Guys and gals, it's raffle night this Monday evening!
ROUTE - Channel Street (4.5 miles)
Start at the adidas Sport Performance store
-Head northeast on Market St
-Turn right at 4th St
-Turn left at King St
-Turn right at 3rd St
-Turn right at Channel St
For a shorter 3 mile option, turnaround at corner of Channel Street and 6th Street and go up 3rd Street, left onto Market and back to store.
For those on the 4.5 mile route, continue on Channel Street
-Left on 6th Street
-Continue on Owens Street
-Left on 16th Street
-Left on 3rd Street
-Left on Market Street
-Finish at the adidas Sport Performance store
URL for this route is: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1161330
Living an active and healthy lifestyle
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Rucky Chucky 50K - Race Reports
Here are others who were there and have wonderful posts about their adventure.
Peter Lubbers: http://runlaketahoe.blogspot.com/
Mark Tanaka: http://ultrailnaka.blogspot.com/
Catherine: http://sierratrailrunner.blogspot.com/
Scott Dunlap: http://runtrails.blogspot.com/index.html
Tony Overbay: http://tonyoverbay.blogspot.com/
I'm too tired to even post my report here :). But here's mine:
With a 2 hour drive up to Foresthill, CA, my day began at 3:30am. Oli and I got to the start to confirm registration, pickup bibs, and goody bags. The problem is that Oli didn't register for the event and he was surprised to find that they did have race day registration, even though it was clearly stated online that there would be no race day registration. The only thing is that he didn't have enough money to register; price had gone up from $65 to $85. Not entirely worth it, given that there would be no aid for the first 14 miles. But as a training run, it would be good. I have to be honest when I say that I don't agree with banditing a race, but I had to admire Oli's drive and tenacity to do the race with NO reliance on aid stations. He did, however, ask for a guzzle of my drink on the way back and from a few other runners on the course...still that just amazes me and he did significantly better than me! Awesome.
The course for the Rucky Chucky 50K, at least on paper, is that the first 15.5 miles is downhill with the return 15.5 miles uphill. In reality, there was a significant amount of downhill for the first section, but there were some nasty climbs intermittent along it as well. This remains conversely true for the return section. Total elevation change is 5,000 feet. We were reminded this morning that there would be NO aid for 14 miles!! An email was sent last week, but our disappointment was confirmed. No one complained, you just come prepared. Others like me had two water bottles, some had three. This isn't the Chicago Marathon...people don't complain and demand their money back; you deal with it in a constructive manner. If it isn't your day, perhaps it will be another time.
The reason why I love doing ultras is that it's a tight knit fabric of the running community. Much of the ultrarunners that are recreational and pros alike do a lot of ultras in CA during the year that it's nearly impossible to not know who they are. The pros are extremely likewise approachable and friendly; there's no asshole attitude here. What I do notice is that they are older; perhaps a midlife crisis. But seriously, I got passed by a 16 year old to a 60+ year old so age is not a factor in doing well. What many of these runners lack in speed, they greatly make up with loads of endurance. It's another kind of toughness that I admire. These folks remind me why I run--it's exciting! It's also more fun when you can talk about your epic runs with others and no one thinks you're an idiot. Discussions are not limited to the many endorphin highs and lows during your run, where you ran out of water, and what happened when you became delirious. Lots of them have done 100 miles with the intention of getting ready for the Western States 100 mile between Squaw Valley and Auburn, CA, which is the granddaddy of all ultra races in the world!
We started at 8am sharp with the lead pack breaking away gradually. The pros are just inclined and used to running at their comfortable pace. I was in that pack! I knew it wouldn't last, but to be in the same group as Mark Tanaka (eventual winner of today's race), Beverly Anderson-Abbs (BABS), and Scott Dunlap (you really ought to check out his blog--it's awesome!) is really cool! We would run the first 2 miles of the descent together. I had to remind myself that this would only be a training run, results and times are thrown out the window. This is NOT a goal race! The first half mile went through the quaint town of Foresthill, its streets and residential neighborhood. Then you crossed a two lane road and into the trails! To have people ahead of you and behind you, you're trapped on a narrow singletrack; you can't stop now! Luckily, after letting the lead go ahead, they missed a sharp left turn on a descent! I saw them turn around just in time to reintegrate with them. The descent was gnarly with Easter egg shaped rocks causing havoc to your stride (more Easter references coming up!). It's tough to focus on the trail 5 meters ahead of you when you have the river that you'd have to run alongside DOWN there! But you don't want to die either! I knew I had to slow down and let them go. I wasn't going to compromise my safety in the beginning of the race. Around mile 5, I began to walk some bits. But for the most part I was pleased to reach the turnaround in ~2hr:20min. Norm and Helen Klein of ultra fame even manned an aid station! I was a bit embarrassed, however, when the drink they offer was called Heed. I asked the 80+ year old Norm if he "could give me Head" instead of what's called Heed; I'm glad no one noticed how bad this sounded except for me after leaving the aid station rather quick. The way back was going to kill me, I know that for sure! The scenery was picturesque for the ENTIRE way; it makes suffering that much worth it, seriously! You're running in a lush forest overlooking the side to see the other end of trees divided by a riverbank, glistened by the sun overhead.
I got passed by tons of people, but I was just enjoying the view. I was also convincing myself of trying to not get dehydrated either.
