Interview with Apolo Ohno & $25 Subway Giveaway

SUAR “does” Apolo, soul patch and all

He’s been famous for many things – 8 Olympic medals in speed skating, his sexy (or sordid) soul patch, those hunky thighs, and winning the 4th Season of Dancing with the Stars. One thing is for sure, Apolo Ohno is always up to something.

On DWTS in 2007

Apolo’s most recent athletic pursuit has been marathon training. Rumor has it that Jared from Subway, who ran his first marathon in New York last year in 5:13, challenged Apolo to run the New York City Marathon this year.

On the Olympic medal podium in 2004 – he was just a baby, only 22 years old

Apolo’s been running for years as part of his speed skating training, but did not actually train for a race until this year. He ran the Chicago Half marathon in September in a time of 1:40. His coach said that Apolo could have run faster (yeah, sure), but that this was a “training” run for New York and not meant to be a true race for time.

Apolo training at the track with Michael Phelps. “Hahahah! We both shave our legs!”

I was invited to interview Apolo via conference call yesterday about his upcoming race. This is not the order in which questions were asked and some of it is not verbatim (I can only write so fast), but you get the idea:

Everyone wants to know what your time goal is. What are you aiming for?

I want to beat Jared and Mario Lopez (laughs). Really, I’m hoping to do the race in  3 1/2 hours. I am sponsored by Subway and they have promised to donate $26,200 to the Special Olympics if I’m able to run under 4 hours. I’m ready to rock and roll!

Do you have a mantra you use when the going gets tough?

Yes, when I’m in pain and having doubts, I have to dig deeper. My mantra is “zero regrets,” something my dad taught me.  I want to know that I gave all to my performance.

How has running changed your body?

I have actually lost weight while marathon training. My legs are ridiculous things, but they have gotten smaller with marathon training. They are 50% smaller than they used to be! I don’t have to have my jeans custom made anymore.

How is marathon training different than speed skating training?

They are nothing alike. With speed skating it is all sprinting and explosive. My coach really needed to work with me to slow down.

What do you eat before and during a race?

A good blend of carbs and proteins the night before (he finds brown rice pasta to be a good choice). The morning of the race I eat some oatmeal. During the race, I do liquid gels and try to stay hydrated.

How do you recover after a long run or race?

I love to drink low-fat chocolate milk. It’s the perfect blend of carbs and protein. A lot of times I’m not hungry after a long workout so it works for me.

What is your advice for first time marathoners?

Make sure you are consistent and plan ahead. If you can, get a good trainer/coach. Without my coach (Todd Rushworth) I would just run hard everyday. But it’s really important to know when to take it easy on the long runs. I also learned the value of rest.

How do you stay motivated when you don’t feel like running? (my favorite question)

This happens all the time. I give myself no choice. It’s not an option. I just get out there and do it.

You are working closely with Subway to run this marathon. What’s your favorite sub?

I’m a double meat guy. I go for a foot long double meat (turkey) on honey oat with all the veggies, banana peppers too and oil/vinegar. Sometimes I add in avocado.

 

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Do you want to be like Apolo and run to your nearest Subway for double meat on honey oat? Subway is giving away a $25 gift card to one reader.

To enter, just tell me how you fuel up before and after a tough workout. That’s it. A random winner will be chosen on Tuesday, November 8.

SUAR

Fine print: The Zocalo Group, on behalf of Subway provided me with a $25 Subway gift card as well as the gift card for the giveaway in exchange for my interview with Apolo Ohno. I paid nothing for the items.

How Often Do You Go Long?

*Note: a change/correction has been made to this post from what was originally written. I misunderstood what my client had told me. My apologies. What is written below is now accurate.

I met with a coaching client this week. She is running the Boston Marathon in 2012 and wanted to process her thoughts about her marathon training plan. In early 2011 she completed the Colorado Marathon and got her BQ. During her training cycle, however, she suffered from shin splints and saw a local PT.

During our coffee/marathon planning date, this friend told me that her PT thought her shin splints might be related to her weekly long runs. He told her that the 40+ year old athletes he works with do better in terms of  recovery and fewer incidents of injury when they do long runs once every 10 days versus once every week.

Most cookie cutter training plans (Smart Coach @ Runner’s World, etc.) have runners doing one long run per week. RRCA trains coaches in plans that have one long run per week (after the base building phase). Team in Training coaches its participants this way as well. Most of these plans incorporate recovery weeks every 4-6 weeks.

On that note, here is a long run guide from Running Planet that was interesting food for thought:

Yet, at Marathon Training Tips, we are told (regardless of experience), “The long runs have to occur every week and they cannot be skipped no matter what. These runs are what actually train your body to store up the glucose needed to accomplish a marathon long run schedule.”

Spacing out long runs seems logical, but like with anything, this depends on the individual. I think most people would agree that one long run per week is standard, but there are always exceptions. I don’t believe you can say, as this PT did, that “everyone must do a long run only once every ten days.” IMHO, nothing applies to every.single.person across the board.

How often do you do long runs while training for a marathon?

Have you ever done/heard of a marathon training plan that does not have weekly long runs (not including recovery weeks)?

SUAR

The Doc Answers Your Questions

Huge thanks to Dr. Inigo San Millan, Director of the Exercise Physiology and Human Performance Lab at the University of Colorado's Anschutz Health & Wellness Center, for answering your questions from this post. He’s been really busy working with the Pro Cycling Tour here in Denver, but managed to squeeze us in. 

There were so many questions, that I tried to pick the ones that seemed to address most concerns/inquiries.

Why can’t I lose weight?:

I have been exercising 5-6 days a week for a least an hour a day, alternating workouts, and 2x/week doing daily doubles, and my weight is the same as it was last November during my recovery season. I have been stuck at 148lbs forever it feels like. Most of my friends, who just started to run over the past month have been dropping weight like crazy, but I don't seem to be headed anywhere...I pay pretty close attention to my diet and not sure what to do about my weight plateau....

