by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Nov 14, 2023 | Article, Coaching, Reflection
By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro
A year ago, Grace P. had never run before. I am sure she tried to catch a bus or get refuge from the rain at some point, but never what we picture when we think of a runner.
She is friends with my wife and on a fateful October day of last year, we were invited to a small gathering at her house. I wasnât too keen on spending a Saturday afternoon with people I donât know but there are certain sacrifices a husband must make. Graceâs husband was wearing Brooks shoes, so to make small chitchat I asked if he was a runner. âI only run when Grace wants to hit meâ, he joked back.
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Still looking strong and happy at mile 18 of the Marine Corps Marathon.
Then my wife stated that I was a running coach and Grace jumped in saying something along the lines of: âIâve always wanted to run, but I canât get very far without getting tired. I see my neighbor running all the time, but I canât run like herâ. So, I told her I was the head coach for the City of Tamarac Run Club. âIf you are at X park at X time on X day, I will get you runningâ. And she showed up. And kept on showing up. Last October 29th, she became a marathoner.
Three or 4 weeks into the training, on a cold and rainy night, everyone bowed out of the run through our chat. Except Grace. So, I showed up. She was scheduled to run three miles and at two, in the midst of a downpour, I told her it was OK to cut it short. With a huge smile, she told me she was completing her workout. And she did.
That was the specific moment when I realized that she caught the running bug and that she had the talent and drive necessary to achieve great things in this sport. Her training improved so fast that in less than two months of running, she skipped the 5K and went straight to a 10K race, in which she ran 1:00:13. A month later she ran her first 10 miler and another month later her first half marathon in 2:18. Within another month she set two more PRs in the distance, finishing the season with 2:05. That is a minute per mile faster than six weeks earlier. Now she wanted a marathon.
The story escalated quickly from there. As her coach, I wanted to make sure she recovered properly. That she took the necessary time off, that she began a strengthening program, that she learned about nutrition, hydration, recovery, etc. She even took to learn about the story of women in running by reading Marathon Woman, by Kathrine Switzer, who she learned to admire.
While in DC, Grace had the chance to meet and mingle with the one and only Kathrine Switzer
Then, as the hottest month of July in recorded history dawned in South Florida, Grace and her training partner Luis D. started their marathon preparation. It was brutal. More than once they had to take to the streets at 5 AM under 85-degree temperature and 100% humidity. Yet, they persevered. They kept going until one day⌠Voila!!! It all kicked in and new distances beyond 13.1 became not only possible but she thrived on them. I can recall her finishing her first 15-miler hooting and jumping with a big smile. Yes, I know. Totally crazy!
Sure, there were setbacks. And those were important, too. There was one time she hit the wall and had to finish walking. In the midst of her disappointment, I taught her to learn from it. To take it as an opportunity. She had progressed so fast she hadnât experienced much failure. Another time she tried a new gel and it backfired badly. She had to use one of her lifelines and phone a friend to pick her up. She was upset but I told her it was important to learn that this brand doesnât work for her, now, instead of at mile 22 on race day. And she persevered.
Marathon day arrived on October 29. Grace was ready and excited. Â But the weather wasnât as cool as expected. Her training partner was dealing with a leg issue and dropped off the pace from the very beginning. There was a ton of traffic at the start and her first 5k was off by over a minute-per-mile slower than planned. So, she adjusted to her circumstances, picked up the pace to what she trained for and maintained it until Km35 (Mile 22), where she slowed down a little bit. The last mile was very tough, yet she persevered and did not walk at all, finishing in a solid 4:39:07. This, I remind you again, was someone who told me a year ago she wanted to run without tiring, like her neighbor.
Coach Adolfo, Grace and Norvin (Graceâs husband), on our way to the startng line of the MCM races
If this wasnât enough of a story, her husband caught the running bug, too. He started walking, then run/walking, and then pursued loftier goals as he felt better and stronger. He lost over 20 Lbs. and started fitting into clothes he hadnât worn in years. And if that wasnât enough, he ran the Marine Corps 10K without stopping in a time of 1:16. Now he is eyeing his first half.
