Saturday- 0 miles- nice day off
Sunday- 21miles- 5:01- Treyfoot loop
Well, it is all done now. All the key training is now in the running log! The only thing left to do is maintenance tempo runs and recovery easy jogs enjoying the great USA. Anything more would just screw up the training I have already done and would make no impact physiologically.
Yesterday I met up with my training bud from 2001-2002, Jeff Wilbur, and went out and ran the famous treyfoot mountain loop into the Shenandoah mountains. This one has a good deal of climb and decent on technical footing trails. It was an absolutely beautiful day and the weather was outstanding (60-75 and sunny with a nice breeze).
My legs were very tired feeling like I had already been running 20 miles when we started (and continued to feel that way all day long) but my calves and quads were not sore at all. Not even soreness in the hip flexors...The only soreness I felt was in the hamstrings at the distal insertion behind the knee and in my deep hip external rotators in the butt. And this morning that too is now gone.
Super psyched!
Showing posts with label Long Runs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Long Runs. Show all posts
Monday, July 2, 2007
Saturday, June 30, 2007
SUFFER Well
Friday- 40 miles- 14:31 100% WALKING!!
That is right boys and girls...this ultraRUNNER did his final prep for the Vermont 100 WALKING. 40 miles on technical trails up and down the Massanutten mountains walking from first light until sunset. Longest break was 5 minutes. It was a Long Long walk.
Why the hell would I do something like this?
Simple: You have to suffer to be able to suffer- David Horton. In order to be able to mentally handle 100 miles and the many hours it is gonna take to cover that distance I really think it is important to get out on your feet and be moving that long. The little things that really suck in a 100; those things that people drop out because of, our have a miserable experience due to are all little things that need to be practiced:
1. Tolerating the ache and pain in your feet for a bizillion steps
2. Toughening the feet to be able to with stand blisters
3. Working the core stabilizer, leg abductor/adductor, butt-hip extensors, hip flexors, ect- all are not prime movers- but are really relied on once you are tired. What better way to train them than with a LONG walk?
4- Getting your stomach and GI used to processing food/water for x- hours
5- Mentally getting used to that "this sucks" logical voice in your head that becomes louder and louder (and harder to ignore) as the hours go by.
6- Training your body to mobilize fat stored in subcutaneous stores and put it into the blood, as well as breaking it down into energy. You need high levels of specific enzymes to make that process an efficient one....and you only can get that by being out an moving for HOURS and hours.
Why not run another long one??? Well, the race is 3 weeks away and I know MY BODY will not recover in time from a long run. And I DO NOT believe any ones quad muscles totally recover from a long run, deep down at the cellular level, in just 3 weeks.
Best advise I ever read was: Don't do any training that you will not fully recover and improve from. Thus I walked and did not run.
Let me tell you it was exactly what I wanted: A suffer fest.
I started at 5:50 AM and headed off walking the Boyer's Furnace course (the race that I direct) The course is a loop around Fort Valley and since it was a loop once I committed, there was no bailout options. I had drizzling rain start about 4 minutes after I began and continue on/off the entire day. Temps stayed cool but being wet and walking through puddles is something I have not experienced in a long time having been in Egypt. Being on technical trails was also new and today I can tell as my peroneal muscles and feet and ankles are all really sore/tired. I also intentionally did not eat very much so I rode a bonky-hungry annoyance feeling all day. (one to promote fat metabolism, but also to get me mentally used to that uncomfortable feeling)
The days biggest suffer factor was carrying a pack. I am a little man (5'7" 133lbs) and not very strong. Thus strapping on a full pack of 20+pounds (with 17lbs of liquid in it to start off) sucked. Even though I drank a pound of water every hour and the pack kept getting lighter, it still sucked. I just kept telling myself it was "good training".
Today is a day off to relax, then tomorrow I hope to bang out my last run over 90minutes in length between now and the big race.
That is right boys and girls...this ultraRUNNER did his final prep for the Vermont 100 WALKING. 40 miles on technical trails up and down the Massanutten mountains walking from first light until sunset. Longest break was 5 minutes. It was a Long Long walk.
Why the hell would I do something like this?
Simple: You have to suffer to be able to suffer- David Horton. In order to be able to mentally handle 100 miles and the many hours it is gonna take to cover that distance I really think it is important to get out on your feet and be moving that long. The little things that really suck in a 100; those things that people drop out because of, our have a miserable experience due to are all little things that need to be practiced:
1. Tolerating the ache and pain in your feet for a bizillion steps
2. Toughening the feet to be able to with stand blisters
3. Working the core stabilizer, leg abductor/adductor, butt-hip extensors, hip flexors, ect- all are not prime movers- but are really relied on once you are tired. What better way to train them than with a LONG walk?
4- Getting your stomach and GI used to processing food/water for x- hours
5- Mentally getting used to that "this sucks" logical voice in your head that becomes louder and louder (and harder to ignore) as the hours go by.
6- Training your body to mobilize fat stored in subcutaneous stores and put it into the blood, as well as breaking it down into energy. You need high levels of specific enzymes to make that process an efficient one....and you only can get that by being out an moving for HOURS and hours.
Why not run another long one??? Well, the race is 3 weeks away and I know MY BODY will not recover in time from a long run. And I DO NOT believe any ones quad muscles totally recover from a long run, deep down at the cellular level, in just 3 weeks.
Best advise I ever read was: Don't do any training that you will not fully recover and improve from. Thus I walked and did not run.
Let me tell you it was exactly what I wanted: A suffer fest.
I started at 5:50 AM and headed off walking the Boyer's Furnace course (the race that I direct) The course is a loop around Fort Valley and since it was a loop once I committed, there was no bailout options. I had drizzling rain start about 4 minutes after I began and continue on/off the entire day. Temps stayed cool but being wet and walking through puddles is something I have not experienced in a long time having been in Egypt. Being on technical trails was also new and today I can tell as my peroneal muscles and feet and ankles are all really sore/tired. I also intentionally did not eat very much so I rode a bonky-hungry annoyance feeling all day. (one to promote fat metabolism, but also to get me mentally used to that uncomfortable feeling)
The days biggest suffer factor was carrying a pack. I am a little man (5'7" 133lbs) and not very strong. Thus strapping on a full pack of 20+pounds (with 17lbs of liquid in it to start off) sucked. Even though I drank a pound of water every hour and the pack kept getting lighter, it still sucked. I just kept telling myself it was "good training".
