Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Chevron Houston Marathon 2010
Race Review: The Chevron Houston Marathon on January 17th was run in outstanding weather.Race start was around 42 degrees and finish temps were in the 50's. Great weather as far as I am concerned since I left temps in the teens. From the minute you get to Houston in is clear that race organizers are very glad to have yo as a part of the race. There is a marathon, half-marathon, and 5K. The host hotel was the Hilton Americas and we really enjoyed our stay there. The Expo was held at the George R. Brown Convention Center right next to the hotel. Packet Pick-Up was fast and well organized.Runners are greeted with a 7:00AM start. The half-marathon starts at the same time and joins the marathon course at mile 2. Runners are organized into waves with a 10 minute space between starts. Wheelchair start is a 6:45.The course is flat and fast with a few beginning, middle, and end hills. None of the large variety but enough to get your attention. The course is a loop course beginning and ending downtown Houston. Although the race is all run on roads, the course is well taken care of and good. The staff and volunteers at the aid stations and expo were amazing and very well prepared to help the runners as well as inform spectators of prime vantage points. The finish area was very well run. Attention was paid to all runners in need and also congratulations were widespread by everyone in the area. Food after the race is a real treat if that's what you need. It was a runner's buffet. Personally, right after a marathon, eating is not my first thought. More hydration and recovery drink. The medals were a great design and also the glass mug that you receive. Everyone that finished got a finishers shirt to go with the participant shirt that runners got at packet pick-up. Finishers shirts were a good tech material. For the race I used Hammer Heed and Hammer Perpetuem mixed in a hand held bottle as well as GU Chomps. Water was also part of my plan. Other Hammer supplements taken every hour were 2 Endurance Amino caps and 2 Endurolyte caps. That also includes the pre-race Hammer supplements: Race Caps Supreme, Mito Caps, Endurance Amino Caps, and the Endurolyte Caps. For my pre-race meal I had a peanut butter sandwich and a banana. Finish time was 3:48:11 with a pace of 8:42 per mile. Felt great after the race and as always had the Hammer Recoverite drink soon after as well as post-race supplements. This is a great race and it sold out at all distances within hours this year. Registration opens for 2011 on July 27th.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Running, Cycling, and Omelets
It's been way too long since my last blog post. Sorry about that. Just had blogblock for a while. Been getting parts of 2010 race schedule worked out and some tough decisions about what I am going to be doing. Also, changing some training plans to reflect the 2010 schedule. So far this is what I have. It's not 100% in stone but close to it. One major decision is whether or not to do an Ultra before the Boston Marathon the week after. Hummm. What to do?
January: Chevron Houston Marathon
February: Austin Marathon
April: Brew to Brew Ultra (44 miles) April 11th
Boston Marathon April 19th
Big Sur International Marathon April 25th
(This is part of the Boston to Big Sur Clallenge)
June:Ironman 70.3 Kansas June 6th (This would be my first Ironman)
July: RAGBRAI Bike Tour across Iowa
August: Lean Horse Trail 100 miles
That's what I have for now. Lots of training ahead in the new few months and a change in routine to do the Ultra and the Ironman.Will keep you posted on what is going on. I will really try to post more often now.
Just for fun...Had this for Christmas moring brunch with the family. We had a great time making it. Give it a try. It's an adventure.
January: Chevron Houston Marathon
February: Austin Marathon
April: Brew to Brew Ultra (44 miles) April 11th
Boston Marathon April 19th
Big Sur International Marathon April 25th
(This is part of the Boston to Big Sur Clallenge)
June:Ironman 70.3 Kansas June 6th (This would be my first Ironman)
July: RAGBRAI Bike Tour across Iowa
August: Lean Horse Trail 100 miles
That's what I have for now. Lots of training ahead in the new few months and a change in routine to do the Ultra and the Ironman.Will keep you posted on what is going on. I will really try to post more often now.
Just for fun...Had this for Christmas moring brunch with the family. We had a great time making it. Give it a try. It's an adventure.
Ziploc Omelet
Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker.
Crack two large eggs(large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than 2) shake to combine them.
Put out a variety of ingredients such as :cheeses, ham (whatever you want here, we used turkey sausage)onion, peppers,tomato,salsa, etc.
Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.
Place the bags into rolling boiling water for 13 minutes. you can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, amke another pot of boiling water.