The way back took me 4 hours! The climbs, the 66 degree heat, and lack of aid stations took a toll on my sanity. I also had not run anything long since Napa Marathon nor had I done many quality long trail runs. Still, it would be a death march for most if not all of the folks returning to the finish. Even some pros were concerned even though they brought 2-3 bottles with them; it simply wasn't enough! But it gives a lot of face time and talking to those straggling with you on the trail. Two women provided great pacing for some miles to quickly pass the time. They're great. And another guy was kind enough to sterilize my bottle after refilling water from waterfall flowing into a creek. I was skeptical of the sterilize UV pen (http://www.survivalschool.com/products/Water_Filters/SteriPen_Adventurer.htm) used to filter the water; but I was near death, and in dire need of liquid. I am ever thankful for him.
On the way back, I fell twice. The first time was scary because it was in slow motion. I fell but I saw myself going forward with my hands landing on the soft dirt; the fall must have felt like 30 seconds for it to happen from start to finish. I came out unscathed but embarrassed as two runners saw me. The second time, I was on a descent and since it was sketchy I was preventing myself from going all out. It was also on a banked surface so my calves were flexed in a certain way and I cramped up for a second. That second was all it took to toss me into the dirt again. But again, I was lucky to come out of it with no bruises, just road (trail) rash that cyclists get on their thigh/buttock. Jesus fell three times holding the cross; all it takes is another fall to remind me of Easter Sunday. I just didn't want to be crucified at this race!
The last 3 miles of the run took almost an hour as mere mortals are forced to walk the steep section before the finish. But I made it, and to my calculation I PR'ed on yet another tough 50K course in 6:32. I was hoping to do it it sub 6, given the condition. It just wasn't realistic at all today. In 2006, I did Ohlone 50K in 6:36; that was equally hard if not one of the harder 50Ks like this one in the area.
The lunch afterward was somber, but I got to chat with Scott who I'll see again at the Eugene Marathon and Mark who I'll see at Ohlone. Peter Lubbers will make his attempt at the 100 mile speed record on the Tahoe Rim Trail in August. Oh yeah, I also won a bottle of some alcoholic ale beverage; too bad, I don't drink!
Pictures of the race and Foresthill: http://www.daveharper.com/photos/WS100/index.htm
Peter Lubbers: http://runlaketahoe.blogspot.com/
Mark Tanaka: http://ultrailnaka.blogspot.com/
Catherine: http://sierratrailrunner.blogspot.com/
Scott Dunlap: http://runtrails.blogspot.com/index.html
Tony Overbay: http://tonyoverbay.blogspot.com/
I'm too tired to even post my report here :). But here's mine:
With a 2 hour drive up to Foresthill, CA, my day began at 3:30am. Oli and I got to the start to confirm registration, pickup bibs, and goody bags. The problem is that Oli didn't register for the event and he was surprised to find that they did have race day registration, even though it was clearly stated online that there would be no race day registration. The only thing is that he didn't have enough money to register; price had gone up from $65 to $85. Not entirely worth it, given that there would be no aid for the first 14 miles. But as a training run, it would be good. I have to be honest when I say that I don't agree with banditing a race, but I had to admire Oli's drive and tenacity to do the race with NO reliance on aid stations. He did, however, ask for a guzzle of my drink on the way back and from a few other runners on the course...still that just amazes me and he did significantly better than me! Awesome.
The course for the Rucky Chucky 50K, at least on paper, is that the first 15.5 miles is downhill with the return 15.5 miles uphill. In reality, there was a significant amount of downhill for the first section, but there were some nasty climbs intermittent along it as well. This remains conversely true for the return section. Total elevation change is 5,000 feet. We were reminded this morning that there would be NO aid for 14 miles!! An email was sent last week, but our disappointment was confirmed. No one complained, you just come prepared. Others like me had two water bottles, some had three. This isn't the Chicago Marathon...people don't complain and demand their money back; you deal with it in a constructive manner. If it isn't your day, perhaps it will be another time.
The reason why I love doing ultras is that it's a tight knit fabric of the running community. Much of the ultrarunners that are recreational and pros alike do a lot of ultras in CA during the year that it's nearly impossible to not know who they are. The pros are extremely likewise approachable and friendly; there's no asshole attitude here. What I do notice is that they are older; perhaps a midlife crisis. But seriously, I got passed by a 16 year old to a 60+ year old so age is not a factor in doing well. What many of these runners lack in speed, they greatly make up with loads of endurance. It's another kind of toughness that I admire. These folks remind me why I run--it's exciting! It's also more fun when you can talk about your epic runs with others and no one thinks you're an idiot. Discussions are not limited to the many endorphin highs and lows during your run, where you ran out of water, and what happened when you became delirious. Lots of them have done 100 miles with the intention of getting ready for the Western States 100 mile between Squaw Valley and Auburn, CA, which is the granddaddy of all ultra races in the world!