The doctor says…

What probably happens is that at the exercise intensity you run you are not using much fat as you probably use more glucose. This is a very common thing in recreational athletes who exercise several times a week, have a good diet and don't get to lose weight. It may or may not be a caloric intake problem but what I see for the most part is that you don't "burn" much fat when you exercise. Calories in and calories out may not be necessarily the same. Calories can be derived from fat and glucose (and a bit of protein) so calories are not always equal in terms of substrate utilization. When we see caloric expenditure (Kcals) on our heart rate monitor or gym bike screener we can never see whether those calories come from fat, carbohydrate or which % belongs to either one. As an example we can "burn" 700Kcals in a workout session but the majority (let's say 90%) can be derived from carbohydrates and therefore very little from fat. However we can also "burn" 700kcals by exercising at different intensities and levels and therefore can "burn" 70% of all Kcals derived from Fat and the rest from carbohydrates. So the same rate of caloric expenditure does not represent the same metabolic response to exercise and therefore substrate utilization. With the methodology I apply in the lab it is possible to determine fat and carbohydrate metabolism and responses to different exercise intensities and identify that individual training intensity that elicits the highest fat utilization and translate it in heart rate.

Why doesn’t running get easier?

I'd like know why running doesn't seem to ever get easier for me! I'm a race walker (4 full, 5 half marathons) but I've been running more and more over the past 12 months and it doesn't seem to get any easier! I always feel like my lungs are going to explode.

The doctor says…

This could be due to many different reasons but I would guess that your fitness level is not optimum and very possibly you are training at the wrong zones and therefore not improving. I would suggest doing a physiological test to know where you exactly are and to set your training zones.

Is physiological performance testing right for me?

I'd love to know if this testing is right for me. I'm a casual runner - 5ks and 10ks mostly - with weight and resistance training in between.

The doctor says…

This test is not just for the elite athlete but for anybody who wants to improve fitness levels and get to know how his/her body works during exercise and be able to improve and optimize time.

Why do we have to do long runs so slow?

I'd love to hear more about the theory of doing your long runs 1-2 minutes slower than anticipated marathon pace. I don't understand how I can possibly run marathon pace for 26.2 if I haven't at least trained a few long runs near that pace.

The doctor says…

The theory behind this is to improve your Type I muscle fibers (Slow Twitch). These are the fibers with the highest mitochondria density, highest fat utilization capacity, oxidative enzymes and lactate transporters. Training these fibers should be the base of any training and normally this intensity corresponds to a slightly lower than goal pace as goal pace is an intensity that recruits fast twitch muscle fibers (Type II's) and are more glycolytic (use more glucose) have less mitochondria density so also use less fat and produce more lactate. In a way, slow twitch muscle fibers are great assistants to fast twitch muscle fibers both during training and competition so slow twitch muscle fibers must be very robust. By training at specific heart zones we can elicit a higher efficiency in slow twitch muscle fibers.

How the heck can I become a faster runner?

I sure would like to know how to get faster. I have been running for 8 years, have done speed work and just don't get any faster. In fact this past half marathon I was 5 minutes slower than last year after doing more speed work. (2:40 half-marathon)I am over 50 so I know age probably has a lot to do with it.

The doctor says…

Age could be a factor, but believe me you should be able to improve your PR despite being over 50. It is possible that you are not training in the correct way and training zones and therefore not improving performance. It could be also possible that you are over trained and fatigued and therefore your body cannot recover properly and not improve as needed. We can easily monitor and check this through blood analysis and normally can identify the source of overtraining and/or fatigue and correct it.

Can VO2 Max be improved?

Can I improve my VO2? is it true that I can only improve my speed for 7 years (after initiating running) and after that, I will maintain for awhile and then decline in speed? is there a way to determine the minimum mileage I should be running every week in order to increase speed and endurance when NOT training for a marathon?

The doctor says…

Relative VO2max (ml/kg/min) can be increased as weight decreases. Absolute VO2 may increase depending on the fitness levels that you have. However, VO2 max, although it is a great indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness it is a poor predictor for performance. The last runner in a competitive marathon race can have the same or even higher VO2max than the winner. Whatever ultimately makes the difference are the local/metabolic adaptations and events happening at the muscle and cellular level. It is not just about how much O2 you can get into your muscles. It is about how well does muscles can deal with that O2 and how efficient they are at utilizing fats of carbohydrates as well as how efficient the cells and muscles are at dealing with byproducts of muscle metabolism like lactate or hydrogen anions. There are many of events going on at the muscle and cellular level and those are the ones that make the different. We can see your metabolic response and adaptations to exercise through the physiological test and set the right training zones to improve those metabolic and cellular responses and adaptations and therefore optimize your fitness level.

Regarding how many times you should be running per week in order to increase speed and endurance when not training for a marathon, it is quite individual and without physiological testing we cannot have real scientific parameters. But I would say that with 2-3 days of endurance you can maintain a good level of your mitochondria density and oxidative enzymes and with 1-2 days of intensity/interval training you should be able to maintain your glycolytic capacity (that of fast twitch muscles) which is very important during the competition.

How can I figure out my heart rate zones?

I'd like to know if there is a semi-effective way to determine heart rate zones WITHOUT getting this test done. The formulas online seem very standard, so I'm wondering if there's a way that I can tweak it to be more accurate, until I can afford the test.

The doctor says:

That is a good question but unfortunately the only way to know your heart rate zones is by performing a physiological test. As you point out, the formulas out there are very standard and for the most part quite inaccurate which can elicit the wrong training response and therefore jeopardize training and fitness level.

How many calories do I need?

How does one accurately find out their maintenance calorie intake?

