working with elite coach Alberto Salazar. Spun off a NASA design that was created to help astronauts combat muscle atrophy, the G-Trainer works in the opposite manner: It lightens your load instead of adding weight. The result is that the shock of each stride is drastically reduced. The decreased impact is a boon for runners who batter themselves, and it supposedly cuts injured athletes rehab times by as much as half. Running without gravity doesn t sacrifice your cardio workout, either: Jog four miles at 75 percent of your body weight and you get about the same workout as you would over three fully loaded miles, with a lower chance of injury. The G-Trainer is one of those remarkably simple contraptions that makes you wonder why no one thought of it sooner. You pull on a pair of neoprene shorts embellished with a flange of fabric and zip into an inflatable bag that buoys you above the whirring Express Train Q: IS A HEART-RATE MONITOR STILL THE BEST TRAINING TOOL? A: Heart-rate monitors that incorporate GPS are the new frontier in running tech. With GPS, you can prevent yourself from getting lazy on hills and you can know exactly when you ve finished, say, two consecutive six-minute miles without lagging. GPS eliminates the guesswork. treadmill. A bank of controls allows you to offset up to 80 percent of your body weight. Running on it was a bizarre sensation at first, like I imagine jogging on the moon must feel like. But soon, striding along at half my weight, I was cruising at world-record pace (did I mention that yet?) and awaiting the day I could set one up in my personal gym. That might take a little while. At $75,000 a pop for this first-generation model, the G-Trainer is not cheap. There are just 40 units currently in use nationwide (mostly in exclusive gyms and military training centers), so access is an issue. But if antigravity running s popularity among world-class athletes is any indication, the G-Trainer should be a mainstay in every gym in the country within a few years: When I arrived at The Essentials Gear you can t run without Alter-G s Menlo Park, California, headquarters, I had to wait my turn behind Bryon Friedman, a U.S. Ski Team racer who shattered his leg in January I really haven t been able to run at all, until now, he said as he cruised along. This thing could be my ticket back OUTSIDE RUNNING WISDOM Headbands: They used to be ironic. Try a Pre mustache instead. photograph by Jens Mortensen illlustration by Jameson Simpson 1. New Balance Lightweight Tee, $31; newbalance.com 2. ASICS Reflective Knit Hat, $20; asics.com 3. Brooks Wanganui Shelter Glove, $40; brooksrunning.com 4. Brooks Trance 7 shoe, $135; brooksrunning.com 5. Pearl Izumi Phase Tight, $55; pearlizumi.com 6. New Balance Off Road Trail Runner socks, $10; newbalance.com 7. Suunto t6 heart-rate monitor, $449; suuntousa.com 8. Arc teryx Accelero Pullover, $99; arcteryx.com 9. Adidas Supernova sunglasses, $135; adidas.com/eyewear