Six Key Points of Leapfrog Run Training
Coach Matt Reedy believes successful running – successful and enjoyable racing – is built on a foundation of solid principles of training. In his clinics and training sessions he sticks to these basic principles to help runners of all levels enjoy the sport more.
Six Key Points of Leapfrog Run Training
Coach Matt Reedy believes successful running – successful and enjoyable racing – is built on a foundation of solid principles of training. In his clinics and training sessions he sticks to these basic principles to help runners of all levels enjoy the sport more.
They are:
Breathing: Do you control your breath or does your breath control you? For many of us, it’s the latter, but breath control is imperative to strong running. Coach Matt teaches runners how to pay attention to their breathing, maximizing every inhale and exhale. Better yet, you’ll learn how to adjust your breath as necessary on the racecourse.
Pace Change: In the age of GPS watches, it’s hard not to get hung up on pace. But Coach Matt encourages all of his runners to switch off that watch and try running by perceived effort. From one day to the next the body varies in its ability to perform. Some days we’re slightly dehydrated, others we’re rested and fueled just perfectly. If you’re running by pace you could be pushing too hard when you’re just not feeling it. Likewise, you may not be pushing hard enough on the days when you’ve got extra pep in your step. By teaching his runners how to run by perceived effort, Coach Matt coaxes runners to their best times ever.
Form: Running is all about capacity. Most runners want to either develop the capacity to run faster or to run farther, but how do you do that? By improving your form you streamline your efficiency. The result is that you’re running becomes more energy efficient, and you can go both faster and farther. Best of all, with good form, you’re less likely to get injured.
Posture: Coach Matt works on everything from arm position to posture with his athletes, doing both drills and strength-training exercises to develop the most efficient—and safest—form possible. Get ready to do push ups, sit-ups and even run backwards as Coach Matt helps you perfect your best form ever.
Race Strategy: Careful training may be the blocks with which a great race day performance is built, but if you don’t cement your race with a solid race-day strategy, it’s easy for all those visions of a PR to come tumbling down. Coach Matt works with each of his athletes to build a race day plan. From how to fuel before the start line to how to time your finishing surge, every detail matters. Furthermore, he’ll help you learn how to race, from warming up, to passing other runners, to navigating congested water stops, to developing mental strategies for hitting the wall and running seamlessly through it.
Recovery: Think your run is over when the last interval is done? It’s not. Recovery is an important—and often ignored—piece of the training puzzle. Coach Matt will show you how to rest, recover and show up ready to rock your next workout. His philosophy is always quality over quantity, so expect to work hard—but never needlessly so. Proper recovery also helps runners avoid hitting frustrating plateaus and keeps injuries (and frustrating downtime) at bay.
“How To” Run Fast: Leapfrog Athletics SIGNATURE WORKOUT
Leapfrog Athletics Signature Workout: The “How To” Run Fast Workout.
Have you ever wondered HOW some people run so fast?? How do some runners make it look SO EASY?? What’s their secret??
“How To” Run Fast: Leapfrog Athletics
SIGNATURE WORKOUT
Leapfrog Athletics Signature Workout: The “How To” Run Fast Workout.
Have you ever wondered HOW some people run so fast?? How do some runners make it look SO EASY?? What’s their secret??
Leapfrog Athletics is here to break down the Mechanics of Pace Change to help share with everyone the secrets of fast running. We break down running to show athletes HOW to use different muscle groups, how to change breathing patterns, how to not just carry your torso, but how to — — USE your upper body to help you run more smoothly. To put it simply: We show you How To Build YOUR PACE.
Who can benifit from the Signature Workout?? Are you new to running?? Are you an experienced runner? Have your run a 5k? Have you run a Marathon? How fast do you run?? Does it matter?? The fact is: Fundamentals DO NOT CHANGE…the same mechanics that bring a six minute miler to a five minute miler ARE THE EXACT SAME as the mechanics needed by a 15 minute miler to become a 14 minute miler!! SO…Regardless of your experience, your run distance or how fast you run, YOU WILL BENIFIT from our Signature Workout.