From the coaching side, not only it has been a treat to coach a runner as talented and dedicated as Grace P., but she has also become an integral part of our Saturday running group. Moreover, she and her husband have become close friends with my wife and I, which has been a great addition to our lives. Running is the gift that keeps on giving.
Not everyone possesses the hidden talent and drive that Grace demonstrated. Not everyone aspires to become a marathoner. However, everyone has the potential to make the most of their physical capabilities. Just like Grace, it begins with showing up at the park on the appointed date and time, embarking on a personal journey whose destination remains unknown. Who knows where it may lead you?
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by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Sep 19, 2023 | Article, List, Personal
By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro
When it comes to us runners, sometimes experience goes out the window, and we make stupid, rookie mistakes that derail our training, fitness, and/or goal races. Who can forget Daniel Do Nascimento, an Olympian and 2:04 marathoner, going so fast during the 2022 NYC Marathon and collapsing at Mile 21 on a hot and humid day? He also collapsed during the Tokyo Olympics. If he screws up monumentally in the biggest stages, whatâs left for us mere aficionados?
Daniel Do Nascimento collapsed in both Tokyo and NYC. Lesson not learned
Failure must be embraced as an opportunity to gain experience, sure, but it doesn’t make it any easier when we screw up and are forced to learn a lesson at an inconvenient time. So, here are eight areas of your running where you could avoid learning the hard way:
1.   Starting too fast: The equation is straightforward. The faster you go, the less endurance you have. Racing a half marathon at 5K pace will end in disaster. Starting faster than your race plan is not conducive to PRs but to bonking. Don’t fall for the “I-feel-awesome” fallacy at mile 8 of a marathon. You’d better feel formidable there if you trained for 26. Execute your race plan as designed. The chances of a satisfactory race will multiply exponentially.
 2.   Expecting linear and/or unlimited improvement: Because the curve of progress is so steep at the beginning of a training cycle, especially for beginners with little to no historical reference, it becomes imperative to understand that each body has a performance ceiling. If we didn’t, we would all eventually be setting world records. The apex of our curve can still move up as we get better, more experienced, and in better shape. But that process may take years, which requires patience. Too much, too fast, too soon is the cardinal sin of running and a sure path to injury.
3.   More mileage is not necessarily better: If you are planning to run long distances, you must run a lot of miles. It is inevitable. Now, what “a lot of miles” implies is very personal. It may mean 120 miles for Olympians but just 30 for a newbie looking to finish strong in their first half marathon. If you run beyond your bodyâs capability, recovery will be affected, and injury, overtraining, cumulative exhaustion and burnout will derail your goal. Figure out what works best for you and apply it.
 4.   Bad races are part of the deal: You may have done everything right. You were dedicated to your training, you slept enough, hydrated properly, strength trained, didnât miss a day, and rested. And yet, you had a bad race. Well, nobody can guarantee you a solid performance. That’s why we compete on race day and not just pick up our medals and trophies by showing our training logs. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. Accept it and don’t let it be the measurement of your worth as a person.
 5.   Not practicing race strategy during training: The place to figure out you can’t stomach that 5th gel shouldnât be mile 20 on marathon day. Discovering that you don’t have enough pockets to carry all your needs should not be realized on race morning. And so on. Be smart. Go for more than just one dry run during the training cycle.
Not taking care of your rest will inevitably lead to burnout or injury (Photo: Nataliya Vaitkevich, Pexels)
6.   Rest days are an integral part of any plan: Even elites take rest days. At the height of their training for a Marathon Major, it may mean 10 easy miles at a pace that would be a PR for you or me. But we are not training to win Boston or London. So, let’s put our goals in perspective and understand what we want to carry out. Letâs not compare ourselves to other runners, and make sure we rest properly, enough so our body doesnât have to choose a rest day for us, which I may bet would come at an inconvenient time.
