Ultramarathon Training

2009 Hellgate: End of a Fun Run

2009-12-06T18:56:00.004-05:00

Well, it's official. I'm not running the 2009 Hellgate 100k. My heart and mind were just not into it this year enough to get me there. I told Horton this past week that I was out. I think he knew it anyway. I'm a bit sad, but it's just a race, right?

I celebrated today with a great run on the trails of Mill Mountain. The 12 miles felt almost effortless as we made our way up, down, around, up, and down again. The beauty and spirit of the run today made me question my decision. Six Hellgates in a row. My streak has ended. It was a fun run.

Below is an image of today's 12 miler. Every bit of it, I believe, within the Roanoke City limits.

Good luck Hellgate runners. No full moon this year.

Run hard out there...

Today's Intense Workout

2009-12-02T18:02:00.002-05:00

Today's workout:

38 degrees, pouring rain.

Jog to the park, about 1 mile.

I had my timer set to beep every minute, for 20 minutes. On the start of every minute:

10 push-ups
100 Yard Sprint
Rest till next minute.

Jog back downtown.

It's a keeper.

Run hard out there...

Gymboss Timer Revisited

2009-11-26T09:11:00.004-05:00

Last May I wrote about a neat little timer gadget called the Gymboss. My in-laws bought me one for my birthday and I immediately started using it for timed workouts. I had recently attended a kettlebell clinic in Atlanta, which is the first place I ever saw one of these little timers in action, and I knew I had to have one. There's a popular workout in the kettlebell community designed to raise VO2Max. It is 30 seconds of work, followed by 30 seconds of rest, repeated for 20-40 minutes.

A bit of searching turned up some interesting research on this protocol. A good deal of it is summed up in this article, along with a sample interval workout.

After some playing around with the protocol, here's what I came up with.

The VO2Max To The Max Workout:

30 seconds running (about 90% effort)
30 seconds rest
30 seconds burpees
30 seconds rest
Repeat for duration.

The first time we tried this workout we did it for 20 minutes and knew immediately it was a keeper. Yesterday we attempted it again, this time for 25 minutes. This is definitely a workout I plan to keep around. Some of my workout buddies have suggested mixing in other exercises instead of the burpees (jumping jacks, high knees, mtn climbers, etc.). I might consider that next time we do it. And of course, you could just run for the entire time, but I prefer to mix it up and get some full body work in there with the burpees.

The Gymboss timer takes the guesswork out of workouts like this, and it also keeps you honest. Set it to beep every 30 seconds, and to stop at 25 minutes or whatever duration you desire (or unlimited time if you just want to go till you drop). Setting the duration of the workout up front helps to keep me honest. I won't stop till the Gymboss says to stop.

Will Running Kill Me?

2009-10-22T07:15:00.003-04:00

I've wondered about this since I had a heart scare in 2006, when I was in the best running shape of my life. Is "obsessive" running bad for the heart? When I heard about deaths in Detroit last week, it rekindled the question in my mind.

The docs over at Science of Sport have a long post about it. Their conclusion:

"The reality is that people who die during exercise have some underlying, probably undetected condition that predisposes them to a cardiac event during exercise.
...
So in the light of the latest events, and until toxicology reports are in, deciding on the cause is premature. Agreeing that it's sad for all involved, but recognizing that it's not running that killed them, is the way to go!"

Run hard out there...

Exploring the mountains

2009-10-18T15:22:00.010-04:00

(all images from Google Earth. Click to zoom.)

Sometimes the best runs are those that are begun without thoughts of time or mileage. Thanks to tools like Google Earth and GPS, it is easy to find places to explore right in your own backyard. As long as you respect private property and Leave No Trace, the world is at your, um, toetips.

My running buddy Jay and I spent most of Saturday exploring Fort Lewis Mountain. This mountain runs from Bradshaw Rd in east Salem, VA all the way to Ironto, west of West Salem. Its ridge line runs about 13 miles, making it one of the longest continuous ridges in the Roanoke area. The highest point on the mountain is around 3300 feet, but we started our run at around 1250 feet on the valley floor. We climbed about a mile through the Forest Acres neighborhood (including the new construction which seems to be continuously encroaching higher and higher). At the end of the asphalt, we left civilization and started our adventure.

