Every spring, there is inspiration in the air to sign up for one of the many wonderful community events, fundraisers or races. In January many of us tried to workout a little more and may have even picked a specific event to train for as an attainable near future goal. Now as we fast approach the mid-way mark of our year, some of these events we signed up for are right around the corner.
Many have asked for tips on how to train for some of these upcoming events, such as the Giant’s Head Grind of May 16 or the Giant’s Head Run on June 6. I interviewed Bob Isaak, 57, a local triathlete and road racer who has been a medalist numerous times in the 10 km Giant’s Head Run, and is an avid competitor in the Giant’s Head Grind.
Bob never played any competitive sport in high school or university, but he found his niche with triathlon and road racing in his late twenties and never looked back. His explains his personal training was never sophisticated. “I’d just go hard my whole life. Now as I age, I can’t do that because I want to prevent injury. I’ve always been self-motivated. For me, it’s about disciplining myself not to push too hard.” Bob Isaak’s friends may describe him as a ‘machine’, but when asked about the Giant’s Head Grind course last year, he admits, “It was hard”.
Bob Isaak’s Tips for the Grind and the Giant’s Head Run 10km
Grind: Don’t expect to run it. Spend three days a week walking up and down the mountain or at the least upper parts by gate. Practice on the steep trails as they are more demanding and that’s where the race takes place.
Grind: Get used to the elevation. Find a steep part of mountain to do repeats. Go hard uphill for 5-10 minutes then walk back down. Keep doing that for an hour. That’s a really good interval workout.
Grind: In the Gym Bob recommends the Stairmaster as more specific exercise for the Grind.
GHR: In the Gym The Treadmill and the elliptical is a good alternative for injury prevention.
Practice the course of course! Do the whole course a couple times at a lower intensity. When you know the course you’ll be more comfortable on event day. Check out www.giantsheadgrind.ca for the route map. Bob runs from the Park Gate to the trail leading directly to the top in 15 minutes. The average person would be about 25-30 minutes. For running around Giant’s Head Mountain, be prepared for plenty of rolling hills so familiarizing yourself with what to expect will help with your pacing. GHR map on registration form at www.summerland.ca.
Start training early. Don’t expect to be in top form in a month. Ideally, give yourself 8-12 weeks to train and if expecting results Bob recommends at least 6 months of training.
Progression for Injury Prevention. Don’t do too much too soon. Progressive training is best. From walk-running programs to intervals of easy jogging with faster running. There are great training programs online or apps for your smart phone.
Training partners an Asset. Try to find someone close to your level to train with. Partnering up will help with motivation, accountability and as Bob explains best, “You push yourself harder and you don’t tend to focus on the pain.”
For Bob and his wife Caroline, their favourite adventure is going to the Rockies and doing day hikes. Bob looks for mountain challenges 10,000 feet and higher to climb and scramble up, like Mount Temple at Lake Louise. No wonder he excels at our local races with his speed, agility and determination! Joanne Malar is the program coordination for Summerland Recreation, three-time Olympic swimmer, 2012 Olympic Commentator, kinesiologist and holistic nutritionist.