The doctor says…

That is a good question. It is possible to do a basal calorimetry test to see your basal metabolic expenditure, although this can be tricky as probably not very accurate to represent the entire 24h caloric expenditure as it can really vary throughout the day and level of activity, stress, etc. I would say that if you are a healthy and fit individual a diet of about 1,500 to 2,000 Kcals depending on your body mass plus 45min to 1:30h of exercise 3-4 times a week should help you maintaining your caloric intake and balance.

 

If you are in the Denver area and would like to schedule a test, contact the Performance Lab at 720-848-8208. They may also be able to tell you how to find a testing option in your area.

I hope this was helpful. I know I learned a lot. Thanks Dr. San Millan!  Me and my slow twitch muscles are gonna grab a heart rate monitor and GO!

How about you? Did you learn anything?

SUAR

Gaining Weight While Marathon Training: WTF?

Remember that episode of the Biggest Loser when Daris gained weight during marathon training and Jillian bit his head off? Runners worldwide gave Jillian the virtual finger, knowing that it’s in fact very common to pack on some pounds while training for the big “M.”

Daris ran his first marathon in an amazing 4:02!

I was reminded of this Friday night during a conversation with a friend who I am coaching towards her first marathon. She is about half-way into her 20 week training plan for the Marine Corps in October. I asked how training was going – she said she was plowing through with consistency and strength, and had remained injury free. She then added (while we stuffed guacamole and chips in our pie holes), “But, I’m totally shocked. I’ve gained like 7 pounds. I thought for sure I’d lose weight while training, and this sucks.”

Enough already. I decided I needed to get to the bottom of this weight gain conundrum. Seriously, if you burn on average 100 calories per mile (depending on age, weight, sex, etc.) and run about 30 miles per week, then technically you have 3,000 extra calories of eating to do just to maintain your weight. Right? Wrong.

Here are some reasons you may gain weight while training for a marathon (from HERE and HERE):

• You're building more muscle mass, which is denser than fat. So while that may translate to an overall weight gain, your body fat percentage has decreased and you're more toned than you were before.
• Your body is learning to store carbohydrates as fuel (glycogen) for your long runs. Those glycogen stores are important to completing your long runs and marathon without "hitting the wall", but you may see a couple extra pounds on the scale on certain days. Your body also requires additional water to break down and store the glycogen, so that will also add extra weight.
• You may have been increasing your calorie intake. Running a lot should not be an invitation to eat gallons of ice cream and trays of Oreos. The basic principle for weight loss still applies: You must burn more calories than you consume. To lose a pound, you have to burn, through exercise or life functions, about 3600 calories.
• You are drinking too many calories. Just because you're training for a marathon doesn't mean that you need to constantly drink sugary sports drinks. While it's important that you replace electrolytes during your long runs, you don't need to constantly have a sports drink at your fingertips the rest of the time. Plain water is fine for staying hydrated during the week.

Keep in mind too that if you go for a long run and then come home and sleep the rest of the day, you probably aren’t burning any more calories than if you were moderately active consistently for most of the day walking, hiking, cleaning the house, etc.

Also it’s important to eat enough food to keep you energized. Dieting while training for a marathon can be dangerous and lead to all sorts of issues like fatigue, illness, and injury. It is a slippery slope:  If you eat more calories than you burn, you'll gain weight. If you eat too few calories, you won't have the energy to train.

Do you gain weight while training for races?

During high volume training I am ravenous and eat much more than I would normally. Even with lots of pooping, that usually this means a weight gain of 2-5 pounds at the peak of training. The extra pounds are mostly muscle and help fuel me towards a better race. After the race, my training volume decreases and I tend to naturally go back to my pre-training weight.

Is one of your motives to train for a marathon or half marathon weight loss?

For me, NO. I am happy with my weight. Yes, you read that right. I am probably in the minority on that one. I train for marathons to challenge myself and to be in the best physical shape I can be. Weight does not figure into the equation for me.

Stay tuned for for scientific info from Dr. San Millan (who did my performance testing) on why, despite your best efforts, you may not be losing weight during exercise.

SUAR

No Marathon. WTF?

For starters, you need to read the comments on my last post. Some incredible stories of inspiration, hardship and perseverance. You guys always amaze me. Truly.

I am so tired and ADHD slash manic slash PMS today that my eye is twitching. If I knew what was good for me I would go lie down. Instead I keep getting the frozen lemon bars out of the freezer and almost breaking my teeth on them. Who needs defrosting when you have a dentist who does same-day crowns right in his office?

But, you didn’t come here to read about my mania. I’ve got my thinking cap on today, so don’t be jealous if I look really smart. Even Lucky is perplexed by how smart I look. Or the fact I am giving him the finger.

So, let’s get to the topic of the day. Here’s what I don’t get. What the hell happened to the marathon on the Biggest Loser? The final episode before the finale was this past Tuesday. It was par for the course with visits home, crying, flashbacks and more crying. And, then some crying.  But, there was something missing. Something that makes the whole season worthwhile. The marathon.

I know this has been controversial in the past. My guess is TBL received complaints about “making” contestants run a marathon without being properly trained or something like that. Or, maybe in a show that has become so predictable, they decided to mix it up a bit and incorporate a turkey burger cooking challenge and golf course-carry-your-weight extravaganza. zzzzzz…..

I always found the marathon to be the most inspiring episode of all, even more so than the finale. Why? Because a marathon symbolizes the Cadillac of accomplishments. It’s the big kahuna. Running a marathon signifies that you have arrived. Right? It’s a known fact that you can’t be out of shape and run a marathon. It is also difficult to be morbidly obese and run a marathon, although that one guy did it in L.A. this year (it took him 9:48).

Last year’s marathon on the Biggest Loser was the shit because Ada stopped to take a dump and it took her six minutes. I even blogged about it HERE.

Just FYI: I got naked from the waist down, peed, pooped and threw away my underwear during the Boston Marathon and it only took me three minutes. Just sayin’.

