Latest news with #marathon
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Feeling Aimless When You Run? Here's How to Figure Out Your Pace for More Focused Miles.
LOTS OF NEW runners think of their pace as a badge of honor and a gauge of progress: the faster, the better. But if you're constantly chasing speed with no strategy, you could be selling yourself short and limiting your ability to achieve long term goals. Your running pace is a tool, whether you're chasing a personal best race time or just trying to stay injury-free and enjoy your time on the road. Varying how fast you're running throughout a week of training will help you get the most out of every mile—after all, not all runs should feel the same. Even the fastest athletes dial-in different speeds depending on what they want to do during their workouts. By dialing in the right pace to match your goal for each session, you'll be able to train more efficiently, recover better, and actually get faster. Most of your mileage (yes, even if you're training for a marathon or even faster distance races) should actually be at what's called an easy pace. 'Easy—or conversational pace—is best described as running at a speed where you are in total control of your breathing, where you can be moving and still carry on a conversation with a running partner,' explains Doug Guthrie, founder of GU3 Training, a USATF-certified running coach. A simple way to lock into an easy pace is to stop thinking about the numbers on your watch and start thinking about your rate of perceived exertion (RPE)—a subjective scale from 1 to 10 that ranks how hard you feel like you're working at any given moment. Easy pace should fall at about a three to five effort level out of 10—'a speed where you are in total control of your breathing, where you can be moving and still carry on a conversation with your running partner,' says Guthrie. That effort might translate to different speeds day to day depending on any number of factors, from how hot and humid it is outside to whether you fueled properly pre-run to what you did the night before and how well you slept. Keeping the bulk of your running easy is important because, according to Guthrie, these easy pace runs help build up your aerobic base. "Think of your aerobic base as the foundation of a building," he advises. "The better the foundation you develop, the more load you can start to add on later as your fitness develops." By keeping the effort easy enough on these runs, you're never overtaxing your body to a point where you need extra recovery. In fact, these types of sessions can actually act as a form of active recovery, keeping your blood flowing and loosening up your muscles in between harder efforts. FYI: If you're distance training, your long run pace should be pretty close to your easy pace—but the experts say it's okay if that long run pace even slower, because the intensity increases as the miles click by. 'Long run pace should feel like you could do this all day,' says Olympic runner Jeff Galloway, founder of the Run-Walk-Run Method and Runningman Festival coach. 'You should be able to have long conversations, sing along with your music, and never really get out of breath.' Once you've nailed your easy pace, you can build around it. Many training plans—even for beginners—reference 5K, 10K, tempo, half marathon, and marathon pace in workouts. It can be confusing if you're never toed the start line of a race, but runners of all levels can figure out their race paces and incorporate them into training. A simple place to start? The mile. 'A timed mile run at a hard pace—walk breaks during the mile are okay—gives us a ton of information,' says Galloway. 'If you've never run a hard mile before, take the first half at a 'hurried conversational' pace. Then for the second half of the mile, progressively get faster until you finish feeling as if you couldn't have run at that pace for more than a few more seconds.' Galloway calls that test the Magic Mile. From there you can do some math to figure out different paces: Add 33 seconds to get your target 5k pace Multiply by 1.15 to get your target 10k pace Multiply by 1.2 to get your target half marathon pace Multiply by 1.3 to get your target marathon pace If you don't want to do that math yourself, Galloway created a calculator that allows you to plug in your mile time and quickly calculate all your other race paces, including a suggested easy pace. These suggested paces also correspond to different effort levels on that RPE scale. If easy pace tops out at a 5 out of 10, Galloway says marathon pace would be a 6 or 7 out of 10 (about two minutes faster), half marathon pace would be a 7 to 8 out of 10 (about three minutes faster), 10K