Learn how to run with not only your legs…but with your whole body!! From your abdominals to your arms, through your wrists, down your shoulders…we break it all down!!
This workout HAPPENS THIS WEEK!! So don’t miss out. Signature workout goes on tomorrow: Monday July 14th at 6pm AND Wednesday July 16 at 6am. Both workouts last approx. 1 hour and happen at The Community School of Naples (located off of Livingston Rd. in Naples, just north of Pine Ridge.)
Your 1st workout at Leapfrog is FREE so come join us and see what all the buzz is about!! Then, sign up on-line here for our POWER RUN SERIES so you can continue to learn more. At Leapfrog you’ll learn to not only Run Faster, but to Run Stronger, Run Efficiently and Run Easier.
As Always: Thank YOU for Choosing Leapfrog Athletics.
10 Tips to the 10k
10 Tips for the 10k: Leapfrog Athletics presents our Race Strategy for the 10k distance. We wish you all the best: may the road be kind, your pace be swift and the finish line find you fulfilled!! Here is our Best Advice for your pre-race check:
10 Tips to the 10k
10 Tips for the 10k: Leapfrog Athletics presents our Race Strategy for the 10k distance. We wish you all the best: may the road be kind, your pace be swift and the finish line find you fulfilled!! Here is our Best Advice for your pre-race check:
1. Arrive EARLY on race day, don’t be late and waste energy stressing about chip pick-up (most races now offer bib timing so most will get their number/chip early at packet pick up)and long bathroom lines.
2. Breathe and take some time to make a plan RUN YOUR RACE! It’s to late to question training so accept what you’ve done and set your mind for YOUR GOAL!
3. Do a proper warm-up. I recommend a longer distance warm-up for the 10k distance, this helps you settle in and helps you realize the length of the race…this isn’t a 5k!! I suggest a 2 mile slow pace warm up. Prepare your mind and body for a longer distance.
4. Do 2-3 Build Ups within 5 minutes of the start. Help prepare your legs and heart for that initial pace of the race start
5. Line up in accordance to YOUR GOAL. If you have been training, you have EARNED a spot at the start line, be considerate, but don’t place yourself in the back either, especially if you have trained for a goal.
6. Go out with EASY EFFORT your first mile, don’t get caught up in the initial race, go out conservative, there will be plenty of time to pass people
7. Don’t get hung up on your mile splits!! This is HUGE!! Run your race, don’t let the watch dictate your performance. To many times we hear our first mile split and freak out!! We either panic because we went out “way to fast” OR we realize we are behind our pace and we try to “sprint” in order to make up for a slow first mile. Relax…you have 5.2 miles yet!! Control your breath, relax your mind, run your race.
8. At the turn around…This is the ½ way point, here is where the race begins!! Racing is PASSING!! Time to ACHIEVE!! Once we turn around, take a breath, SMILE, and just begin to pass people!! You don’t have to sprint by people, just change something, close a gap, pass…don’t just run along someone unless you know they share the same goal. You have trained, you have put the work in, don’t let someone else be responsible for your race.
9. LOOK GOOD!! Listen to the spectators!! Make eye contact, smile! These things will help auto-correct most bad form issues (like posture!) Spectators will tell you all you need to know about your race…if you hear “looking strong, looking good!!” they are telling you just that!! If you hear “only ½, ¼ mile to go, you can do it” they are telling you “wow! You look bad…you look like you’re hurting…hold on, you’ll make it!” This is just a reminder to relax your body, look up, run tall and smile, IT WILL HELP
10. CELEBRATE YOUR RACE!!! Congratulations, you’ve just raced what I consider the most difficult distance in racing!! Cheers and I hope to see YOU @ a Leapfrog Event in the near future.
IRONMAN: Chattanooga 140.6 & Augusta 70.3
Facebook: Leapfrogrunning E-mail: Coach@leapfrogrunning.com