 7.   Squeezing in one more long run: The body usually takes from 10-14 days to adapt to the stress of a particular training session. This is why we taper. Not much of what we do in the two weeks prior to the race will help us. Yet, it can harm us. So, refrain from squeezing in one more long run or an added speed session in during taper. Follow your plan.
 8.   Trying new things on race day: Is the cardinal sin of racing. This is not the day to find out how these shorts fit, if this brand of gel upsets your stomach, or the responsiveness of this brand-new pair of shoes. You’ve been training for this day. You have sacrificed sweat, time, money, and emotion into this project. Don’t screw it up at the time to see it through.
 We would love to hear your advice for fellow runners. Leave a comment below; we appreciate every contribution!
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by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | May 30, 2023 | Article, Coaching, List, Reflection
By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro
 The most recent print edition of Runnerâs World Magazine (2023/3) was Eliud Kipchoge centered. It had 8 stories that told us from his humble origins to his monastic lifestyle to a dissection of every detail of his record-setting running shoes to Evans Chebet as his most likely successor. It is the most detailed account Iâve seen of Kipchoge related info in one place.
Runnerâs World magazine cover for the issue with the 8 Eliud Kipchoge related stories
The story that caught my attention is titled âTrain Like Kipchoge (Sorta)â, by Sarah Gearhart, in which she shares five key aspects of Eliudâs training. My first thought was: how can we transfer them to us, simple mortals, to improve our running results. The article talks about how the greatest of all time (GOAT) does it, which doesnât mean we must apply it in the exact same way. The key is to harness the key lesson of each one and make it part of our current circumstances.
These are the five principles, as per Runnerâs World, with a personal commentary on how to apply it to our recreational runner training repertoire:
1 â Sleep like your run depends on it: Kipchoge sleeps 9 hours a night and takes naps. Most of us donât have the time for that, but neither we are professionals, nor do we run 120 miles per week. The point is to be purposeful about your sleeping habits. Sleep as much as your body needs and donât brag about your lack of sleep as a badge of honor. Our body recovers and rebuilds while we sleep, which is more valuable than all other recovery tools in your arsenal put together.
2 – Revive Sore Muscles with an Ice Bath: He takes 10-minute ice baths twice a week âto aid his post run recovery.â As recreational runners we may not have the facilities, the time or will tolerate this uncomfortable activity. But the point is that it works for him and despite the pain and inconvenience, he does it anyway because he works diligently on his recovery. Remember that you donât become a better runner just as you finish your hard workout. You become a better runner once your body has recovered and adapted to the stress it just went through. So, be as diligent as Kipchoge in your recovery.
3 – Upgrade Your Diet with Protein: Kipchogeâs high-carb diet is essential for his training and performance, yet in 2017 he upgraded his protein intake âto aid his recovery as well as help to build and maintain his lean muscle.â The point here is that diet is key to training, performance and recovery. It is not a matter of how many calories we take in but the quality of those calories. If we fuel with a dozen donuts and a pint of ice cream, our weekly milage or our daily nap wonât really provide the benefit they should.
Stationary biking is one of the multiple options to enhance your aerobic capacity without overtaxing your system (Photo: William Adams, Pexels)
4 – Meditate to Build Mental Strength: Kipchoge is a âmindful runnerâ says his coach Patrick Sang. âWhile training and racing, he focuses on his breath and his movements, and aims to minimize outside distractions.â While not all of us can or want to live Kipchogeâs spartan life nor we have the will to perfecting the art of mindfulness, we can separate 10 minutes for daily meditation, we can read a book on mental toughness or practice the visualization of our goals without becoming Zen masters.
5 – Build Bonus Endurance on a Bike: Interesting to note that to add to his training volume âwithout increasing his risk of a running injury, Kipchoge rides a stationary bike for an hour twice a week after his runs.â For mere running aficionados like us, this is what we call cross training. Participating in a non-running activity once or twice a week to enhance our strength or aerobic training while resting our muscles and soft tissues from the pounding of running. Biking, rowing, weight training, yoga, elliptical, etc. Make sure you do something other than running to complement your training.