pace would be an 8 out of 10 (about a minute slower than 5K pace), and 5K pace would be an 8 or 9 out of 10 (about 30 seconds slower than an all-out mile). You can also use heart rate as a metric. First, estimate your maximum heart rate (MHR) by subtracting your age from 220. "Your heart rate on easy runs should be between 60 percent and 70 percent of your max," says Galloway. From there, the percentages increase: 70 to 75 percent of your max for marathon pace, 75 to 80 percent for half marathon pace, 80 to 85 percent for 10K pace, and 85 to 90 percent for 5K pace, he explains. Just keep in mind that these will all be estimates. Running watches aren't perfect when it comes to monitoring heart rate (chest straps tend to be more accurate)—so it's still important to listen to your body to gauge effort. "Technology can still fail us now and then, so following the old school 'huffing and puffing' rule is really useful,' says Galloway. 'Breathing rate is your natural heart rate monitor." Essentially, as the distance gets shorter and the pace ramps up, your effort will increase. You'll go from being able to have a full conversation to the point where you can get a few words out between breaths to only being able to speak one to two words as you huff and puff (insert expletive about how tough the workout is here). Get familiar with what those effort levels feel like, and you'll know when to push and when to chill without checking your wrist every 30 seconds. Running at the same pace day in and day out might feel comfortable—but eventually, you're going to hit a performance plateau or just get sick of the same old workout. 'Choosing specific paces for specific runs helps runners target race goals, improve fitness, and avoid injury,' says Galloway. Mixing up your pace helps target different energy systems in your body too, which is essential for developing well-rounded fitness. 'Easy runs build your aerobic system and endurance,' says Gurthrie. This kind of low-intensity, steady state running also uses fat for fuel, he adds, improving fat metabolism alongside cardiovascular gains and boosting your muscles' ability to use oxygen. Because this type of running is less taxing on the body, easy runs allow you to accumulate volume safely, which is one of the most important factors in endurance training. When you speed up, you'll switch to different fuel sources. "Higher intensity running requires that your body tap into glucose as fuel, which produces lactate," says Guthrie. That burning feeling in your muscles when you're working at an RPE of 7 or higher? That's lactate build-up. "Training at this intensity teaches your body to effectively buffer that lactate so you can run at the higher intensities for longer periods of time." Whether you're going fast or slow, there are different benefits for your body. Each pace has a purpose, and only running fast or slow (or more likely, somewhere in the middle) can leave gaps in your training. But there's more than just the physical benefits to consider. Changing up your pace and the types of workouts you take on will help to keep your runs interesting. You'll teach yourself how to tune into your body's effort, and allow yourself to rely less on external tools like watches. Ultimately, figuring out your pace builds resilience and speed—which will help you in the long run, no matter your goals. You Might Also Like The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now 25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein
CBC
21 hours ago
- Sport
- CBC
Trans swimmer Lev Goldberg on preparing for an epic lake-crossing and becoming a trailblazer
Making the 51-kilometre journey across Lake Ontario is a daunting feat for any athlete, but for transgender swimmer Lev Goldberg, it could also be a record-breaking one. Goldberg is training to become the first openly transgender person to make the crossing, with the goal of proving that — even amid increasing hostility toward trans people in sports — there are no limits to what transgender people can achieve. Goldberg loved swimming as a child, but quit the sport at age 10, not realizing at the time that his discomfort was due to gender dysphoria. It wasn't until after he received gender-affirming care that he gained the confidence to dive back in. An experienced marathon runner, Goldberg trained as a swimmer and aimed to cover long distances in a test of endurance. Now, he wants to share his journey with transgender Canadians across the country and inspire trans youth to pursue their dreams. Goldberg has been training with the Lake Ontario Swim Team in Oakville, Ont., several members of which have already completed the crossing. He has a GoFundMe to help cover costs (from boat escorts and