I missed the marathon terribly. I usually watch it while stuffing my face with popcorn and pita chips. I love seeing people dig down to the deepest corners of their souls to complete that 26.2 mile distance. It gives me the chills. It makes me cry. It makes me proud of people I don’t even know. It makes me want to get out and run and be the best I can be. Watching contestants who were so incredibly out of shape only five months prior complete this feat is nothing short of amazing. Simply said, it’s tough to not be inspired watching it happen.

Do you think omitting the marathon (and substituting it with a turkey burger cooking contest of all things) was the right thing to do? Did you miss it?

Feel free to be the one to push me over the edge to 1,600 followers. I’ll love you for it.

Off to brush my teeth because that is how I stop eating crap.

SUAR

Happy Mom’s Day from Team in Training

Little Emma ready to cheer on her mom

I know you’ve heard me talk about Team in Training in the past. TNT (not “TIT”) will always hold as special place in my heart. It was through this program that I learned to run and more importantly learned to like to run. I also raised major cash for a great cause and had the experience of a lifetime.

Can you find me?

The coolest thing about TNT is that they combine smart training with fundraising. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. In exchange for your fundraising, TNT provides you with the coaching and training to get you to the start of your big event be it a half marathon, marathon or triathlon. The training experience is made more meaningful by knowing that you are working to help someone who has leukemia or lymphoma.

My kids will never forget the trip to Phoenix in 2009 to run my first marathon. TNT puts on a pre-race event like none other. We walked into the Hyatt Hotel and you could hear screaming from throughout the building. As we got closer to the convention hall, it was deafening. My family and I walked through a tunnel of TNT staff and volunteers screaming and whistling to show their gratitude for the money we had raised. I still get teary thinking about it.

It was at that moment that my kids “got” why I had trained so relentlessly for the past 16 weeks. They knew it was amazing that their mom would run 26.2 miles, but they also knew I had raised $4,000 to help someone who was sick.

Post-race TNT dinner complete with dancing and limbo and wine:

This week TNT completed a Mother’s Day Tribute video. In it, six moms describe their experiences with blood cancer and TNT. 

With this video TNT hopes to encourage awareness about what they do and to highlight one of their upcoming events, the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco on October 16, 2011. This event is SOLD OUT, but you can still get involved through TNT. Other benefits include:

• Race registration fee
• Dynamic, hands-on training from certified coaches
• Alumni mentors and your own web page for fundraising support
• Travel, lodging and pre- and post-event activities for an unforgettable weekend in San Francisco
• Training and social events with your team that build lifelong friendships
• And now there's TNT Flex, a customized, online training option developed by TNT's renowned coaches.

So if you have any inkling that you might want to run a marathon, here is an affordable, organized way to do it. You will never regret the decision. For more info, go HERE.

If you have questions about anything to do with TNT, drop me an email at shutuprun@gmail.com.

Have you ever had an experience with TNT or would you consider it?

SUAR

110% Play Harder Review and Giveaway

Today’s plan was to run 15 miles. And, I did. I wanted to go on tired legs, so I did a hard 30 mile bike ride yesterday afternoon. I figure since I can’t put big miles in, this is one way to “up” my training and put my legs to the test before the race.

For this run in particular I was psyched to have a new product to try out: the Juggler Knickers from 110% Play Harder. Make no mistake, these are no ordinary running capris. These babies house a very unique secret. They provide exceptional compression with cold therapy. No joke.

Here’s the deal. You wear the tights themselves for running, working out, or cleaning the bathroom. While you’re doing those things, you put these ice sheets (reusable up to six months) in the freezer next to your Costa Rican coffee and guac to chill for later on.

When you come back from your 15 mile run, you slide the ice packs into the well placed-pockets of the knickers. Genius, right? No more duct taping ice packs or frozen peas to your butt or knees. Plus, if you’re hyperactively type A like me, you can ice yourself and do laundry at the same time.

Here is me in my knickers on the way out. I know what you’re thinking, “nice ass, scraggly pony tail.” I’m blushing. Funny, I never knew the back of my shirt looked like that:

And, post-run with the ice sheets in the pockets (for the hamstrings, quads, glutes).

You can get these items in knickers, shorts, knee sleeves or calf sleeves. More info:
 

Two Simple Therapies, One Garment – The gradient compression enhances circulation while cold therapy reduces pain and prevents soreness.

Better Compression & Fit – Advanced EC3D garment technology and a 360-degree stretch knit with 50% more spandex than competitors and higher levels of compression for optimal support, circulation and mobility.

Wear During Training and After – Simply wear during training then slide the frozen ice sheets in afterwards.

My review
These tights provide great compression. They squeeze it all in, holding all your parts in place and make you feel very compact. I love the convenience of wearing the tights on a run and adding the ice quickly and easily post-run. I slid the packs in and went about making my snack and checking emails. My body feels pretty damn good this afternoon. The quality of this item is exceptional. You know when you put something on and it just feels well made? The knickers were tight (duh, compression) but were comfortable. You can even put the ice sheets in the microwave if you want to add a heating element.

There are a couple of downsides. First, the price. These knickers cost $150. You are clearly paying for quality and for the icing component, but it’s still a steep price. Given the pockets, the material is relatively heavy, so if you’re looking for a very light weight tight, this might not be it.

The giveaway
Want to try this innovative product? I have a pair of calf sleeves, unisex, size small, courtesy of 110% Play Harder. You can wear them while working out or for recovery or both.

They are compression sleeves with cold therapy that targets both calves and shins, helping to prevent and treat calf strains, shin splints, and leg cramps. Comes with ice sheets and thermal bag. A $75 value!

To enter, leave a comment for each:

• Visit the 110% PlayHarder website. Give some feedback on their product in a comment  + 1 entry
• Tell me what you must have these sleeves = 1 entry
• Become a follower of my blog if you’re not already + 1 entry
• Facebook, blog, Twitter, etc. about this giveaway + 1 entry
• “Like” 110% Play Harder on Facebook HERE + 1 entry

Giveaway will end Wednesday, April 13.

Good luck friends!

