How I Could Train Smarter: A Date with Dr. San Millan at the Human Performance Lab.

Warning: Long, yet informative post ahead. And, kind of scientific if you like that sort of thing.

When I started running almost three years ago, I blasted into the sport rigorously and recklessly. This is kind of how I approach life. 100 eff’ing percent.

Not knowing any better, I assumed more was more, so I ran and I ran and I ran. I trained as fast as I could and went as far as my legs would take me. I raced often and hard. Exactly one year after I started running I was sidelined with a stress fracture of the cuboid bone.

I recovered, with some lessons learned. I followed the Run Less, Run Faster program to a tee. I welcomed Bikram yoga (and sweaty crack) into my life. I did not overdo it. During my second marathon, I qualified for Boston only four months after my stress fracture.

Again, I threw caution to the wind and started training hard for my next marathon. No breaks, no down time. I stopped cross training, I forgot about recovery days. I put in  high mileage weeks and never missed speed and tempo workouts. Ten days before my marathon I was stopped dead in my tracks with stress fracture #2, this time of the hip.

Bone tests, blood panels, gait analyses all confirmed what I had suspected: the injury was due to overtraining. Where had I gone wrong? I had some good guesses.

• Little to no cross training
• No recovery weeks
• Not enough attention to nutrition
• Running while fatigued
• Running my long runs at paces that were too fast
• Basically, not giving my body a break.

Never once did it occur to me to try to find out what was going on behind the scenes in this body of mine by having a physiological consultation. I went purely based on feel. If I was tired – well, weren’t you supposed to be tired when you were training for a marathon? If I had aches and pains – well, weren't you supposed to have those when you were training for a marathon? Yes and no. In marathon training you will surely push your body to new limits. However, you always must give your body a chance to recover while adapting to the new stress you're putting on it. This is how you get stronger.

All of this came full circle this week when I visited Dr. Inigo San Millan, Director of the Exercise Physiology and Human Performance Lab at the University of Colorado's Anschutz Health & Wellness Center, for a physiological performance evaluation. Finally, the guess work would be over. I would know what was really going on while I pushed my body to its limits. I would know if I was training correctly. And, most excitingly, I would know what I was truly capable of if I just trained the right way.

Dr. San Millan, a friendly, intelligent, expressive and animated Spaniard, invited me into his office which was decorated with a framed yellow jersey (a Tour de France pro he had worked with in the past) as well as a signed Garmin jersey (San Millan traveled with the Garmin team to oversee the physiological testing of Garmin's riders). San Millan explained the tests that he would perform and what the results of these tests would mean:

• Body Composition: Weight/height check and body fast test (anthropometry)
• VO2 Max: Maximum capacity of an individual's body to transport and use oxygen during exercise. San Millan explained that V02 max used to be the best indicator of an athlete’s fitness and performance. Now it is only good information – there are many other factors to be considered.
• Lactate Profile and Metabolism: Blood lactate concentration is likely the best indicator of athletic performance these days. As exercise intensity increased, blood lactate production increases as well. The net blood lactate accumulation is the result of the lactate production and lactate removal.  Measuring lactate can help predict athletic performance.
• Heart Rate
• Substrate Utilization: The heart rates at which fat and carbs are burned

He also would be giving me training recommendations based on the information he collected.

He emphasized how important he feels it is for the average athlete to have this test done of they want to lose weight or are training for a race. He stated, “These tests are not just for the pros!” The average Joe doesn’t just go out and run around the block. He trains for marathons and maybe wants to place in his age group or qualify for Boston. Yet, he has a job, kids and a life outside of that. He is at great risk for overtraining and fatigue and needs to know how to train properly.

In addition, many people start exercising to lose weight, but are unable to do so. This is because they are not training at the target heart rates in which their bodies burn fat. They are training at higher heart rates where the body is burning glucose. To lose fat, you must train in the correct zone and most people do not know what that is! Enter San Millan!

Let’s get this party started

The Test

You can almost see my crack!

