While out on a run a few days ago I realized that it's been quite a few months since I last posted on RunKennyFoster.com. I never had the opportunity to post anything following my latest performances at the Army 10-Miler and the Marine Corp Marathon because I've been back in the Army school-house for the Captain's Career Course and outside of running 14-16 miles a day plus "school stuff" I didn't have much extra time.
This past year has had some great improvements in racing performances. These performances include: a victory at the Penn Relays in my debut 10k on the track with a 63 second last quarter, two low 1:06 half marathons at the U.S. Half Marathon Champs in Duluth and the Tuscon Half Marathon a little over a month after finishing 2nd at the Marine Corp Marathon, and the week before MCM, finishing the Army 10-miler in 7th place overall in a new personal best 10-mile time of 49:11.
Below is a list of 12 things I believe helped me out this past year and I think can help you too!
#1. Coach Simmons
Easily my #1 pick. Since having Scott as my new coach, I've set personal bests in the 5k, 10k & 10-mile distances. He knows so much about the sport and has two great books to read, Take the Lead and Canovathon.
#2. Having 7-9 hours of sleep at night
Obvious yet important. More sleep equates to better workouts, better races, better everything. I remember doing a 25 x 400m workout this past summer in which I think I had less than 5 hours of sleep the night before and I could barely make it through trying to stay under 70 seconds on each lap. By #19 I was completely smoked. I've done that same workout before with 8-9 hours of sleep and 68 seconds feels like a trot.
#3. Having dedicated teammates to run with on the American Distance Project
The benefit of having Coach Simmons in Colorado Springs was having 8-10 other dudes who run exceptionally well. Check these awesome runners out here!
#4. Iron supplements
In 2009 I had a ferritin level of 12 ng/mL. Since taking iron tablets with orange juice and eating red meat as much as possible, I haven't had that issue since. If you're excessively tired at the end of your runs, I suggest you get a ferritin blood test. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, do a "low ferritin + running" google search and you'll have all the information you need.
#5. Having a great support system
My wife is also a runner and she's had a great past year of performances. She just recently ran a 1:14 half marathon and is on track to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Trials in the Marathon. We both know the time and effort required to perform at a high level. Whenever I'm having a tough day or struggling in workouts, it's great to have someone like her to pick me up.
#6. Routinely doing a long run on a given day of the week
I used to do long runs when I'd be closing in on my marathon. That all changed when I started working with Coach Simmons. Every Sunday is my long run day of anywhere from 16 to 22+ miles depending on what's upcoming. After the Marine Corp Marathon this year, I took a break from my speed workouts, but the one thing I kept was my Sunday long run. Six weeks after the Marine Corp Marathon I had not done a single speed workout, but was still able to run 1:06:05 solo at the Tuscon Half Marathon just from doing my Sunday long run.
#7. Special blocks
I would say that my 49:11 at the Army 10-miler this past year was a direct result of the special blocks I had done during the summer. A special block is used primarily for marathon training, but when I went through 5 miles in low-24 and still felt fresh, I knew it was because my legs could handle it from the the special blocks. Scott talks about special blocks in his books I previously mentioned.
#8. Increasing my double run days / Increasing Weekly Mileage
This will be the first year in which I exceeded 5,000 miles. Running twice, sometimes even three times a day in the afternoon following a speed workout has helped me keep a high level of aerobic fitness.
#9. Zinc Lozenges
Zinc lozenges with Vitamin C is just like the supplementing I never knew about previously with iron. Zinc has helped keep my energy at a high level even when I'm doing workouts 3 times a week and sustaining over 120 miles a week. These are the exact ones I use.
#10. Living at different altitudes
Three weeks before the Penn Relays and three weeks before the Army 10-miler the Army sent me for training away from where I lived at 6,600 ft. in Colorado Springs. The first time was in March before the Penn Relays and I thought it was just luck and good 'ole hard training that prevailed. I'm sure hard training helped, but the second time was before the Army 10-miler and other than moving down to 4,500 ft. I had done nothing different. I have no other scientific data to back this up, but I think there's got to be something substantial to switching altitudes weeks in advance before a big race.
#11. Sweating it out with layers
Going for a run in 95 degree heat with multiple layers on this past summer helped me sweat out all the toxins in my body. It helped me sweat out that extra water in my body that I probably don't need and this helps keep an extra pound or two off.
#12. Not having external stress
Fortunately this past year I was not plagued by having someone tell me I needed to run a certain time by this certain date "or else." I didn't make the 2012 Olympic Trials and life still went on.