We started at 8am sharp with the lead pack breaking away gradually. The pros are just inclined and used to running at their comfortable pace. I was in that pack! I knew it wouldn't last, but to be in the same group as Mark Tanaka (eventual winner of today's race), Beverly Anderson-Abbs (BABS), and Scott Dunlap (you really ought to check out his blog--it's awesome!) is really cool! We would run the first 2 miles of the descent together. I had to remind myself that this would only be a training run, results and times are thrown out the window. This is NOT a goal race! The first half mile went through the quaint town of Foresthill, its streets and residential neighborhood. Then you crossed a two lane road and into the trails! To have people ahead of you and behind you, you're trapped on a narrow singletrack; you can't stop now! Luckily, after letting the lead go ahead, they missed a sharp left turn on a descent! I saw them turn around just in time to reintegrate with them. The descent was gnarly with Easter egg shaped rocks causing havoc to your stride (more Easter references coming up!). It's tough to focus on the trail 5 meters ahead of you when you have the river that you'd have to run alongside DOWN there! But you don't want to die either! I knew I had to slow down and let them go. I wasn't going to compromise my safety in the beginning of the race. Around mile 5, I began to walk some bits. But for the most part I was pleased to reach the turnaround in ~2hr:20min. Norm and Helen Klein of ultra fame even manned an aid station! I was a bit embarrassed, however, when the drink they offer was called Heed. I asked the 80+ year old Norm if he "could give me Head" instead of what's called Heed; I'm glad no one noticed how bad this sounded except for me after leaving the aid station rather quick. The way back was going to kill me, I know that for sure! The scenery was picturesque for the ENTIRE way; it makes suffering that much worth it, seriously! You're running in a lush forest overlooking the side to see the other end of trees divided by a riverbank, glistened by the sun overhead.
I got passed by tons of people, but I was just enjoying the view. I was also convincing myself of trying to not get dehydrated either.
The way back took me 4 hours! The climbs, the 66 degree heat, and lack of aid stations took a toll on my sanity. I also had not run anything long since Napa Marathon nor had I done many quality long trail runs. Still, it would be a death march for most if not all of the folks returning to the finish. Even some pros were concerned even though they brought 2-3 bottles with them; it simply wasn't enough! But it gives a lot of face time and talking to those straggling with you on the trail. Two women provided great pacing for some miles to quickly pass the time. They're great. And another guy was kind enough to sterilize my bottle after refilling water from waterfall flowing into a creek. I was skeptical of the sterilize UV pen (http://www.survivalschool.com/products/Water_Filters/SteriPen_Adventurer.htm) used to filter the water; but I was near death, and in dire need of liquid. I am ever thankful for him.
On the way back, I fell twice. The first time was scary because it was in slow motion. I fell but I saw myself going forward with my hands landing on the soft dirt; the fall must have felt like 30 seconds for it to happen from start to finish. I came out unscathed but embarrassed as two runners saw me. The second time, I was on a descent and since it was sketchy I was preventing myself from going all out. It was also on a banked surface so my calves were flexed in a certain way and I cramped up for a second. That second was all it took to toss me into the dirt again. But again, I was lucky to come out of it with no bruises, just road (trail) rash that cyclists get on their thigh/buttock. Jesus fell three times holding the cross; all it takes is another fall to remind me of Easter Sunday. I just didn't want to be crucified at this race!
The last 3 miles of the run took almost an hour as mere mortals are forced to walk the steep section before the finish. But I made it, and to my calculation I PR'ed on yet another tough 50K course in 6:32. I was hoping to do it it sub 6, given the condition. It just wasn't realistic at all today. In 2006, I did Ohlone 50K in 6:36; that was equally hard if not one of the harder 50Ks like this one in the area.
The lunch afterward was somber, but I got to chat with Scott who I'll see again at the Eugene Marathon and Mark who I'll see at Ohlone. Peter Lubbers will make his attempt at the 100 mile speed record on the Tahoe Rim Trail in August. Oh yeah, I also won a bottle of some alcoholic ale beverage; too bad, I don't drink!
Pictures of the race and Foresthill: http://www.daveharper.com/photos/WS100/index.htm
Thursday, March 20, 2008
adidas Urban Run SF - March 24, 2008
The Bay to Breakers 12K practice runs are now posted on our adidas Urban Run SF Facebook page. The route below is also on the site as well. Check it out!
ROUTE – Alamo Square-City Hall 5.4 Miles (hilly, but you pass by city landmarks such as Painted Ladies and City Hall.)
-Up Powell St.
-Left on Post
-Right on Larkin
-Left on Jackson
-Left on Scott
-Left on Hayes
-Left on Franklin
-Right on McAllister
-Slight left onto Market
-Finish at adidas Sport Performance Store
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1691572
View Google Maps Street View BEFORE run!
ROUTE – Alamo Square-City Hall 5.4 Miles (hilly, but you pass by city landmarks such as Painted Ladies and City Hall.)
-Up Powell St.
-Left on Post
-Right on Larkin
-Left on Jackson
-Left on Scott
-Left on Hayes
-Left on Franklin
-Right on McAllister
-Slight left onto Market
-Finish at adidas Sport Performance Store
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1691572
View Google Maps Street View BEFORE run!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
It’s Not “Wimping Out” When Your Body Needs the Rest
I’ve been following a training program for several months, but there are days when I just don’t feel like doing my workout. I don’t know if my body’s trying to tell me something or if I’m just wimping out.
- Jason W., Portsmouth, ME
I'm certainly a fan of getting out there and trying to get a workout started, especially since you can often get through a whole workout as long as you can get through the first 10-15 minutes. However, “wimping out” is sometimes the smartest thing you can do. There are times when I wish the athletes I work with would listen more closely to their bodies and call it a day when they're not responding to their workouts. Here are a few good ways to tell if turning around is the right thing to do:
Your heart rate/power output doesn’t match your perceived exertion. Though perceived exertion is often dismissed as being “unscientific”, I believe it has to be taken into consideration when talking about training. You know how you normally feel when you’re exercising at a certain pace or intensity. If it takes a superhuman effort to raise your heart rate or power output to your normal cruising level, or to the level necessary for intervals, it’s a sign that something’s not right. Usually, it means you’re fatigued and that you’re better off doing an easier workout or taking the day off. Sometimes this scenario will even continue for a few days, but generally it won’t last more than a week. Listen to your body and give it the time it needs.
