Sometimes my family loves the fact that I am a triathlete (sometimes they don't. See other posts on, for example, late dinner, up early on weekends, vactions must have fitness centers, etc and etc). One of the times they love it is on gift giving occassions. I am sooooo easy to shop for.
There's always a new gadget, thingie or trend to try. Stuff breaks and wears out (worn out body parts are hard to find on line, however). There are books and magazines and videos, and Lordy, we triathletes certainly know how to stimulate an economy.
I got my "big" present earlier in the year with the purchase of my new Specialized carbon fiber bike (I adore it). Which takes up most of Christmas, anniversary, and birthday for a few years (Valentine's is off limits. The only true holiday where women are not expected to cook. Therefore sacred). But there are a lot of little giflts left, oh, so many to get and give the athlete.
Here's what came from Santa (or family and friends) for me this year that I can use as an athlete:
*Reflective bands for my wrist and ankle. Cheap and very practical. For those winter dark runs.
*New carbon Look pedals and new fiberglass S series road bike shoes. OK, shoes are not carbon, I can't seem to get my hands around shelling out over $300 for carbon shoes at my speed and level, but nearly good enough. Took me an hour and a college degree or two to figure out how to install pedals and cleats, etc.
*iTunes gift cards. Always great for loading more songs on the 'pod to while away the weary hours on the road and in the pool. Especially since the Beatles are now on iTunes--all you need is love, baby.
*Gift certificate to sporting goods store. Here comes new wicking shirts and socks and other cool stuff.
*New Garmim Forerunner 310. OK, I'm using up my second college degree on this one, so far I have learned to charge it up. The owner's manual is on DVD. I'm excited because this one is allegedly waterproof so no need to wear a New York streeter's line of watches on my wrist on my next tri--this one supposedly does everything but pump up your bike tires, and it might do that too. Stay tuned for reviews and comments. It's also so much smaller than my old Dick Tracy Garmin.
*Hammer Gels. Doesn't every girl long for that in her stocking?
*Doorway chin up bar: arms and abs, look out. I'm coming after you. Hope to set that up tonight. Which is why I'm blogging today. Tomorrow my arms may be too sore.
Now, patient spouse got from Santa a Road ID (excellent product--Santa also purchased wristband ones for our adult children too because when you go out anywhere without your ID, this baby can be a lifesaver) and a warm Descent bike jacket so he can no longer complain that it's too cold to ride the bikes. In addition, his big gift was a gently used Specialized carbon fiber bike--well, parts of one, he has purchased the frame and wheels and a few other components but we seem to still be missing the crankset and chain....hopefully those will be bought soon and a complete bike will emerge from all the boxes before the spring thaw.
I can't wait to try out all my goodies (hopefully the weather will improve a bit this weekend and I can see if my college degree assembled pedals/cleats fit together). These kinds of gifts last all year long.
Truthfully, someone asked me yesterday if I had gotten all I asked for from Santa. I said yes, because all I really want and need is good health and a wonderful family. I have been fortunate to be granted both of those, although I realize the good health thing is a gift I have to nuture and watch out for as much as I can from my end. I promise to do that.
I hope you and yours had a great holiday, and are looking forward to a happy and healthy New Year. Good health and a wonderful family to you all.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
The Bonk
I looked up the word "bonk" in ye old dictionary. It says that the word is slang for "hit, strike, collide." My trusty scrabble dictionary sez it means "to hit someone on the head."
When an athlete uses the word bonk, it generally means a version of Game Over. It's when the body says Enough, I'm Done, No More, We're Outta Here. I suppose in a way that's someone like being hit over the head, or colliding with that proverbial wall. All of us have experienced a bonk, usually on a long run or bike or swim, but sometimes on a short one, sometimes resulting in a Walk of Shame back to the car or a pullover to the side of the road (followed by the infamous Flop On the Back on the Ground).
Although a bonk does not always mean the race or workout is over, it usually means your planned time or distance is over. A true bonk--which is different from the waves of just being tired or feeling gassed that come and go--takes time to recover from.