4.5 miles later we were at about 3100 feet and we begin exploring the ridge. First we checked out what we thought was the summit to our right. We found a radio tower and some interesting stuff that seemed to be weather station related. As we started along the ridge, Jay suggested that we try to get in 20 miles for the day. 20 miles would be my longest run since March, by several miles. So I told him I would let him know later if that was in the cards.

One of our goals for the day was to find what our map called a "lookout tower." We ran for miles along the ridge in search of, but never finding anything resembling a lookout tower. We were following what appeared to be an old power or phone line, so we kept on running. Just as we were about to give up and turn around, Jay spotted a tall radio tower just ahead. His discovery led us to a complex of FAA towers and radio towers. Pretty neat stuff.

We had come 12.5 miles out and we both had places to be and people to see later that evening. Our goal for the day was to get in a good run and explore this unfamiliar ridge. We reveled in success as we turned around and headed back. The "back" was about an hour faster than the "out," not hard to do when you consider how much of it was down hill.

What a great day to explore the mountains!

Run hard out there.

Cold and Miserable

2009-10-14T19:14:00.004-04:00

I rode my bike to work this morning. It was dry and 51 degrees. Shorts and a long sleeve wind jacket proved to be too much and I had a good sweat going by the time I got to work (rarely a goal, given that I have no showers available in the morning). By lunchtime, it had dropped 10 degrees outside. It was windy and raining hard.

A few of us ignored the weather and went out for a quick run and a workout. All I could think was how happy I was that Hellgate weather was finally coming to town.

The workout?

1 mile jog to the park, then a prison workout (descending sets) starting at 10 of:
Burpees, push-ups, crunches
Run 50 yards,
repeat until done.

12 minutes later we were done with the workout, and continued for another couple miles back to downtown.

It was cold and miserable. I was in Heaven.

Run hard out there.

Fun with GPS

2009-08-22T14:40:00.006-04:00

Last week I read an article in the NY Times about using GPS to create artwork. I discussed this with some friends a long time ago, and we never did it. I guess we missed out on an opportunity, so now if we do it, we are just being trendy.

(Michael Nagle of the New York Times)

There are two reasons why I sometimes wish I lived in a big city. 1) so I could ride my fixed-gear bike everywhere (also quite trendy I am told), and 2) so I could do neat art stuff like this.

Inspired by the article, I decided to make some artwork during my morning high intensity sprint/pushup workout.

The workout, in case you are interested was a "prison" workout with pushups.

25 pushups, sprint 100yards, walk 30 yards,
24 pushups, spring 100 yards, walk 30 yards,
23...
22...
all the way down to 1.

Brutal. My arms are still a bit shaky as I type this.

Slightly disappointed by my first GPS art effort, I went out for a longer run and captured it for the sake of art. Here it is:

Ok, maybe not.

Run hard out there...

Blue Ridge Parkway Marathon

2009-08-15T15:51:00.008-04:00

There's a buzz around Roanoke about a new marathon: The Blue Ridge Marathon. It's scheduled for April 24, 2010. I registered for it last week. It's going to be a doozie, climbing Mill Mountain twice, and running around the "4-mile loop" over Roanoke Mountain, which I've read is the steepest spur road off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Then at 24 miles, it hits one of the steepest hills in Roanoke City. Someone had an evil grin on his face when he designed this course.

I ran the 4-mile loop the other evening, and my quads are still sore from the 2+ mile, 1000' downhill pounding. People who sign up for this one had better train on that loop, or else they will be in for a big surprise.

I'm not sure why they say this one is "on the Parkway," although it does benefit Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Runners will be on the actual BRP for about a quarter of a mile. I guess relating it to one of the most famous drives in the southeast will bring in more runners.

This event is being put on by Ronny Angell of Odyssey Adventure Racing. Ronny knows how to put on races, so it is pretty much guaranteed to be a success.

Seriously, if you are thinking about running this one, make sure to test your legs on the 4-mile loop before race day.

Run hard out there.

Running Through The Wall

2009-07-24T12:26:00.010-04:00

Amazon.com has lowered the price of my book to a bargain basement price of $10.98. It has been selling pretty good since it came out in 2003. In fact, sales have picked up in the last few years due to the increased popularity of our sport. Today it was ranked #16 in the "Exercise & Fitness: Marathons" category on Amazon. Note that they do not have an Ultramarathon category. Yet.