You feel like taking a nap by the side of the road or trail. Most days, you’re raring to go when you head out for a workout, but then there are days when you just can’t seem to get excited about training; you’re yawning at stop lights and daydreaming instead of focusing on your workout. On days like these, it’s important to get out there and see what happens after about 15 minutes. If you snap out of your funk and get your head in the game, then continue with the workout. If you can’t get your head into it, turn around and go home. I’d rather see you miss that one workout and come back excited the next day instead of absentmindedly going through the motions for several workouts in a row.
And since this is the Holiday Season, there’s one other piece of advice (it’s not completely pertinent to the original question, but it’s useful anyway): a shortened workout is better than no workout at all. So, if a holiday party or poor winter weather cuts your available time down to just 30 minutes, take it. It helps you stay in a consistent training routine and ensures that you’re not slipping backwards in your fitness progression. Shortened workouts may not move you forward as much as complete ones do, but they’ll help you keep the fitness you’ve worked so hard to build.
- Chris Carmichael
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Kristy Gough and Matt Peterson Memorial Ride
Time and PlaceDate:
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Time:
2:30pm - 5:30pm
Location:
FootHill College
Street:
12345 El Monte Road
City/Town:
Los Altos Hills, CA
1. We have the full support of the sheriff’s department for the memorial ride. They will be escorting us down to the site and closing down Steven's Canyon road for us while we are there so we'll have plenty of room to pay our respects. Additionally, in light of the situation, they have encouraged as many members of their team to come out to the start site (Foothill College) to mingle with us. Both Roaring Mouse and Third Pillar welcome their support and offer of services. If you feel comfortable, please feel free to approach them.
2. Alto Velo/Webcor has offered to provide safety support for the memorial ride. They have orange vest and paddles and will post themselves at the busy intersections.
3. Yes, this will be rain or shine (there have been some questions about this).
4. Parking at Foothill College: We have secured free parking in Lot 1 (the one closest to the football field) from 2pm – 6pm. If cars are parked in other lots, or in Lot 1 for times outside of 2-6pm, they must purchase a $2 parking pass from machines throughout the parking lots (bogus, but what was possible on such short notice).
--------------
Team Roaring Mouse Cycles and Third Pillar Racing Team are holding a joint memorial ride this Saturday March 15th, to honor the lives of Kristy Gough and Matt Peterson, our two teammates killed on Steven’s Creek Canyon last Sunday while on a training ride. We welcome friends, family, fellow cyclists and all those whose lives have been touched by Matt and Kristy. Our ride will include a visit to the site of the crash site for those to share their memories.
When:
Saturday, March 15th
Where:
Leaving from Foothill College
12345 El Monte Road
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Google map to location: http://tinyurl.com/2b6qvb
**We kindly request you do NOT drive out to the crash site during this time, as we need to keep cars to a minimum in the area, given the road conditions.
Time:
Meet at 2:30pm, ride by 3pm
Length:
30-45 minutes to the crash site. Base pace (ie, mellow). No drop.
Route:
Start @ Foothill College (Parking Lot #1, near the football stadium)
– Left on El Monte
– Right on Foothill Expressway
– Continue on Steven’s Creek Canyon
– Return
Route directions via Google: http://tinyurl.com/2pc8pf
*Press are welcome to attend, however we request respect during our ride. It would mean the most to us if press were to accompany us on their bikes, as we are all cyclists this week.
http://rememberingmatt.blogspot.com/
http://thirdpillarracing.com
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
adidas Urban Run SF- March 17, 2008 - St. Patrick's Day
ROUTE – Columbus-Hyde 4 Miles (hilly, but you conquer two of the toughest hills -Hyde and California)
-Start at adidas Sport Performance Store
-Left on Grant
-Left on Columbus
-Left on Beach
-Quick left onto Hyde
* Stop by Buena Vista Cafe for Irish Coffee --> pass if you choose to continue with run
-Left onto California
-Right on Powell
-Return to adidas Sport Performance Store
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1691599
Make sure you view map BEFORE run. It also helps to view course using Google Streets View map.
-Start at adidas Sport Performance Store
-Left on Grant
-Left on Columbus
-Left on Beach
-Quick left onto Hyde
* Stop by Buena Vista Cafe for Irish Coffee --> pass if you choose to continue with run
-Left onto California
-Right on Powell
-Return to adidas Sport Performance Store
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1691599
Make sure you view map BEFORE run. It also helps to view course using Google Streets View map.
Memorial ride planned for California cyclists
Matt (on the left) wins his biggest race ever at the Merced Criterium on March 1, 2008. Picture courtesy of Ben Stern.
I know this isn't running related, but as an endurance athlete this has really touched me.
Memorials are being planned for the two cyclists killed on a training ride Sunday in California.
A memorial service for Matt Peterson will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Sports Basement, 1590 Bryant Street, San Francisco.