SUAR

Fine print:

• 110% Play Harder provided the giveaway calf sleeves as well as the knickers sent to me. I did not pay any thing for them.
• The winner will be chosen by Random.org on 4/13.

11 Mile Boulder Back Roads Half Marathon Race Report

No I’m not drunk or high. I know a half marathon is 13.1 miles. Read on.

Today’s plan was to run/pace the last 11 miles of the Boulder Back Roads Half Marathon with my running client, Deb, and her husband, Steve. I probably could have done the full distance, but am still feeling very cautious and don’t want to push it. If you’re a regular reader, you know I’m coming back from a hip stress fracture. If you’re not a regular reader you should be.

Deb is 50 years old and training for her first marathon on May 1. Our goal today was for Deb to run a 2:17 keeping about a 10:30 min/mile pace. She has never run a half before and is a newer runner, so it was tough to know how it would all shake out. I’ll spoil the ending and tell you she NAILED it.

One bagel thin and one cup of coffee down, I dropped some kids at the pool x 2. Ken dropped me at the two mile point to wait for Deb. It was about 30 degrees so if I look cold, I am. If I had balls, well, they’d be shriveled.

I brought my own water, which I never do in races, but I was afraid that running as a bandit, the aid station people would kick me in my non-nuts if I tried to sneak some hydration.

The only reason I was nervous about this “race” was that it was my longest run post-injury and I wouldn’t be incorporating any walk breaks. Don’t tell my doctor. I figured with the slower pace I would be okay and I was.

While waiting I saw the leader blaze by. He thinks he so cool. “Look a me. I can run a 4 minute mile.” Okay, I guess he is a little bit cool. But he doesn’t’ have an SUAR sticker on his back and he hasn’t crapped himself. At least not that I can see.

Deb and Steve showed up and we began our journey.

Go Deb Go!

Deb also suffers from asthma and can sometimes cough a lot and have trouble getting enough air in. Steve and I kept checking her to make sure she was doing okay. We kept getting the thumbs up.

At the halfway point I took my GU Roctane Island Nectar. Basically a pina colada in gu form with no rum. Pretty yummy. No hip pain and going strong for all of us.

The great thing about this course is it is 80% dirt roads. Nice and soft on the joints.

As we neared the ten mile point I knew we were ahead of schedule. The second half of the course gives a bit of a downhill advantage. And the scenery isn’t too bad either.

There’s my favorite potty. I tried to resist the urge to stop and blow it up.

I love this picture of Steve and Deb. Steve took such great care of her along the way, continually checking in and calling her “dear.”

We approached the finish. Love how they give you a nice hill at the end. I felt awesome. No pain. I had that utterly fabulous running feeling where you think you could go on forever.

I dropped out right before the finish chute and watched Deb and Steve cross together holding hands. Time: 2:15!! She KILLED it.

I’m such a third wheel. Their illegitimate child. Except that would make me six years old.

We grabbed some bagels with almond butter, coffee and beer. The also had grilled cheese which I think is probably the best post race food idea I’ve heard of.

Great job, Deb & Steve. You are going to OWN the Colorado Marathon on May 1st!

This was an amazing run for me. I felt incredible cardio-wise and had no pain anywhere. It gave me a better idea of how to plan to pace for Boston. I also got some confidence back. One of the hardest things about injuries is believing in yourself and your body again.

I know for the full marathon I will have to take walk breaks to give my hip a rest. I plan on walking through every aid station and keeping my overall pace pretty slow (as in, if I normally run a 8:30 average in a marathon, I will drop to a 9:30/10:00 pace for Boston. If I’m lucky).

Thinking that GU needs to make an exit out the back door. Poor Sam just cleaned the toilet.

SUAR

McRunner

Question:

Is it possible to eat this - 20 hamburgers, 20 Chicken Snack Wraps, 75 hotcakes and 55 cookies – and run a sub-2:36 marathon in Los Angeles on Sunday?

To his credit, Joe D’Amico didn’t eat it all at once. However, he made a commitment on his blog, Confessions of a Drive Thru Runner, to eat only McDonald’s food for the 30 days prior to running the race.

Facts:

Age: 36

Weight: 140 pounds

Height: 6 feet

Marathon PR: 2:36 (2010 – Twin Cities)

Number of marathons run: 14

First marathon: Chicago – 1998 – 4:16

Cross training/strength training: None, ever

Miles run per week in training: 100

Miles run in the last 27 days: 330

Reason for eating crap for 30 days: Raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charity

Money raised to date: $16,000

Total visits to McDonald’s over last 27 days: 84

Number of fans on Facebook: 12,000

Exceptions to eating McDonald’s foods: non-McD’s water, gels, multivitamin, ibuprofen

Number of craps taken: Info not available

Most surprising quote: “I’m in the best shape of my life.”

Most shocking  medical info received from his doctor (posted on his blog yesterday):

 

Yesterday I wrote about breaking the rules. This dude takes it to a new level. He is essentially the anti-marathon fueler, breaking every rule imaginable. For those of us who gasp when we hear that someone went to the drive thru pre- or post-long run, D’Amico makes us wheeze, wet ourselves and pass out.

What do you make of this? If you saw the movie Super Size Me (2004), you know that Morgan Spurlock took on a similar 30-day challenge of only eating McDonald’s food. Granted he was not training for a marathon, but he gained 25 pounds, had heart palpitations, lost his sex drive and was energy-depleted. Yes, Spurlock’s choices were heavier on the calories and the sugar than D’Amicos and he did not exercise.

If you look at D’Amicos food diary from the past 27 days, you see that he made the healthiest choices possible, for the most part, when visiting McDonalds. Maybe this makes a difference.

I am still scratching my head as to how he can eat this crap, feel so good, perform so well and actually have his blood work look better. Even with smart selections,  isn’t it still inherently bad for you?

