Here’s what Jan had to say with my answers to follow:

My athletics background has mainly been to play soccer but I ran while

in the airforce, did orientation for a while and then stopped running

when I hurt my neck (while mountain biking).

As I am getting back into running I had a question about uphill races.

In my home country of Norway they are becoming ever more popular

http://fredrikolmqvist.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/the-only-way-is-up/

and I was wondering if you had any advice for me as I am really

interested in training for Stoltzekleiven up which is my hometown’s

big uphill race. The race is only 910 meters long but with 313 meter

ascent and 600 stairs!

Many of my friends back home train for this race all year and it would

be great to join them in the race which I have been told is much

harder than it sounds.

How would you suggest I go about training for such a race? The best

time ever is 8.13 (Jon Tvedt) so it is over in a flash but due to the

type of running people often crash and burn when opening too hard or

when they have not trained specifically for the race.

Provide any running data relevant to your question, i.e. frequency,

weekly mileage pace of training and racing if you know this.

I run 3-4 times per week each time about 3-5 miles.

My pace is quite moderate to slow as I have just started running

again.

List any other physical activities you engage in regularly. Include

frequency.

Skiing – 20+ times per year

Mountain biking – 30+ times per year

Injury history: What has been outstanding and/or recurrent?

Neck injury but it is fine now.

Goals you may have:

Complete the race described above on a decent time 15-17 minutes and

increase my running to 5+ miles each time I run.

Finally some pictures that show the race and the amazing view you get once you are up:

https://www.google.com/search?q=stoltzekleiven&hl=en&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=_FZ_T7G_HIeg8gT5xZTcBw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=679

Art’s Recommendations:

With any training plan I always get to know the individual variation in a runner’s physical structure, movement patterns and psyche. So before implementing any of the measures in my sketch (see below) of the ideal training periods leading up to Stoltzekleiven (WHAT A COOL EVENT!) I would want to find out more about you and be fairly involved in the details of your preparation, even though you’d be doing most of the work independently.  I am essentially a trail runner with a middle distance background so am well suited to understanding the trainable elements that contribute to improved performance of over such a distance and terrain.  We won’t have to be 100% perfect with the regimen below, we just want to get you in the best possible place to start the race at a sustainable pace from which you can finish strongly and still have the surplus energy to deal with anything unexpected that may or may not come up in the race itself.

“Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.”

Bruce Lee

I’m really pragmatic in my approach to training. Timing of the work and the readiness of the runner is everything when comprising a plan to prepare for such an event. So here’s an ideal layout of the work you will need to do. Then we will have to be conservative in the early going and remain adaptable around the obstacles that may arise in the process. If we achieve 60-80% of ALL the factors that have a bearing on you reaching your race goal, you are likely to succeed. You will have a good experience that you can both learn from and build on in the future OR even a breakthrough performance where you surprise yourself by demonstrating your true potential.

April/May:

Make a general form and fitness assessment

Conceive a physical conditioning program that is safe, practical and includes mental training  (energy management and solid nutritional support)

Organize running frequency to 5 days according to your readiness to do so, establish consistent sequence of running workouts

Instate variation in training plan with new workouts

Prescribe pace and terrain of respective training runs

Build “hill base” as well as mid-distance endurance runs, short easy recovery runs and light speed-work

June/July

Regular form-work + rhythm drills

Gradually add more specific speed/interval and hill training to your base mileage

Work on up-hill technique (specific to stair-climbing)… power-hiking technique + specific power-hiking workout  for leg strength

Simulate “degree of difficulty,” elevation profile and trail conditions, locally ( I know exactly where we might do this) utilizing progressive overload and sufficient recovery

Maintain base of easy runs and speed-work on alternate training days

August/September

Regular form-work + rhythm drills

Peak of mileage, specific terrain and speed, 1 month before race day

Begin taper 3 weeks before race day

Sharpening workouts, allowing for full recovery from peak volume while maintaining race pace intensity on select days

Practice rhythm of starting pace on race simulation course (to be determined)

Specify optimal pre-race acclimatization time in Norway

I’m currently a junior in high school who would really like to play lacrosse next year and… I’ve never played a game in my life. The way I see it, I have a year to beat some lacrosse geared athleticism into me before I embarrass myself in front of my friends and about 6-9 months before I embarrass myself in front of an indoor team.
My goal is to prevent this embarrassment from happening. So I’ve begun a pretty demanding training schedule: Day 1 Upper Body Mandatory Day 2 Lower Body Mandatory Day 3 Minor Muscles (Semi-recovery day) Day 4 Plyometrics Day 5 Lacrosse technical skills. This is done for 3 weeks, then a rest week and then it begins again with workouts on different days and hopefully different exercises. My main problem is, I don’t know a good plyometrics workout routine. The other problem is I don’t know any exercises that would improve my stick skills.

