Long run. Another crappy day, with winds steady at 20 and gusting to 25, and temps in the high teens. At least the sun was shining. Hit the wall just over 17 miles, and stuck it out through 19 to at least get two hours out of it. I knew I was taking a chance eating my Coco Wheats 75 minutes before my run, but I did it anyway because I was starving. This is the third time that I have bonked pretty hard around 17 miles after eating just before a long run. I think I've established a pattern. Kind of neat.
Anyway, the run was supposed to be 2:15 to 2:30 at 140-145 heart rate. I failed miserably to achieve either the time or the heart rate. I stayed between 140-145 for the first three miles, then 145-148 through ten. Anything under 150 was feeling like an uncomfortably slow jog, so after ten I settled into a more comfortable heart rate, which ended up being 152-154. The pace didn't change much even with the increased effort, but it was more comfortable. Hit mostly 6:20-6:25 feeling really good until just over 15 miles, when the fatigue started creeping in. I knew I was in for a bonk at 16 when my hamstrings and shins started to feel the tingle of glycogen depletion, then by 17.5, it was full on. I looked at the watch and saw 1:52 and knew it was going to be a struggle to make two hours, let alone 2:15, so I just made a commitment to getting 19 and made the best of it.
Recovered to 120 in :38, and 110 in 1:03, which was decent. I think this was a good workout, even though it was screwed up a bit. The extra time at MP heart rates isn't a bad thing, and I don't anticipate any additional recovery time from the effort. Not getting the extra 15-30 minutes of training on those upper level fibers was a give up, though. I don't want to repeat this fueling mistake again.
Have a good weekend, everyone.
Run Two | Weather | Supplemental | Nutrition | Sleep | Injury
6 comments:
A good solid run despite blowing up, I’m glad to see you leg is coming around. Regarding the fueling, what would you do differently next time (assuming you want to break your pattern)?
For my long runs I usually eat about 60-90’ before, b/c I’m starving, and, unless I overcook the run more often then not I’m okay. But, I also sneak in a Gu or two while out there, something you haven’t mentioned. Are you trying to teach the body to burn fat? Will you race the marathon on just water/electrolytes?
great questions, michael. the pattern I have established is that if I eat less than two hours before heading out on a longer run, I will hit the wall at 16 to 18 miles. if I don't eat at all, i'm good for at least 24--i haven't gone further than that this cycle.
as for fueling during long runs, I used to take gatorade endurance formula 50/50 with water at 10 miles, but with the cold weather, that got too difficult, and I found I didn't need it anyway.
fueling during the marathon is a different story. I will be using a gel of some kind with electrolytes and carbs, and water. I will need about 300 calories or so from that to make up the deficit from liver and muscle glycogen, provided I pace myself correctly from the start.
if you can't tell, i'm going to enjoy the tactical aspects of prep just as much as the actual race. :)
and yes, the leg issues seem to be just fine. whew!
So many questions, so little time. You might 'bonk' again when you're finished answering all my questions. What did your PT say? Pain vanished just as quick as it came on? Have you used the baseball? You did hill repeats a few mondays ago. I haven't seen them since. What is the object of the game to do your hill repeats at 5:25 pace? I'm confused. I noticed you started talking about leg/calf/hamstring problems a few days after your initial hill repeats. Lydiard said use your own bodyweight as resistance. The slower the better. How's the tickle in your throat? zinc? Did you use hot water and salt and gargle? I'm glad you took a recovery week in the middle of all this. What is your goal for your 1/2 on April 21?
That's enough for now. I'm tired.
I'll give it a try...
What did your PT say?
She told me to see a doctor. I did, and he told me to take 10 days off for a calf strain. He's an obstetrician, so I ignored him.
Pain vanished just as quick as it came on? Have you used the baseball?
There was never any pain. The pressure started to go away the following day, though. I didn't use the baseball. Thanks for the massage suggestions (there were a few), but I learned my lesson about that last year when I had calf problems. Hard/vigorous massage just doesn't work for me. Additionally, in this case I had symptoms of compartment syndrome, aterial entrapment, nerve entrapment, and deep venous thrombosis (DVT), all of which can be aggravated by deep tissue massage. In the case of DVT, vigorous massage could actually release a clot into your pulmonary vein and kill you. Not knowing what was going on, massage was not a good idea for me. Fortunately, I was able to get a scan of my veins to rule out DVT, and the symptoms disappeared without incident.