Today is a day off to relax, then tomorrow I hope to bang out my last run over 90minutes in length between now and the big race.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Raging Debates
Tuesday- 6 miles 46min easy
Wednesday- 8 miles 64min easy
Debates?????? Not political...rather on training. Lots of questions raised and answers offered on the ultralistserve recently. I even debated with myself about going long this weekend. but, alas, I am sticking to my guns. No more Super long runs needed. Runs of 15-22 miles? Yes. Some hill repeats when I get back to the states? Yes. But 35-50 milers? NO! I think they would do more harm than benefit. I did a 40 and a 50. I showed my body that it can still do that. I trained my quads to handle that kind of stress, now I am letting them recover. I will continue to do lactate threshold workouts after a decent amount of running to train myself to turn the legs over when tired and to train my muscles to better spare and store glycogen.
REALLY looking forward to leaving the Sinai...should happen soon...not supposed to say on public formats like this specifics, but, I now have a plane ticket! As of June 10th I have now been away from my wife for a year. Never doing that again. I, unlike many I serve with, did not forget my vows during my year away. Not sure what the true divorce or infidelity rate is in general America vs. those in the service, but they are both alarmingly high I am sure. Now I am not some incredibly morally righteous person, but dam!.... If you get married wear your wedding ring!
Anyway, back to running... good luck to all my friends out at Bighorn this weekend
Wednesday- 8 miles 64min easy
Debates?????? Not political...rather on training. Lots of questions raised and answers offered on the ultralistserve recently. I even debated with myself about going long this weekend. but, alas, I am sticking to my guns. No more Super long runs needed. Runs of 15-22 miles? Yes. Some hill repeats when I get back to the states? Yes. But 35-50 milers? NO! I think they would do more harm than benefit. I did a 40 and a 50. I showed my body that it can still do that. I trained my quads to handle that kind of stress, now I am letting them recover. I will continue to do lactate threshold workouts after a decent amount of running to train myself to turn the legs over when tired and to train my muscles to better spare and store glycogen.
REALLY looking forward to leaving the Sinai...should happen soon...not supposed to say on public formats like this specifics, but, I now have a plane ticket! As of June 10th I have now been away from my wife for a year. Never doing that again. I, unlike many I serve with, did not forget my vows during my year away. Not sure what the true divorce or infidelity rate is in general America vs. those in the service, but they are both alarmingly high I am sure. Now I am not some incredibly morally righteous person, but dam!.... If you get married wear your wedding ring!
Anyway, back to running... good luck to all my friends out at Bighorn this weekend
Monday, June 11, 2007
115 in the Shade
Saturday- 6 miles- 48min
Sunday- AM- 2 miles walk, PM 6 miles -47min
Holy crap it is time to leave Egypt! Yesterday was unbelievable hot. Hottest of 2007. 115 in the shade and sheltered from the furnace wind. In the sun....get ready... 137!!!!!!!!! The best way to describe it is to go open your oven after cooking a turkey for a few hours and let the heat wave roll out and singe your eyes......got that feeling. That is what it felt like. Some said hair-dryer hot. I disagree. It was worse than that.
I went running at 5pm when it had cooled down to 108 in the shade for the sole purpose of running in weather just that hot. I want to be able to tell my grand kids about what HOT really is. So now I have run in temps ranging from negative 20 degrees in Alfred, NY in 1994, to the 120 here in the Sinai. It was not pleasant and the water in my water bottle went from refrigerator cold to BLAH hot cocoa hot by the 3rd mile.
In other news congrats to Fellow Montrail teammate, VHTRC, Virginian, and blogger Bryon Powell on his 2nd place at the Laurel Highlands 70 miler! The guy is awesome and proved what I am also trying to prove......Once you have established an ultrarunner base. And have put in a few LONG long runs, and are able to have proper caloric intake during the race. The most important thing to racing ultra races well is speed. Meaning.... weekly runs where you run "fast"- which is relative to everyone. I think it had been 8 weeks since he put in a run longer than 26.
Vermont will be similar for me.
Also after listening to the body (which was achy and letting me know) I am not going to go to a 4 day schedule of Long/easy/tempo/easy. I am going to stay with what has been working for me:
1-Long- tempo
2-Easy-recovery
3-Moderate
No need to fix what ain't broken.
Sunday- AM- 2 miles walk, PM 6 miles -47min
Holy crap it is time to leave Egypt! Yesterday was unbelievable hot. Hottest of 2007. 115 in the shade and sheltered from the furnace wind. In the sun....get ready... 137!!!!!!!!! The best way to describe it is to go open your oven after cooking a turkey for a few hours and let the heat wave roll out and singe your eyes......got that feeling. That is what it felt like. Some said hair-dryer hot. I disagree. It was worse than that.
I went running at 5pm when it had cooled down to 108 in the shade for the sole purpose of running in weather just that hot. I want to be able to tell my grand kids about what HOT really is. So now I have run in temps ranging from negative 20 degrees in Alfred, NY in 1994, to the 120 here in the Sinai. It was not pleasant and the water in my water bottle went from refrigerator cold to BLAH hot cocoa hot by the 3rd mile.
In other news congrats to Fellow Montrail teammate, VHTRC, Virginian, and blogger Bryon Powell on his 2nd place at the Laurel Highlands 70 miler! The guy is awesome and proved what I am also trying to prove......Once you have established an ultrarunner base. And have put in a few LONG long runs, and are able to have proper caloric intake during the race. The most important thing to racing ultra races well is speed. Meaning.... weekly runs where you run "fast"- which is relative to everyone. I think it had been 8 weeks since he put in a run longer than 26.
Vermont will be similar for me.