Bonks are preventable. And we know it, and yet ignore the warnings that could lead to one.
Here are the Five Ways to Bonk:
Overextend without base training. Chances are you aren't going to be able to do a 56 mile bike or a 26 mile run without some training beforehand. Sometimes young and fit persons with a background in one area can "fake it" through another area with minimal training--i.e. a strong runner might be able to struggle through a long bike or swim after only doing some minimal distance bike and swims beforehand, but he or she is definitely going to suffer--but most people can't go the distance without paying the admission price of serious training beforehand. I do so enjoy watching young men (I'm sure women do this too, but I always seem to be seeing the men) dash out on their first 5K with no training beforehand and find out that I am able to chug on pass them around mile 2 when they are wheezing, walking and staggering. Train your distance. Train your time. It takes a long, long time and effort to work your way up to long distances, so be prepared to pay the price.
Lack of nutrition. When I first started out running, I really had no clue about nutrition. I often went out for a 4 mile run on an empty stomach (yes, Jeff Galloway sez you can but I am going to disagree with him). And lots of times I would end up walking around mile 3, feeling out of gas and weary. Your body needs fuel in order to work hard. You don't have to eat a Denny's Grand Slam before a 5K, but a simple glass of chocolate milk or an energy bar, or better, a bagel or some oatmeal, will preload you with fast burning carbs that will become important about halfway through. Slower runners like me are at the most need for pre race or workout nutrition as we simply can't breeze through 5 miles in 30 minutes before our stored fuel starts to run low. For workouts laster longer than an hour, it's important to take in some carbs (and maybe protein, I tend to believe a small amount of protein with the carbs works best) BEFORE you start to hit a depletion wall, which is around 45 minutes or so into the workout, and then every so often thereafter, depending on the amount you ingest and how far you are going. If you wait until you feel tired or gassed before you ingest nutrition, it's too late. You are going to be behind the bonk ball the rest of the workout or race.
Lack of hydration. I know there has been a lot written lately about over-hydrating and I am cognizant that taking in too much liquid can be dangerous, or at least sloshly in the gut. But I suspect 90 percent of athletes are under hydrated rather than over hydrated. For any workout lasting over 45 minutes, you should take in some fluids, and you will be smart to take in some the day before and after as well. Even on cold days when you aren't feeling thirsty, you can dehydrate just as quickly especially in altitude and wind (both of which dry your tissues out quickly). Water or sports drink, you pick, but keep your hydration level constant.
Lack of rest. I am all over the expression that training plus rest equals results. Your body MUST have time to recover from the stress of working out. Training causes muscles and joints to stress and even tear slightly, and in order for them to increase strength, proper rest must occur for healing and soundness. This means a full rest day at least once a week and a good night's sleep as often as possible (the latter being the thing I skip the most of, what with work and family and working out, and believe me, lack of good sleep will lead to a big bonk for me sooner or later).
Lack of planning. Here is where I bonk the most. I do stupid things like drink too much wine and eat too much the night before a long run and then get minimal sleep and then also run in the hottest part of the day....HELLO. You think at my age I'd plan better. Or I'll oversleep and try to race through a swim workout that calls for an easy pace. You've got to plan your routine as best you can (life throwing stuff at you at the worst times notwithstanding) and work out the smartest that you can. Don't overdress on warm days, don't underdress on cold days, don't forget your water bottle on your bike ride, don't forget your swim cap....all of these things that I have done that have caused a mini bonk or at least a bad day.
There is no reason to ever bonk again. I don't plan on it!
When an athlete uses the word bonk, it generally means a version of Game Over. It's when the body says Enough, I'm Done, No More, We're Outta Here. I suppose in a way that's someone like being hit over the head, or colliding with that proverbial wall. All of us have experienced a bonk, usually on a long run or bike or swim, but sometimes on a short one, sometimes resulting in a Walk of Shame back to the car or a pullover to the side of the road (followed by the infamous Flop On the Back on the Ground).
Although a bonk does not always mean the race or workout is over, it usually means your planned time or distance is over. A true bonk--which is different from the waves of just being tired or feeling gassed that come and go--takes time to recover from.