Weight: 110 lbs.
Height: 5’ 5”
Body fat: 10.7%

Yes, this is a very low body fat percentage. I told you I am a lean machine! While he did not seem concerned by my percentage, he did want to make sure I wasn’t burning through calories too quickly while working out and that I was getting enough fuel. Agreed!

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San Millan fitted me with an oxygen mask which would measure input and output. He told me he would be pricking (she said “prick”) my ear lobe every five minutes to collect blood for the lactate metabolism test. I would warm up for a few minutes and then he would start increasing my watts/kg every five minutes. I was to stay at 85 to 95 rpms throughout the test.

As a side note, athletes can choose to be tested on the bike or treadmill. My running is pretty strong, but I have been struggling some on the bike. In the half ironman I will be on the bike for over three hours and I really wanted to find out how I could perform more effectively. I do hope to go back for the run test as well.

I was on the bike for about an hour including the warm-up/c0ol down. The actual test was 25 minutes. That means he increased the watts five times and took blood five times. Near the end of the test I was pushing it almost to my max.

Results:

Go eat a hamburger (just kidding)

Vo2 Max: Way above average. YES!! The average for a woman my age is 31-33 ml/kg/min. I was at 47, the highest range for 35-45 year olds.  This means that I transport and use oxygen very efficiently. San Millan went to far as to say that my Vo2 max was likely as good as the top finishers in a triathlon.

So, then what's the problem?

Lactate profile/metabolism: Although I take in and use oxygen well, things start to break down from there. Initially when my watts were increased, my lactate held steady. Once we took bigger jumps the lactate started to build in my muscles and I was unable to flush it out. That means that I was tiring and quickly.

What to do?

The only way to have a higher lactate threshold is to train your body to flush out the lactate more efficiently. The way to do this is to train and heart rates where you are burning fat, not glucose (you will be building your slow twitch muscles). This is why we are told to do our long runs at such slow paces. This enables us to go stronger for longer during our actual race. This is not to say you don’t need to train the fast twitch muscles as well. That is what hill work, intervals and tempos are for. You need to use both systems to be the most efficient and strong athlete you can be.

Also, if you do want to lose weight, the same would apply. You need to spend more time in the fat burning heart rate zone.

Given that, these are my heart rate training zones:

My long rides should be done in zone 2. Tougher, faster rides in zones 3/4.

Anyone have a heart rate monitor they want to get rid of?

Nutrition: San Millan found that I do not burn calories during exercise any faster than the norm. Given that, the recommendations for carb fueling (he prefers to use grams vs. calories):

Training: 50-70 grams/hour solid and fluid combined
Competition: 80-100 grams/hour

Examples of Solids:
1 sports bar: 30-45g
1 gel: 25 g
1 banana: 51g
1 Fig Newton: 11g
Snickers, Twix, etc: 30-40g
Small PB&J: 18g

Fluid:
1-17 oz sport’s drink: 40-50g

Cost:

$250 for a full physiological test. Includes Vo2 max, lactate test, fat and carbohydrate metabolism, energy expenditure and advice/explanation/recommendations (2.5 hours).

My two cents: For $250 you can gain major insight into the inner working of your body while you train. You can find out your potential as an athlete as well as how you could train more effectively in order to meet your personal fitness goals such as a new PR, a BQ, a place in your age group. Or, maybe you want to avoid injury and just be the strongest, fittest athlete you can be. If you are exercising and cannot lose weight, San Millan can tell you why. Knowledge is power. Consider it. If you’ve got the budget for it, then do it.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, call Dr. San Millan at 720-848-8208. His email is inigo.sanmillan@ucdenver.edu. You can follow him on Twitter @doctorinigo.

Later this week I’ll be doing a Q&A where you can post questions for Dr. San Millan about training, physiology, whatever!

SUAR

Fine print: I was invited by the Human Lab and the Weber Shandwick PR Firm to undergo these tests in exchange for a review/informational post about the testing and the program. I did not pay for the tests.

Eating for Two

No, not that kind of two. Two hours, you fools. Gotcha

Today’s workout: 1 hour spin, 1 hour yoga.