Also after listening to the body (which was achy and letting me know) I am not going to go to a 4 day schedule of Long/easy/tempo/easy. I am going to stay with what has been working for me:
1-Long- tempo
2-Easy-recovery
3-Moderate
No need to fix what ain't broken.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
A Ten Lap Salute
Tuesday- AM- 2.2 mile walk
Tuesday PM- 4.4 miles 37min
Wednesday- 22 miles- 3:19
Finally the legs seemed to return to normal and since it was my last night in the south camp base for running, I figured I would sign off with a good one. I packed a bag (double bag this time) full of Mtn Dew, NUUN, body glide, CLIF shots and water and started off with the idea of running a lot of miles. Reality set in after 15miles that tonight was not a good night to put in an ultra, but I intended to run enough to make the legs sore again.
I established a pattern of running the 2.2 mile loop in 17:30-18:00 min then sitting and drinking for 1:30-2:30 and managed to do 3 laps an hour consistently. I hope I can maintian this sub 9:00 minute mile pace in next months race aswell.
Following the run I had a nice dinner of 800calories of poptarts (the dining hall was closed...what else am I going to eat?) and began setting up the final training schedule leading up to ran day July 21st.
I basically have 4 more weeks of HARD /LONG training and a 2 week taper. I am using the Jack Daniels marathon plan workouts (10 specific ones remaining) and am also intent on getting in regular 20 milers at 8:00 minute miles or "slow twitch stimulating" runs in order to maximize my slow twitch fibers effectiveness. So this is the skeleton going forth:
A 4 Day repeating schedule:
Day one- long easy paced 20 miler at 8:00+ minute miles
day two- recovery 5-7 miles at easy pace
Day three- Daniel's specific workout totaling 13-15miles (most of which at 6:15-6:30pace)
day four- easy recovery 5-7miles
The continued focus on lactate threshold runs will help with efficiency and the regular 20 milers will help with endurance. And I'm going to gamble that I don't need any more runs that are super long. I want to come into a 100 RESTED FOR ONCE! Honestly, I believe I have already got in what I need. This is contrary to what a lot of uultrarunners think (What?! you are not going to run 45milers every weekend right up until 10 days before the race???), but we will all have to wait to see the results!
I think I have finally figured out my body and how best to train it. My focus is on prepping for a faster 100, not a mountain one that will take 30 hours and involve 5,000ft climbs and descents.
John Treacy the 1980's Running legend speaks
EASY DAYS EASY!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday PM- 4.4 miles 37min
Wednesday- 22 miles- 3:19
Finally the legs seemed to return to normal and since it was my last night in the south camp base for running, I figured I would sign off with a good one. I packed a bag (double bag this time) full of Mtn Dew, NUUN, body glide, CLIF shots and water and started off with the idea of running a lot of miles. Reality set in after 15miles that tonight was not a good night to put in an ultra, but I intended to run enough to make the legs sore again.
I established a pattern of running the 2.2 mile loop in 17:30-18:00 min then sitting and drinking for 1:30-2:30 and managed to do 3 laps an hour consistently. I hope I can maintian this sub 9:00 minute mile pace in next months race aswell.
Following the run I had a nice dinner of 800calories of poptarts (the dining hall was closed...what else am I going to eat?) and began setting up the final training schedule leading up to ran day July 21st.
I basically have 4 more weeks of HARD /LONG training and a 2 week taper. I am using the Jack Daniels marathon plan workouts (10 specific ones remaining) and am also intent on getting in regular 20 milers at 8:00 minute miles or "slow twitch stimulating" runs in order to maximize my slow twitch fibers effectiveness. So this is the skeleton going forth:
A 4 Day repeating schedule:
Day one- long easy paced 20 miler at 8:00+ minute miles
day two- recovery 5-7 miles at easy pace
Day three- Daniel's specific workout totaling 13-15miles (most of which at 6:15-6:30pace)
day four- easy recovery 5-7miles
The continued focus on lactate threshold runs will help with efficiency and the regular 20 milers will help with endurance. And I'm going to gamble that I don't need any more runs that are super long. I want to come into a 100 RESTED FOR ONCE! Honestly, I believe I have already got in what I need. This is contrary to what a lot of uultrarunners think (What?! you are not going to run 45milers every weekend right up until 10 days before the race???), but we will all have to wait to see the results!
I think I have finally figured out my body and how best to train it. My focus is on prepping for a faster 100, not a mountain one that will take 30 hours and involve 5,000ft climbs and descents.
John Treacy the 1980's Running legend speaks
EASY DAYS EASY!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, May 26, 2007
50 Miles is a LONG Ways
Saturday- 50 miles- 7:15:45
Wow, 50 miles is a long ways! All seemed to go as planned...I woke up at 3:30am ate 300cals of pop tarts, drank a 12oz coke, tried to wake up, packed up the gear and headed out to start my long day at 4am. struggling to walk the 1/4 mile with a bag filled with 30lbs of drinks and long run aid station gear... sucked....of course the bag handles broke.
What was in the bag? 4 bottles of water-60oz each, 9 cans of mtn dew, 19 gels, a bottle of Gatorade, body glide, sunglasses, a shirt, and sunscreen
I ran a 2 mile loop in 17minutes then began doing the north camp base perimeter loop following the fence-line (which is 4 miles- 3 of which are blacktop, and one is HARD packed dirt/sand/cement)
The idea was to run this one 12 times for 50 miles, unless I was slower than expected in which case I would bail at the 7 hour mark. I figured If I ran 8 min miles and allowed 2 minutes for "transition time" at my makeshift aid station I could run a 7 hour 50. Pretty ambitious.
I had pre-dissolved 12 NUUN tablets into my water and planned to fill my trusty Montrail bottle with this each lap, as well as, drink AT the aid station, and pick up a gel. This ended up working well as it took most of the 4 mile loop to drain the bottle and I took a 60-120sec walk break 2 miles into the loop each lap to hit the gel.
I wanted to try and consume 50% of what I expended and ended up doing about that. Here is the breakdown:
180oz of water ingest (with 12 NUUN tablets dissolved in it)
72 oz of mtn dew
252 oz total of ingested liquid or about 35oz per hour... I don't think I could absorb much more than that...none was forced- just drank to thirst..but by the 5th hour I was draining the bottle in the first 3 miles of the loop, so could have used more (or a bigger bottle:-)
12 NUUN tablets ingested for 2000mg of NA+, 600mg of K+ (this would be about 6 S! caps), but NUUN has more than twice the K+.... this worked great! despite it being above 100 degree temps I never cramped at all.
