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How can I avoid turning an ankle during trail runs? If you spend much time training on trails, wear shoes with thick soles and plenty of support, which will stabilize your footstrike and help prevent an ankle turn on rough surfaces. Trail shoes are designed for this; some running shoes will also suffice. Also, always keep your eyes on the trail immediately ahead so you can adapt your stride to any sudden terrain changes. And on the downhills, slightly shorten your stride. This will help you maintain better control and balance. Can I count my bike time as training toward my running goals? Generally you can, but you'll probably have to spend more time in the saddle to get the same aerobic benefits as running. Cycling is a good alternative the day after a hard run. It strengthens muscles neglected by running, like the hamstrings and glutes, without the impact of running. In terms of aerobic ‘training effect,’ roughly 6km of cycling equates to 2km of running at the same intensity. But if you're training for a race, no amount of cycling can take the place of running. Is it okay to run in the morning if I also ran the night before? Back-to-back workouts may be fine as long as both runs aren't too taxing. If your evening workout was a long run or included fast-paced segments, keep the next morning's run short and slow. Likewise, if you plan to do a long run or speedwork in the morning, keep your mileage the night before short and the pace easy. The key is to listen to your body. If you run in the evening and wake up feeling sore or fatigued, take the morning off or cross-train with some cycling or swimming. Many people need a full 24 to 48 hours between runs to fully recover, so don't be disappointed if you can't pull off this night/morning combo. I have heard some of the older athletes in the club saying that they are doing less mileage with more rest and they are doing far better than they have in years. Can I do better with less training? When it comes to preparing for a race, the rule of thumb will be the more you train, the better you perform. Any athlete preparing for a race needs to establish a few ground rules: What are my goals? Do my goals match my ability? Do my goals match the time I have available to train? And do my goals match my time available to recover? Once you have honestly answered these questions you can set up a program. The key elements for a successful program are: Give yourself enough time to build up slowly, ensure adequate recovery and push yourself at appropriate times. You need to get to your high intensity and long duration sessions feeling fresh. This is where your ‘older’ athletes have had to adjust their program. They need extra time to recover so that they can perform well when it is required. Monitor how you feel each day, your resting heart rate, how tired your legs are and how much sleep you are getting. As long as these aspects are monitored correctly then the adage ‘The more I train, the better I perform’ will become a reality. If you are not managing the above then you need to reduce your volumes or intensities, or both. Sandra Prior runs her own bodybuilding website at http://bodybuild.rr.nu.
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training, ankle, turn, trail, shoes, running, aerobic, cycling,
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