This makes me very hungry. I don’t talk about food much on this blog because I am just eating three squares a day with snacks thrown in and popcorn with parmesan cheese or cinnamon sugar pita chips at night (if you haven't tried the Stacy’s Cinnamon Chips you are seriously missing out on one of the joys of life).

Stacy’s: if you are reading this because I am sure you are please send me a case or two. I have already done a review (see above).

Here’s the scoop. It is hard to get enough calories when you are working out a bazillion hours a week cross training like a maniac to train for a marathon because you can’t run much. And, then when you do run, you poop so much you lose 20 pounds.

Okay, a bazillion hours of working out is an exaggeration, it’s more like 8 to 10 hours, which I don’t think is very extreme. I mean for marathon training with mostly running, you would probably be putting in those hours. But, if you figure that is probably in the neighborhood of up to 6,000 or so calories burned, there’s a lot of make up eating to be done. This is where it gets fun.

It is 12:30 p.m. Today I have had:

• 2 cups of coffee with healthy splashes (i.e., tablespoons) of half and half. Can’t drink it any other way
• 1 English muffin with generous scoop of almond butter and jelly
• 1 banana
• 1 Grande extra fat Chai
• 1 “kitchen sink” salad. I am on a “kitchen sink” extravaganza. Usually it involves eggs where I scramble up two or three eggs with anything in the refrigerator: leftover pinto or black beans, spinach, avocado, cheddar cheese, tomato and pair it with a tortilla.  Today was a salad with lettuces (I love how in Costa Rica they call it “lettuces,” kind of like how in Europe they call it “getting your hairs cut”), spinach, carrots, avocado, blue cheese, craisins, black bean burger all tossed with a healthy does of Annie’s Goddess Dressing. Superb I tell ya.
• 3 Snickerdoodles. I have been on a baking roll these past two weeks. My daughter told me she needed some snacks while they did their standardized testing last week (called CSAPs in Colorado) and wanted cookies. I do whatever she tells me, so I promptly baked some CSAP Butterfinger cookies. When those ran out I made some CSAP Snickerdoodles. Let me share:

Butterfinger Cookies (also called Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies):

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups (8 oz. package) Heath “Bits ‘O Brickle” Toffee Bits, divided

Heat oven to 375°.

Beat shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add egg; beat just until blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Stir in 1 cup of bits; reserve remainder for topping.

Drop by heaping teaspoons or by using a 1-inch cookie scoop about 2 inches apart onto ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheet; press the top of each cookie down slightly with a fork and top each with reserved bits.

Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until set. Do not over bake. Cool for two minutes and remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Seriously, incredible cookies and the shortening is so gross and lardish that these things stay soft forever.

Short-Cut Snickerdoodles (to make really fast in a pinch when you have yellow cake mix on hand and are out of Cream of Tarter, because we all forget to stock up on that weird ingredient that we only use for one thing):

1 box yellow cake mix
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix and roll into balls and into sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes.

Told you they were easy. And super good. Really they are.

Go make some cookies now. My daughter wants you to.

Foods I can’t live without and are staples in our house:

Avocados
Bananas
Amy’s Goddess Dressing
Stacy’s Pita Chips
Whole wheat tortillas
Oatmeal (w/brown sugar)
Half and Half
Morningside Black Bean Burgers
Clif Bars
Fresh spinach
Eggs
Cheese, any kind
Beans, any kind (but favorites are cannelini, kidney and pinto)
Salsa

I thought my running clinic went well last night. Before I went I told Ken I was a little nervous. He very supportively said, “Do you think you will crap yourself in front of the group? Or just have bad gas?” That made me feel a lot better.

If I do one again I would tweak some things, but I had a good turn out and discussion. Thanks again for your input.

Don’t forget my Twist running shirt giveaway HERE.

Do you eat a ton more when you are training? What’s your go-to recovery lunch or dinner?

Any foods you can’t live without?

 

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

Input Needed

Somehow I’ve been talked into doing a running clinic one week from tonight at a local health club. 

My audience will be comprised of about 25 “fitness runners” and/or those looking to compete in organized races. I will be discussing:

• Injury prevention (I should be a rock star at this one by now)
• Running gear (thongs and g-strings of course)
• Nutrition (lots of fiber and Mexican food before races)
• Stretching (make sure you get the “taint”)
• Race strategies (don’t train, just wing it)
• Pooping in bushes

I really wish you could all be there for my dog and pony show.

