Ask The Expert: Bobby McGee

Running Coach Bobby McGee

If you don't know Running Coach, Bobby McGee, you should.  He's trained some of the top athletes in the United States, from amateurs to world and Olympic champions.  I've listened to him speak and have attended his seminars on running and triathlon.  Here are some of his precious words of wisdom.

--All too often, runners and triathletes train at the same pace, day in and day out.  Their easy runs are too hard and their hard days are too easy.  This kind of constant moderate training makes it difficult to improve throughout the season.

--Lower priority races help you gain fitness and measure progress and are a great opportunity for you to experiment and perfect your race-day tactics.  However, as a general rule, I recommend that you stay away from lower-priority races that are longer than 15 miles, since these longer distances require extra recovery time.

--Training plans.  You want your coach to formulate a plan that has you running mileage and/or time volume similar to what you are already doing.  For example, if you are training for a half marathon and currently run only two to three times per week, you wouldn't want to jump into a plan that has you running seven times per week.  When you look at the first week of the plan, it should look easy.

--Walking.  My approach to training is unique because it incorporates a lot of walking.  I recommend that you walk on your non running days.  Even the most advanced athletes can benefit from some walking, as it helps you recover faster and increases your muscle endurance without breaking down your muscles.

--If the run is your limiter in a triathlon, you should spend more time in the pre-season phase focusing primarily on your run while just maintaining your swim and bike fitness.  However, excessive amounts of hard run training seldom lead to success and greatly increase the risk of injury or illness.  When in doubt, always err in favor of an easy run.