11 gels for 1210 calories (one per loop after the first)
6 mtn dews cans- 1020 calories
450cals ingested 25min before start of run
2230 cals consumed during, 2680 Cals processed during, or a touch over 50% of expenditure....this is really good for me
5 pee breaks
1 Aleve tablet at 34miles
Quads totally fried!!!.....They were fine for 5 hours then started to get sore, and by the last 8 miles I was doing a slowed shuffle at 8:30 pace, and my transition time had greatly increased to 3-4minutes.
Splits:
14miles- 2:00
26miles- 3:40
50K- 4:22
35miles-5 hours
42miles- 6:02
The course has no hills, thus It HURT!......I like hills and the exact same leg muscle contractions at the same joint angles really wears on you.
OBVIOUSLY dirt is always better too... But, you get in what you can.
I feel pretty good about this effort and plan to follow it with a 40 miler in 3-4 more weeks. That will make the "3 is the magic number" total pre-race, and also allow me plenty of recovery time before Vermont. I don't want to repeat previous mistakes and go LONG only 2-3 weeks out from my focus race.
I suspect I will be really sore tomorrow....good thing everything on base is only one story high!
Wow, 50 miles is a long ways! All seemed to go as planned...I woke up at 3:30am ate 300cals of pop tarts, drank a 12oz coke, tried to wake up, packed up the gear and headed out to start my long day at 4am. struggling to walk the 1/4 mile with a bag filled with 30lbs of drinks and long run aid station gear... sucked....of course the bag handles broke.
What was in the bag? 4 bottles of water-60oz each, 9 cans of mtn dew, 19 gels, a bottle of Gatorade, body glide, sunglasses, a shirt, and sunscreen
I ran a 2 mile loop in 17minutes then began doing the north camp base perimeter loop following the fence-line (which is 4 miles- 3 of which are blacktop, and one is HARD packed dirt/sand/cement)
The idea was to run this one 12 times for 50 miles, unless I was slower than expected in which case I would bail at the 7 hour mark. I figured If I ran 8 min miles and allowed 2 minutes for "transition time" at my makeshift aid station I could run a 7 hour 50. Pretty ambitious.
I had pre-dissolved 12 NUUN tablets into my water and planned to fill my trusty Montrail bottle with this each lap, as well as, drink AT the aid station, and pick up a gel. This ended up working well as it took most of the 4 mile loop to drain the bottle and I took a 60-120sec walk break 2 miles into the loop each lap to hit the gel.
I wanted to try and consume 50% of what I expended and ended up doing about that. Here is the breakdown:
180oz of water ingest (with 12 NUUN tablets dissolved in it)
72 oz of mtn dew
252 oz total of ingested liquid or about 35oz per hour... I don't think I could absorb much more than that...none was forced- just drank to thirst..but by the 5th hour I was draining the bottle in the first 3 miles of the loop, so could have used more (or a bigger bottle:-)
12 NUUN tablets ingested for 2000mg of NA+, 600mg of K+ (this would be about 6 S! caps), but NUUN has more than twice the K+.... this worked great! despite it being above 100 degree temps I never cramped at all.
11 gels for 1210 calories (one per loop after the first)
6 mtn dews cans- 1020 calories
450cals ingested 25min before start of run
2230 cals consumed during, 2680 Cals processed during, or a touch over 50% of expenditure....this is really good for me
5 pee breaks
1 Aleve tablet at 34miles
Quads totally fried!!!.....They were fine for 5 hours then started to get sore, and by the last 8 miles I was doing a slowed shuffle at 8:30 pace, and my transition time had greatly increased to 3-4minutes.
Splits:
14miles- 2:00
26miles- 3:40
50K- 4:22
35miles-5 hours
42miles- 6:02
The course has no hills, thus It HURT!......I like hills and the exact same leg muscle contractions at the same joint angles really wears on you.
OBVIOUSLY dirt is always better too... But, you get in what you can.
I feel pretty good about this effort and plan to follow it with a 40 miler in 3-4 more weeks. That will make the "3 is the magic number" total pre-race, and also allow me plenty of recovery time before Vermont. I don't want to repeat previous mistakes and go LONG only 2-3 weeks out from my focus race.
I suspect I will be really sore tomorrow....good thing everything on base is only one story high!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Resting up to Beat myself down
Wednesday- 4 miles- 33min easy
Thursday- 3 miles- 23min easy
Friday- taking a zero day
Well I originally planned to run long on Sat the 26th, then got anxious and thought I would run on Friday the 25th (as we have weekends Fri/Sat), But after feeling overly tired and achy here the last two days I decided to rest one more day and go long tomorrow. So today I am taking a zero day and using it to pack a bunch of my stuff up to be mailed back to the states. Tomorrow at 4am I plan to start a LONG one. "Sinai Sufferfest # Two"
Thursday- 3 miles- 23min easy
Friday- taking a zero day
Well I originally planned to run long on Sat the 26th, then got anxious and thought I would run on Friday the 25th (as we have weekends Fri/Sat), But after feeling overly tired and achy here the last two days I decided to rest one more day and go long tomorrow. So today I am taking a zero day and using it to pack a bunch of my stuff up to be mailed back to the states. Tomorrow at 4am I plan to start a LONG one. "Sinai Sufferfest # Two"
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Sinai Sufferfest Number One
Saturday- 40 Miles- 5:58
If you want to perform well in a long race, you have to get out there and suffer in training. Today was all about that. This was number one of three LONG long runs I have planned before leaving Egypt.
My day started at 4:15 when I reluctantly rolled out of bed and began getting around for my run. I ate 2 poptarts (400cals) and had a can of mtn Dew (170cals) for my breakfast. Then I assembled the aid station gear: 4 bottles of water(1.5liter)- 2 with electrolytes in them, 2 just water, 5 12oz cans of mtn Dew, 17 packs of gel, salt tablets, body glide, sun glasses, my Montrail hat- with IPOD shuffle clipped on, and another package of poptarts.