Post a comment or contact me via email if you want to order a personal autographed copy of Running Through the Wall for $11, shipping included.

When I started working on the book, I never thought I'd run more than 50 miles at one time. I thought those who ran hundreds were whacked. Ironically, a year and a half later, on the day I received the first shipment from the publisher, I was leaving to run my first hundred miler. Interviewing and writing about some of the best ultrarunners in the world motivated me to run like I never thought possible.

I hope Running Through the Wall will do the same for you.

Run hard out there.

Antioxidants, and heading to the beach

2009-07-24T11:05:00.004-04:00

I wanted to pass this along from Dean's Newsletter:

Did you know?
ORAC is a measurement of a food’s antioxidant capacity. Oranges have a score of 2,000, Red Apples 4,000, and Blueberries over 9,000. The so-called “Superfruits” (e.g., Acai, Goji, Mangosteen) can have values exceeding 20,000! .

ORAC is the "oxygen radical absorbency capacity," and berries, which are in season right now, have tons of it. Apples, just coming into season are very high too. In fact, if you ate mostly in-season fruits and veggies, you would certainly not be lacking in the ORAC category.

It's been a while since I posted, and it will be a bit longer because I am heading to Hilton Head Island, SC next week for a well needed family vacation. If you've never been to Hilton Head before, I highly recommend you check it out. It is the best beach I've ever seen for running. It's flat, about 100 yards wide, and after a nice rain, you can run for miles without seeing anyone.

My back injury is much better now, and in the last two weeks I've been able to return to some running. I've kept up my biking, so I have not lost too much fitness.

Run hard out there, and eat your superfruits.

Matt and Lily

2009-06-19T14:58:00.003-04:00

Matt and Lily are over halfway back home now. They ducked into our place for a couple days to get out of the rain. We shared some good meals and lots of laughs over legos and Wii Bowling. I hope I don't have Matt hooked on video games now. Somehow I doubt it.

Continue to check out Matt's blog for updated photos from their journey. They left here with 14 days and about 530 miles under their belts. We loaded them down with leftover food and drink, and wished them well as they were once again on their way.

Two beautiful people, living the dream...

Out of commission, but here's some interesting reading

2009-06-12T13:01:00.003-04:00

I hurt my back a couple weeks ago playing Ultimate with a bunch of 20 year old kids. After a week I was back to about 90%, but then I did too much too soon, and now I'm hurt again. It's keeping me from running, which I don't appreciate at all. I'm going to try to get in to see a doctor today to rule out anything more than muscle strain.

When I'm not running or working out I don't feel much like writing about running and working out. So here are some links to blog entries that have caught my eyes lately.

Run hard out there...

Another Crossfit Endurance success story -- MMT 100!

2009-05-24T19:33:00.001-04:00

Great job to Jen on a fine finish at MMT 100. Jen trains crossfit and is a very fine ultrarunner. Check out her blog to read her story.

Congrats Jen!

Good Luck to Matt and others on the BMT

2009-05-22T13:05:00.002-04:00

Matt Kirk is doing what he does best... fastpacking. This time he is on the 288-mile Benton-MacKaye Trail. Learn more about the BMT and follow Matt's progress here.

Matt is a high school teacher. What would the world be like if every teacher spent a weekend out on the trail once in a while?

Run hard out there.

Neal

Clean Commute Day

2009-05-15T09:22:00.004-04:00

Today is National Clean Commute Day, or something like that. Did you miss it? Oh well, there's always next week.

Run, bike, walk, crawl. Just do it.

Run hard out there.

Update: Ran to work today (Wednesday, 5/20). I drive a few miles in and park in a church parking lot. From there, I just pick my route depending on how I feel. This morning I hopped on the Murray Run Greenway for a soft mile or so, then through the Roanoke River Greenway in to downtown. 5.2 miles with a backpack on -- a great way to start the day.

Gymboss Interval Timer

2009-05-08T09:06:00.007-04:00

I received one of these last week for my birthday. It is a cool, inexpensive (under $20) gadget for all types of interval training: Tabatas, track repeats, sprints, etc. It can even be used to remind you to take a nutrition or walk break during a long run. It chimes and/or vibrates, and is smaller than a small old-school pager. It also has a handy clip so you can fasten it to your shorts or watch band for hands-free running.