His choices are all relatively low fat, low calorie, yet high carb.  So, when you hear he “ate McD’s for 30 days and ran a great marathon,” keep in mind he wasn’t gorging on fries and Big Macs. And, let’s hope that D’Amico’s message doesn’t prompt the already overweight and unhealthy majority of America to think they can eat their way healthy by frequenting the drive thru.

I personally think this guy is a freak of nature. Most people cannot tolerate 100 mile weeks, no cross training, let alone 84 trips to McD’s. Most people will also never go from running a 4:16 marathon to a 2:36 marathon in 13 years or a lifetime. There are always exceptions to the norm, and he is one of them. It makes for an interesting story, but I’m not going to follow his lead. Except for the 2:36 marathon part. I could SO do that.

Are we all too uptight about our food choices or is this guy sending the wrong message? Thoughts?

D’Amico did comment on this post. See comment #31.

SUAR

Full Circle

Tragedy struck and we are having a water bottle funeral today. Freaking dishwasher went crazy hot and did some damage. Why is it always the favorites that get trashed?:

Moving on…

145 days ago I went out for an 8 mile run and returned with a stress fracture. Today I ran for 8 miles, the furthest I have run since that dreaded day of injury. Two months ago I could run for 8 minutes. Today: 75 minutes.

It felt effortless (well, except for those hills where I chanted “Heart…Break…Hill. Heart…Break…Hill” under my breath). Nothing hurt. I am not smiling ear to ear. I am smiling coast to coast. Earth to sun.

I ran west on the peaceful and quiet dirt back roads of Boulder County. I was passed by practically the whole University of Colorado track team. They blew by me effortlessly. My competitive side hates being passed. But, my humble, vulnerable and soulful side doesn't give a shit. I am running. Yes, my pace is about a minute per mile slower than I would typically run. But, I am running. Not walking. Not in pain. Not struggling. I am running and it makes me feel free, competent, capable.

Plus, I don’t want to be a gorgeous, carefree, youthful co-ed who runs 6 minute miles anyway.

The ego is a powerful thing. It wants to pit us against other people and be better. It wants to tell us we are not good enough and berate us for not being the best. It is judgmental and controlling. Yet, it pushes us to go harder, longer and faster. The ego has a time and a place. Yet, one has to know when to put it aside, when it doesn’t serve us well.

Here are today’s epiphanies because I love personal growth and like to shove it down your throats:

• If you are injured, discouraged your endurance is not where you want it to be, or just feel stuck, have faith. If I can go from 8 minutes to 75 minutes, you can too. Whatever you are battling, patience is your friend. When we’re in the thick of hard times (and I’m not just talking about running) we think it will always be this way. It won’t.
  
  The wonder of life is that there is ebb and flow. Highs and lows. Just as much as you can count on the low points, you can count on things turning around and heading up. Your “normal” might be different, but so be it. The only true thing we can count on in this life is that there will be change.
  
• Don’t waste energy comparing yourself to the next guy/gal/transvestite. Use all of your energy to keep moving forward with your goals. It’s overstated, but true: there will always be someone faster, stronger, thinner, richer, fitter, less constipated whatever. There will also always be someone slower, weaker, fatter, poorer, more out of shape, more constipated. The only way you can truly win is when you exceed your expectations for yourself. However that looks.

What talent I have. I can talk poop, farts and in the next breath get all deep on you. It’s a gift I tell ya.

Rejoicing in the high,

SUAR

Longest 8 Miler Ever

Remember when I wrote that the sport’s physiologist said I should incorporate long walks into my marathon training in addition to my three weekly runs and every conceivable form of cross training?

Apparently, this is how some Japanese and Koreans train for marathons. With lots of walking. That way, you are on your feet for hours at a time, but don’t have the impact. Makes a lot of sense. Good for a gal like me who can’t take much impact right now.

I had high hopes, but I almost stopped a gun shop and shot myself in the head I was so bored. I don’t know which is worse. Running in the water or walking for eight miles on land. I am not a walker, never have been. I don’t even like walking to the mailbox or into the mall from my car. Sometimes the toilet is too far so I wear Depends.

Yesterday I had the best of conditions beautiful weather, all the time in the world. I strapped on my fuel belt with some sports beans and 20 oz. of water. I grabbed my phone, my shuffle, and a few bucks and I was off. Yes, I am wearing my new Pearl Izumi shoes. LOVE them. Review coming soon.

I ran into Ken doing his 800s. Good thing neither of us have a life .

Early on (as in first .5 mile) I was having a blast be-boppin’ along thinking, this is great! Nice day, time to think about my life, good chance to catch up with some friends by cell phone. No luck. No one was home and no one called me back. So if you could please leave your phone number so I can call you next time I am out on one of these adventures I’d appreciate it.

Mile one I got stopped by a train. Should have jumped on and caught a ride home:

Mile two, I swear I didn’t do this:

Mile three I passed my favorite brewery and came very close to calling it a day and going in for a cold one:

Mile four there was a lovely trailer park. Hopefully no dead bodies buried anywhere and no tornadoes in the forecast:

I told you it was a nice day. Long’s Peak in the distance.

Eight miles. Average pace around 14 minute/mile. Shoot me now. It’s hard to walk faster than that. You try it smarty pants. Time = 1:50. That is a long stinking way to walk. Right now I never want to do that again. Maybe as the memory fades I’ll go back out.

So, the other day when I said I “go commando” while running, Marjorie asked why it’s called commando. Fortunately, I always have the Urban Dictionary handy, and this is what it says:

“It is called 'going commando' because of an old practice in the army, where, so you didn't shit your underwear in battle, you didn't wear any - and therefore could boast that you didn't shit your pants.”

So, now I know why I don’t wear any underwear while running. So I never have to say I crapped my pants. Genius! 

Heading back to the brewery,

SUAR

Is Training Destroying Your Home Life?

A little bit of housekeeping before I move onto the heavy and insightful stuff that will change your life.