Friends are planning a memorial ride Saturday afternoon in honor of Peterson and Kristy Gough. The ride will leave from Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, at 2:30
More details: http://rememberingmatt.blogspot.com
* I will be at Sports Basement for Matt's memorial tomorrow evening.
Top 5 Training Myths for Endurance Athletes: The Alternative Truths
PowerBar, sponsor of adidas Urban Run SF, provides articles that are incredibly useful and insightful for beginning endurance athletes. I will post a new article each week that will hopefully benefit you and your lifestyle.
This week we are debunking myths about fitness and exercise for endurance athletes.
By: Fiona Lockhart, CTS Pro Coach
An abundance of information exists for endurance athletes; sometimes too much. It can become quite difficult to figure out exactly what you should and shouldn’t do in training because many sources have conflicting information. Below are some of the myths that seem to be perpetuated over and over again, even though the scientific research doesn’t back it up.
1) There’s no point in doing high-intensity workouts if you’re training for a long-distance event, like a marathon, since you’ll never be going that hard during the event.
No matter what the event you are training for, it’s useful to change up the intensity of your workouts to make sure you work all your physiological systems, as well as to prevent physical and mental staleness. Research has shown that athletes who perform sprint workouts were able to improve their longer-term endurance performance. That doesn’t mean that you do high-intensity intervals, like sprints or hill repeats, all the time, but adding them to your total training mix will make you a better athlete.
2) If you want to lose weight, go out and ride or run for long periods of time without eating. If you train in the morning, don’t eat beforehand.
No, no, no, no, no. Your body needs fuel in order to perform at its best. If you try to train without sufficient fuel stores, not only will you wear yourself out in the long run, but your immediate workout will have only a fraction of the quality it should have. Consume gels, sports drinks and/or bars to maintain a steady supply of carbohydrate during your workout. Make sure you also take advantage of recovery nutrition, like the POWERBAR® Recovery shake, within 30 minutes of the end of your training bout; this will maximize those glycogen stores so you can come back and train hard the next day.
If you train in the morning, have something to eat before you start out. Your body burns through glycogen while you are sleeping; and your training will suffer from reduced fuel stores in the morning if you don’t refuel. If your body doesn’t tolerate solid foods before early-morning workouts, try a POWERBAR® Endurance sport drink.
If you are trying to lose weight, think about cutting calories at times away from your training, not near to or during it.
3) Losing weight will always improve your performance.
While a light, lean body is certainly a benefit for endurance events, don’t overdo it. Just because someone else can perform effectively at a given weight doesn’t mean you should be at that same weight. If you’re trying to lose weight, do it slowly and gradually so that you can continue to fuel your body sufficiently to support your training. If your weight is going down, but your power output and performance are diminishing as well, you may very well be too lean for your own good.
4) When doing strength training, always do lots of repetitions so that you don’t bulk up.
In order to reap the most gains from a strength training program, you need to lift a significant amount of weight in a relatively short period of time. After you have done a few weeks of light weight, moderate repetitions (i.e. 12-15 reps) to allow your tendons, ligaments, and muscles to adapt to the rigors of strength training, you will need to raise the amount of weight and lower the number of repetitions in order to maximize your strength gains. Don’t worry; unless you’re spending 5 days a week, 4+ hours in the gym (and you shouldn’t be, if you’re an endurance athlete), you won’t get “muscle-bound”!
5) To really be competitive, you need to train more than 15 hours a week.
If this were the case, there would be very few competitive athletes over the age of 30. Let’s face it, with work, family, and other obligations we contend with as we get older, it can be difficult to find many hours of training time during the week. But that’s okay, because you can still train effectively with limited time.
With fewer hours available to work out, establishing a structured training program becomes of paramount importance. Figure out how many hours and days you can train, and then set specific goals for each training day (i.e. lactate threshold workouts, sprint intervals). Then be consistent with that schedule. Not only will you continue to get stronger and faster, but you may also find that your performance gains are even greater than when you had more training time, because you are now forced to work with a specific plan.
Fiona Lockhart is a Pro Coach for Carmichael Training Systems, Inc. and an accomplished endurance competitor who has several Leadville 100 Mountain Bike race finishes to her credit.
This week we are debunking myths about fitness and exercise for endurance athletes.
By: Fiona Lockhart, CTS Pro Coach
An abundance of information exists for endurance athletes; sometimes too much. It can become quite difficult to figure out exactly what you should and shouldn’t do in training because many sources have conflicting information. Below are some of the myths that seem to be perpetuated over and over again, even though the scientific research doesn’t back it up.
1) There’s no point in doing high-intensity workouts if you’re training for a long-distance event, like a marathon, since you’ll never be going that hard during the event.
No matter what the event you are training for, it’s useful to change up the intensity of your workouts to make sure you work all your physiological systems, as well as to prevent physical and mental staleness. Research has shown that athletes who perform sprint workouts were able to improve their longer-term endurance performance. That doesn’t mean that you do high-intensity intervals, like sprints or hill repeats, all the time, but adding them to your total training mix will make you a better athlete.
2) If you want to lose weight, go out and ride or run for long periods of time without eating. If you train in the morning, don’t eat beforehand.
No, no, no, no, no. Your body needs fuel in order to perform at its best. If you try to train without sufficient fuel stores, not only will you wear yourself out in the long run, but your immediate workout will have only a fraction of the quality it should have. Consume gels, sports drinks and/or bars to maintain a steady supply of carbohydrate during your workout. Make sure you also take advantage of recovery nutrition, like the POWERBAR® Recovery shake, within 30 minutes of the end of your training bout; this will maximize those glycogen stores so you can come back and train hard the next day.
