Suunto Blog

When it comes to the art of training endurance athletes, Jason Koop is the man. Koop, as his athletes call him, is Director of Coaching at Carmichael Training Systems and has written a book called Training Essentials for Ultra Running, to be published this coming spring. We caught up with him and got six tips to help you plan your coming training year.   Time travel 12 months ahead Before sitting down to map out your annual training plan, go for a walk and do this mental exercise: transport yourself forward to December next year and imagine looking back at the preceding 12 months and asking yourself what it is you’d like to see. If you had the best year ever, what would that look like? What adventures or events would make you go, that was awesome! This will help you identify what you’re really passionate about doing, and sometimes it’s not what you think. When you connect with your emotional intelligence, you get much better answers. Look at the big picture first It’s not uncommon for people creating an annual training plan to get bogged down in the details. At this time of training cycle, however, you don't need to get down to the nuts and bolts and nitty-gritty just yet. Instead focus on the big picture and worry about the smaller details later. For now, start at race day and work your way back, plotting and planning the major blocks so you stay ahead of the game and avoid having to play catch up. Go from general to specific Once you've looked at it from a big picture perspective, then you can start to think about moving your training from less to more specific. The longer you are away from the race the less specific and more general your training can be. You can apply this strategy to any kind of endurance race, whether it's a marathon, an ultra marathon or a 20 km trail race. Specificity of training can encompass a lot of different things – the terrain, the intensity of the event, elevation gain. Even the gear that you use – footwear, pack and poles – should become increasingly specific as race day gets closer. Recruit your support team Whether it’s your significant other, your family, your running group, or all of the above, getting them invested in the whole process, especially if your goal is really audacious, is crucial. The more people that you have in your corner who understand what you will have to sacrifice and go through, the better for your long-term training process. They can help out with things and offer encouragement. People can't encourage you if they don't know what you're doing. Proclaim it loudly If you have something big or crazy planned, stand on a table – or on Facebook – and proclaim it loudly and clearly. You need to do this because it becomes another form of motivation and pressure that will help you achieve your goal. Track your progress Tracking your progress with a Suunto watch and sports diaries like Suunto app or Strava will help you compare where you are from one month to the next. Spending some time now working out how your going to track your progress will help in the long run. Ask yourself now what progress indicators are important for you to keep an eye on.

The winners of our #DreamTraverse Video Contest set of on their week long traverse across Lesotho in Southern Africa today. Grobler Basson and his friends from Cape Town, South Africa, have had the dream of traversing the central part of the Kingdom of Lesotho already for quite some time. Winning Suunto’s #DreamTraverse Video Contest’s 5.000 euro main prize in November gave their project a boost. Today the team of 18 people started their traverse at Maliba Lodge, which is located in the northern part of Lesotho. The athletes completing the traverse while trail running, mountain biking, kayaking as well as swimming are Raoul Hamman, Hanmarie Stadler, Gustav Roberts, Charl Swart, Quintin van Heerden, Chris de Bruyn, André Joubert, Grobler Basson, Neelke Stadler and Vian Espost. In the documenting, logistics and support roles are Gideo Basson, Josh Rowe, Attie Stadler, Erika Basson, Karmien Joubert, Janine du Bruyn, Inge Basson and Joshua Oostuizen. The team’s logistics crew is driving an overland truck that carries people, mountain bikes, kayaks and all the rest of the gear, food and filming equipment. We talked to Grobler Basson just before the start. How remote are the mountains of Lesotho?“The term ‘remoteness’ in the Lesotho mountains has a slightly different meaning. Even though we may see some herd boys high up in the mountains communication is desperate at best as my knowledge of the native language Sesotho is scary! As Lesotho is a full on third world country, medical assistance would preferably be sought in South Africa which is a 5 to 7 hour drive by car when picked up on a viable road.“ Are you following an existing route or are you taking your own way across the Mountain Kingdom?“The least amount of known routes possible was our outset from the start. However, during the mountain biking legs there will be some jeep track and even a small stretch of tarmac. The remainder of the route is unknown and new, we will be navigating these stages and following some game trails as well as trails made by the local heard-boys. On the first and last trail running stages we will traverse large ridgelines where no paths exist. How long is the route?“The route is approximately 210km. According to our route schedule, trail running should make up about 70km, mountain biking 110km, kayaking 28km and a couple of kilometres for swimming. However, as we will be navigating in some unknown territory, these figures are seen as mere guidelines!” The trail running route on the first day will reach an elevation of 3200 meters. What are the biggest challenges?“As Lesotho has been experiencing some severe drought, water during the long and remote stages becomes a concern. Navigational errors may see some of the athletes prolong their stages significantly. The weather is also a concern. Even though it is summer time, last month while competing in the Salomon Skyrun about 180km from where we will start, it started snowing. Due to the high mountain climate, to under estimate the weather could pose significant danger.” What will be the highlights of the traverse?“I think this traverse will be filled with some amazing highlights, but when all is said and done and our bodies start to show the miles, to look back and say I experienced this with my closes friends is priceless. It is something that money can’t buy. We truly believe life is better in a team!” Follow the Kingdom Traverse project also at kingdomtraverse.co.za