If these techniques work for the GOAT, scaling them down to our level would be beneficial. Donât just think about it, do something about it and donât take too much time getting started. Marathon season is around the corner.
To read the full Runnerâs World article, you may click here.
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by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Sep 27, 2022 | Article, Coaching, List, Science
As the fall and winter marathon season starts heating up, and as the preparation for the spring marathons approaches, I feel appropriate to repost an article I wrote last year, that it is still relevant at this time of the running season. Enjoy!
By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro
 Tapering time approaches for those about to run the Abbott World Marathon Majors this year. Training time approaches for those eyeing their marathon towards the end of 2021 or start of 2022. So, seems like a good time to review some basic mistakes that runners, from beginners to experts, should avoid. This way they can reap the most benefits out of their efforts.
Training for a marathon is a process that involves multiple moving parts that need to work in sync. It needs to reach a point where the body can be stressed enough to compensate its deficiencies and adjust to the workload-thus improving- but not to a point where it becomes too much, and it canât recover to do it again. This means overtraining and, most likely, an injury if intend to tough it out and train through it.
No need to overstress yourself if you avoid these basic mistakes in your training (Photo by Pexels.com)
The following are nine of the most common mistakes runners incur into during a marathon training cycle:
1Â Â Â Â Â Â Running the long runs too fast: There is a time to go fast and there is a time to go slow. The long run has that name because it is designed for you to go long. It is not called the âfast runâ for a reason. They are intended to build up your aerobic system, which, for a marathon, it is used 99% of the time, even if you are the world-record holder.
 2      Focusing too much on the long run: The long run is an important part of your training, sure, but it is just one element, not the bulk of it. The success in your race will depend on the accumulated effect of all the elements in your training, not just one.
 3      Doing the same workouts all the time: Because about 80% of the training needs to be done at a slower speed, there is a small number of hard sessions available, usually no more than two per week, so distance, speed, intensity, and other parameters, need to be worked so the body can benefit and adapt.
 4      Poor fueling and hydration plans: if you donât test strategies during training, you wonât know what works for you. The time to find that out is during training, long runs, especially. The time to realize a certain gel upsets your stomach, is not during the race. Same applies to hydration. What to drink and when needs to be part of race plan, shouldnât be improvised on race day.
 5      Skipping rest days: Not running on a specific day is part of your training. These days should be written into your schedule and followed to the tee. No amount of ice baths, compression socks or protein shakes will do you any good if you donât give your body a break to recover so it can run again.
Rest is as part of your training as your work. Donât skip it!
6Â Â Â Â Â Â Not scheduling cutback weeks: Â During training you build up endurance, aerobic capacity, Vo2Max, and multiple additional parameters. But you canât build up forever. Your body has a limit and needs time to actively rest so it can adapt to the benefits provided by your workouts. Programming a week to cut back on your training provides your body with time to adjust and recover, is key.
7Â Â Â Â Â Â Cutting sleep: Â Remember you donât improve when you work out, you improve while you sleep. The long run the tempo, the weightlifting, or the speed session damage your body. It is when you sleep that your body gets repaired. If you skip on sleep, you wonât realize all the benefits of the training, but you will keep the muscle damage.
 8      Screwing up the tapering: Physiological adaptations after exercise, take between two and three weeks to adapt. So, there is no benefit on one last long run in the last couple of weeks. You need to actively rest and recover your body so it will be in its best shape for race day. During tapering there is nothing to gain, yet a lot to lose.
 9      Following someone elseâs training plan: There is nothing wrong with talking to your buddies about what they are doing, but they may not have the same goals as you and you do not have the same physiology as them. Set up YOUR PLAN, adjust as needed, and stick to it. Trust your coach. Trust your plan. Trust yourself.