If you train in the morning, have something to eat before you start out. Your body burns through glycogen while you are sleeping; and your training will suffer from reduced fuel stores in the morning if you don’t refuel. If your body doesn’t tolerate solid foods before early-morning workouts, try a POWERBAR® Endurance sport drink.
If you are trying to lose weight, think about cutting calories at times away from your training, not near to or during it.
3) Losing weight will always improve your performance.
While a light, lean body is certainly a benefit for endurance events, don’t overdo it. Just because someone else can perform effectively at a given weight doesn’t mean you should be at that same weight. If you’re trying to lose weight, do it slowly and gradually so that you can continue to fuel your body sufficiently to support your training. If your weight is going down, but your power output and performance are diminishing as well, you may very well be too lean for your own good.
4) When doing strength training, always do lots of repetitions so that you don’t bulk up.
In order to reap the most gains from a strength training program, you need to lift a significant amount of weight in a relatively short period of time. After you have done a few weeks of light weight, moderate repetitions (i.e. 12-15 reps) to allow your tendons, ligaments, and muscles to adapt to the rigors of strength training, you will need to raise the amount of weight and lower the number of repetitions in order to maximize your strength gains. Don’t worry; unless you’re spending 5 days a week, 4+ hours in the gym (and you shouldn’t be, if you’re an endurance athlete), you won’t get “muscle-bound”!
5) To really be competitive, you need to train more than 15 hours a week.
If this were the case, there would be very few competitive athletes over the age of 30. Let’s face it, with work, family, and other obligations we contend with as we get older, it can be difficult to find many hours of training time during the week. But that’s okay, because you can still train effectively with limited time.
With fewer hours available to work out, establishing a structured training program becomes of paramount importance. Figure out how many hours and days you can train, and then set specific goals for each training day (i.e. lactate threshold workouts, sprint intervals). Then be consistent with that schedule. Not only will you continue to get stronger and faster, but you may also find that your performance gains are even greater than when you had more training time, because you are now forced to work with a specific plan.
Fiona Lockhart is a Pro Coach for Carmichael Training Systems, Inc. and an accomplished endurance competitor who has several Leadville 100 Mountain Bike race finishes to her credit.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
2008 Boston Marathon
For the lucky ones qualified to run the Boston Marathon, adidas will soon have a line of apparel and accessories for the upcoming 2008 Boston Marathon. They sell quickly so get yours when they are on sale!
adidas Urban Run SF - March 10, 2008
ROUTE – Pier 39 or Aquatic Park run
• Start at the adidas Sport Performance store
• Right on Market Street
• Left on Embarcadero
o Turnaround at Pier 39 (Embarcadero @ Bay St.) for 4 mile run
o Turnaround at Jefferson/Hyde for 6 mile run
o Turnaround at Marina/Fillmore for 8 mile run
• Return onto Embarcadero
• Right on Market Street
• Finish at the adidas Sport Performance store
* It's strongly recommended that you leave no later than 6:20PM if you choose to do the 8 mile run.
Follow link to course map:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1678599
View Google Maps Street View BEFORE run!
• Start at the adidas Sport Performance store
• Right on Market Street
• Left on Embarcadero
o Turnaround at Pier 39 (Embarcadero @ Bay St.) for 4 mile run
o Turnaround at Jefferson/Hyde for 6 mile run
o Turnaround at Marina/Fillmore for 8 mile run
• Return onto Embarcadero
• Right on Market Street
• Finish at the adidas Sport Performance store
* It's strongly recommended that you leave no later than 6:20PM if you choose to do the 8 mile run.
Follow link to course map:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1678599
View Google Maps Street View BEFORE run!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Kaiser Half Marathon and Napa Marathon Report
I'll make the Kaiser Half Marathon brief since I don't (want to) remember much of the details. It was a progress report detailing how much I have accomplished over the years so I was quite satisfied with my 1:33 finish. On the other hand, the massive headwind really undermined a hard earned effort. I truly believe that given better weather, I may have run 90 seconds to 2 minutes faster. But I also believe that my fitness was not as optimum either. My breathing was labored for much of the way and I had a difficult time getting into the rhythm of racing a half marathon. The first 10 miles were even splits with most of them at or slightly under 7 minute pace; the last three with a headwind surely made attaining that time goal that much harder. I chatted with a young woman who wanted to run it at 1:17, but finished it in an unhuman effort of 1:20. Never in my lifetime would I achieve that result. But as always, I have a special place in my heart for this local race because it is a great homecoming event that goes through my training routes (normally I don't like races where I train, but this one is different). I get to see runners I don't normal see other times of the year because they have varying schedules and peak races. The Great Highway section that most people dread is the part that I love because I get to see runners/walkers on the out and back road and cheer them on as I run. Now, it's even more special because I joined the team that hosts this race. Nevertheless, after this race, I know what I have to improve on.
A month later (yesterday), I would run the 30th edition of the Napa Marathon. I went up with a bunch of DSE teammates that decided to carpool and foot the hotel bill to help alleviate the cost. Unfortunately, the hotel was 12 miles away so we had to get up extra early at 3:55am.