At 4:45 in complete darkness with a nearly full moon straight over head I began running in the 80 degree heat with no shirt on and wearing my new Odyssey Montrail shoes. The first lap sucked as I hate running in the morning, but needed to get going to beat some of the heat. On the second lap the moon edged lower and the pre-twilight of dawn began. On the third lap the orange fireball appeared over the Red Sea as a perfect circle rising ever so slowly over Tiran island. By 7AM I noticed it was hot, an hour later it was freaking hot, and after 9AM It was over 100 degrees.
Because I burn easily I put a silk weight all white Patagonia T-shirt on at 7AM to block out the sun and donned my sunglasses at 8am. Man, am I gonna have a nice farmer tan!
Honestly the run went very smoothly. The hardest part was laps 2 and 3. Mentally the thought of having so much left and not really feeling very good was almost too much. But, this faded and as I ran loop after loop I felt better and better.
The goal of the day was to run for 6 hours. I hoped I could get in 40 miles and planned to force my stomach to process food/water as I went. I basically ran it like an interval session of 18 x 2.2 miles loops (plus an extra 0.4miles to make it an even 40) with a 90sec to 2minute refueling rest break between each lap. I ran with nothing, but at the end of each loop I would do one of three things: 1) Drink water and take a salt tablet and a gel, 2) Drink water with electrolytes in it and take a gel, or 3) have a full can of 170 cals of mtn dew.
I ended up ingesting the following:
165 oz water- 0 cals
60 oz of mtn dew- 850 cals
10 x 110 cal gels- 1100 cals
So total intake was about 1/2 the calories of the 4,000 calories expended....which should be the goal. My stomach did a great job processing all this until the last 90 minutes when it got very hot. I basically would be FULL and sloshing for about four minutes past the "aid station" and then 10 minutes in to the loop felt pretty comfortable. I never felt bonky or out of energy....so very happy with that. The last 5 laps my stomach felt full and uncomfortable most all the time. But, it never shut down on me. I was peeing about every 45minutes, and I did get some pretty impressive salt lines going.
My legs felt just as good in the last 2 hours as the first. In fact my 5 fastest loops of the 18 were the last 5. I even got crazy on the last one and ran 7:15 mile pace to insure I broke 6 hours. The limit is not going to be my legs...it is going to be my stomach.
The 2.2 mile loop has 3 hills in it: One gradual, one Short and steep, and one longer and steep. I walked the long one each lap (40sec to get up) and the short steep one about half the time (only 15 sec to get up). so I ran all but 60 sec of each loop. I figure the 40 miles has 4,000ft elevation gain and loss, and being that it is crushed coral/sand it gives you an extra bit of work on each slipping step. All in all it was a damn good run. I am not superman yet....but I sure am trying to be!
Relevant splits: 3:56 marathon, 4:38- 50K
Ooh and I almost forgot...it was 114 degrees when I finished.
If you want to perform well in a long race, you have to get out there and suffer in training. Today was all about that. This was number one of three LONG long runs I have planned before leaving Egypt.
My day started at 4:15 when I reluctantly rolled out of bed and began getting around for my run. I ate 2 poptarts (400cals) and had a can of mtn Dew (170cals) for my breakfast. Then I assembled the aid station gear: 4 bottles of water(1.5liter)- 2 with electrolytes in them, 2 just water, 5 12oz cans of mtn Dew, 17 packs of gel, salt tablets, body glide, sun glasses, my Montrail hat- with IPOD shuffle clipped on, and another package of poptarts.
At 4:45 in complete darkness with a nearly full moon straight over head I began running in the 80 degree heat with no shirt on and wearing my new Odyssey Montrail shoes. The first lap sucked as I hate running in the morning, but needed to get going to beat some of the heat. On the second lap the moon edged lower and the pre-twilight of dawn began. On the third lap the orange fireball appeared over the Red Sea as a perfect circle rising ever so slowly over Tiran island. By 7AM I noticed it was hot, an hour later it was freaking hot, and after 9AM It was over 100 degrees.
Because I burn easily I put a silk weight all white Patagonia T-shirt on at 7AM to block out the sun and donned my sunglasses at 8am. Man, am I gonna have a nice farmer tan!
Honestly the run went very smoothly. The hardest part was laps 2 and 3. Mentally the thought of having so much left and not really feeling very good was almost too much. But, this faded and as I ran loop after loop I felt better and better.
The goal of the day was to run for 6 hours. I hoped I could get in 40 miles and planned to force my stomach to process food/water as I went. I basically ran it like an interval session of 18 x 2.2 miles loops (plus an extra 0.4miles to make it an even 40) with a 90sec to 2minute refueling rest break between each lap. I ran with nothing, but at the end of each loop I would do one of three things: 1) Drink water and take a salt tablet and a gel, 2) Drink water with electrolytes in it and take a gel, or 3) have a full can of 170 cals of mtn dew.
I ended up ingesting the following:
165 oz water- 0 cals
60 oz of mtn dew- 850 cals
10 x 110 cal gels- 1100 cals
So total intake was about 1/2 the calories of the 4,000 calories expended....which should be the goal. My stomach did a great job processing all this until the last 90 minutes when it got very hot. I basically would be FULL and sloshing for about four minutes past the "aid station" and then 10 minutes in to the loop felt pretty comfortable. I never felt bonky or out of energy....so very happy with that. The last 5 laps my stomach felt full and uncomfortable most all the time. But, it never shut down on me. I was peeing about every 45minutes, and I did get some pretty impressive salt lines going.
My legs felt just as good in the last 2 hours as the first. In fact my 5 fastest loops of the 18 were the last 5. I even got crazy on the last one and ran 7:15 mile pace to insure I broke 6 hours. The limit is not going to be my legs...it is going to be my stomach.