Remember the anagram contest? You guys killed me. They were all really, really funny. But, the top five were:

1. Paula at Eat Watch Run: Anal Per Hour (eww. I guess you find this type of thing in the red light district. Paula said she wished she had known her anagram before she named her blog. Who wouldn’t visit a blog called Anal Per Hour?)
2. Stephanie at Thorns Have Roses: Hate Penis (to which she said, “What?? Liars!”)
3. Dog at See Dog Run: Anal Dick Trends (can’t pretend to know what this means, but sounds quite gay).
4. Twila at Twila Keeps Runnings: Ten Orgy Mom (dang, she’s busy)
5. Julie at ROJ Running : Juicier Slut (she said, “Now I know my code name and undergrad makes more sense.)

Email me (shutuprun@gmail.com) your addresses so I can send out some stickers!

Update: My one eyed, three legged dog Lucky who has a perpetual boner (you can see the tip in the picture) never leaves my side. As I blog, he lays at my feet. I am, therefore, very in tune with his bodily functions. My question is, why when dogs fart do they 1) look around as if to say, “who did it?” 2) immediately stick their nose into the butt to check it out? Or, maybe it’s just my dog. Perhaps if we humans were a bit more flexible we would do the same thing.  Don’t even get me started on dogs licking other parts and what humans wish they could do.

Moving on. An interesting and very relevant topic came up in the Wall Street Journal on Monday. In an article entitled, “A Workout Ate My Marriage,” the writer broaches the subject of endurance training and how it has been shown to negatively affect relationships.

Enter the term, “exercise widow/widower.”

Couple’s therapists have found that, “commitment weakens as alternatives increase,” meaning that as one person starts to find outside stimulus/activities/relationships, this can compromise the strength of the relationship.

While the article primarily focuses on the marital system, the affect is certainly felt throughout the entire family if children are in the picture.

Here’s what I think. Your home life doesn’t have to fall apart just because you want to train for an endurance event. You do, however, have to follow some rules.

1. The exception: If you are planning on training for a full Ironman, forget it. Get a divorce now, set up your child support and sublet a room above a gas station.
2. Be careful if you’re on the rocks. Does your relationship already kind of suck? Probably not a good time to start heavy training unless you are trying to find a way to mess things up so badly that a breakup will be easy.
3. Prepare everyone. Provided that things are relatively good at home, bring up your goals openly and honestly. Don’t blindside your family by walking in the door and exclaiming, “I am going to train for a marathon, join a running group with lots of fit and attractive people and be gone ten hours per week.” This screams, “I am having an affair!” or at best, “I didn’t care about you enough to make you part of this decision.”
4. Bring him/her on board. Try to talk your spouse/significant other into doing your event with you. This is what Ken and I do. Once I started running marathons, he started running halfs, so we could do a bit of our training together. Now he’s training for his first marathon and I sit on the couch injured and cry as he goes out for his runs and make him feel guilty. That is very good for our relationship. Luckily, we both signed up for the same half Ironman in August. Our kids might be orphaned, but at least we will still be together and in shape.
5. Don’t check out completely. Your spouse/kids will be making lots of sacrifices during your training, mostly because you will be gone a lot and when you’re finally home you will be tired, sore, hungry and irritable. So, when you are around do your best to fake it. Don’t check out on your kids and significant other. Also, try to plan your workouts at really inconvenient and sucky times for you, because these will probably be the best times for your family. For example, do your long runs starting at 4:00 a.m. or 10 p.m. so no one even knows your gone.

How do you keep your training from wreaking havoc on your family life/relationship?

Has your training ever caused significant conflict at home?

What’s your best tip for keeping it all balanced?

And, if you have done a full IM, how the hell did you pull that off?

Hoping to never be a widow,

SUAR

His and Her Thongs

The marathon training plans are up. Me: Boston. Him: Colorado

 

His and hers for the new year. It used to be his and her beer mugs. His and her thongs. Times have changed. But, we still drink beer and wear thongs.

Mine is the obnoxiously colored one. I created both plans, as well as three others for new clients. Ken’s was relatively easy just taking into account his goal time, current fitness, preferences for speed work, etc. It will be his first marathon with a goal time of 3:43 (based on a 1:44 half marathon time). 3:43 is a good number because it one minute slower than my PR. Got to keep him in his place. He is running the Colorado Marathon on May 1.

Mine, on the other hand, was a challenge. Hard to create a marathon training plan for someone who cannot currently run.

I found myself remembering when I was 11 months old and could not walk. My mom made me a walking training plan with a goal of walking from the living room to my crib in just a few short weeks.

At first I fell and cried. Then I got up and walked a couple of steps. I fell again and bruised my ass. I laid on the floor, had a bottle of warm milk, filled my diaper and tried again. By the next week I was walking, albeit wobbly, from the coffee table to the chair. I gained momentum and pretty soon I made it to the hallway. People clapped and sang my praises. On day 15, I walked all the way to my crib. I looked down at my Garmin to see a pace that any mother would be proud of.

That’s when I knew more walking was in my future. I told my Big Bird stuffed animal that the next week I might walk from the swings to the slide at the park. He shook his head as if to say, “One step at a time, tiger. Don’t get ahead of yourself you might get hurt.” I looked at him, “Screw you Big Bird,” I yelled. “You think you're so cool and wise with your goofy yellow feathers. What kind of bird are you anyway? I’ve got things to do.”

{The above is a fiction story. I am trying to make a very smart correlation between starting from zero and making your way to infinity. My mom didn’t really have a training plan and I didn't have a Garmin. Just a Swatch.}

I was right, even back then. I do have things to do. But, it has to be conservative and slow this time around. Probably good for a Type-A perfectionist freak like me.

Be where you are.