The day before at the expo, I had the wonderful opportunity to see Joan Benoit Samuelson speak. She not only paved the way for US women's running (in addition to Katherine Switzer's famous Boston Marathon jaunt with Jock Semple) but is also an ambassador for the sport. She announced that after running the Napa Marathon, her swan song will be at the Boston Women's Olympic Trials. Boston was where she started her career and that will be where she will end her competitive career. As she now resides in Maine, running in Napa is a great contrast this time of year. After her speech on her career, life, and love of running, she was received mostly with a bevy of retarded questions such as "What is running negative splits?" after this person acknowledged that she has run 4 marathons. Another person asked "What do you do with Vasoline?" while another asked "Will there be water on the course?" My friends, before you run a marathon, make sure you do your research about the marathon and about marathons in general way in advance; the rest of your unanswered questions will have to be experienced for yourself.
The pasta feed was a chance for the DSE team and I to discuss plans for that marathon and if anyone had any strategies for running their race smart. Uwe, who would run his first marathon, said that just enjoying the ride would be the best way to do it. He's smart and has done his training so I had no worries or concerns about how he would do his race. He lost more than 250 pounds and has this very open and optimistic spirit that makes him truly one amazing guy! Of all the speakers that were at the pasta feed, the one that reasonated me the most was probably Helen Klein. She's 86 years old and would run the Napa Marathon. She didn't start running until very late, probably 10-15 years ago. She broke the record in her latest age division at the California International Marathon in 5:48! Guess what? She broke it again with a 5:33 in Napa!! More PR's later, let's move on to race day!
The pre race ritual of getting ready for race day ALWAYS begins with trepidation and worries the night before to making that perfect race. Jerry had his four bottles of chocolate electrolyte drinks that he would leave at designated aid stations, me with another batch of pasta in a tupperware, Joel with his clothing selection, Jeremy...I'm not sure what hippies do :). But fortunately, George Carlin's HBO schtick was on to lighten the mood with universal taboos on religion, politics, and other matters.
On race day, we got up early as noted before and drove from Fairfield to the finish at Napa. We would then get transported via school bus to the start in Calistoga. Unfortunately, we got split up when there weren't enough seats on the bus for my DSE teammates. I sat in the very back where thugs hang out. The driver told me and the folks at the back of the bus how to evacuate in the rare case of an emergency. Then he went to the front and drove the marathoners as he jacked up the heat, nearly killing us in the back. I talked to a guy who sat next to me who would run his first marathon. His goal was to run a 3:15, and with his best half marathon time set at 1:29, I tried to convince him that he is more than capable of running a 3:10. He agreed but he wants to stick to plan so that his goal of running Boston with his brother and dad don't get fucked up. This does, however, give him a 5 minute buffer should he achieve this since he turns a year older and the qualification for him is actually 3:20. Regardless, a 3:15 for him should be sweet especially for a first marathon. Then playing on the radio, there was a morning talk show required for all music stations on Sunday morning as a service to the community (not a service to us); it was a talk on how to prevent suicides. Not a healthy topic before the start of a marathon...especially if it's your first.
As we headed for the startline after the bus dropped us off, I needed a place to pee. What a change a year makes! The start used to be road with empty fields with some trees lining the area. Now it is occupied by a private resort that was cordonned off by security guards who might suspect runners peeing or warming up on their property; this caused a change of peeing plans for me. The bag check and organization was flawless as the last two times I have done this event. Under my hesitant cold breath at the start, I vowed that I would make my own swan song for my annual trip to the Napa Marathon this year; I would soon do my third one and felt that it was time to do something new. With 15 minutes to start time, I would get into position wearing my new Timex OVA watch. They tell you don't do anything new on race day, but this wouldn't hurt me. It had an awesome chronometer option and the face of the watch is on the narrow side of the wrist so you don't have to twist your arm to look at a standard sportswatch face while pressing the lap button. I wore my Pamakids jersey respresenting the team with adistar shorts and adidas Supernova Light 6 (why adidas is making this such a hard shoe to find boggles my mind as this is the ONLY adidas road racing shoe that I love!).
I also briefly talked to two women who were concerned because of all the marathons they have done, this would be the first one that did not have chip timing. I told them that they shouldn't worry and that the Napa Marathon is ALWAYS organized and is a favorite for many to PR. This resounded well since their primary objective was to PR below 3:40; they would do Boston in a month anyway so qualifying wasn't so much an issue. But when they asked me what my goal was for this race, I replied that Napa is just a training run for the Eugene Marathon in May. Immediately, an old woman flashes her around to hear what a stupid comment I just made and did a double take to make sure she heard correctly.
I was expecting the national anthem to be sung by John Keston, the only man to break 3 hours in a marathon at age 71, like the previous years I've done Napa. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Keston
But there was no anthem...this was on the website, however...one blip of the Napa Marathon:
6:55am John Keston leads runners in singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at start line.
But then the race STARTS!!! No countdown, nothing! Just the shout of GO!