Ryan is taking a break from elite racing until 2016. © Craig Kolesky / Red Bull Content Pool It’s not uncommon for runners to push themselves too hard. That’s why many of us choose to work with a coach – they often stop us from overdoing it. They stress the importance of recovery just as much as training. Without recovery, there’s no improvement. “If you get overtraining symptoms it’s important to back off,” says Ryan. “The best thing to do, is nothing, watch a whole bunch of movies to allow your body and hormones to recover and settle again.” No spring in your legs? You might be pushing too hard. © Craig Kolesky / Red Bull Content Pool 1. Beware, the grumpy runner! When we push too hard with training it’s easy to lose motivation and wind up feeling flat or, worse, irritable. One minute you're feeling great and then the next minute for no reason you are feeling super grumpy. 2. No bounce in your springs If you find yourself plodding through your training with legs that feel like concrete, it might be a sign you need to ease off. You should have pep in your step. There’s a difference between tired legs and legs with no spring. 3. The force field is down! Overtraining results in a weakened immune system. With your biological force field out of commission, one virus after another can cruise in and cause illness. If you’re catching one cold after another or just feel lousy generally, then you need to rest. 4. Restless nights If you are battling to sleep at night and then feel exhausted during the day this might be due to elevated cortisol levels from too much training and stress on your body. 5. The dreaded niggles Overuse injuries, tendonitis and stress fractures are signs you might need to change down a gear or two. Remember, trying to bulldoze your way through a niggle often leads to full-blown injury. 6. Stuck in the slow lane When your legs are becoming chronically fatigued, it’s not surprising to find your training times getting slower. Rather than trudging on, it might be time to consider getting those legs massaged and allowing them to recover. 7. Running on empty Loss of appetite can be another symptom of pushing too hard. This further compacts the problem by starving the body of the nutrients it desperately needs. Main images: © Craig Kolesky | Red Bull Content Pool

Think you can take on one of the world’s top ultra runners? We asked this year’s Ultra Trail World Tour silver medallist Gediminas Grinius for his favorite places to run around the world. Check out his list below. © Ultra-Trail World Tour Squaw Valley, California, USA Distance: 13.22 km (8.2 miles)Elevation: 970 m (3,182ft)Time to beat: 1:49’51Why: If you want to feel the Olympic atmosphere of the resort and at the same time climb the very first and the most beautiful part of the legendary Western States race this trail is for you.Click for Gediminas's tips on transitioning from road to trail running© Pete Forsyth via Wikimedia Commons Mt Teide, Tenerife, Canary Islands Distance: 63.95 kmElevation: 4,671 mTime to beat: 10:29’21Why: Long, but an amazing run, especially if you start in the evening. With a bit effort you can see the sunrise from the Volcano, which is the highest peak in Spain. © Nikodem Nijaki via Wikimedia Commons Roque Nublo, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands Distance: 38.23 kmElevation: 2,189 mTime to beat: 5:25’42Why: A nice run from Artenara Cave hostel to the picturesque Roque Nublo from where you have all the island stretched out on your hand. If the sky is clear you can see Mt Teide on Tenerife on the horizon. © H. Zell via Wikimedia Commons Piton de la Fournaise, Reunion Island Distance: 12.01 kmElevation: 544 mTime to beat: 2:18’30Why: It is must to run this trail, as it is in the middle of la Reunion island and part of the Raid de la Reunion race, also known as the Diagonale des Fous – the route of crazies. At the end of the trail you are on the top of a still active volcano. It’s an incredible and very difficult trail. © B. Navez via Wikimedia Commons. LTU Trail Running People trail, Lithuania Distance: 28.37 kmElevation: 1,263 mTime to beat: 3:08’45Why: This is what you are forced to do when you don't have real mountains :) But it is home and a place where the (local) LTU trail running community was born, so it’s close to my heart.© Kontis Šatūnas via Wikimedia Commons