The 2.2 mile loop has 3 hills in it: One gradual, one Short and steep, and one longer and steep. I walked the long one each lap (40sec to get up) and the short steep one about half the time (only 15 sec to get up). so I ran all but 60 sec of each loop. I figure the 40 miles has 4,000ft elevation gain and loss, and being that it is crushed coral/sand it gives you an extra bit of work on each slipping step. All in all it was a damn good run. I am not superman yet....but I sure am trying to be!
Relevant splits: 3:56 marathon, 4:38- 50K
Ooh and I almost forgot...it was 114 degrees when I finished.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Thanks, I feel better
Wed- 4miles- jog/walk (sore foot)
Okay first off thanks for the huge volume of comments and emails...I feel better. Living here where 2 miles is a long run for most and running for "fun" or for "training" is a foreign concept I often feel quite a bit more like a freak than normal. So writing to the masses of those that do similar running and then hearing from you all makes me feel good. And yes, all you gotta do is email about 2,000 people on a list serve pleading for comments, and whammo you get 10!
Anyway very interesting exchanges with some folks; thanks. I think all it really settled for me is that different strokes for different folks. I think my brother Tim might have expressed it best when he said:
"There are absolutely limitations that will be placed on performance by "fitness" - aerobic enzyme efficiency, lactate threshold, hemoglobin concentration, fast-twitch/slow-twitch muscle fiber percentages, etc. But once someone has built those to even a moderate level, I think their own viewpoint and pre-conceived notions about their ability to perform plays a huge role."
Sure, LONG long runs will build up the level of fat mobilizing enzymes, teach your body efficiency, build capillary networks in the muscles, accustom the body to the shear enormity of being out and moving/processing energy/taking impact/ect for hours on end, but I think their value most importantly may be improved confidence.
When I was training for the grand slam in 2002 I ran 11 runs of 24-40 miles in the month of March. I was trying something new, and believe I lost a bunch of my speed doing that type of training, but one thing became clear. I was 100% confident I then had the ability to finish the slam. So much so I even threw in MMT and Big Horn 100's as well. The Ultra distance no longer scared me as I knew my body could handle long slow slogs in the mountains, AND that I could recover quickly from such efforts.
I also have, in the 8 years I've been doing ultras, almost always used other ultras as preparation for my bigger more "focus" races. Only on a few occasions have I not done at least a 50 mile race in the 2 months prior to an attempt at a 70-to-100mile race. And all but one of those times when I did not, ended in a DNF. Was this due to my body not being prepared for the distance? Or was my mind not prepared? What is more important?
Again my brother has some good insight:
"Of course, right now you are looking to get back to running top performances in the ultrarunning community, and you will have to have the physical training behind you to do that. But just as importantly, you have to have the confidence (no doubts allowed) that you can do it."
He is absolutely right...and part of this is how far do I need to run in training here in the desert to mentally FEEL CONFIDENT I can run well in the Vermont 100? Since, again, I will not have any pre- 100miler races to both test myself physically and mentally. No RACE opportunity to get that "fix" of confidence that...Yes! I can not only complete the distance...but, I can run well.
For me a big part of my confidence in ultrarunning has come from the fact that I used to be a good deal faster over shorter distance races than the majority of the folks competing in ultradistance races. And interestingly when I was fit enough to run a 5K in sub 17min, I was able to run a 100 under 17 hours. When I was in 19min 5K shape I ran a similarly flat 100 in 20 hours(despite getting lost for over an hour). Thus, knowing myself and knowing that in order for my stomach to be able to process food and even coke/energy drinks I have to be running at a pace that is considerably slower than my current 5K race pace. So for me now the focus is on first getting the speed back. For me to feel like I have a shot at holding 9:00mile pace in Vermont I need to be able to feel like 7:00 mile pace is EASY. As the race comes closer, I will also need to get comfortable with that "exhausted by the shear distance" feeling in training prior to the July 21st race date.
In any event, thanks for the comments and debate...keep it coming!
Okay first off thanks for the huge volume of comments and emails...I feel better. Living here where 2 miles is a long run for most and running for "fun" or for "training" is a foreign concept I often feel quite a bit more like a freak than normal. So writing to the masses of those that do similar running and then hearing from you all makes me feel good. And yes, all you gotta do is email about 2,000 people on a list serve pleading for comments, and whammo you get 10!
Anyway very interesting exchanges with some folks; thanks. I think all it really settled for me is that different strokes for different folks. I think my brother Tim might have expressed it best when he said:
"There are absolutely limitations that will be placed on performance by "fitness" - aerobic enzyme efficiency, lactate threshold, hemoglobin concentration, fast-twitch/slow-twitch muscle fiber percentages, etc. But once someone has built those to even a moderate level, I think their own viewpoint and pre-conceived notions about their ability to perform plays a huge role."
Sure, LONG long runs will build up the level of fat mobilizing enzymes, teach your body efficiency, build capillary networks in the muscles, accustom the body to the shear enormity of being out and moving/processing energy/taking impact/ect for hours on end, but I think their value most importantly may be improved confidence.
When I was training for the grand slam in 2002 I ran 11 runs of 24-40 miles in the month of March. I was trying something new, and believe I lost a bunch of my speed doing that type of training, but one thing became clear. I was 100% confident I then had the ability to finish the slam. So much so I even threw in MMT and Big Horn 100's as well. The Ultra distance no longer scared me as I knew my body could handle long slow slogs in the mountains, AND that I could recover quickly from such efforts.
I also have, in the 8 years I've been doing ultras, almost always used other ultras as preparation for my bigger more "focus" races. Only on a few occasions have I not done at least a 50 mile race in the 2 months prior to an attempt at a 70-to-100mile race. And all but one of those times when I did not, ended in a DNF. Was this due to my body not being prepared for the distance? Or was my mind not prepared? What is more important?
Again my brother has some good insight:
"Of course, right now you are looking to get back to running top performances in the ultrarunning community, and you will have to have the physical training behind you to do that. But just as importantly, you have to have the confidence (no doubts allowed) that you can do it."
He is absolutely right...and part of this is how far do I need to run in training here in the desert to mentally FEEL CONFIDENT I can run well in the Vermont 100? Since, again, I will not have any pre- 100miler races to both test myself physically and mentally. No RACE opportunity to get that "fix" of confidence that...Yes! I can not only complete the distance...but, I can run well.