navigators to supplies and training support), and plans to donate surplus funds to LGBT Youthline. The Canadian organization, dear to Goldberg's heart, provides peer support for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals under the age of 30. Ahead of the historic swim at the end of August, CBC Life connected with Goldberg. He spoke about how he's preparing to make this meaningful — and epic — 24-hour crossing, why it's important to him that it be sanctioned (by the provincial body Solo Swims of Ontario that governs marathon swims), and what advice he has for other trans people looking to get into sport. This interview has been edited and condensed. You've said that you've always been very comfortable in cold water. I'm really curious about this part of your training. Cold water training's important for me — first of all, just because I like it. It gives me really strong endorphins. And it also acclimatizes my body to the cold. So we're talking, right now, like temperatures between 8 and 12 Celsius. When I do my crossing, I have a weather window, and they pick the day based on optimal temperature. And people consider optimal temperature for a lake crossing to be like, 20 to 23 degrees — cold for a swimming pool, but much, much warmer. But the thing with Lake Ontario is it's very big and it's very deep. So as you're crossing it, there's different factors that can churn up cold water from the bottom, like if a tanker passes anywhere near you. Suddenly it may become 15 degrees or suddenly it may become 13 degrees for a couple hours. And then there's the end of the swim. The currents from the Humber River kind of push you back away from Toronto, so you're expending the most energy, you're pushing the hardest to move the slowest, and it gets slightly colder. It might go from, like, 20 to 17. For the majority of people, when you're so fatigued and so tired, that 17 degrees is going to feel extremely, extremely cold. So I want to condition my body to where I get to that 17 degrees, and it's almost like, "Hmm, what a nice relief. This is cooling my engine," or at the very least, like it's not going to end my swim. Why is it important to you that this one be a sanctioned crossing? Well, because no openly transgender person has ever done this, so I want it to be official, sanctioned, recognized first. No openly transgender person has ever swum across any of the five Great Lakes. I actually can't find any information about any openly transgender marathon swimmer existing. So, I really, really want to be that representation. I hope that this leads other transgender marathon swimmers to reach out to me and I can meet them, because I just simply have not been able to find anyone. Is that also the reason why this challenge is significant to you? Totally. And I wanted to make sure that it was something that's done not just for visibility and representation, but to give something materially back to the community that supported me, so it is a fundraiser for LGBT Youthline. They were such a big part of my life when I was first transitioning. What have been the highlights of getting ready, both expected and unexpected? I love training for things. I just have a sole purpose and I'm very, very focused on it, and it makes me so happy. Unexpected highlights would definitely be experiencing everyone who's shown up for me to support me and be part of this. Friends, family — my sister has gotten really, really involved in this, and has been spearheading reaching out to sponsors and doing social media and publicity. It's been so positive how people have responded and how much support I've gotten. What would you say are the biggest issues that trans people face in sports? I know there's so much transphobia — and specifically transmisogyny — in the debate about trans people, and specifically trans women in competitive sports. My personal experience has been more as just a regular person trying to access City of Toronto facilities. Some are extremely accessible for trans people and for people who just need more privacy in terms of changing. I navigate other facilities where it's this binary, gendered facility. I'm able to navigate that space because I'm a binary trans person who is passing, but most people are not going to feel safe in those spaces, and I know that pre–top surgery, I did not feel safe in those spaces. In terms of accessing sports, that is what kept me out of the gym, the locker room, et cetera, for so long. And I know for a lot of people, it's still keeping them out. In terms of racing, both running races and swimming races, oftentimes everyone registers based on their gender, and there's not a third gender category. So for myself, I always just register as