Within the first mile, I see a man running barefoot. I remark "hey, did you forget your shoes?" Then things get serious as paying attention to your pace becomes essential now as this will dictate how you'll progress through the later stages and into the finish. With my prior intent late last year to do this race to help pace someone, it has now become a goal of mine to do this as an honest training run since that person decided not to run Napa; no PR goals, just a wonderful experience. I did not, however, want to get passed by Dean Karnazes, who planned to run this race in 3:40; in all fairness, he AGAIN ran from home in San Francisco to the start of the Napa Marathon and then planned on running back home. With the f-ing walkers slowing things down for the fast people at the start, we quickly went by them to seed fairly well on the closed wide roads. The best thing about this race is that the field is so small that it's almost a nonissue with people hindering your efforts. Right away, I began to talk to some memorable people along the course. As we went up our first "hill" around mile 2, I saw some guy who had a Houston shirt and remarked that it's great that you guys (there were two) are from Texas. One guy said he was actually from Fresno and the one with the shirt is from Texas. Then we began talking about how wonderful this course was. I mentioned something about even Fresno has a marathon now and how it's growing; we spent a good amount of time talking about that to pass the miles in addition to mile splits and his goal of 3:15 to qualify for Boston. I'm not sure if he achived it, but I'm convinced he did since he ran his own race during the late miles and at that time we were ahead of 3:15 pace.
For the first 15 miles I was really convinced that I could run a 3:10 Marathon. Most of my splits were 7:15 pace or better at that time. But I had to be realistic. I had only done 2 noteworthy 20+ milers before this race. I didn't peak for this nor was that my intention and my weekly mileage rarely went over 30 miles. Pathetic...and I was trying to qualify for Boston today? It was laughable, but I honestly believed that I could achieve it. Even though I was not pushing the pace and was letting gravity help me set my race, I was in race mode. The motif for the first 8 miles was to run gently down a hill, to run even effort up the gentle hill, to round the corner of the crowned road, then to run down again, and repeat thereafter. During this time, I tried to stick to my "training run" and help pace this guy who was running his first marathon. His goal was to finish in 3:30. But at this point we were still doing 3:10 pace...well ahead of schedule. He said he was not pushing it hard, but I still told him to err on the side of caution since anything you do your first time will be a learning experience. He agreed and just let it play it out today. I couldn't argue too. We had a massive tailwind! Even when I wanted to slow down, the wind would pick up and push me forward, letting me go fast again. I don't remember the last time the wind was EVER this generous in a race situation. We plog on till about mile 16 or 17 when I begin to lose contact from me. He just ran his own race and backed off without saying parting words before doing so and probably because he was hurting. I was really hoping for him to do a ~3:15 for his first one. I would've been glad to be a part of that effort. But I'm also glad that he was running his race smart.
By mile 17, I was running alone and feeling the isolation hit me hard with my low points affecting me. That point of euphoria is gone for now. The roads become straight and you see the next hill or corner a mile away, far off in the distance. The sun was in my face and now the "should haves" are shoring up on my mind. These include but are not limited to mindfucks such as "I should've worn my running cap", "I should've taken that ibuprofen before the race", and "I should've just paced Jeremy at whatever pace he wanted to achieve". People started to pass me; if this race really mattered, I would have demanded comforting encouragement from them. Then this woman comes up and starts talking to me. I remember it was mile 18, but I don't remember how she came up from behind. Donna and I started talking about how we were in agony and how bronchitis was hindering her effort. I mentioned that coming into this race I lacked confidence in meeting my marathon goal in May because I couldn't maintain hard efforts during training. But the Saturday morning before, I hacked up a small but very lumpy mucus after doing a couple of hard 100 meter strides and all was well. Then she mentioned that her marathon PR was 3:09, but I had to let her go as we both suffered and suffered doing our own races. She being up the road, and me slogging behind. I knew this would happen. Around mile 19, I started my run/walk routine. I wasn't suffering so it was ok; my own retarded Galloway method. This would go own for a while, but the tailwind really helped me to push harder. Then others would encourage me to run faster. Toward the end, I decided to share this favor with other stragglers around mile 25. I would yell at others to pick it up and stay on pace. Remarkably, they listened to me. Then I knew the routine for the finish. We made a right onto another road...the last significant stretch of road! At this point, I not only ran, I made it into a track race after mile 26 as I knew that there would be 400 meters left in the left turn, left turn, right turn before the final 75 meters to the finish! As tired runners were being passed by me, their dried voices mustered "great job"! I felt guilty and sad for them; who wants to be passed at the end? But I had to salvage my race. I came in at 3:22:38, a 20 second course PR! It could've been faster, then I realized man, I walked a lot too and still did better than last year! I am faster!
Epilogue: Nothing new here. The volunteers were awesome and supportive. I stayed at the finish to congratulate the runners I have either passed or run a few miles. I shook hands with the guy who cramped up badly but we helped support each other at the end, the man who said I ran great when I passed him, and the man who ran his first marathon...the man who wanted to run in 3:30...he came in at 3:25!
I quickly went into the gym to get my free massage because I know that waiting any longer for the others to finish would mean not getting that massage in a timely fashion. But I got it after a ten minute wait; it pays to finish fast! Then I saw Norm Klein, and he shook my arm; he's not an asshole like others make him out to be, he's a very genuine, honest nice man. His wife, Norm Klein, would set another record today, and that would make the Kleins so proud. Also of note, the guy I sat with on the bus, ran a 3:14 and is going to Boston! Donna runs a 3:12 with bronchitis and wins her age/sex division hands down, and we continue to chat after the race. Uwe runs in 4:06 for his first marathon, something he didn't envision when he was 250 lbs heavier. Jerry runs a 2:59 marathon!
All in all, the Napa Marathon was a fun event with a very happy reunion that culminated afterward. You know what? I'll reconsidering on doing Napa again next year too! CIM and Napa are favorite marathons for a good reason. You get a lot of bang for your buck!
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