With just three buttons, it is easy to program after a very short learning curve. The first one I received in the mail was dead. I called their toll free helpline, and in two days I received a new fully functional timer with a postage paid return envelope for the broken one. They assured me that this was a rare occurence. Based on reviews I've read, quality control is not an issue.

For any runner who collects gadgets, and especially the runner who is in to speed training, track intervals, HIIT, Tabatas, etc., this timer belongs in your toy box.

I recently learned about a workout that kettlebell enthusiasts believe is the quickest way to improve VO2 Max. It is 30 seconds of high intensity KB swings followed by 30 seconds of rest. They repeat this for anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes. I personally believe this workout can be tailored to any exercise (hills, sprints, stairs, dumbell curl-presses, etc.). I plan to experiment with this some starting next week using my new Gymboss timer.

Run hard out there...

One workout can improve your life

2009-04-09T08:40:00.007-04:00

Want to know how one short workout can improve your life? Read on...

I like to get out at lunchtime and do some crazy workouts. A little bit of running, high intensity bodyweight exercises, hills and sprints, etc. I have some buddies who join me regularly, and occasionally someone new will tag along. One day several weeks ago a new guy decided to join us. I didn't know a lot about this guy's fitness, but I considered him to be the kind of person who goes to the gym a few days/week, puts in 15 minutes on a cardio machine, lifts some weights, maybe follows up with a little cool-down cardio. He was what I consider an "average exerciser."

It just so happened that the agenda on this particular day called for a 1-mile run, followed by sets of hill sprints and burpees with very little rest in between. It was intense -- definitely not your average exercise routine, but the new guy hung in there, did a great job, definitely got a good workout, and claimed to even enjoy it.

But then he didn't come back.

I asked him about it the other day. To my surprise he assured me he loved the workout and planned to come back out. Then he said to me,

"That one workout helped me tremendously!"

I asked him to explain, and he said that the one workout boosted his aerobic capacity and helped him get to the next level. He said he went from running 1 mile on the treadmill to running almost 3 miles! All because of that one workout.

That's a 200% increase in fitness? Just from one workout? What's the number for the patent office?

Ok, we all know that is too good to be true. Or is it?

That one workout DID help him. It definitely increased his fitness level, but not that much. Anytime we stress our bodies that way, adaptation takes place and we come back stronger. But it wasn't the physical adaptation that helped him.

It was all in his head.

Perhaps he was like many average exercisers. They go for a jog or get on the stationary bike or elliptical machine, watch TV or read a magazine. 30 minutes later they feel good about what they have done. And they should, don't get me wrong. That's their workout. This guy's workout at the time included running 1 mile on the treadmill. Good for him. But he was capable of so much more. All he had to do was learn to step outside of his comfort zone.

That intense hill sprint and burpee workout helped him see that he could push his body to a whole new level. And doing it in a group setting helped even more. Had he attempted a hill sprint/burpee workout alone, he might have done it with the average exerciser mindset and worked at a lower intensity or even quit before he really got started. But because there were several of us out there that day who love to explore our "discomfort zone," he pushed himself to keep up. He took his brain out of the workout and allowed himself to work harder. By working outside of his average exerciser comfort zone, even for just 20 minutes, he learned that he is capable of doing so much more. And now he does so much more.

Believe it or not, this directly applies to ultrarunning. How many ultrarunners really get out of their comfort zones? Many runners are happy with the slow steady-state training runs. Then in races they stay toward the back of the pack, talking with others, enjoying the time on the trail, all the while marvelling about the front runners wondering "how do they do it?" The difference is that most of the front runners push outside of their comfort zones every day. They have trained their minds to allow their bodies to call the shots. All of our bodies are capable of amazing things, we just need train our brains to let it happen.

So yes, one workout can change your life.

Here are a few I recommend:

100 Burpee Challenge
10x short hill sprints with 10 burpees at the top (recover on the downhill only)
Tabata sprints
10x 1 minute on (sprint all out), 1 minute off

These workouts, done completely and intensely, will take you out of your aerobic comfort zone and help you get to the next level. Pick one and do it. It just might change your life.