male, and that's comfortable for me, but there's a lot of people in my life who would prefer to not categorize themselves in that way. But I see more and more running races have, like, a non-binary category, which is fantastic. Is there anyone who you look up to in the world of sports? In the world of marathon swimming, I really admire Vicki Keith. She swam across all five Great Lakes, and she did that in one summer. She's from Kingston, Ontario, so she's local. Another marathon swimmer who I admire is Lynne Cox. She's an ice swimmer. She's done some really amazing cold-water swims, and she's done them to support causes and political ideologies that are important to her. I think doing marathon swims in the context of bettering the world for people is a beautiful thing. In terms of other athletics, there's an awesome trans ultramarathoner named Cal Dobbs. He's the first openly trans person to run across the USA, and he did that as a way to connect with and engage community and raise money to combat anti-trans legislation a few years back. So I think what he's done is really, really cool. What would you say to other trans people who would really like to get into sports but may feel hesitant? I would say see if you can find your people. See if you can find a group, whether that's a swim club or a run club, that can help you get introduced to what you are interested in doing and offer you a safe space to do it. Research which of the community centres have facilities that are going to make you feel comfortable. Even if that's knowing, OK, it's a gendered change room. So like, how do I work around that, and how do I make sure that I'm safe and comfortable? And I would say start small. Like if you're not ready to go to the pool, find a bathing suit that works for you, find some goggles that work for you. Just take it one step at a time. Any step you take towards what you want to do is fantastic. Just remember why it's important to you and why you want to do it, because you deserve to be in this space, and you belong in this space as much as anyone else. Are there any resources out there that are supporting trans youth with getting into sports or addressing the issues you've highlighted? There are a lot of awesome queer run clubs in Toronto, so if folks are interested in running, there's different options. I know Frontrunners Toronto is one. Queer Run Club is another. In terms of swimming, Queer and Trans Swim Club is an amazing resource currently on pause, but hopefully back next year. There's also a really great group called Purple Fins. I've swam with them as well, and the way they brand themselves is a gender-free swim club. They practise at Wellesley [Community Centre], which has gender-neutral change rooms. After you swim across Lake Ontario, what's next for you? I want to do all five Great Lakes. Each one that I did, I would be the first trans person to cross it, and if I did all five, I would not only be the first openly trans person, I would be the first man [to make sanctioned crossings]. So, it would be a huge, huge undertaking. Where can we follow along with your journey?
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Wheelchair racer Sammi Kinghorn says OBE is ‘cherry on top' of Paralympic medals
Paralympic gold medallist Sammi Kinghorn has said that being made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) is a 'cherry on top of the cake'. Wheelchair racer Kinghorn, 29, from the Scottish Borders, who won five medals at the Paris Paralympics in 2024, including gold in the 100m T53, was honoured by the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace on Thursday. She told the PA news agency: 'It's amazing, it's such a strange thing. 'I guess in sport you train every day hoping that one day you'll win a medal and you can kind of see that happening, but to actually be honoured it doesn't even seem achievable until it happens. 'To know that other people are watching you and they want to give you something for your achievements is quite nice. 'Paris was incredible, I went to Tokyo and won my first Paralympic medal in front of a completely empty stadium which was actually genuinely heartbreaking. 'But to go to Paris and have a full stadium and all my friends and family there was incredible, and to win my first Paralympic gold medal and then to be honoured was a cherry on top of the cake.' Kinghorn said that later this year she will compete in marathons, including one in Sydney in August. She added: 'I'm more just doing it for fun this year, I have been under so much pressure – I've been doing this sport at this level since I was 17. 'So I want to do something where there's no pressure and it really doesn't matter, just more to enjoy sport again.'