Earlier this year, Jonas Buud, an amateur runner from Sweden, was laid up with a stress fracture in his hip bone. Things weren’t looking good; his recovery meant walking instead of running. But he had his eyes on his local race and decided to do it anyway, despite only two months’ of running on his legs. It was the 90 km Ultravasan, which follows the route of the famous Vasaloppet cross-country ski race. Not only did he win, he did it with some style, averaging a pace of 3’49 per kilometer for 90 km on an off-road course that packed an ascent of 872 m. We had one question: That’s a 2h 40m marathon time. How did you sustain for 90km!?It’s crazy! I didn’t know my shape as I had not run much. The plan was just to follow others at the start. Max King, the 2014 100 k world champion was also running. The plan was just to follow him for as long as I could. Talk us through the raceI thought I was running a bit slow in the beginning and I wasn’t checking my speed, but I did the first 5 km in 20 min, which was not so slow – and it was uphill! “I couldn’t slow down. My legs just continued running.” When did you realise you were doing well?The first 30 km is not so technical. It’s fast. It’s then a bit hilly at the halfway mark of Evertsberg, the sprint prize is also there, so Max took that one – he was running really fast. He then stopped to fill up some water but I continued through the checkpoint. There’s then a really long descent, the fastest part. I left Max and just continued at the same speed. And you kept up the same pace? At 25 km to go, I thought, ‘Oh maybe I’m going too fast; I should slow down – I don’t want to run faster than a 4 minute km’, but I couldn’t slow down! It was a really nice run the whole way and I was in the shape of my life. My legs just continued running. What a turnaround for you! It’s been a strange season. I got a stress fracture in December and could not run for six months. My first run was 1 min walk, 1 min run which I increased every week. My first 30 min run without stops was in late May. You came late to running as well? Yes, I started really late although I've been orienteering since I was 10. I did my first marathon aged 30 in New York [2:36] where I met some other runners who told me to go on a training camp with them in Portugal. There I heard about the Swiss Alpine Marathon. I thought it would be too tough but I won. [He’s since won it eight times in a row!] The finish must have been special?The year before was one of my best races ever [6:02 h]. Under six hours can be really tough. I had 5k left and I started to see what time I should have. I thought it can’t be true it’s too fast. It was one of the best moments as a runner because the history of the season, it’s also my hometown and a lot of people were at the finish. What’s your training secret? I just run!

Gediminas Grinius has just finished up the 2015 Ultra Trail World Tour (UTWT) in second place. It’s a gruelling tour in which he took part in 11 ultras of which he won two and placed 4th in another. “I’m still human,” he says. We’re not so sure: his efforts are truly super-human. © Ultra-Trail World Tour Many congratulationsThank you very much! You must be feeling like a champ? Well, my expectations were a bit high this season, which were to compete well in all UTWT 100 milers. My body and mind betrayed me and I wasn’t able to finish the UTMB and Grand Raid Reunion. The lesson there? I learnt that I am still a human like everyone else. One more lesson is that I must dream responsibly, but ambition and adventurism make me move forward. “I also get to suffer in various ways, which is what I like!” © Trans Gran Canaria Was any race particularly special?All races are kind of beautiful in their own way. I know that probably sounds a bit of a politically correct answer but it is totally true. I really enjoy the diversity of the races. The Western States 100-mile Endurance Run [where he placed 4th] for example was extremely hot while during the Ultra Trail of Mt Fuji [which he won] it was raining all the time. I was very happy and excited to finish first during the Transgrancanaria, but absolutely disappointed with my Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc performance. The Grand Raid Reunion was very technical. So, all these things and the diversity makes the races attractive to me, because I have to train and improve different skills as a runner. I also get to suffer in various ways, which is what I like! Click here for Gediminas's trail running tips! Gediminas (third from left) at the Ultra-Trail World Tour award ceremony. © Ultra-Trail World Tour What was the hardest race?The most painful was the UTMB, as I ran about 100 km with these huge blisters on the soles of my feet and then had killer quads for another 30 km, but it wasn’t the hardest. The most challenging was Grand Raid Reunion (GRR) which is the last race of the series and I was pretty much drained after all the season. In addition to that the GRR is the most technical race, my weakest point in trail running. Also, the first place of Ultra Trail World Tour was at stake and that put some additional psychological pressure on me, which it seems I wasn’t ready to take! Same again for next year?Absolutely. I will be back for the 2016 world tour events. My goals will not differ from the last year, because I believe that I was on the right course, so my training cycle will remain the same. I will focus on proper recovery, building up strength to prepare for the upcoming season.