Open the bags and the omelet will roll out nicely. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed.
So there you have it. Give it a try and let me know how you like it.
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe!
Crack two large eggs(large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than 2) shake to combine them.
Put out a variety of ingredients such as :cheeses, ham (whatever you want here, we used turkey sausage)onion, peppers,tomato,salsa, etc.
Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.
Place the bags into rolling boiling water for 13 minutes. you can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, amke another pot of boiling water.
Open the bags and the omelet will roll out nicely. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed.
So there you have it. Give it a try and let me know how you like it.
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
50 Miles!
One of my goals this summer was to run 50 miles in a race. I accomplished that goal last Friday September 11th at the Patriots' Run. The Patriots' Run is an event to commemorate the events of September 11, 2001. The run is held not only to honor those that died, but also the soldiers, police, fire fighters, and medical personnel that were involved in that tragic event that day but also continue to serve our country each day. The run is a 9 hour 11 minute run that begins at noon and goes until 9:11PM in the evening. It is a great opportunity to run whatever distance that you choose and run for however long you want to run. It is a certified marathon course but several people ran many different distances. Now the fun part. It was run on a .73 mile loop course. It can also be an ultra-marathon which I chose to do.
What a day it was. After a very aggressive training schedule, I felt that I was ready for the challenge of a 50 miler. My training combined running and cycling that on several weeks totaled close to or over 200 total miles. Nutrition was a very big factor in the success of this adventure. Weeks of pre-race preparation were very important. I worked hard to develop menus and daily training plans that would get me to my goal of 50 miles. Energy levels were very important and also the recovery portion after each training session. Looking back, I am very satisfied with how I arranged my training. Especially helpful was the cycling that I did that on some days that totaled 30-50 miles. My legs were just stronger for this race. I did my riding on Monday and Friday with shorter runs on Tuesday, Thursday; Wednesday was a combination of both running and riding (6 run, 30 ride), and on Saturday and Sunday I did my long runs with the peak training runs consisting of back to back 26 milers. Once again my Hammer Nutrition products were amazing. This time during this training I added GU Chomps. They are fantastic! Great fuel that settles well in your stomach.
The night before the race I had salmon, two small baked potatos, and some cornbread. Bedtime snack was a protein shake. Pre-race meal was oatmeal with soy milk and Hammer Soy Protein. I also drank Hammer Heed before the race. Temperatures were to be in the high 80's with the heat index up there too. We had some good cloud cover during parts of the day that really helped. During the race I had Hammer Heed, Hammer Perpetuem, GU Chomps, peanut buter/banana/honey sandwiches, water, tonic water, and one time had a frozen push-up pop that tasted like gold! I kept my hydration levels high due to the heat and had good energy throughout the 9 hours of running. I took 1-2 minute walk breaks as I refueled almost every two to three laps. An interesting thig happened at this distance though. The longer I ran the less hungry I became. I would try and change that next time (Yes, there will be a next time!) I would like to have eaten more. My stomach was a little hungry at times. After the race, I had a Hammer Recoverite Shake. Then about two hours later, a trip to Sonic for a hamburger and cherry limeade. Nice! Then I ate about every hour on the hour the rest of the night.
Race strateggy was to keep my head in the run, pace myself, stretch regularly, stay hydrated, keep legs fresh, and keep moving, but also let my thoughts go a little bit and try to relax. Being a loop course, it was easy to get to know other runners and run with different people every so often. I kept an even pace throughout much of the run, averaging 10.33 minutes per mile.
The highlight for me aside from accomplishing the goal of 50 miles was to be able to run with my son Andy who came out and paced me for the last 3 hours. What a blessing that was. He is a great marathoner, ultra-runner, and cyclist himself and to have him there was a big help!! I can still remember the moment I got to the top of an incline and saw him standing there waiting to run with me. Believe me after 6 hours of running, it was a total vision of relief for me. He did a masterful job of getting me in the right frame of mind to get the 50. His encouragement and our great talks those last 3 hours are a great memory to me. Thanks Andy!
The volunteers were amazing and very helpful. The run was well staffed and the food came in waves during the day. It was one of the best stocked runs I have done. I also want to give my wife a huge thank you! She had her station all set up right before the start/finish line where all of my food and drink was ready at the times we had planned. I had all of the stops planned as far as what I was going to eat and drink. She did a fantastic job of making sure I was doing what I had planned on doing as far as food and hydration were concerned. She also spent many of her weekends before the race following me around supporting my training runs each Saturday and Sunday. She is an absolute pro at this. She was there the whole nine hours with encouraging signs and help.
