Train with Lee Troop
Follow Lee's training guide in the lead up to the Mercure Launceston Ten

Congratulations on choosing the Mercure Launceston 10km. Your goal is to run 10km for the first time and completing it will be a huge achievement.

The training program is designed to give people a guide on what training they should do to give them the best chance of completing the distance successfully. The distance equates to 25 laps of a 400m athletic track. While you should stick to the training program, it is flexible and not set in stone. You may decrease the distance or number of times a week you run if it becomes too hard or if your body is becoming sore. If you haven’t done any walking/running/activity for a while and/or have a chronic health condition (e.g. heart disease, diabetes) it is advisable you consult your doctor before starting your training program.

A beginner is someone that never runs or does run occasionally, but wants to complete the event for the first time. Your objective is to get at least 20mins of activity done in the first couple of weeks so you can build up. Walking and jogging is the best way to help get you slightly conditioned for the weeks ahead. Your body will not be used to continual activity, so something every two days will suffice early on. Things like swimming and bike riding will also help compliment your running if you can do them on your days off.

From today you have ten weeks to prepare yourself for one of Tasmania’s newest events. For some of you that have never trained before, the first three weeks will be hard but very achievable. The best possible result for you in ten weeks time depends on how well you handle the first three weeks. Persevere with it because when you finally cross that finish line on July 22^nd, the satisfaction of completing the event will be overwhelming.

About Your Programme:

• You will see “W/J” on the programme, which is walk or jog. Start out running and if it starts to get hard, you can walk but make sure your walk is kept to a minimum.

• You will build up slowly each week to better prepare for your first 10km fun run. Your week will contain one long run each Sunday and one session in the middle of the week.

• A couple of sessions will see you running out of your comfort zone. Ideally, you need to vary your pace in training. This adds variety to your program as well as being a more efficient way to improve your fitness.

• Apart from these designated fast sessions, the majority of your training will be performed within your comfort zone. What I mean is, you should be able to talk comfortably the whole run. If you cannot, you are doing your runs too hard.

• With your sessions jog for 10-15 minutes as a warm-up and also as your warm-down. After your warm-up do some light stretching followed by three to four sprints over 100 meters with a walk back recovery. Run the first sprint at 70% effort; gradually get faster with each effort until the last is run at 99% effort. Then begin the session.

• The sessions each Wednesday are based on time efforts and not distance. When you do your session for example in week five of 2 x 90sec, 2 x 60sec, 2 x 30sec, 2 x 15sec with same recovery the session should be:

• 90 seconds hard, 90 seconds jog/ walk recovery, 90 seconds hard, 90 seconds jog/ walk recovery, 60 seconds hard, 60 seconds jog/ walk recovery ----------- all the way till you do your last 15 seconds hard, 15 seconds jog/walk recovery. That is a total of 13 minutes for the session. This session is done quicker than race pace so that you can handle the early stages of your race comfortably.

• The last week is about just going through the motions and not training too hard. You want to do the race feeling fresh and ready to go, but also knowing you have trained well. Many people make the mistake of thinking that if they don’t train hard in the week leading up to the race they will not perform well. Usually they don’t perform anyway, as they are too tired to do the race. The old adage of “train hard, race hard”, has been replaced by “train smart, race well”.

Some good rules for everyone:

• Set yourself a realistic goal. For some athletes it will be to just finish and for others it may be a target time to beat.

• Invest in a decent pair of shoes and make sure your shoes are adequate for running. Eg: good support, comfortable etc.

• What ever you do, don’t buy brand new runners just before an event. Give yourself plenty of time to break them in.

• Try to avoid junk food. Eat healthy. The body is like a car. It requires the right fuel to go!

• Hydrate with plenty of fluids. Water is ideal or drinks such as Gatorade/ Powerade will also help replenish the body. You need roughly one litre of water for every hour you train. If you can, an hour or so before you train, fuel up on small healthy snacks as well as your water.

• Make sure you are getting adequate REST.

• Try to run with a friend or group for more enjoyment. That way it is easier to stay motivated and meet your goals. Make sure that if you have a training session planned, you don’t miss it or if you commence the session, you don’t quit half way because you are feeling lazy.

• If you miss a day, don’t try and catch up and try to avoid two rest days in a row.

• Stretching should be done before and after every run to help with flexibility and prevent injuries. It also makes the next day easier. Just sitting at home watching TV is a great time to stretch. Stretch your whole body and try not to bounce. Hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds and stretch each side twice. Your leg muscles – the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, shins and buttocks – need special attention. Stretching is the key to recovery.

• Try to run on softer surfaces eg: grass, gravel, dirt tracks etc. Helps with injury prevention.

• If extremely tired, try to get a sports massage off a masseur. It will help rejuvenate and stimulate those tired and aching muscles. Listen to your body. If you are getting tight or sore, put more effort into stretching those areas. See a physiotherapist or sports doctor if pain persists.

Some tips for race week:

• Wear a hat and sunscreen – even if it’s cloudy to help prevent dehydration and fluid loss.

• If during a training session you feel light-hearted, have short breath, experience irregular heartbeats or have chest pains – slow down, or stop until this passes and always seek medical advice.

• When choosing training routes, consider factors such as location, traffic, and overall safety.

• Set yourself targets to achieve in each training session and reward yourself if you meet them.

Before event:

• Don’t drink alcohol the night before and be sure you get a good night’s sleep. It is said that your best night’s sleep is not the night before the race but two nights before.

• Pasta is good the night before. You are loading up the carbohydrates which will be your best energy source come race day.

• Choose clothes and shoes to suit the weather.

• Hydrate with fluids especially if race day is going to be warm.

• Have a light breakfast up to two hours before. Something like just toast is sufficient. You do not want to run on a full stomach or risk getting a stitch. Hopefully you carbo-loaded sufficiently the night before.

• Give yourself adequate time before the start of the race to warm-up and properly prepare. This is very important even if you’re only walking. It should involve all muscle groups. Warming up should consist of 10mins of walking/jogging and light stretching 30/60mins before the race.

• Go to the toilet beforehand.

• Wear a hat and sunscreen even if it’s cloudy.

• Don’t forget your timing chip and bib number.

During event:

• Approach the race conservatively. Remember 10km is a long way to go, so start out conservatively and build up into the race. Don’t go out too fast early, as you will pay the price.

• Water stations will be provided along the course. Hydrate early and don’t wait till you get thirsty or you are starting to struggle. By then it is too late. Drink even if you’re not thirsty. That way you’ll stay hydrated.

• Blisters and chafing are common complaints. Use elasticized type bandages and/or a water-based lubricant can help prevent problems.

• If you’re tiring during an event, be sure to rest. Do not under any circumstances push yourself beyond your ability. If you feel dizzy, blurry eyed, dehydrated, wobbly and/or unstable on your feet, please seek medical assistance immediately.

After event: 

• Keep drinking lots of water after the event to restore body fluids and assist in muscle recovery.

• Once you start to cool down, take a few minutes to stretch all the major muscle groups. This will get your body flowing and prevent muscle cramping and aches and pains later on. Your warm-down is just as important as your warm-up. Helps in recovering by breaking down your body’s waste materials. Eg: lactic acid.

• It is now time to celebrate you achieving a very significant milestone!!