Current athletic ablitity and other info:
I’m approximately 165 pounds and 6 feet and 1 inch tall
I can bench 160 pounds
I’m more than capable of running a six minute mile
With arms fully extended I can jump and reach a basketball rim.

When I weight lift I do not max out, the bench press is a max but a friend was over and he wanted to know yadayadayadyada, so I obviously cannot give you any other max outs. I apologize for all the approximates, I don’t know what I’m “officially” capable of but I figured they would help in determining an appropriate routine. I would greatly appreciate help.
Art’s Response, Best Answer – Chosen by Voters
Hi, I have some experience teaching speed & explosion of which plyometrics are part but not all of the formula. To improve your athleticism, you’d do well to learn sport specific “grass drills”, with straight ahead speed, lateral movement and first step quickness and explosion all as essential elements. It’s also important to both limit and gradually build up the quantity of reps, jumps and landings, with plyo’s, so you don’t exhaust or injure yourself from the impacts which are a form of progressive overload (very intense on the  human structure). Think of it like “a little is a lot” and then you can add more frequency by combining the plyos into your various routines (although not on your lower body day, given your current sequence). This way you’ll get more lasting conditioning out of what your doing.
Good posture, alignment and jumping & landing technique with reflexive ground reaction is the key. Keep it simple. There’s a great book by Doc Kreis the ex-CU strength and conditioning coach that gives both exercise technique and seasonal workout structure for lacrosse and a number of other sports. Also see Human Kinetics, Vern Gambetta or Don Chu video materials which are very instructive.
If you can run a sub-6 you have a lot going for you in the way of endurance and flow which will serve you well. Use this base of conditioning as confidence booster and push yourself from the same place you would with running with the demands of your new sport (your coaches will take notice too). With sport specific speed your training your nervous system to fire more rapidly… it’s like anything you’ve ever worked at systematically; coordination, rhythm and speed are a result of training the nervous system in a specific pattern through repetition. It’s similar to going to the driving range or batting cage. Once you’ve got the foundational movements down and you can anticipate and change directions well in order to get to the place in the field and cover your responsibilities and/or make a play… think about how rapidly and numerous the transitions from offense to defense can be in a short span of time. Developing the hand-eye coordination for stick handling on the run will follow (not my expertise really) although I’d spend just as much time playing with the equipment in a relaxed way with your friends to get a body sense of how to handle it. The resistance training/weights are actually secondary/non specific although the strength gains and toughness in your shoulders and hips will help you tolerate the contact and wear and tear. Remember, the body is the “ultimate free weight.” Medicine ball work could be fun and beneficial as well.

Hope this gives you some direction. Enjoy!
Source(s):
Human Kinetics Publishing
Vern Gambetta
Donald Chu
(search should bring them up)

Sport Agility, book by Doc, Kreis (could be out of print, maybe Amazon?)

His race description illustrates the degree to which he followed his race plan and adapted to the unexpected:

“I missed the 1 mile marker so it was more like 1.08 for the first lap and .92 mile for the second. There really wasn’t any real level running – it was either uphill or downhill, which made for pacing very difficult. What I did do was to hold back for the first 1-2 miles and then begin to settle down on a comfortable, semi agressive effort to mile 9. At that point, I treated the last 4 miles as a 5K and really attacked it. The downhill at that point allowed me to carry the energy through the last little hills at the end, and I was able to sprint the last .1 mile to finish line. BTW, I was awarded first place in my age division. I guess because the other 50+ year old actually won 3rd place in the marathon overall, thus making me #1 for the 1/2. Go figure. I’m happy!”

There are many more peak running experiences in Jeff’s future as I am confident that he will continue to  demonstrate both the willingness to change and the determination to do all the work he needs to on his own, paying close attention to both form and pace in his training and racing.

‘Improved flexibility of the ankle has a payoff in stride length. Ankle flexibility seems best to be displayed at international track meets by the African runners, particularly those who grew up as children running barefoot. Their style shows the knee of the supporting leg well infront of the ankle, giving the foot a greater range of motion throughout take off. It is a well known physiological fact that a muscle can generate greater shortening if it has been pre-stretched before tension generation begins. The longer the heel is left in contact with the ground while the knee moves forward, the greater the pre-stretch of the calf muscles. This will both increase stride length and power.’ (Training Distance Runners by Coe & Martin)

We call this “grounding out” and “relaxing down.”