It KILLS me to make a training plan that involves only eight minutes of running per day for the first week. But, it is a baby step. If all goes well, by week four I will be running 20 minutes at a time, then the real stuff kicks in. My first “real” running week (week six) will have me running a total of 14.5 miles. This will seem like a miracle to a girl who was on crutches only eight weeks ago. The plan tops out at 31 miles per week, with my longest run being 16 miles. Not the ideal marathon training plan, but hopefully one that will keep me safe and ready to run on April 18.

Overall, it’s a plan my doctor would be proud of with lots of cross training and reasonable week to week progressions in mileage. There is no speed work, no marathon pace runs. There is not even a marathon goal time. In all honesty, I won’t know how to gauge that until I am deep into my training cycle and know more of how my hip will respond.

Be where you are.

Most likely, the goal will be to finish with clean drawers and a two hips.

Can you run a marathon with this kind of prep? I don’t know. But, I’m about to find out.

Should I buy our plane tickets? Should I dare to be that confident?

Please vote:

Option A: Buy the damn tickets and stop your whining.
Option B: Don’t spend the money until you’re sure you can get there in one piece
Option C: Screw the tickets. Run to Boston from Colorado. What are you, a pussy?

Going to launder the thongs,

SUAR

The Marathon Diet

If I was a betting woman (actually, I am – I just never win – 20 trips to Vegas in the past 8 years and all I’ve got to show for it are some worn out memories and that fatherless child we never speak of), I’d say that the majority of New Year’s resolutions focus on losing weight. Eating better. Exercising more.

I like to state the obvious.

I don’t need to lose weight. In fact, I could stand to gain some in the chest area if you know what I mean. I probably don’t need to exercise more. Maybe smarter, but not more. I can, however, stand to eat a bit better. And, cut back on my wine.

Here’s the thing. When it comes to eating well, we do a pretty good job around here. Home cooked meals 90% of the time, a minimal intake of processed foods, a wide variety of items consumed, moderation in all things. I will admit, however, that when my training season hits, I don’t alter my eating habits as much as I should.

Marathon training takes it out of you, physically and mentally (and crappily). Again, I state the obvious. Thousands of calories are burned and fuel stores are quickly depleted. If you’re me, those calories and fuel stores are left on the side of the road in a steaming heap. 

I’ve read a ton about how to fuel prior/during/after training runs and races. About how to hydrate properly. What I haven’t read as much about, however, is how a runner’s overall, everyday diet needs to change while they are training.

If you have a healthy and nutritious eating habits already, is it not enough to just add more calories to your diet? Nope, it’s not. You also need to focus on ensuring that the types of foods you take in are filling those holes left by hard training.

A training marathon runner should be consuming a diet that is composed of between 65% and 70% carbohydrates. A typical marathon training diet is one that is around 65% carbohydrates – 25% protein – 10% fat {source}.

I have to be honest. I pay attention to carbs consumed during long runs and protein intake after. That’s it. I haven’t given much attention to changing my overall diet during training with the exception of just eating more. Let this be a goal in the SUAR world. So, if you have a book you love that gives good advice/recipes in this area, let me know.

My hugest, biggest, most ginormous goal for 2011? Return to running healthy and injury free and stay there. This will involve dietary changes, training changes, attitude adjustments and balance.

Awhile back I posted about the DVD “Eating,” which encourages people to move to a strictly plant based diet. Lots of you left really insightful comments regarding the subject. I am going to send the DVD onto Amanda at Running Hood for her to watch and pass on. Amanda, email your address to shutuprun@gmail.com. Amanda said:

I've been wanting to switch over to eating a plant based diet for some time but it so hard. My husband would surely go for it if I just made the decision and cooked vegetarian meals but I just have not made that leap yet. We do eat mostly organic and especially when it come to fruits, veggies and meat. I love all 10 of her points.... I'd be interested in watching this video.

Do you have resolutions involving changing eating habits, losing weight or tweaking exercise regimens? Do tell.

Boston is Longer

Today I went to yoga for the first time in a month. My hip did not fall off onto the floor, even when I did Warrior 3 pose (requiring all weight on one leg). This is not me. I am not a baby. Except for the diaper part:

It might truly be possible that I can run by the first of the year. We will see. I still have some pain and major tightness in the hip area, so I know I am continuing to heal. An MRI at the end of the month should give the final word.

This week my doc said that I need to view Boston as a long training run, not a race. We agreed that even if I cannot return to running until mid to late January, I can probably still pull out 26.2 miles in April given my fitness base. We also talked a lot about possible training errors and what I could focus on next time:

• Running my long runs slower. My long runs should be 8:59-9:59 (McMillan Calculator). Mine were usually well under 8:50.
• Watching heart rate, doing most long runs and easy runs in zone 2 (60%-70% of max heart rate). I do my long runs at way too high a heart rate.
• Not upping speed and distance in the same week. I really tried to do this, but in hindsight I failed.
• I did not put in big miles while training. I topped out at 50 miles per week. However, I ignored my body a lot. My left piriformis and hamstring hurt the entire training cycle. I am pretty sure this messed with my form and contributed to the left hip fracture. I was tired for most of my runs and even dreaded some of them because I always ended up pushing too hard and wearing myself down.

Live and learn. These strategies aren’t for everyone, but I think they could help me stay healthy. I am determined to not find myself in this place again. I know completely being void of injuries might not be possible, but there are some things I can do to decrease the risk and frequency of injury. I still plan on having biomechanical testing (gait analysis) and may be a good candidate for orthotics.

The posse at the pool asked how I injured myself. I told them running. After they sang the praises of working out in the pool and how good it is for your body, I let them know I was hoping to run another marathon in April. And not in the pool. “Tsk, tsk,” they said. “Which one?” they asked. I told them Boston. Then one lady responded, “Oh…I hear that is a long one.”

Yes, because not all marathons are the same distance.

I leave you with this insightful piece of news from the paper this morning.

At first I thought “Oh poor guy. Trying to break up a dog fight and getting bitten.” Then I read the part about putting his hand in the mouth and you don’t want to know what I thought.

Staying out of the dog’s mouth,

SUAR