Of course, there are more than nine mistakes you can incur during a marathon training cycle. These are just some of the most common and they mostly apply to any distance. As you finish your training for your Abbott Marathon Major or get ready for your upcoming goal race, make sure you are on the lookout for the aforementioned mistakes, so you wonât screw up your hard work. Â
by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Aug 16, 2022 | Article, Coaching, Reflection
By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro
It is human nature to doubt when your running is not going your way. You doubt your training, or your training plan, or your gear, or your health, or your coach. Especially as racing season or your goal race approach and you may not be hitting all your workouts or paces on the dot. I am not saying it canât be one or more of those topics, maybe a combination of all of them, sure. Yet, if youâre able to identify the culprits and tweak your training, you fall in the category of the perfectly normal runner. These things come with the territory.
Doubting during a difficult time is human nature, but it doesnât necessarily mean defeat (Photo by Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels)
It is imperative differentiate if whatâs happening is an isolated incident or a chronic issue sabotaging your entire training cycle. I recently had a trainee questioning his training because he couldnât hold marathon pace on a 3rd 2-mile rep within a 14-mile long run. It was later determined that he started way too late, so it was too hot; a rest day was skipped, and not enough water was consumed during the training session.
An athlete must understand that all workouts have a specific purpose, and workouts are interwoven with each other. A long run alone means nothing without the speed workouts, cross trainings and rest days that compliment it. Understanding the objective of each workout is a shared responsibility between runner and coach.
These are some factors to consider when doubt starts creeping into your training, so you can return to the path of success and be in a position to conquer your running goals:
Training vs. Racing: In 40 years of running, Iâm yet to see the first medal or podium for winning a training run. Too many runners train at 100% effort on a regular basis, not understanding they are undermining their performance by basically racing once, twice or even three times a week. Training is training and you shouldnât be racing through it. It is that simple. If you train at 80% effort, you should be able to race at 100% effort. It is basic physiology. If you run faster, you will run shorter.
Long run: Sure, it is one of the staples of training and one of the most important drills in our entire plan. But on its own, it does nothing for you. If you donât run throughout the week, if the long run occupies too large a percentage of your mileage or if you are running faster than prescribed, you wonât be reaping the benefit you are supposed to obtain. Even worse, you could end up injured.
If your training runs end up with this feeling, you are in for a rude awakening (Photo Pexels)
Peaking: Most have questioned at one time, how am I supposed to run 26 miles in October if we can barely make it through 16 in July. And the answer is quite simple: follow your training plan. It is designed to help you run a certain distance, at a certain pace, on a certain period. It is not good to be ready to run goal distance at goal pace, 6-8 weeks before the race. It is physiologically impossible to keep yourself at top performance condition beyond 3-4 weeks, so the time to peak must be managed.
Accumulated Fatigue: As training evolves, the athlete accrues fatigue. This results in heavy legs or not hitting the mark on certain training sessions. When you need to run 20 miles, or 10×800 with four weeks to go on a marathon training cycle, you should be very tired. It is normal. But remember a tapering period is on its way so youâll be to get the starting line with fresh legs and a strong mind.
Recovery: Runs together with fatigue. Recovery is as important of an element in a training plan as the work itself. Now, as you train hard, the time will come when a recovery run or one off-day is not enough. Be smart and take an additional off-day or a recovery week if needed. Be wise and donât overtax yourself by completing a specific workout when your body just doesnât have it on any given day. You are better off cutting a few miles or a couple of reps than spending additional days recovering from an excessive effort.
Adrenaline: Be mindful that race conditions are way different than training conditions. Starting a pre-dawn run around your block is not as appealing as the starting line of the Berlin Marathon or arriving to First Avenue at the NYC Marathon. The spectators, the surroundings and your excitement will give you an adrenaline boost to carry you through. So, donât overthink it if you lack enthusiasm for a few days. It is covered during race day.
While many of these parameters seem to be common sense, it comes the time when the obvious must be stated so a struggling athlete can be guided to that eureka moment that will allow him/her to regain the trust in the process.
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