The Ultra Performance Musician: Lessons for Musicians from Ultrarunner Sarah Lavender Smith

I spoke by phone with Sarah Lavender Smith from her home in the beautiful mountains near Telluride, Colorado. Lavender Smith has done so much in the arena of ultrarunning that it’s hard to know how to succinctly sum up her accomplishments. At the time of writing this article, she had over 125 marathons (26.2 miles) and ultramarathons (over 26.2 miles) under her belt; was a four-time finisher and one time winner of the women’s category of the 170-mile Grand to Grand Ultra (a self-supported desert race); and had multiple finishes at challenging 100-mile ultramarathons, including the Hardrock Hundred and the Western States Endurance Run.

What is fascinating about Lavender Smith is that she is not only an accomplished athlete herself, but that she also thinks and writes about all aspects of running. Her extensive credentials include articles in UltraRunning and Trail Runner magazines and in iRunFar.com, and her book, The Trail Runner’s Companion: A Step-by-Step Guide to Trail Running and Racing, from 5Ks to Ultras. She publishes a newsletter, Mountain Running & Living, at sarahrunning.substack.com, which shares stories and advice from a midlife perspective. For more information on Sarah Lavender Smith, visit her website at sarahlavendersmith.com.

Through our phone conversation, emails, and her writing, I learned more about the connections between music and running. Her well-articulated and researched methods to training, preparation, injury prevention, and longevity in the sport, are applicable to musical performance. Several key takeaways for musicians include specificity, regularity, proper mechanics (musicians would call this technique), mindset, and injury prevention.

Photo credit: Anastasia Wilde

Physical conditioning

As people learn about this project, one of the most frequent comments is about how it pertains to wind players' breathing. Air support is indeed an important aspect of our playing and can be improved by running. But conditioning can help all musicians, not just wind players, in terms of technique, phrasing, sound production, dynamics, stage presence, endurance, and nerves. Physical conditioning can help our mental outlook and also cancel out many of the detrimental effects of sitting for prolonged periods of time, staying up late, eating meals on the go, and other unhealthy hallmarks of musicians’ lives.

What is so elegant about running and walking is that they are accessible ways for most musicians to improve physical and mental well-being. All we need is a comfortable pair of shoes and a walking path. I got so much out of all of the conversations in The Ultra Performance Musician, but I won’t be hang gliding or free diving anytime soon and neither will most of my colleagues or students.

Specificity

In The Trail Runner’s Companion Lavender Smith writes,

Nothing gets you in shape for running other than running. You can go to the gym, lift weights, and do the elliptical. You can take a spin class. You can swim a mile in the pool and hike miles more. All these things can make you very fit. But if you haven’t been running regularly, and you start again, chances are that it will feel challenging, perhaps even unpleasant, and you will feel sore for a couple of days.

This is applicable for musicians as well. There is truly no substitute for practicing! While it’s important to work on score study, listening, physical and mental conditioning, at the end of the day we need to be specific about our training: spending focused and intentional time with our instruments.

All Day!

To that idea, Lavender Smith introduces the term “All Day!” in The Trail Runner’s Companion:

One of my ultrarunning buddies, Ken Michal of San Francisco is known for the slogan, “All Day!” A tall, heavy-built guy with an irrepressible smile, he has run over 100 ultramarathons, including several 200 milers. He explains to me that “All Day” is about running all day long, and more; like a twist on “carpe diem,” it’s an attitude of seeing opportunity in challenges, and of getting the most out of every day.

I think of Ken and “All Day!” when aiming for an easy relaxed pace and cultivating the patient, mindful mindset of a long-distance trail runner. I tell myself, “I could do this all day-and wouldn’t I be lucky if I could really be out here all day?” Then I aim to find a relaxed and steady pace that feels sustainable and stress free.

The All Day! adage is ideal for musicians, evoking a healthy mindset towards practice. Our instruments should be a part of our daily life, bringing us joy and relaxation, not strife. When we have integrated practice in a positive manner, performances are easy to add into our daily routines. Practice should be pleasurable, improving our existence, not detracting from it. Just like runners, sometimes we just need to get in the mileage, spending the day practicing our fundamentals and scales to set the framework for expression and musicality.

This leads to her discussion on proper mechanics. In The Trail Runner’s Companion she states, “flawed or asymmetrical running form can lead to injury and slow you down.” It is imperative for music students to address issues in form and technique that can become hindrances. This quest for efficiency extends into our professional careers, as lifelong learners. She mentions video recording running sessions, which is vital for musicians to see and hear what we are doing well and what’s getting in our way. We should strive to improve fundamental deficiencies in an All Day! approach, integrating the quest for excellence in our daily practice. Living with the instruments all day helps us to do what Lavender Smith writes: “you should mentally prepare to do whatever feels most effective, efficient, and sustainable to move quickly given the stretch of trail in front of you and the duration of your outing.”

https://subscriber.ultrarunning.com/archive/article/3afc265d-49ce-46c3-8bf6-bb90053420fc/share

Photo credit: Caleb Thal

Please briefly describe who you are and how you became an ultrarunner.