CBS News
2 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Colorado man braces for Leadville marathon while battling multiple forms of cancer
One Colorado man is taking his battle against cancer from his hospital bed to a marathon course. He says he's taking his health concerns in stride as he prepares for his next race. With every step he takes, Thornton resident Paul Moritz continues to fuel his passion for running. Thornton resident Paul Moritz trains for the Leadville marathon. CBS "It's your own little world out there. It's nature, it's God. It's whatever you want it to be," said Moritz. "Fifty-mile run, the 15-mile run, the 15-mile bike, the marathon, the heavy half," he said. Those are just a handful of the races he's taken part in since 2015, when his journey with running long distances began. "There are a million excuses for why not to go do something, and you just have to have a good reason to do it," said Moritz. However, Moritz had every reason to take it slow. Less than a year after taking part in the Leadville 100 in 2016, Moritz was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer. "Countless nights in the hospitals and countless doctors' visits and CT scans," he said. "Took the kidney out, took the rib out, took part of my pancreas, my gallbladder, my spleen." All of those obstacles could not keep him away from hitting the trails. "In 2022, I was lying in the hospital one night, just feeling sorry for myself because I had a huge tumor taken out of my back. So, at 2:30 in the morning, I figured I'd sign up for the Leadville marathon, the 50-mile bike and the 50-mile run just to give me something to train for and something to do," said Moritz. "Keep my mind off of everything else." Paul Moritz CBS "You have to force yourself to be positive, you have to force yourself to get out of bed some mornings," said Moritz. Moritz is now set to embark on his latest race, the Leadville marathon, with a little help from medication to regulate his cancer. This year, though, feels a little extra special, with his two nephews inspired to join the race by his side. "I hate to be the one to blame for their stupidity, but if they want to say that," said Moritz. Even with a new hurdle crossing paths with Moritz's training, he says nothing will stop his momentum on the course of life. "Just recently, this month, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. So, it's just a whole other thing to worry about, or not," said Moritz. "I'm not giving up; there's no reason to quit my life just because of this. I'm trying not to let it define who I am or what I do."
Independent Singapore
2 days ago
- Sport
- Independent Singapore
Congratulations pour in as Soh Rui Yong gets nod to represent Singapore at 2025 SEA Games
SINGAPORE: After runner Soh Rui Yong excitedly announced on Tuesday (June 24) that Singapore Athletics had nominated him to represent the city-state at the 2025 SEA Games for the 10,000m and marathon events, many were quick to congratulate him. The 33rd Southeast Asian Games will be held in Thailand this year from Dec 9 to 20, in Bangkok and the provinces of Chonburi and Songkhla. 'The final selection decision will be made by the Singapore National Olympic Council, expected to be by the first week of September. I will then make a final decision on the events I will race thereafter. 'Thank you to Singapore Athletics for your support,' Soh wrote in a Facebook post, adding a screenshot of the email Singapore Athletics had sent him. Facebook Screenshot Singapore Athletics is the longstanding governing body for track and field in the city-state. Its purpose is to develop and promote Singapore's talents for track and field and other related events, such as cross-country, marathon, and race walking. The last time the SEA Games were held — in May 2023 in Cambodia — Singapore Athletics chose not to send any athletes for the marathon event. Soh had chosen to focus on shorter races in preparation for the competition and had suffered from a back and hip injury from July 2022 to January 2023, which prevented him from competing in a marathon during the qualifying window. Read related: Soh Rui Yong back with Team Singapore but not competing in marathon event at SEA Games However, Soh bagged the silver medal in the 10,000m final, setting a new national record of 31:10.70. But it was Soh's behaviour during the race that caught the public's attention. Indonesian runner Rikki Marthin Luther Simbolon, who eventually won the race with a time of 31:08.85, did not grab a bottle properly at the final water station of the race, but dropped it, not bothering to break his stride. Soh, who was on his heels, successfully reached for a cup and poured some water over his head. But seconds later, he passed the cup to Simbolon, who was then able to take a drink. 'Sporting, absolutely sporting,' the commentator can be heard praising Soh in the clip below. 'You cannot make that up. You cannot fake it either.' Many have congratulated Soh on this new development. 'Jiayou. Help Singapore get some medals!!! Do what you do best!' wrote one supporter. 'Congratulations. Proven results and no (one) can deny you the right to be selected and deny our country the best chance of bringing home a medal. Sincere congratulations. Do us proud,' chimed in another. 'All the best to your final call-up. Hope SNOC decided on you. We need a SEA games marathon gold medal again!' a third wished him. /TISG Read also: Soh Rui Yong bags silver in SEA games 10,000m final; wins more praise for sportsmanship after sharing water with Indonesian who took the gold