Having said that, it’s important to remember that “over-striding;” landing ahead of the center of gravity/mass actually has a decelerating affect along with other undesirable impacts and pounding on the runner’s structure.  I will elaborate on this stride phenomenon more in future blogs .

The point here is that whether we’re running barefoot or in flat flexible shoes (hopefully), the technique we need to practice is grounding out through the whole foot with the heel down which allows for “late take-off.” Consciously leaving the foot on the ground for an instant can be effective to this end. This serves to both release and pre-stretch the muscles in the legs and increase the propulsive power and energy return of the running stride.

Capische?

Thanks to coach/authors like Coe and Martin for articulating so well, as early as the 80′s-90′s, what was surely transmitted to them by mentors from their respective traditions. I hope I do as well as they did. It seems unfortunate that many of my peers seem to be overlooking or even dismissing this tried and true ”foot-strike wisdom” at the present time.

In my estimation the BB is a strength/speed course of the highest magnitude. One way to test your metal and conceivably gauge fitness for race day is to try a fun, challenging, loosely structured interval workout over the entire (or even partial) race course.

You can do this workout over the entire course or break it down into sections leaving out the streets with the most traffic. After a thorough warm-up and by orienting to the mile marks along the course itself you will be running a continuous set of 6 half mile intervals paced in a progression, beginning at 15 seconds above your 5K pace (5KP) and “stepping down” to 15 seconds below 5KP. You can approximate the pace by running for estimated time, using a GPS device or even landmarks along the course.

Start each rep on flat or downhill terrain. Reduce to a float jog for the recovery interval and keep advancing forward on the course until you are ready to do your next rep (>120BPM or when you feel good and ready, whichever comes first). Use the down hills to gradually accelerate and build momentum and hold a strong tempo with a high short stride on the upgraded east-west sections.

At each turn make a slight surge before settling back into your cruising pace. This is called variable pacing which accesses latent energy in the body you can then channel into your forward movement.

By the time you get to mile 4 you should have 3 reps left. Stay loose and relaxed with it but take these out hard, casting caution to the wind and using the west-east slope of the roads to sustain your up-tempo running.  Hold your torso long & tall, reach out with your stride, fall into it and let the weight transfer over the balls of your feet. It’s this same commitment you will need to make on race-day. Be honest with yourself that you are relaxed (fast & comfortable) with the higher intensity running and not straining or using poor pace judgement. As always, take more risks in the later stages of the race/workout.

If you do the session more than once, orchestrate it so you’re touching the high speeds over different segments of the course than the previous workout.

Do this session early in your week and then after a couple of easy days of endurance running (even the following week, being sure to throw in a rest day), try 2 X 2 mile tempo runs on the BB miles at 5KP. Let me know how you do. Committing the course to muscle memory and running sub-10K pace will help you find your realistic maximum sustainable 10KP  and set you up so you can touch maximum achievable 10KP at the end of the race.

Enjoy!

It’s true that the most intelligent, effective, efficient fighters both gauge and choose the optimal moment to land their blows. They do this by sensing the space and transmitting the power of their core through their arms and hands to connect at the point of maximum force. By throwing circular combinations of punches or “flurries” as they’re known, the energy returns to the core and extends to the periphery both rhythmically and repeatedly.

The best and the brightest also victimize their opponents with an evasive defensive style, patiently and adeptly backing away from the point of attack, engaging core speed and masterful footwork, thereby exhausting their advancing assailants. Eventually the adversary wears down from missing the mark, flailing away and over-reaching to no avail.  By doing so, the opponent eventually wastes what are finite energy stores, thus diminishing their vital powers and inevitably reducing themselves to “easy pickings” for a superior tactician.

In sports contests of all kinds, these and similar strategies frequently have a hand in distinguishing the victor from the vanquished.

I recently became enamored with a fascinating documentary regarding the legendary heavyweight, Jack Johnson, which I found most illuminating in terms of my sense of sports and cultural history. More essential to my purposes here however was the rare footage of some of Johnson’s best moments in the ring. These confirmed what I’d already learned from studying film and literature on the strategies of the more contemporary, larger than life, Muhammad Ali.

In their historic fight for the heavyweight title, George Foreman, who overmatched Ali physically, played into his calculated tactics of using the ropes as a defensive ploy, perfectly.

