2nd Week Turkey Trot Training Plan

THE ENTIRE 4 WEEK PLAN that includes links to all the routines can be accessed by clicking on "PLAN".

THIS 2nd WEEK you will continue to perform the MYRTL routine (http://www.njsportsmed.com/files ) but only to prepare for runs. In addition you will learn DYNAMIC WARM-UPS http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/06/try-­‐these-­‐4-­‐dynamic-­‐exercise-­‐warm-­‐ups-­‐video/
also performed before each run. You'll need to have a FOAM ROLLER  to enjoy a "roll-out" on non-running days (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzAv0fnB2fg ). To start the week you will recover from your longest run the prior week with a brisk walk. Water and energy needs are the same as week 1.

FOAM ROLLING has been promoted (click here to see Brett Contreras article) as a self-induced method for breaking up restrictive fibrous adhesions that form (between the thin tissue layers that cover muscles, called fascia) after intense exercise. The result is muscle soreness and decreased performance. Foam rolling is thought to restore the extensibility of this "soft-tissue" (it's not bone) and improve range of motion and athletic performance. The small undulations of rolling apply pressure to muscles, in a way that is similar to therapeutic massage, create friction, and warm the fascial tissue, making it more "fluid".
A recent study (abstract at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25415413), involving young men tested in a laboratory setting, demonstrated that a 20 minute session of foam rolling immediately after and every 24 hours thereafter enhanced recovery and reduced decreases in physical performance due to delayed onset muscle-soreness. It concluded that "self-massage through foam rolling could benefit athletes seeking a recovery modality that is relatively affordable, easy to perform, and time efficient and that enhances muscle recovery."
There is much more science to this discussion, but it is beyond the scope of this blog. You should try this method to determine if it can help you. Generally the areas/muscles that are most tender during the rolling process are those that will benefit the most! In the Turkey Trot Training Plan, foam rolling is scheduled the DAY AFTER a run; ideally it should be performed IMMEDIATELY after a run, and on following days as needed. However, beginning runners may find that the pre-run dynamic warm-up and the run consume enough time, and skip the foam roll session. This plan is encouraging you to take enough time to perform the routine, thinking you will eventually decide the timing best for your schedule and needs. By the way, depending on your fitness level, upper arm fatigue may limit the amount of time you can roll. It's a built in workout for your arms!!!

DYNAMIC WARM-UPS represent a functional way to prepare your muscles for exercise. You may find that at first these moves seem more like actual exercise than warm-ups to exercise! They are different from the static post-run stretches that have the most benefit after your run. Some overlap with the MYRTL's. As in the demonstration video prepared by Cleveland Clinic staff, each person should determine whether performance is possible, stopping if any of the moves are too difficult or are painful.

ONCE YOU MASTER THE NEW ROUTINES INCLUDED IN THIS WEEK OF TRAINING you are ready to concentrate on running!!!!  You can consider yourself officially a runner in-training when you prepare and recover with these routines. Stick with them. They will allow you to continue to work toward your goal without injury.  Before I trained properly, I would recover by attempting to soak in an ice bath; that's the advice that was given in the old days to runners experiencing soreness after a long run. Now, 30 years older, I warm-up and roll beforehand, complete my long run in the morning, stretch and roll afterward, and spend the afternoon at the mall, beach, or a football game; feeling great the next day. It's amazing!

GET OUT AND RUN, AND BE PROUD OF YOUR PROGRESS!