The Absolute Basics for Success in Going
Down & Dirty!!
Congratulations on making the commitment! Now it’s time to get ready for this event. Below is a list of philosophies, ideas and hints to help you have a great day at the Down & Dirty race.
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Frequency over Duration - Rather than trying to run "long", run "often". Running four times a week for 20 minutes is far better for your preparation than running only once a week for an hour and a half. Keep the body active and make this training a habit.
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Walk or jog - It’s not necessary for running to be painful. Consider running in comfort for just a minute or a few minutes and then walking for a minute to bring your heart rate down. You can easily link this together for 20, 30, 40 minutes or more and make a great workout from a walk/jog approach.
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Good form - It’s better to run with good form for a short period of time and then walk for a minute to refresh - than to have that form deteriorate and run poorly. Good running promotes more good running, and the ability to run well, faster and longer. Poor running risks injury and should be avoided. Break up your runs with short bits of walking to recover and refresh so you can run well again.
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The Merrell Down and Dirty National Mud Run Series isn’t only about running - You’ll also need whole body strength for the surprise elements along the way.Incorporate these exercises into your training (at the gym or at home).
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Core - think of your core as the entire mid section of your body; not just your abs but also the lower back and the sides of your mid section. Perform crunches for the front, crunches while twisting for the side and to help the lower back, lie flat on your stomach and raise your torso off the ground.
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Chest and Arms - classic combination movements will be a huge help on race day. Perform pushups (from toes or knees) pull ups (full body or assisted), chest presses and biceps curls (with a bar, dumbbells or resistance cord).
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Added Leg Strength - these will assist you on the run and in lots of places along the way. Perform squats (not too deep and body weight is plenty) and lunges (keep the knees at 90 degrees).
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Maintenance - With this new activity you would do well to add in a few things that will help heal you quickly after every workout so you’ll be ready for another soon after.
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Stretch - do this after each workout and be sure to get the calves, quads and hamstrings.
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Hydrate - drink a bit more water than normal to help offset the fluid lost during exercise. An electrolyte drink can help too but mind those calories.
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Food as Fuel - protein to repair muscles, low glycemic carbohydrates for longer lasting energy and good fat (nuts, nut butters, avocado, etc) all serve a purpose for you, the athlete.
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Massage - after a solid workout a professional massage is great but even a firm "self massage" can help ease muscle discomfort and have you ready for the next day.
Looking to train a little harder? Follow this 10 week training program to a Merrell Down & Dirty 10k. Pick the beginner, intermediate or advanced level for a catered program.
Interested in more training options? Drop into http://triathlontrainingseries.com/ and use the discount code DownDirtySept09 for 10% off anything in the store.
Training Plan Provided By: 