Gear for the run consisted my usual Brooks Running things. My Infiniti shoes did a fantastic job of supporting my feet and keeping me feeling light footed. Smart Wool socks again came through with a no blister day. That makes a huge difference.
I got to meet some great people and to name them all is a little hard since during the course of 50 miles, you sometimes just don't remember everything. But it was great to meet Dailymilers and Marathon Maniacs Rob and Chris. It was also good to meet Jonathan. And to you others whose names have escaped me, I apologize, it was great to meet you too.
Took Saturday and today off but will ride 30 miles Monday and get back into my regular training this week. Yes, I am a little sore in places but getting back out there as well as a massage this week will help. A total surprise was that I placed in this run. I left Friday night thinking I was in third place and tied with another individual and took home a great plaque. However today, when the official results came out I was in 2nd place for overall male in the ultra category based on laps and miles run.
Run Stats:
8:57:40 chip time
10:33 per mile pace
50.960 miles
70 laps
New goals are already set. More on those another day. Pictures to follow soon.
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe!
What a day it was. After a very aggressive training schedule, I felt that I was ready for the challenge of a 50 miler. My training combined running and cycling that on several weeks totaled close to or over 200 total miles. Nutrition was a very big factor in the success of this adventure. Weeks of pre-race preparation were very important. I worked hard to develop menus and daily training plans that would get me to my goal of 50 miles. Energy levels were very important and also the recovery portion after each training session. Looking back, I am very satisfied with how I arranged my training. Especially helpful was the cycling that I did that on some days that totaled 30-50 miles. My legs were just stronger for this race. I did my riding on Monday and Friday with shorter runs on Tuesday, Thursday; Wednesday was a combination of both running and riding (6 run, 30 ride), and on Saturday and Sunday I did my long runs with the peak training runs consisting of back to back 26 milers. Once again my Hammer Nutrition products were amazing. This time during this training I added GU Chomps. They are fantastic! Great fuel that settles well in your stomach.
The night before the race I had salmon, two small baked potatos, and some cornbread. Bedtime snack was a protein shake. Pre-race meal was oatmeal with soy milk and Hammer Soy Protein. I also drank Hammer Heed before the race. Temperatures were to be in the high 80's with the heat index up there too. We had some good cloud cover during parts of the day that really helped. During the race I had Hammer Heed, Hammer Perpetuem, GU Chomps, peanut buter/banana/honey sandwiches, water, tonic water, and one time had a frozen push-up pop that tasted like gold! I kept my hydration levels high due to the heat and had good energy throughout the 9 hours of running. I took 1-2 minute walk breaks as I refueled almost every two to three laps. An interesting thig happened at this distance though. The longer I ran the less hungry I became. I would try and change that next time (Yes, there will be a next time!) I would like to have eaten more. My stomach was a little hungry at times. After the race, I had a Hammer Recoverite Shake. Then about two hours later, a trip to Sonic for a hamburger and cherry limeade. Nice! Then I ate about every hour on the hour the rest of the night.
Race strateggy was to keep my head in the run, pace myself, stretch regularly, stay hydrated, keep legs fresh, and keep moving, but also let my thoughts go a little bit and try to relax. Being a loop course, it was easy to get to know other runners and run with different people every so often. I kept an even pace throughout much of the run, averaging 10.33 minutes per mile.
The highlight for me aside from accomplishing the goal of 50 miles was to be able to run with my son Andy who came out and paced me for the last 3 hours. What a blessing that was. He is a great marathoner, ultra-runner, and cyclist himself and to have him there was a big help!! I can still remember the moment I got to the top of an incline and saw him standing there waiting to run with me. Believe me after 6 hours of running, it was a total vision of relief for me. He did a masterful job of getting me in the right frame of mind to get the 50. His encouragement and our great talks those last 3 hours are a great memory to me. Thanks Andy!