I’m a 56-year-old writer, running coach, mother of two, long-distance runner, and horsewoman living in southwest Colorado. I was a late-bloomer athletically, not playing sports much or caring about fitness during high school or college. I took up running right before turning 25, during graduate school in journalism, inspired by some runner friends. I got hooked when I realized it’s a stress reliever and was quickly rewarded with satisfaction and progress. I primarily ran 10Ks and road marathons for about a decade, then got increasingly into trail running and graduated to ultra distances. I ran my first 50K in 2007, first 100-miler in 2014, and over 100 ultras and marathons since then.

Can you briefly describe your training techniques? How do you prepare physically and mentally for something like the Grand to Grand Ultra?

My training volume and intensity goes in cycles, as any training should, through periods of buildup, peaking, and recovery. When I have a big goal, such as a 100-miler or the Grand to Grand Ultra stage race, I plot out training for at least four months to build up to it, and to peak in volume and specificity of training approximately three weeks prior, then “taper” to rest for it. Specificity of training means I get increasingly specific about training to match the terrain, elevation profile, climate, etc. of the event (for example, high-altitude rugged mountain terrain for mountainous 100-mile races; heat and sandy terrain for the G2G along with pack weight since that event requires carrying food and gear for the weeklong event).

Mentally, I focus on the process, take it week by week, and celebrate each solid week of training and not get too bummed or worried if “life happens” and I have an off week due to unforeseen circumstances. I try to be my own biggest cheerleader in my head to coach myself, rather than be self-critical. Mostly, I stoke desire and excitement for the goal event and remind myself that the training will get me there; the goal event is like the icing on the cake, and the training bakes the cake. Ambivalence is a recipe for DNF’ing [did not finish]; if I’m ambivalent about fulfilling a goal, I ask myself, why? No need to force it. It’s better to DNS (do not start) than DNF. I also try to deliberately identify and list both extrinsic and intrinsic motivators-the external or tangible rewards, and the internal psychological rewards of fulfilling the goal.

For something as challenging as the Grand to Grand (170 miles, self-supported, carrying all gear), I prepare before the event’s start by bracing myself for the difficulty. I expect it to be fatiguing and uncomfortable; then, during the event, when the going gets tough, I remind myself, “this is what you signed up for,” “you must be doing something right if you’re pushing your limits and feeling fatigue,” and sayings like that. Also, I mentally take quitting off the table as an option. I tell myself, “commit not to quit.” Baring a life- or limb-threatening emergency, I will go the distance and finish.

How do you stay calm and in the zone to do your best under pressure? How do you develop the extreme mental discipline for ultrarunning? How do you control negative thoughts?

Breathing and relaxation techniques really help me stay calm when I’m getting upset from stress or from difficult situations (for example, feeling nauseous, upset and in pain from tripping and falling, dealing with severe weather). I think of running as active mindful meditation and bring mindful meditation techniques to running, such as a head-to-toe body scan; focusing on deeper belly breathing in through nose and out through mouth; relaxing jaws and shoulders. I also try to become observant of the present surroundings, so that I’m fully in the moment. To do this, I look around and pretend that I had to be a guide for a sight-impaired runner (which I’ve done before), which requires narrating every detail of the trail so the blind runner can make their way. It does the trick of making the mind keenly observant and focused on the present, which shuts out anxiety about the miles still to come or other negative thoughts.

I honestly don’t think I have “extreme mental discipline” (although I have mental techniques described in reply above). I have a sense of humor and joy, which I both bring to running and find through running. Finding joy and keeping a sense of humor are essential! So much of what we do as runners is silly and nonessential, it’s pretty funny. Paradoxically, I find that athletes (and perhaps musicians?) may do better at performance if they care a little less about it or take it a little less seriously. It’s just running, after all. It’s not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.

Related to the above, I try not to fall into the comparison trap. I am out there performing for myself, just me against the clock and my own personal goals. I’ve tried to stop caring about how I measure up to others. Professional musicians probably would have a harder time with that, because they are performing in concert with others and professionally, but I find that doing my own thing and caring less about what others think of me helps a great deal. Finally, in terms of controlling negative thoughts, I’d add that in addition to making self-talk positive (talking to myself like an upbeat supportive coach), I remind myself, “I get to do this”-it’s a privilege, not a chore. And, this could be my last time. What if it were my last race and I got in an accident or died in the near future? Make the most of the opportunity now.

Do you have tips for musicians to enhance their physical conditioning?

I could write a great deal on this but will try to be concise. Of course, physical conditioning depends on the individual. Any conditioning should be tailored to an individual’s own fitness and whether they have limitations such as health conditions or mobility restrictions. Generally speaking, though, if a musician is mostly sedentary other than practicing and performing their instrument, I’d advise to start small and make it a habit. Habit-forming takes consistency. Develop a habit of incorporating movement into one’s life and make some of that movement vigorous enough to raise one’s heart rate. Basically, for good health, you need to raise your heart rate for cardiovascular improvement and use your muscles with strength training (using body weight for resistance such as pushups or squats or lifting heavy things such as dumbbells).