Run hard out there.

Kettlebells

2009-04-03T10:30:00.007-04:00

When I was in Atlanta last week, I met with a personal trainer for a kettlebell clinic. It was fun, rewarding, and I hope to post more about it soon.

Kettlebells are showing up everywhere these days. I caught a glimpse of one on The Biggest Loser last week, which means they are now an official fitness gadget. A local YMCA is looking to start a KB class similar to Body Pump. It kind of flies in the face of traditional Russian kettlebell training, but at least they are helping people get off the elliptical machine and get in shape.

Here is a great deal for the ultrarunner looking to start a kettlebell regimen.

Okay, maybe I'm a couple days late on this one...

Run hard out there.

100 Burpee Challenge

2009-03-29T19:53:00.002-04:00

I came across this on one of the crossfit sites I follow: The 100 Burpee Challenge. It's simple. Start a timer and see how long it takes to do 100 burpees. I tried it for the first time two weeks ago and was a bit disappointed to finish in just under 10 minutes. Today I did it in 8:40. That's good enough for a top 50 time on Sherdog. But I know I can do better. I think I am putting form over speed. I'll try this weekly, and once it gets easier I'll move up to a 150 and eventually a 200 burpee challenge to simulate the stress of a fast 5k.

The first quarter of 2009 is almost gone. What about those goals? I really need to start working on those pullups. With Catawba behind me, it's also time to focus on the 5k training.

Run hard out there.

Hill Repeats

2009-03-27T15:21:00.006-04:00

(click graph to zoom)

Hill Repeats. You run up, then down, and you never really get anywhere. But for some reason I love them. You should too.

Today I went to the park for my lunchtime run and did 11 repeats of a 0.2 mile hill. I was not sprinting it, but I did run every bit of every hill. I also did 10 push-ups at the top and bottom of each repeat. At the top of the last hill I did 20 push-ups. So in less than an hour, I ran 1 mile of warm-up and cool-down, 2 miles uphill, 2 miles downhill (recovery) and did 240 push-ups. It was a very nice way to spend a lunch hour.

Oh, the image is courtesy of my GPS and RunningAhead.com. Check them out.

Run hard out there...

One of my favorite reasons to visit Atlanta...

2009-03-23T21:23:00.007-04:00

Piedmont Park

(click to zoom)

Intervals on the 800m cinder oval. Hill repeats on the grass above the lake. It makes running in the heart of the city fun. And wearing a Garmin Forerunner so you can see where all you went makes it even more fun.

And it's all about having fun.

Run hard out there...

Prison Workout

2009-03-12T20:01:00.005-04:00

Not too long ago the officials who run prisons decided that allowing prisoners to work out with weights all day long was a bad idea. Seems that the guards were just sitting around doing what it takes to pass federal and state physicals, and the prisoners were doing what it takes to survive in prison: pounding iron. Eventually the officials found themselves on the losing end and made the official decision to officially ban weights.

So the prisoners came up with a new plan. The Prison Workout. Burpees baby. Have you tried Burpees yet? Watch Mike Rowe, from Dirty Jobs explain why you should be doing burpees.

So today, when most of my lunchtime running buddies were planning to run on the treadmill, eat, or even go shopping, I came up with a new plan: We would do a Burpee prison workout.

Here is what we did:

Jog to the park (about 1 mile)
At top of hill, Do 15 burpees
jog down and back up hill
do 14 burpees
jog down and back up hill
repeat (descending sets all the way to 1 burpee)
jog down hill and back
jog home (about 1 mile)

This was 120 burpees, and 15 hill repeats. Very little rest. All in about 22 minutes.

Talk about the Happy Face! I was happy from this workout for the rest of the day.

Have you tried burpees yet?

Run hard out there.

I finished Catawba Run Around, now what?

2009-03-08T20:16:00.004-04:00

2009 Catawba Run Around: 35 miles, 10:30

For most of the hikers I saw on the Appalachian Trail yesterday, it was a perfect day. Who could ask for anything better than 78-degrees and lots of sun on an early March day?

I'd rather have had 45-degrees and raining.