The volunteers were amazing and very helpful. The run was well staffed and the food came in waves during the day. It was one of the best stocked runs I have done. I also want to give my wife a huge thank you! She had her station all set up right before the start/finish line where all of my food and drink was ready at the times we had planned. I had all of the stops planned as far as what I was going to eat and drink. She did a fantastic job of making sure I was doing what I had planned on doing as far as food and hydration were concerned. She also spent many of her weekends before the race following me around supporting my training runs each Saturday and Sunday. She is an absolute pro at this. She was there the whole nine hours with encouraging signs and help.
Gear for the run consisted my usual Brooks Running things. My Infiniti shoes did a fantastic job of supporting my feet and keeping me feeling light footed. Smart Wool socks again came through with a no blister day. That makes a huge difference.
I got to meet some great people and to name them all is a little hard since during the course of 50 miles, you sometimes just don't remember everything. But it was great to meet Dailymilers and Marathon Maniacs Rob and Chris. It was also good to meet Jonathan. And to you others whose names have escaped me, I apologize, it was great to meet you too.
Took Saturday and today off but will ride 30 miles Monday and get back into my regular training this week. Yes, I am a little sore in places but getting back out there as well as a massage this week will help. A total surprise was that I placed in this run. I left Friday night thinking I was in third place and tied with another individual and took home a great plaque. However today, when the official results came out I was in 2nd place for overall male in the ultra category based on laps and miles run.
Run Stats:
8:57:40 chip time
10:33 per mile pace
50.960 miles
70 laps
New goals are already set. More on those another day. Pictures to follow soon.
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Pictures from a Ride
Thought I would post a few pictures of the area I ride to out and back. The countryside is beautiful and it makes the miles go by so fast.
This is a view of the lake that I pass by on my way to the turnaround.
This horse keeps watch at the corner almost every night. Oh the stories it could tell. I still can't figure out why it has a full mask on its head though.
Another view of the lake on the way back.
Not a great picture, but it is a tree growing out of a silo. I don't know much about silos, but I bet this is not the real purpose for them.
I'm sure there will be more pictures later too since I just figured out how to take them with my cell phone. I know. Technology on a bike is dangerous. Lately I have been running on Tues., Wed., Thurs., Sat., and Sun. The long runs being on the weekend. Then I have added the rides to Mon., Wed., and Fri. It's been a good plan leading up to my ultra on Sept.11th.
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe!
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Running, Riding, and Critters
It happened again tonight on my 43 mile ride. Bugs. Not just a few, but at least millions. What's up with that?
I've been running for about eight years. Distances of 5K,10K, Half-Marathons, Marathons, and Ultras. No bugs. Then I started cycling again about six weeks ago. Now bugs. Does speed attract bugs? I'm not really sure, but I think there is a difference between being a runner and a cyclist that I never thought of. Critters. Bugs, and all sorts of things.
Just tonight I saw two raccoons (roadkill I'm afraid), 10 goats, several cows, piles of stuff in the road that cows make, a lizard-like creature that was running across the road, ducks, geese, turkey vultures (at least that's what people tell me they are), and bugs. I mean stick in the teeth bugs. A couple of them had an express lane trip right down my throat.
I consumed at least a dozen mouthfuls of a variety of these protein Man vs. Wild gourmet delights. Who needed to bring a protein drink along when all you have to do is open your mouth and say, "Look I'm speeding past you, jump in for a ride".
Then it got serious. They got all over my Hammer Nutrition clothes. Commonly referred to as a "kit". Not cool. I was covered with bugs from helmet to toe. I love my kits. I really don't like to get them dirty at all. A little or even a lot of sweat is ok. But bugjuice. No!
Now, it's not the first time this has happened. I have been riding this course for several weeks now and no bugs. Why now? Did the Bug Bus just happen to let off a billion bugs along my route just to attack me? The little ones, hey, I can handle them maybe. But the large ones hat hit the helmet and various parts of the my body with a thud and a splat need to go somewhere else. This is just not working for me. When I finished tonight I looked like the front end of a Ford Pick-Up truck.
Not that my 15-25 MPH pace will stagger the Tour de France people, but it is definitely attractive to the bugs of the Midwest. As a runner, I have had no bug worries and don't anticipate any. I have some foot speed too. Qualified for and ran Boston and am scheduled to run it again in 2010. Am a member of the Marathon Maniacs. Have put down some pretty good PR's now and then as well as some clunkers. But in all of those races, I have been bug free. Is it the speed that attracts bugs? Or is it just that I am running into them and they are totally surprised too?
