Race training help

spearfox · October 2013

I'm training for a stair race coming up December 7th.
The race consists of 69 floors total spread over 3 buildings. It will be a race up and down each building.
1st building 22 floors, 2nd building 31 floors and the 3rd building 16 floors.

I do not have a gym membership so there is no access to a stair machine at this time.

Right now I try to run a 5k distance nonstop 1-3 times a week.

For the actual stair race training I have been going to a local hospital and using the stairwell.
It's 11 stories. I am doing those 11 floors 6 times for now. Mostly walking. Not enough endurance to run much yet even though I can run a 5k.
My thoughts are to move on to taller buildings when I can get permission/access possibly even using the buildings that will be used for the race.
No matter what building I use at least try to do the number of floors that will be in the race.
As each week progresses, step training up another notch just like c25k.
For example, week 1: run every 5th floor and walk the rest.
Week 2: Every 5th floor run 2 floors the walk the rest. And so on.

I would appreciate anyone's ideas and thoughts to help me out. Even some proper ideas to fuel the muscles for this type of race.
Here is the website for some real hard info or curiosity.
http://www.littlewilliestripledogdare.com/

spearfox · October 2013

*crickets chirping

NatsukoG · October 2013

squats and lunges (especially walking lunges) might be something you can do at home to strengthen your legs and give you more power. Also high knees jogging on the spot. i find these tough but they are recommended for runners. Good luck :-)

CamillaHerold · October 2013

I have a couple of ideas for you. One is working on your breathing, which you can do at any time, exercising or not. There is a device you can get that you put in your mouth that restricts how much air you can get in and out, can't remember the name of it just now. When I do, I'll send it to you. Pro athletes use it to improve their breathing. I have used one for short periods but never enough to see a dramatic result, but that's my fault, not the device's. I do work on my breathing otherwise though. After seeing a video about guys who can swim underwater for long periods, I thought I'd try some of those techniques for super-oxygenating the body just before exercise. It involves taking long, deep breaths. It can be very relaxing too, which might help with pre-race jitters. It makes sense to me that the longer you can control your breathing, the better the oxygenation, for as long as you can keep it up, though in an all-out race you will eventually go anaerobic and you won't be thinking about breathing, just keeping your legs moving.

The other idea is the old tried-and-true carb loading before big workouts or competitions. Here again I have not really given this much thought lately because my focus is on weight loss and not speed. But if I was looking at a big training run or competition, I would eat a carefully selected bunch of healthy carbs along with my protein to ensure lots of energy is available. I have read that the carb loading must be within 24 hrs of the race or event, so that all the glycogen is still in the liver and ready for use.

I'm sure you will get other good ideas here, like the squats and lunges. Tough indeed but probably very effective.

Best of luck to you in your training and in the main event! It will be a blast.

msf74 · October 2013

I think your plan sounds pretty well thought out.

I would try and do as much training using stairs as possible and as you suggest build up slowly over time but keep trying to add to the number of floors incrementally in each session.

The running seems fine for general conditioning but nothing beats specifity so if you have the choice between running and the stairs - choose stairs.

You should work up to achieving about 80 - 90% of your goal distance the week or two before the event. Then taper for a week or so to allow your body time to recover for the event so reduce your training volume right down.

Ensure your glycogen stores are nice and full for the day of the race (large bowl of porridge, with sliced bananas and raisins should do you well a couple of hours before) and then go for it.

msf74 · October 2013

Oh,and one final thing, try to figure out a pacing strategy if you can (which maybe easier if you know how to train with a HRM). Don't worry if people go hard initially - they will probably blow out before the race is over unless their fitness is much superior to yours (and if that is the case keeping up with them is probably a pointless endeavour anyway...)

Stick with the plan and enjoy yourself.