“Foreman would pick up two more knockouts on his way to his next title defense fight with Muhammad Ali, bringing his total KO’s to 37 and the odds for 1974′s Rumble in the Jungle were heavily in this prodigious puncher’s corner. The historic bout, staged in Zaire in 1974, would turn out to be another monumental upset. Ali exhausted Foreman by giving him the “rope of dope” treatment. Then, in the eighth round, he dropped Foreman to the canvas.”

Nice to reflect on perhaps but how is “the sweet science” of boxing, a combative sport, relevant to your running?  It’s simple; with your running stride, overall body use, and effort sense during running you need to be;

A BOXER, NOT A PUNCHER

Work with a coach who understands movement. Think of the storied trainers behind the successful boxers of history.  Note that the film “Chariots of Fire” depicts the coach and runner relationship quite poignantly.

You can learn and practice the mechanics of a circular leg action originating from your core, hips and pelvis, that you can repeat while minimizing both impact and energy expense. One way I’ve heard it expressed is to, “Run on your legs, not with them.” Use as much finesse as you do force. Guard against flailing and over-reaching by sensing your form. Soften your muscles, relax fully onto the ground through your hips and feet and shorten your stride so your foot falls directly below your hip whenever you have any sense of strain, pulling or developing tightness.

Swing the thigh forward from a high fulcrum in your hips allowing the low leg to dangle from the knee and float freely through space while the backs of the legs lengthen, release and follow.

Remember, running speed is a product of both stride rate and stride length. You can train your hips and feet to “fire faster” with the right speed work and up-tempo running in your program.

With experience, conditioning and always after thoroughly instating relaxed, efficient stride mechanics up front, you can pick your spots to accelerate by simultaneously reaching a little further with your stride and increasing your rhythm or cadence. Keeping with the boxing metaphor, I call these “attack points.” When you do this correctly you may contact deeper levels of latent energy and your legs can feel refreshed and resilient with elasticity. Your velocity will become greater while the circular, wheeling action of every stride both stores and feeds energy into the next one, creating a stream of momentum. You will feel smooth over the ground, with each foot-strike reflexively channeling the ground reaction into the forward motion.

“Float Like a butterfly, Sting like a bee.” Ali

You’re on your way! Go ahead and pump your fist or even raise your arms like a triumphant boxer to both affirm and soak in the positive feelings when you get it right!

We transmit all these techniques in great detail in both the clinics and training sessions. The ability to run well can be acquired with coaching, practice and repetition. It’s a matter of knowing where to place your attention and discovering the hidden potentials that lie in your body.

It’s very enjoyable and rewarding for both coach and runner to observe and apply these universal principles of sports movement to tap the body’s capacity for flow, power, endurance and speed in both running and life.

Footnotes

Boxing: A Cultural History, by Kasia Boddy

Unforgivable Blackness, The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, PBS Home Video Directed by Ken Burns

Cruising to age group win at Santa Barbara Intl. Marathon, 2010

In early November I ran the Santa Barbara International Marathon. One would have to know more background to understand the significance of my getting to the starting line. There was a time when I thought I would never compete, never mind run again. I came face to face with letting go of it entirely due to a series of hamstring injuries and complications with my low back. I waited and agonized for over two years doing pool exercise and light jogging to keep myself together physically. One day I sincerely told myself, “Ya’ know, I’ve had some of my best moments in life, both with myself and others while running. If this is the end, however difficult that fate is, I trust that it’s a part of me and I can let it  all go.”

Six months later I ran a PR on the Colorado Trail. I’ve run 100′s of miles on the roads and trails since then.  However I never resolved whether to get back into ultrarunning on the level I had known. I eventually built back up to the point where I was running long two times per week with several days of speed to complement. I did some shorter road races successfully. Both the trail ultra and road marathon beckoned.

In the past, I’ve taken vast amounts of leisure time to train and travel, come what may. This time, I was committed to maintaining and stabilizing my other obligations which were many.  Like a journeyman, I patiently ran and ran… all the familiar trails & adjoining roads around Boulder, Eldorado Canyon & Lyons. I worked and worked at my teaching, trade & numerous vocations. I took quality time for myself and my family.

In essence I waited.  The I-Ching gives sage instructions on this:“Strength in the face of danger does not plunge ahead…  Waiting. If you are sincere you have light and success. Waiting  is not merely empty hoping. It has the inner certainty of reaching the goal. Such certainty alone gives that light which leads to success… One is faced with a danger that has to be overcome. Weakness and impatience can do nothing.”