Think about that. As a bug, you're just flying along minding your own business and then Wham! You're a helmet decal. I guess it goes both ways. Anyway, any advice you can add would be appreciated. I have a long run tomorrow and will ride in a Livestrong event on Sunday. We'll see about the bugs.
On a more serious note, my son Andy just loaned me his copy of the George Hincapi DVD. Wow! That is a must watch DVD. Very inspirational and very well done. What an amazing individual.
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe!
I've been running for about eight years. Distances of 5K,10K, Half-Marathons, Marathons, and Ultras. No bugs. Then I started cycling again about six weeks ago. Now bugs. Does speed attract bugs? I'm not really sure, but I think there is a difference between being a runner and a cyclist that I never thought of. Critters. Bugs, and all sorts of things.
Just tonight I saw two raccoons (roadkill I'm afraid), 10 goats, several cows, piles of stuff in the road that cows make, a lizard-like creature that was running across the road, ducks, geese, turkey vultures (at least that's what people tell me they are), and bugs. I mean stick in the teeth bugs. A couple of them had an express lane trip right down my throat.
I consumed at least a dozen mouthfuls of a variety of these protein Man vs. Wild gourmet delights. Who needed to bring a protein drink along when all you have to do is open your mouth and say, "Look I'm speeding past you, jump in for a ride".
Then it got serious. They got all over my Hammer Nutrition clothes. Commonly referred to as a "kit". Not cool. I was covered with bugs from helmet to toe. I love my kits. I really don't like to get them dirty at all. A little or even a lot of sweat is ok. But bugjuice. No!
Now, it's not the first time this has happened. I have been riding this course for several weeks now and no bugs. Why now? Did the Bug Bus just happen to let off a billion bugs along my route just to attack me? The little ones, hey, I can handle them maybe. But the large ones hat hit the helmet and various parts of the my body with a thud and a splat need to go somewhere else. This is just not working for me. When I finished tonight I looked like the front end of a Ford Pick-Up truck.
Not that my 15-25 MPH pace will stagger the Tour de France people, but it is definitely attractive to the bugs of the Midwest. As a runner, I have had no bug worries and don't anticipate any. I have some foot speed too. Qualified for and ran Boston and am scheduled to run it again in 2010. Am a member of the Marathon Maniacs. Have put down some pretty good PR's now and then as well as some clunkers. But in all of those races, I have been bug free. Is it the speed that attracts bugs? Or is it just that I am running into them and they are totally surprised too?
Think about that. As a bug, you're just flying along minding your own business and then Wham! You're a helmet decal. I guess it goes both ways. Anyway, any advice you can add would be appreciated. I have a long run tomorrow and will ride in a Livestrong event on Sunday. We'll see about the bugs.
On a more serious note, my son Andy just loaned me his copy of the George Hincapi DVD. Wow! That is a must watch DVD. Very inspirational and very well done. What an amazing individual.
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Running and Riding Shorts
Some random thoughts and comments from the past week:
RAGBRAI Celebration
A huge congratulations to Team Awesomeness (Andy,Joel, Adam,Andy,Rag,Ryan, and others) for completing the RAGBRAI ride across Iowa that finished up last weekend! Wow! What an accomplishment. Was able to get up to see them for the night before the finish and also the finish. I am amazed at the distances they rode and the conditions they faced a few of the days. And the food they were able to consume while riding sounded pretty good too. Sounds like the towns they rode through were unbelievable in terms of hospitality! What an adventure! It will be on my calendar for 2010 for sure. Hope Team Awesomeness will let me ride along with them!
Austin Half-Marathon
Join me in Austin, TX on October 11, 2009 for a great half-marathon. I have a team forming in conjunction with FCA Team Endurance. We'll have agreat time. More on this in a few weeks. Registration instructions and website information will be coming soon. We'll run together or you can do your own thing. Austin is a great place to run!
Next Race
My next race will be on September 11th in Olathe,KS. It is called the Patriots Run. The race starts at 12:00 noon and runs for the next 9 hours and 11 minutes. Runners can run as far as they can/want to in that time. My plans are to do 50 miles or more that day. It's a race run on a loop course. I am really excited to get a 50 accomplished.
On the Road...With Wheels Now Too!
