The June issue of Runner's World's "Follow The Leader" column featured former New Jersey high school standout Erin Donohue of Haddonfield.
Erin dominated the girl's track scene in New Jersey in the late 1990's, and is now one of the top runners on the national road-racing circuit. One of the interesting things I remember about her in high school is, that besides dominating the middle and long-distance events on the track, she was one of the best in the state in the javelin, as well as a standout basketball player!
Her training tips were all things I subscribe to as well. The first was to prepare for hard workouts the same way you do for a race. "Getting comfortable with the routine reduces the nervousness you feel on race day," she observed.
I tell beginning runners this all the time. Experiment with what you eat before a hard workout, so you won't haave any stomach issues in a race. Also, try to make your warm-ups the same, so you can judge how loose, tight, fresh or fatigued you are at the start of a hard effort.
Regarding core work, Erin often times her sets of pushups and crunches and does multiple sets, rather than going one set to total failure. This adds an aerobic element to her strength work, and, I mght add, insures better form.
Finally, she often over-dresses for her workouts (as do I), explaining that "warm muscles perform better than cold muscles do." People at my club often laugh at how much clothing I wear when I go for a run, but I've found that my times are faster when I'm sweating more, and my body is looser.
Everyone has to experiment to find out what works best for them as far as race prep, and
body temperature when training. Some like it hot, and some do not. I found myself in agreement with Erin Donohue's tips, and that's why I pass them along!
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