I’ve got a pretty decent outline for the event, but want to tap into your knowledge. Each and every one of you – please take a minute to answer:

1. If you were attending a running clinic, what would you most want to learn about?
2. As a runner, what is your best tip?

You guys are a wealth of information!! I can read until I’m blue in the face, but real life experience is where it’s at. I can only draw on my personal adventures, which include crapping in trees and farting my way around local running trails. I’d love to hear what you have to say.

Thanks in advance,

SUAR

Synching Our Cycles

See that little cabin in the middle of the picture? That’s where I slept last night with eleven other women. It did not suck. Estrogen was in abundance. I could feel our menstrual cycles synching up with each passing moment.

 

 

The drive up was long and after a stop at Costco to sample a disgusting mix of protein bars, chicken noodle soup and Brie, I had the worst gas. Poor Erika had her head hanging out the window for the better part of the drive. And, she didn’t even yell at me. In fact she shared a bed with me last night and we spooned.

The group of 12 started out with a snowshoe/cross country skiing adventure. My hip was having a fit, but I smacked it around a bit.

Don’t be jealous of my blue ski pants. They are hand me downs from 1995. I like to save a buck where I can. I will run “the Boston” in them.

Me doing the famed ski shot. I am going to confess. The ski shots never really happened. We are all 40 something lame asses with no alcohol tolerances. By 10pm everyone was dehydrated and reaching for the Motrin. This is me in the morning drinking water. It was all for the photo op.

A bit windy when we left:

Getting out of town was good for me. This was a really upbeat and positive group of women. I have been in a funk since my less than stellar running week and my doomsday meeting with the PT on Tuesday. I tried to run my 8 minutes on Friday and couldn’t. It just hurt too bad. I stopped, and went home, head down, defeated.

The good news is it didn’t hurt where the fracture was. The pain was more in the outside of my hip. But, it was that type of pain where you knew you had to be smart and back off.

I think re-introducing running and my PT exercises got everything all flared up and irritated. I tend to be a very all or nothing person. I get easily discouraged. When something goes wrong or not as planned, I go to the worst place scenario. I keep reminding myself that my body is trying to heal and I need to be patient. And smart.

I got such a cool comment last week that said,

I have this Russian friend who is dying. Really- not going to make it.  Don’t let that bum you out; it’s just a fact. She is the strongest and most determined kicking-asses (not just one ass, many “asses”) person I will ever know. She is also trained in sports therapy, and has worked with everyone from the Chicago Bulls, Cirque du Soleil, and USSR cycling teams when she lived there. I read your post, and even though she’s feeling really really bad, I called her to see what she had to say about your healing--the call made her day! She said A LOT, but, in summary she said EAT FOR YOUR BONES. Eat for healing: plant-based proteins, food-based anti-inflammatory (berries, fresh basil, omega-3), vitamins & minerals. She also said to apply indirect “vibration” in the area of injury 3x per day with a back massager or something, for about 3-5 minutes. This, I can say from experience, totally helps!! You better listen to her advice, because if you don’t, this crazy Russian woman will haunt your ass. She also said red wine helps : )

Vibration! I love vibration. What girl doesn’t? And because I seriously do not want to be haunted by this crazy Russian, I bought a hand held massager at Walgreen’s yesterday for $4.99 (because I would never already have something that vibrated in a drawer somewhere). It is top of the line. 11 a.m. and I could be found, pants down, lying on the floor massaging my hip. Ken called in the neighbors and postman to take a look.

I also love the info on the plant based proteins (soy, beans, nuts, lentils) and food-based anti-inflammatories (spinach, broccoli, blueberries, chickpeas, buckwheat noodles, etc). I’ll post more on that later.

Not to mention that fact that when you are reminded that someone is dying, you tend to back off of your self-involvement. Really, my stress fracture is just not the significant in the grand scheme.

What’d you do this weekend?

Trying anything just to get better,

SUAR