Yes, it's happened. I am now cycling and loving every minute of it. Three days a week doing between 25-50 miles have become a weekly routine. Good cross training and so far feeling my running is benefitting from the additon of the riding. I have several great routes and the scenary is fantastic.
Training Schedule Changing
Next week it will be time to start back with my teaching responsibilities. It's been great to be able to run/ride, eat, and nap each day and then just get up and do more of the same the next day. However, all good things must change...so now it will be back to late afternoon/evening training and weekend morning long runs. I could do this for a long time!
Chomps
In my opinion Hammer Nutrition products are without a doubt the best supplements on the market right now. I have had fantastic results with them. But I will tell you that I have supplemented my Hammer Nutrition plan with a product called GU Chomps. They are fantastic for either your runs or your rides. Chomps have amino acids for great energy and rapid recovery, vitamins C & E for the antioxidents, a good electrolyte balance of sodium and potassium, and a blend of simple and complex carbohydrates. Great flavors and I think they are much easier on the stomach than gels. Just sayin...
Well, hope this week has been good to you and that the upcoming week will be a great one! Make sure you take time this week to let somebody know you care.
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe.
RAGBRAI Celebration
A huge congratulations to Team Awesomeness (Andy,Joel, Adam,Andy,Rag,Ryan, and others) for completing the RAGBRAI ride across Iowa that finished up last weekend! Wow! What an accomplishment. Was able to get up to see them for the night before the finish and also the finish. I am amazed at the distances they rode and the conditions they faced a few of the days. And the food they were able to consume while riding sounded pretty good too. Sounds like the towns they rode through were unbelievable in terms of hospitality! What an adventure! It will be on my calendar for 2010 for sure. Hope Team Awesomeness will let me ride along with them!
Austin Half-Marathon
Join me in Austin, TX on October 11, 2009 for a great half-marathon. I have a team forming in conjunction with FCA Team Endurance. We'll have agreat time. More on this in a few weeks. Registration instructions and website information will be coming soon. We'll run together or you can do your own thing. Austin is a great place to run!
Next Race
My next race will be on September 11th in Olathe,KS. It is called the Patriots Run. The race starts at 12:00 noon and runs for the next 9 hours and 11 minutes. Runners can run as far as they can/want to in that time. My plans are to do 50 miles or more that day. It's a race run on a loop course. I am really excited to get a 50 accomplished.
On the Road...With Wheels Now Too!
Yes, it's happened. I am now cycling and loving every minute of it. Three days a week doing between 25-50 miles have become a weekly routine. Good cross training and so far feeling my running is benefitting from the additon of the riding. I have several great routes and the scenary is fantastic.
Training Schedule Changing
Next week it will be time to start back with my teaching responsibilities. It's been great to be able to run/ride, eat, and nap each day and then just get up and do more of the same the next day. However, all good things must change...so now it will be back to late afternoon/evening training and weekend morning long runs. I could do this for a long time!
Chomps
In my opinion Hammer Nutrition products are without a doubt the best supplements on the market right now. I have had fantastic results with them. But I will tell you that I have supplemented my Hammer Nutrition plan with a product called GU Chomps. They are fantastic for either your runs or your rides. Chomps have amino acids for great energy and rapid recovery, vitamins C & E for the antioxidents, a good electrolyte balance of sodium and potassium, and a blend of simple and complex carbohydrates. Great flavors and I think they are much easier on the stomach than gels. Just sayin...
Well, hope this week has been good to you and that the upcoming week will be a great one! Make sure you take time this week to let somebody know you care.
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Training Change
Spending a few days in Boston going to professional meetings and doing some early morning runs along the St.Charles River, allowed me to have some time to rethink some of my future training plans and race plans. I'm about 7 weeks away from my next ultra-marathon of 50 miles (Still need to find an August marathon.), and several weeks before my first cycling race in October of 40 to 80 miles. Have not decided yet on the distance. Therefore the training plan needs to be in place that will carry me across the finish line in a strong way. There are several components of a good training plan.
First of all, Nutrition and Hydration. I can't emphasize this enough. A good Hydration and Nutrition plan is a must. These are not things that you wait a few days before a race to start. It is a continuous process that involves organization and careful calculations of your own body needs. What you are training for does make a difference. The Hammer Nutrition Products that I use are a fantastic benefit to get me on the road or trail for running and cycling at my top performance levels. You have heard me talk about Hammer often. Hammer has very knowledgeable people to help you set up a program that will work best for your needs. I am also available to assist you with any questions in this area. Hydration is something that needs to have attention each day. Consumption of the right combination of liquids is a real art. There is so much junk out on the market right now it is unbelievable. Be careful what you buy and do not over hydrate or under hydrate. Again, Hammer leads the way in this area.