You did hill repeats a few mondays ago. I haven't seen them since. What is the object of the game to do your hill repeats at 5:25 pace?
I did hill reps for the first time last Monday, March 26. I won't do them again until my calves adapt to the load, and they may not during this cycle. 5:25 pace was a moderate pace, slightly faster than goal marathon pace. A good introductory speed. If I had actually kept that pace, rather than running 5:10-5:15 pace, perhaps I wouldn't have had the calf problem.
I'm confused. I noticed you started talking about leg/calf/hamstring problems a few days after your initial hill repeats. Lydiard said use your own bodyweight as resistance. The slower the better.
I'm confused, too. What do these two things have to do with each other?
Mystery Coach believes that the problems with the leg may have resulted from the final 'fast mile' at the end of this workout. But, I think it's important to add that my calves are notoriously fickle, so the hill work had a lot to do with any problems resulting from that fast mile.
Okay, I'm catching up now...The 5:25 pace hills were a different type of hill rep entirely. When Lydiard talks about using your bodyweight as resistance and the slower the better, it is in reference to 'bounding', which is an explosive, power-developing exercise which develops the connective tissue and muscles in preparation for the rigors of speedwork. A 20 meter hill is more than long enough for a set of hill bounds, and you would cover that distance in maybe 30 seconds, which, after some quick math, is about 40 minutes per mile pace.
Running up, down, or on the flat is intrinsically about using your bodyweight as resistance. Lance Armstrong found that out when he stepped off the bike and ran the NYC marathon last fall.
How's the tickle in your throat? zinc? Did you use hot water and salt and gargle?
The tickle was gone the next morning, and I never experienced any of the uncomfortable symptoms of the cold. Zinc works very well for me. I did notice my heart rate was up 4-6 bpm over normal for about two days, though, so although zinc can reduce the symptoms, your body still has to fight the infection. I've never tried gargling warm salt water for a cold. Interesting.
I'm glad you took a recovery week in the middle of all this.
The recovery week wasn't intentional--it was motivated by caution. And I don't think it was particularly useful, because my workouts showed steady improvment, and my measured recovery (by heart rate) for various workouts was very quick. Unfortunately, the three days I ended up taking off included a back-to-back set of strong aerobic volume work. I think missing that set me back about a week. We'll see what happens this week, though.
What is your goal for your 1/2 on April 21?
The goal is to break my PR of 1:23. How much I break it by, well, that's why I'm running the race. I may decide to run it with more of a specific purpose, geared toward marathon prep, which is to say slower and controlled. I also might race it all out. I'm not 100% sure yet.
Whew. You were right. I'm going to need a Bulgarian Recovery Run now. Cheers!
The GPS had it at .23 consistently, so it was somewhere between 370 (.23) and 385 (.24) meters. The goal was 6-8 reps at 5:25 pace, just a bit faster than current MP.
You've mentioned in your March 26 workout that hills where you reside are non-existent. Fair enough. So I'm assuming you train on flat terrain 7 days per week.
You come along and pound the workout in 73,72,72,72,71,71,71.
Too much too fast. Ouch. It hurt me reading it. Lydiard's words when starting a new chapter is 'Ease into it'.
calves are notoriously fickle
Fickle? I had to seek a dictionary on that one. Are there sports doctor in your area? Also a good chiropractor is essential. I cannot say enough good things about them.
I am glad you ignored that 'ignoramous' doctor who told you to take 10 days off. The only time a medical doctor will pay attention to you is if you urinate blood, or have a cyst growing on your forehead.
The recovery week wasn't intentional--it was motivated by caution.
I know and I'm very glad you showed restraint/caution. This will surely pay dividends shortly.
Medium goal is your 1/2 mary but you haven't said anything about your ideal 63k body weight.
The body weight is coming along. I'm just under 65kg (142lbs) right now, so I will probably hit 63-64 by race day, fully hydrated and glycogen loaded.
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