COACH’S CORNER: MAINTAINING PROGRESS WITHOUT INJURY IN 2021

Well that was a debacle! Apart from the irrational toilet paper hoarding and conspiracy theorising, 2020 was an unbridled disaster for ultra running. In particular, for ultra racing.

We watched on in horror as our well-manicured 12-week training block was ruined by yet another race cancellation. Not to mention the jigsaw puzzle operation to squeeze a postponed event into our ever filling late 2020 race calendar. We shed a quiet tear as our 24 Western States lottery tickets were rendered as useless as our guaranteed ticket into UTMB.

There was justified trepidation about hitting go on another race entry. A lab rat hitting the ‘pain’ buzzer springs to mind.

A dim light shone in the form of virtual challenges and virtual pats on the back abounded. Some hit the FKT circuit hard. Others simply looked up the meaning of FKT and continued to watch Netflix.

A modicum of perspective was in order but we are often burdened with tunnel vision. Rising global infections versus a tilt at the Buffalo Stampede Grand Slam. The focus was clear.

When it comes down to it you want to pin a number on and test yourself against the clock, the course and most importantly against a small group of mates in order to establish bragging rights and alpha status.

So let’s put the eggs and spoons away and work out how to attack 2021 and its new dawn of racing.

Firstly, I think it’s worth taking a frank look at where your fitness actually lies this year. Did you flick on Tiger King and then forget to turn off the screen for 12 months or did you hold firm to coach’s structured build up into, well, nothing? Both ends of the spectrum have shown to be problematic.

In a year without racing you might expect a reduction in the injury prevalence of runners. I noticed the opposite. Without the ebbs and flows of training associated with race prep, a taper and a recovery phase, 2020 turned into one giant, aimless training block. Over-use injuries were commonplace, and I was often reminded of the wise adage ‘Plan your rest weeks or your body will plan them for you.’

The same simple rule applies in 2021. Whatever your level of fitness a process of load, build, off-load is vital to maintaining progress without the interruption of injury. There are different ways to do this but a monthly cycle of build for 3 weeks, off-load for 1 is a simple and effective strategy. Try turning off Strava during off-load weeks and avoid the temptation of ‘just one more’!

The removal of parkrun saw the end of our designated speed session for the week. Some ultra runners dipped a toe onto the track but many cut laps around their hotel room or garage. Is our speed adequate for re-entry into the racing circuit or do we need to retrain our neuromuscular system to a pre-Covid level? Proceed with caution on the road to re-building speed. Our bodies handle load well but the building needs to be slow and considered. Maybe start with ten 30-second bursts during your easy run twice a week rather than diving straight into 1km reps.

Our strength and mobility are the next boxes to tick. With the closure of gyms and yoga studios some retreated to the safety of Zoom while many simply continued to run without the important complimentary exercise that keeps them on the trails and off the physio’s table. The addition of the home office saw a variety of decidedly ‘un-ergonomic’ desk set-ups in lounge rooms, bedrooms and cubby houses.

The three most obvious detrimental mechanical changes I have seen as a result of the home office are:

• Reduced foot and hip stability
• Poor hip extension
• Poor thoracic spine extension

In all likelihood, these three changes make us less efficient runners and more prone to injury so it’s certainly something worth investigating. There are countless exercises to help address these biomechanical concerns so it’s hard to be overly specific in a short article but if you’re chomping at the bit to dominate 2021 it’s worth looking at the following exercises:

• Single Leg Squat
• Bulgarian Split Squat
• Prone Superman

Appropriate periodisation was almost impossible to achieve last year with the race calendar in constant flux. A slightly unique approach might be warranted in 2021 with uncertainty remaining around the race schedule. It’s worth looking past the traditional 12-week race prep where we aim for complete ‘A’ race specificity in favour of an abridged 4-6 week specific lead up. This allows us to be slightly more flexible in our training and might help remove the disappointment of yet another race postponement.

Of course, to make the abridged race prep work we need to remain in a state of cat-like readiness, paying close attention to specific strength and mobility work, regular speed sessions and appropriate fluctuations in running load.

Once we’ve ticked those boxes the only thing left is to remove ourselves from the foetal position on the floor and press go on that race entry. I promise it won’t hurt!

Happy racing!