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Lead Stories: Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Marathon Cramps: Part II

Posted June 15th, 2007 at 7:15 PM by Jim Fortner

Section: Running & Training, Nutrition, Hydration, Training Tips

Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor. Make sure to also check out his own personal running and advice site: “Jim2’s Running Page”.

If you have found a regimen to avoid cramps during a marathon that works for you, stick with it. Don’t listen to the “naysayers” who try to tell you that you are doing something wrong or unnecessary.

I found a regimen that stopped my marathon cramps after suffering them in several races. It wasn’t simply one “silver bullet”. But a combination of factors.

I believe that the primary cause of cramps during a marathon is over running it … trying to run a pace that you truly aren’t prepared for. Obviously, the solution(s) for that is (are) more intensive training and/or better race planning and/or execution.

However, assuming that you are adequately trained for your race plan and that you execute your plan properly, then I also believe that there are other factors that come into play, especially when you are running “on the edge”. These “other factors” include your potassium and sodium stores going into the race and the intake of electrolytes during the race.
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How to get the most out of your late race push …

Posted April 29th, 2007 at 9:00 AM by Jim Fortner

Section: Running & Training, Training Tips

Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor to TheFinalSprint.com. Make sure to also check out his own personal running and advice site: “Jim2’s Running Page”.

[After recently discussing a reader’s questions regarding their problems during a late race push], I thought I would offer a few things that I do to help maintain or increase pace in those late stages of a race when your legs and cardio-respiratory system are crying for relief.

There are certain things you can do in training to help prepare you for this challenge, such as increasing the pace toward the end of a long run when you are tired. And making sure that your speedwork is paced so that the last couple of intervals or hill repeats are the fastest, as well as the hardest. But, once you are in a race, it’s too late to deal with training. You’ve got to make the most you can of the preparation that you have.

If you have run the first part of the race much too fast and are in severe oxygen debt with a lot of lactic acid built up in your legs toward the end, you probably blew it and won’t be able to maintain pace. You will just have to accept a slower finish and learn from the experience. If you have run a smartly paced race, or even more conservatively than necessary in the first part, you have a good opportunity to really “go for it” at the end.
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Determining the range of your “base” training pace

Posted February 8th, 2007 at 4:10 PM by Jim Fortner

Section: Running & Training, Training Tips

Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor to TFS. Also check out his own personal running and advice site: “Jim2’s Running Page”.

There are three ways to determine and measure your “base” training pace range, which should be used for all training, except for speed work.

1. Base it on a recent race pace. Your training pace should be 1-2 minutes per mile slower than 10k race pace. That should be well within your aerobic zone.

It can vary depending on a several factors, such as weather and how tired/stressed you might be. However, the 1 - 2 minute range allows for a lot of variation.
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Optimal Marathon Running

Posted December 11th, 2006 at 11:30 AM by Jim Fortner

Section: Running & Training, Training Tips

Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor to TFS. Also check out his own personal running and advice site: “Jim2’s Running Page”.

Running an optimum marathon requires the following 4 things:

(1) An accurate and realistic assessment of a target time.

This is absolutely critical. Be too optimistic with your goal and even a starting pace that you think is a little conservative will really be too fast and will result in a lot of lost time as you slow in the latter miles. OTOH, set a very conservative goal time and you will lose more time in the first half than can be overcome in the second half. If hot and/or humid weather is expected during the race, it is necessary to adjust the realistic goal accordingly.
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CRAMPS - Factors That Can Cause Them & How to Prevent Them

Posted August 4th, 2006 at 1:00 AM by Jim Fortner

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Training Tips

A note from the TFS: We are pleased to welcome Jim Fortner as a guest contributor to The Final Sprint. Jim is an extremely knowledgeable runner and talented writer. Make sure to also check out “Jim2’s Running Page”, his own personal running and advice site.

Below you will find his latest post about cramps; where they come from and strategies to prevent them. Enjoy.

I believe that there are several causes of cramps. Therefore, it’s necessary to deal with several factors to avoid them. The key factors are early race pace, hydration, minerals, electrolytes, weather, being adequate trained and a sufficient taper.

I experienced leg cramps (calves) in my first 3 marathons that slowed my pace considerably and reduced me to some walking after 21 miles. I almost had problems with them in my 4th and 5th marathons. I occasionally felt ripples/spasms in my calves as they bordered on cramping. I was able to fend them off each time they threatened with more of a forced forefoot landing for a few strides. But, my pace was still affected. After that, I have avoided them completely in my 16 subsequent marathons. (Except for my 18th when an experiment with Gallowalking/pacing brought them on….but that’s another story. :) ) In the process, I have adopted several techniques that I think are effective against cramps.

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