You don’t have to become a runner to become fit. You also don’t have to commit to a challenging routine such as hour-long CrossFit classes. It’s more important to find some outlet that feels convenient and enjoyable, be it going to the gym and doing uphill hiking on an incline treadmill plus some strength work, or going for brisk walks and doing bodyweight exercises at home. (That’s a big advantage of running: it’s so convenient and relatively cheap.) By '“start small,” I mean aim for thirty minutes. It can be broken up into smaller chunks. The New York Times Well Section has great short workouts lasting 10 minutes or less. Make it a habit: set a goal of doing this for a week, then for four weeks in a row, and build on it. Avoid the “all or nothing” mindset and tell yourself that when it comes to exercise, “some is better than none.”

Photo Credit: Derya Senile

What is the effect of ultrarunning at high elevation on your long-term health? Do you have better outcomes for wellness and longevity?

I am not a scientist or exercise physiologist, so you’d be better off asking an expert on this.

In general terms, it has made my working muscles adapt to using less oxygen, which means that activity at sea level feels easier. I also have a low resting heart rate around 50 in spite of the thin air (which makes most people’s hearts beat faster to pump blood and deliver oxygen). I have no idea whether I will have better outcomes, but I know from studying brain health and Alzheimer’s (because my mother suffered severe dementia), in particular the book Keep Sharp by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, that brain health is tied to cardiovascular health. The more fit we are-meaning, the more efficient our body is at circulating blood and the oxygen carried in blood-the more likely we are to have healthy cognition and avoid dementia. Alzheimer’s is tied to circulation problems. I’m not sure if this relates to your study, but it’s one reason I’m glad I have a high level of cardio fitness.

Musicians don’t tend to emphasize physical warm-ups off of our instruments, though we do extensive instrument-specific warming up on our instruments every day. What are your favorite stretches that might help musicians?

It’s hard to summarize this in a paragraph. I like both dynamic stretches and vinyasa yoga flow for mobility, and some brief cardio before strength training (if I have not run before strength training) such as squat variations, jumping jacks, and jump rope.

Wind players work a great deal on air support and diaphragmatic breathing, in fact it’s crucial to our very sounds. You run a lot at high elevations and work quite intensively with your lungs. Do you have any tips on optimizing breathing and air support?

I would say I encourage runners and try myself to slow and deepen our breath. Runners-especially in high altitude-are prone to have more rapid and shallow breaths, getting to the verge of hyperventilating. While the majority of exercise should be done at a sustainable level, where you’re still able to talk in full sentences even though you’re breathing harder, I would recommend once or twice a week doing a high-intensity workout that elevates your breathing and heart rate to the point where your ability to talk is limited to a short phrase, and you’re working so hard that you can sustain the effort for only a few minutes.

When doing high-intensity running (or any high-intensity exercise, such as spin cycling), it’s useful to work close to the edge of effort between aerobic and anaerobic zones. We call this “V02 max workouts” aiming to increase the maximum amount of oxygen we can take in and use. These are high-intensity bursts of exercise done in intervals lasting only a few minutes. (You can also get the benefit of interval workouts from HIIT or high-intensity interval training classes at gyms.) Running or doing any other exercise at this intensity increases your ability to take in and process oxygen. Breathing and working this hard will feel quite stressful and spike your heart rate and breathing. While experiencing and managing that stress, try to relax your jaw and shoulders and endeavor to take deeper breaths that go down to the belly instead of just the chest, rather than giving into the urge to hyperventilate and breath shallowly.

As a clarinetist who lives primarily in eastern Kansas, but has performed monthly at 5,000-9,000 feet for the last 2 decades, I have developed a set of techniques to improve my air support and that of my students. One of these techniques is extreme relaxation and depending on economy of energy on exhalations. By staying totally relaxed I have found that we can play about 2-3 times longer on one breath than what would be considered normal. I have always been fascinated by ultrarunning and this idea that humans can achieve more than we think is possible. What do you think about the importance of relaxation in terms of optimal performance? Can you describe experiences in which you were able to supersede expectations that you had for yourself?

Anecdotally, I’d say that tension is wasted energy. There’s a difference between “flow” and “stress.” Flow is when you’re pushing at the just-right level to maximize performance and leverage your training while also keeping effort levels sustainable. Flow also feels satisfying and even joyful because you know intuitively that you’re performing well. Stress, by contrast, carries stress and self-imposed pressure that leads to tension, which is much more difficult to sustain.

Have you ever struggled with a mental switch of doing running for fun to the pressure of doing it for a living?

So here’s where you and I differ, and I differ from professional athletes: I don’t do it for a living. My coaching business and book were extra income but I made sure not to put “all my eggs in that basket.” I feel my success and longevity as a runner is partly due to having other sources of income and satisfaction in life. Sponsored pro athletes sometimes “flame out” because they put everything into their sport as their career. I think it’s really important to have another outlet in life. So, I’m sorry this doesn’t apply to professional musicians like you who dedicate everything to their craft/art.