For me a big part of my confidence in ultrarunning has come from the fact that I used to be a good deal faster over shorter distance races than the majority of the folks competing in ultradistance races. And interestingly when I was fit enough to run a 5K in sub 17min, I was able to run a 100 under 17 hours. When I was in 19min 5K shape I ran a similarly flat 100 in 20 hours(despite getting lost for over an hour). Thus, knowing myself and knowing that in order for my stomach to be able to process food and even coke/energy drinks I have to be running at a pace that is considerably slower than my current 5K race pace. So for me now the focus is on first getting the speed back. For me to feel like I have a shot at holding 9:00mile pace in Vermont I need to be able to feel like 7:00 mile pace is EASY. As the race comes closer, I will also need to get comfortable with that "exhausted by the shear distance" feeling in training prior to the July 21st race date.
In any event, thanks for the comments and debate...keep it coming!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Long Run - How Important is it REALLY?
15 Miles- 1:55 - 10.25 miles warm up (80min)- 4 mile cut down run- 26:34- 0.75 c dn
Very good run last night. It was supposed to be a hard day and rather than do some reps work (200-400m efforts) I felt like doing more threshold pace work. I want my hard days to be in the 12-20 mile range so I ran a big warm up. Then running on my Sinai mile loop "1520m" I ran 6:32, 6:26,6:12, 6:04 in a cut down manner. I actually felt better in miles 3 and 4 than the first one.
So after reading a lot of blogs, letsrun.com, and ultralist postings I have been wondering about long runs. How much is TOO much and how LONG do you need to run? I suppose it all depends.... I know my Brother has run an 8- hour 50 mile off a long run of 12 miles. My Dad ran an 11:30- 50 mile at age 66 off a long run of 15. I ran a 25 hour- 100 mile at RR in 2004 with long runs of 20 and 50K and averaging 30 miles per week in the 4 months prior. But, I ran 16:28 at the 2002 RR 100 after having done 7 runs of 50k-67miles in the 16 weeks prior to that race.
So what about the FAST guys? I remember when Dave Dunham of Massachusetts entered the ultra distance world and ran a great 6:46100K after only running a 26.2 marathon on consecutive weekends as his longest "training" run. Dave does have PR' s of 14:08 for 5K, 29:17 10K, 1:00:53 20K, 2:19:28 marathon, and 2:57:36 for 50K, However. I remember reading and talking to him back when I lived and raced a lot in Mass. He ran multiple times per week but of a shorter distance (3-10 milers, but 10-18 runs a week).
Other folks like the Lydiard system (like the U of Colorado program) and insist on running singles and getting your mileage in fewer but longer runs. They say you develop a better aerobic system doing it that way (it creates more extensive capillary networks in the muscles). I don't know... miles are miles, and more is better up to about 70mpw, then your risk of injury goes way up and the percent gain from your effort is slightl. In order to handle high mileage you need to for one thing have the time, then the strength of the connective tissues and tendons, denser bones, ect.... This happens over a long period of time. After running for many years, one can start improving from 80-100-140miles a week. But, some folks never can. I can build to and hold 85-105 mile weeks only briefly then I seem to get injured. when I have raced my best and had those feelings of invicibility where I could not even make myself sore anymore...they came after a week here, a week or two there of REALLY high mileage, or a succession of REALLY long runs 2-3 weeks apart.
Many 100K and 100 mile racers train by doing a long run of 4 hours but run it at or under race pace, while others go out for 8-12 hour training efforts. Many more still simply "bounce" from ultra to ultra never really doing LONG training runs on their own, but take part in 10-15 ultras a year. Most ultrarunners d0 fade badly in races of 100k- 100mile distance when you look at 50k/50mile splits v. finish times. Is this due to a "collapse point"; a theory that one's body will operate well for a set time period it is used to operating at, then dramatically slow after that time period has passed.
I first remember reading about the "collapse Point" in a book by Bob Glover, then I read something similiar byTim Noakes . His "central Governor Theory" is described in his incredible read The Lore of Running. By the way, if you do not own this book, you are not as serious about running as you think you are.
Noakes basically makes the case that the limit on performance comes from the mind. The mind is simply trying to protect itself/you from damage. And if it has only been established that you can run for 4 hours and safely live/recover to run a gain after that set amount of time, then running for a time period longer than this is going to be advancing into UNKNOWN territory and your mind is going to slow everything down in an effort to protect you from yourself. Pain and fatigue signals are going to be especially heightened making running difficult. One can continue, but you slow down. In 50-62 miles this can be 1-2min per mile slower, in 100 milers it can be the difference between running and walking or 10+ minutes per mile. (Trust me walking 22:30 per mile for 50 miles IS NOT FUN!)
As an exercise physiologist, I know their are definitely physiological things going on that cause one to slow as well. Nutrition intake is critical and if you can not continue to take in 250kcals of energy an hour or at least 1/3 of the kcals you are expending, you will slow down dramatically. The greatest ultrarunner to ever live is without a doubt Yannis Kouros. He was able to exactly match energy expenditure and intake during a 6 day race in which he set the world record. For the rest of us mortals caloric intake is usually the limiting factor. In 100 milers I can feel (and hear) when I am completely depleted and relying completely on fat oxidation for energy. Because you need much more oxygen to act as the final H+ ion acceptor during fat oxidation than you do with glucose oxidation. Thus, you end up breathing at a higher rate even when you are jogging, walking or even sitting. It can get ugly...
but, alas, assuming all things are equal with fluid / energy intakes and fitness (marathon PR's). Will someone who has done training efforts of 6-8 hours beat someone who has only done long runs of 4 hours in a race of 50, 62 or 100 miles? Even if the 4 hour long run runner runs at a pace 2-3min per mile faster than the LONG long runner?
I think so. I think the LONG long run makes one's fat mobilization process more efficient. We all have enough stored fat (even the leanest of us) to fuel efforts of 200 + miles. But, not everyone has high levels of the enzymes needed to break the fatty acids chains stored in muscle and subcutaneous tissue down into a usable form. For this reason..... optimizing the amount of lipo-lipase C (the ezyme of fat mobilization).....I think the LONG long run is more important than weekly mileage, more important then frequency of 2-3 hour runs, and more important than the pace held during training runs.