Second. Gear. Brooks Running is my gear of choice. I am a Brooks ID runner and really strongly advocate that they have the best products on the market right now. Some very advanced technology that is not wasted on bells and whistles like some of the other companies. Fancy does not make you a better runner. Research into product development does. That's the Brooks focus.
Third. The Training Plan. There are so many plans out there right now. Please be careful and choose one that fits you and not someone else. Training plans are very personal and quite frankly are not always found in the stacks of running and cycling magazines we all pour over each month. Find someone you can trust to help you with a plan that will focus on your goal and get you there in a way the insures success. Again, I would be more than happy to help you with a training plan for any distance. Simply leave a comment on this blog and your email address and I will be more than glad to help you!
My training plan for the next 7 weeks involves combinations of running and cycling that will provide a good balance of miles involving different sets of muscle groups. My training plan calls for me to do my longest runs on Saturday and Sunday of distances from 15-25 miles each day. These back to back runs strengthen me in a way that prepares me for the ultra. During the week I will be dong 8 mile runs on Tuesday and Thursday. Then on Monday and Friday I will be doing 25-40 mile rides. Wednesday will include a 6 mile run and a 20 mile ride. It puts me at between 90 and 150+ total miles a week. It's an agressive training plan. I am finding that including cycling as a major part of my training the past 2 weeks has really given me new strength. Therefore, the change to include more cycling.
I will keep you posted on how things are going. You can follow me each day on Twitter or Dailymile. I hope you will find the updates meaningful and helpful. Let me know if I can be of help to you. Best of luck to all of you that are running or riding in races the next few weeks!
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe!
First of all, Nutrition and Hydration. I can't emphasize this enough. A good Hydration and Nutrition plan is a must. These are not things that you wait a few days before a race to start. It is a continuous process that involves organization and careful calculations of your own body needs. What you are training for does make a difference. The Hammer Nutrition Products that I use are a fantastic benefit to get me on the road or trail for running and cycling at my top performance levels. You have heard me talk about Hammer often. Hammer has very knowledgeable people to help you set up a program that will work best for your needs. I am also available to assist you with any questions in this area. Hydration is something that needs to have attention each day. Consumption of the right combination of liquids is a real art. There is so much junk out on the market right now it is unbelievable. Be careful what you buy and do not over hydrate or under hydrate. Again, Hammer leads the way in this area.
Second. Gear. Brooks Running is my gear of choice. I am a Brooks ID runner and really strongly advocate that they have the best products on the market right now. Some very advanced technology that is not wasted on bells and whistles like some of the other companies. Fancy does not make you a better runner. Research into product development does. That's the Brooks focus.
Third. The Training Plan. There are so many plans out there right now. Please be careful and choose one that fits you and not someone else. Training plans are very personal and quite frankly are not always found in the stacks of running and cycling magazines we all pour over each month. Find someone you can trust to help you with a plan that will focus on your goal and get you there in a way the insures success. Again, I would be more than happy to help you with a training plan for any distance. Simply leave a comment on this blog and your email address and I will be more than glad to help you!
My training plan for the next 7 weeks involves combinations of running and cycling that will provide a good balance of miles involving different sets of muscle groups. My training plan calls for me to do my longest runs on Saturday and Sunday of distances from 15-25 miles each day. These back to back runs strengthen me in a way that prepares me for the ultra. During the week I will be dong 8 mile runs on Tuesday and Thursday. Then on Monday and Friday I will be doing 25-40 mile rides. Wednesday will include a 6 mile run and a 20 mile ride. It puts me at between 90 and 150+ total miles a week. It's an agressive training plan. I am finding that including cycling as a major part of my training the past 2 weeks has really given me new strength. Therefore, the change to include more cycling.
I will keep you posted on how things are going. You can follow me each day on Twitter or Dailymile. I hope you will find the updates meaningful and helpful. Let me know if I can be of help to you. Best of luck to all of you that are running or riding in races the next few weeks!
Forward we go! May your roads and trails be happy and safe!
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