Base Camp

First step to your peak

As on Everest, remarkable changes occur in the body at this base camp. Exercise physiologist Pete Pfitzinger lists at least 4 ways the body adapts:

-- Increased capillarization of muscles. Our bodies grow additional capillaries to provide oxygen and fuel to muscle fibers and transport lactate and C02 out.

-- Improved glycogen storage. Our muscles learn to store more fuel so that reserves do not run out on longer runs.

-- Increased utilization of fat. Our bodies learn to burn more fat—which is plentiful in proportion to glycogen—making them more efficient.

-- Adaptation of muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones to increased workloads, so that we can handle higher levels of training.

These adaptations make the body a stronger, more efficient machine and give it the ability to make mistakes and not get hurt too badly higher on the mountain. Base training is not primarily about health or even fitness—it is ultimately about racing well, and it is mandatory to reach the peak of our racing ability. Base training requires patience and dedication, but no special skills. Any of us can accomplish these changes if we are willing to follow some basic rules. 

Think Long Term

“Nature is unable to make a really first class job of anything if she is hustled,” said ultramarathon great Arthur Newton. In gaining endurance, there are absolutely no shortcuts or secrets, just constant, hard, patient work. We must spend great quantities of that most precious of commodities—time.

In our instant-gratification society, most of us try to short cut the adaptation. We tend to consider 10-12 weeks to accomplish a goal a long term commitment, so we try to increase intensity as we increase volume. In actuality, those last 10-12 weeks should probably see a gradual decrease in volume as runners add race specific workouts and approach their taper. Coaches know this, but must compromise between optimal training and what people are willing to do, when they design marathon training programs.

If we want to maximize our potential and peak for key events, we should look to the long-term first, and work backwards. How long? An Olympiad is a good start. Most of us didn’t run in Sydney, and aren’t going to Athens in 2004 either. But we can all set goals and train as if we were. Four years is not a long period of time for a goal like doubling the average number of miles that are comfortable per week—a much higher base from which we may scale impossible heights. During the four years we will summit several intermediate peaks, but having that huge mountain out in the distance will keep us from falling away completely between these peaks.