But, these LONG long runs have their place in the training cycle. I believe they need to come at the end, near the race itself, and AFTER one has developed the speed and strength. (But that brings up another interesting question..... How close to your peak race do you do your last LONG long run?) What I am trying to do now is get the speed..... then Next month I hope to do some long ones. Stayed tuned, solo 50 milers in the Egyptian desert in late May and June should be fun!
Very good run last night. It was supposed to be a hard day and rather than do some reps work (200-400m efforts) I felt like doing more threshold pace work. I want my hard days to be in the 12-20 mile range so I ran a big warm up. Then running on my Sinai mile loop "1520m" I ran 6:32, 6:26,6:12, 6:04 in a cut down manner. I actually felt better in miles 3 and 4 than the first one.
So after reading a lot of blogs, letsrun.com, and ultralist postings I have been wondering about long runs. How much is TOO much and how LONG do you need to run? I suppose it all depends.... I know my Brother has run an 8- hour 50 mile off a long run of 12 miles. My Dad ran an 11:30- 50 mile at age 66 off a long run of 15. I ran a 25 hour- 100 mile at RR in 2004 with long runs of 20 and 50K and averaging 30 miles per week in the 4 months prior. But, I ran 16:28 at the 2002 RR 100 after having done 7 runs of 50k-67miles in the 16 weeks prior to that race.
So what about the FAST guys? I remember when Dave Dunham of Massachusetts entered the ultra distance world and ran a great 6:46100K after only running a 26.2 marathon on consecutive weekends as his longest "training" run. Dave does have PR' s of 14:08 for 5K, 29:17 10K, 1:00:53 20K, 2:19:28 marathon, and 2:57:36 for 50K, However. I remember reading and talking to him back when I lived and raced a lot in Mass. He ran multiple times per week but of a shorter distance (3-10 milers, but 10-18 runs a week).
Other folks like the Lydiard system (like the U of Colorado program) and insist on running singles and getting your mileage in fewer but longer runs. They say you develop a better aerobic system doing it that way (it creates more extensive capillary networks in the muscles). I don't know... miles are miles, and more is better up to about 70mpw, then your risk of injury goes way up and the percent gain from your effort is slightl. In order to handle high mileage you need to for one thing have the time, then the strength of the connective tissues and tendons, denser bones, ect.... This happens over a long period of time. After running for many years, one can start improving from 80-100-140miles a week. But, some folks never can. I can build to and hold 85-105 mile weeks only briefly then I seem to get injured. when I have raced my best and had those feelings of invicibility where I could not even make myself sore anymore...they came after a week here, a week or two there of REALLY high mileage, or a succession of REALLY long runs 2-3 weeks apart.
Many 100K and 100 mile racers train by doing a long run of 4 hours but run it at or under race pace, while others go out for 8-12 hour training efforts. Many more still simply "bounce" from ultra to ultra never really doing LONG training runs on their own, but take part in 10-15 ultras a year. Most ultrarunners d0 fade badly in races of 100k- 100mile distance when you look at 50k/50mile splits v. finish times. Is this due to a "collapse point"; a theory that one's body will operate well for a set time period it is used to operating at, then dramatically slow after that time period has passed.
I first remember reading about the "collapse Point" in a book by Bob Glover, then I read something similiar byTim Noakes . His "central Governor Theory" is described in his incredible read The Lore of Running. By the way, if you do not own this book, you are not as serious about running as you think you are.
Noakes basically makes the case that the limit on performance comes from the mind. The mind is simply trying to protect itself/you from damage. And if it has only been established that you can run for 4 hours and safely live/recover to run a gain after that set amount of time, then running for a time period longer than this is going to be advancing into UNKNOWN territory and your mind is going to slow everything down in an effort to protect you from yourself. Pain and fatigue signals are going to be especially heightened making running difficult. One can continue, but you slow down. In 50-62 miles this can be 1-2min per mile slower, in 100 milers it can be the difference between running and walking or 10+ minutes per mile. (Trust me walking 22:30 per mile for 50 miles IS NOT FUN!)
As an exercise physiologist, I know their are definitely physiological things going on that cause one to slow as well. Nutrition intake is critical and if you can not continue to take in 250kcals of energy an hour or at least 1/3 of the kcals you are expending, you will slow down dramatically. The greatest ultrarunner to ever live is without a doubt Yannis Kouros. He was able to exactly match energy expenditure and intake during a 6 day race in which he set the world record. For the rest of us mortals caloric intake is usually the limiting factor. In 100 milers I can feel (and hear) when I am completely depleted and relying completely on fat oxidation for energy. Because you need much more oxygen to act as the final H+ ion acceptor during fat oxidation than you do with glucose oxidation. Thus, you end up breathing at a higher rate even when you are jogging, walking or even sitting. It can get ugly...
but, alas, assuming all things are equal with fluid / energy intakes and fitness (marathon PR's). Will someone who has done training efforts of 6-8 hours beat someone who has only done long runs of 4 hours in a race of 50, 62 or 100 miles? Even if the 4 hour long run runner runs at a pace 2-3min per mile faster than the LONG long runner?
I think so. I think the LONG long run makes one's fat mobilization process more efficient. We all have enough stored fat (even the leanest of us) to fuel efforts of 200 + miles. But, not everyone has high levels of the enzymes needed to break the fatty acids chains stored in muscle and subcutaneous tissue down into a usable form. For this reason..... optimizing the amount of lipo-lipase C (the ezyme of fat mobilization).....I think the LONG long run is more important than weekly mileage, more important then frequency of 2-3 hour runs, and more important than the pace held during training runs.
But, these LONG long runs have their place in the training cycle. I believe they need to come at the end, near the race itself, and AFTER one has developed the speed and strength. (But that brings up another interesting question..... How close to your peak race do you do your last LONG long run?) What I am trying to do now is get the speed..... then Next month I hope to do some long ones. Stayed tuned, solo 50 milers in the Egyptian desert in late May and June should be fun!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