The 2009 Catawba Run Around is over. I finished, in a slowest time ever of 10:30 (two hours slower than last year). But it was a tough run from the get go. Here are my excuses (you know what they say about excuses, right?):

I started out too fast. Note to self: ascending Dragon's Tooth early in the race in the top 6 is not a good idea.
It was hot. No lie. I bet it hit 80-degrees in the mid-afternoon. And there was not a cloud in the sky.
I wore the wrong shoes. Where was all that mud I predicted?
Nutrition: I didn't eat enough early in the race and ran out of water 4 miles short of the 3rd aid station
The reverse direction is TOUGH! The climbs seem so much steeper in that direction. It's not just my imagination either. Run organizer Keith said the same thing.
My training? I don't know. I finished ahead of some great high-mileage ultrarunners, but could I have done better with more training mileage?

I do know that I am not sore today. I have no injuries from the run. My legs were strong most of the way (except for some of those climbs!). I credit that to the sprints and squats I've been doing.

I really feel like my biggest adversary was the unexpected heat. When you do all your training in 25-40 degrees, 65-80 degrees is a bit much.

I felt worse than I have felt in a race for a long time, and mentally it was a big challenge. But on a day where many dropped, (Yo Adrian!) I finished.

For now I'm going to keep training the way I've been training. Short, high intensity runs and lots of non-running workouts. I need to start focusing on that 5k goal. I have a 50k to run in July, but it is on very forgiving trails compared to my other ultras. I think I can do well there on 25-mile weeks and high intensity training. As Hellgate approaches, I need to spend more time on the mountains. That is the one element that I think was missing from my training for Catawba.

At least I can count on more comfortable temperatures for Hellgate.

Run hard out there...

Great run in the snow!

2009-03-02T17:30:00.004-05:00

Okay, so what is looking to be the biggest snow "storm" of the winter of 2008/2009 provided the perfect conditions for my last hard run before Catawba. I hit Fishburn Park for 4 tough miles of running in about 6 inches of snow. It was absolutely beautiful! I must start carrying a camera while running. I have a birthday coming up (hint hint).

I wore my Nike ACG running shoes.
These rugged beasts beat any other shoe I have ever worn for running like this. Problem is, I don't know where to find them anymore, and that picture is not even of the shoe I have, although I think it is the same model. It was these same beasts (an earlier model) that I screwed screws into the year that I ran my PR at Hellgate -- also in snow and ice. Lots of it.

Right now the Catawba trail is completely covered by at least 10" of snow. Most of it will likely melt before this weekend -- maybe. The current forecast is for 60-degrees by Saturday. Perfect

Absolutely perfect.

Run hard out there.

Holiday Lake 50K on how many training miles?!?

2009-02-24T19:16:00.004-05:00

When I heard about this one, I immediately chalked it up to youth and desire for bodily harm, but then I read more. The guy in the white shirt is Adam Eidson. Adam, 34, just finished the Holiday Lake 50K ultra in a fantastic time of 5:19. That put him in 75th place out of 257 starters. He finished ahead of some very fine ultrarunners. It turns out Adam is a very fine ultrarunner too, although his training is a bit atypical.

Before Holiday Lake, Adam ran a total of 7 miles. Really. 7 miles.

Adam runs RARE Crossfit in Fredericksburg, VA. Here is some info about his training, quoted from his website:

This race was about 34 miles long and preparation for it consisted of running a total of about 7 miles and doing CrossFit on a daily basis. Yes, you read it right, Adam has only run twice since October of 2008. He ran 3.1 miles on Thanksgiving morning and 2 weeks before Holiday Lake he ran 3.8 miles. All other training was CrossFit.

Adam also plans to run the Terrapin Mountain 50K, Promise Land, and Bull Run. Stay tuned to see how he does. I hope to talk to Adam soon to learn more about him, his training, and his ultrarunning goals.

P.S. Today's workout: Run to the park, warmup with 20 burpees,
then with a 15 minute timer running, repeat the following with no rest between exercises:

Sprint 100 yards 100% effort
5 push-ups
plank 20 seconds
10 jump squats
hold squat position for 20 seconds (this was tough)
repeat

The 15 minutes went by pretty quickly, but the "run" back downtown was a challenge. Total run about 4 miles (1.7 miles of sprinting).

Run hard out there.