Over the summer I had to deliberate whether, in fact to train for a mountain run which was my first draw. I was really looking hard at Breckenridge Crest. Thankfully my road speed was rounding into shape a little sooner than I thought it would and I simultaneously noticed that I somehow lost some leg-speed on the trails. I remember I took run up Green Mountain as somewhat of time-trial in the late stages of a 50K training run and frankly, was schooled a little bit.  Always the realist, as I returned to Boulder from our land in New Mexico and the summer came to a close, I knew I had to make a decision. The roads won out. I’ll hit Green early and often this coming year.

I noticed the Santa Barbara International Marathon fell into an ideal time frame for me. Part of the appeal was my Southern California Coast upbringing. So a homecoming of sorts was in the offing and the prospects of the post race destination of Joshua Tree National Park made it all the more desirable. I set up a plan and trained HARD for 12 weeks. All the 75- 85 mile weeks I’d put in over the years, supported and coincidental upsurge in speed and distance pretty well.

I went to the starting line in Goleta Ca. feeling like a race horse kicking down the gates. In spite of this, I knew self-containment at the start was essential. I passed that test and got into a flow. Having said that… rather than gratuitously describe my race, I cruised to a 3:08, age group win and subsequently fell in love with the distance. It was a good step for me toward my goal of running competitively for as long as I can. I think I have more in me. I now hope to do 3  more marathons culminating in Boston 2012.

The mountains await.

Affinity for Leadville

I’m pretty much in love with the event, had some great years there and have a bank of experience to bring to the table. I’ve essentially scouted the course repeatedly and know the terrain from a technical standpoint. It’s similar to the way some professional golfers are attuned with a particular course such as Augusta where the “Masters Championship” is played.  I also know, from experience, the optimal training progressions that work for that 100 mile distance at altitude. What’s more, I’ve studied a diverse sampling of race-day splits and understand the pacing strategies that are suited to an individual runners fitness and ability. I’ve been there in almost every situation as a competitor or pacer, be it overcoming adversity or having the run of your life. So there you have it.

In fact, I may have never chosen ultras if it weren’t for the Leadville event. Bearing witness to it, pacing and helping others succeed with their races and eventually going on to compete there myself was a formative aspect in what I do. It was running in the mountains and challenging myself over longer and longer distances that provided the crucible that forged my body and being over the course of many years.

During the 7 year hiatus I’ve taken since that time, even with some of the struggles I’ve gone through, there have been moments where the positive memories and achievements came flooding in. I’ve been waiting for the right time to go back. There were prospects for pacing a talented local trail runner last year but I did not feel physically ready so I set my sites on this year.

NOW the inspiration for and connection to helping people with their own striving has truly grown strong.

Hence the specific Leadville and Trail Running Program, one of my freshest new offerings! I also hope to bring in past champions for panel discussions and to share their experiences.

THE ENTIRE SERIES IS FREE!

• The Mini-clinics are complementary (free) for both aspiring and accomplished trail runners, LT100 entrants etc. I hope you will join me!
• Please RSVP if you are planning on attending.
• Watch for Denver dates and venue.
• One-to-One Sessions additional

Since June, I’ve now given 9 special topic seminars from my home studio and one comprehensive talk on Running Longevity at REI Boulder. These engagements have served to keep my stream of consciousness flowing with ideas both in spoken and written form. Great blog material on the way shortly.

In the midst of this run I was fortunate to spend two weeks at The Gathering of Friends Retreat Center  in the northernmost reaches of Gila Wilderness Area of Southwestern New Mexico.  A highlight of this visit was reuniting with my friend and training partner, Steve Peterson, at one time a five time Leadville  Trail 100 and National Champion 24 Hour Ultra-runner. We have a rich history and I have been fortunate enough to be around for some of Steve’s greatest performances as a pacer and have accompanied him on many a training run in preparation for these. It was revitalizing to run with Steve, and I trust the feelings were mutual.

It’s easy to forget what the positive influence of this kind of camaraderie, a training partner of similar ilk & competitive fire and with whom I share a mutual respect for the sport and doing things the right way can do for the psyche. Steve, now semi-retired, is truly blessed with the self-discipline and inner strength of all the great ones. As a gracious running host he showed me around the area in a way that opened up my all my running senses and vision. As a result my personal running goals, both internal and external, are now expanded beyond what they once were. Thanks to Steve as well as the dynamism and power of the natural environment he now resides in. Next year I hope to conduct some running camps in this incredible venue with Steve on staff.