Bonks are preventable. And we know it, and yet ignore the warnings that could lead to one.
Here are the Five Ways to Bonk:
Overextend without base training. Chances are you aren't going to be able to do a 56 mile bike or a 26 mile run without some training beforehand. Sometimes young and fit persons with a background in one area can "fake it" through another area with minimal training--i.e. a strong runner might be able to struggle through a long bike or swim after only doing some minimal distance bike and swims beforehand, but he or she is definitely going to suffer--but most people can't go the distance without paying the admission price of serious training beforehand. I do so enjoy watching young men (I'm sure women do this too, but I always seem to be seeing the men) dash out on their first 5K with no training beforehand and find out that I am able to chug on pass them around mile 2 when they are wheezing, walking and staggering. Train your distance. Train your time. It takes a long, long time and effort to work your way up to long distances, so be prepared to pay the price.
Lack of nutrition. When I first started out running, I really had no clue about nutrition. I often went out for a 4 mile run on an empty stomach (yes, Jeff Galloway sez you can but I am going to disagree with him). And lots of times I would end up walking around mile 3, feeling out of gas and weary. Your body needs fuel in order to work hard. You don't have to eat a Denny's Grand Slam before a 5K, but a simple glass of chocolate milk or an energy bar, or better, a bagel or some oatmeal, will preload you with fast burning carbs that will become important about halfway through. Slower runners like me are at the most need for pre race or workout nutrition as we simply can't breeze through 5 miles in 30 minutes before our stored fuel starts to run low. For workouts laster longer than an hour, it's important to take in some carbs (and maybe protein, I tend to believe a small amount of protein with the carbs works best) BEFORE you start to hit a depletion wall, which is around 45 minutes or so into the workout, and then every so often thereafter, depending on the amount you ingest and how far you are going. If you wait until you feel tired or gassed before you ingest nutrition, it's too late. You are going to be behind the bonk ball the rest of the workout or race.
Lack of hydration. I know there has been a lot written lately about over-hydrating and I am cognizant that taking in too much liquid can be dangerous, or at least sloshly in the gut. But I suspect 90 percent of athletes are under hydrated rather than over hydrated. For any workout lasting over 45 minutes, you should take in some fluids, and you will be smart to take in some the day before and after as well. Even on cold days when you aren't feeling thirsty, you can dehydrate just as quickly especially in altitude and wind (both of which dry your tissues out quickly). Water or sports drink, you pick, but keep your hydration level constant.
Lack of rest. I am all over the expression that training plus rest equals results. Your body MUST have time to recover from the stress of working out. Training causes muscles and joints to stress and even tear slightly, and in order for them to increase strength, proper rest must occur for healing and soundness. This means a full rest day at least once a week and a good night's sleep as often as possible (the latter being the thing I skip the most of, what with work and family and working out, and believe me, lack of good sleep will lead to a big bonk for me sooner or later).
Lack of planning. Here is where I bonk the most. I do stupid things like drink too much wine and eat too much the night before a long run and then get minimal sleep and then also run in the hottest part of the day....HELLO. You think at my age I'd plan better. Or I'll oversleep and try to race through a swim workout that calls for an easy pace. You've got to plan your routine as best you can (life throwing stuff at you at the worst times notwithstanding) and work out the smartest that you can. Don't overdress on warm days, don't underdress on cold days, don't forget your water bottle on your bike ride, don't forget your swim cap....all of these things that I have done that have caused a mini bonk or at least a bad day.
There is no reason to ever bonk again. I don't plan on it!
Friday, December 10, 2010
More core
As part of this journey into the outer limits of physical activity that I have determined will be fun and prodcutive, I've realized that all the biking, swimming, and running I'm doing does work, but they all work better when I'm stronger at my core. Certainly biking, swimming and running make me stronger in lots of ways (including increasing the strength of my curse word vocabulary), much more so than if I was just dedicated to doing one of those sports, but they still leave a lot of areas untouched.
Core strength and flexibility--to be more precise, being strong around your gut, back, hips, etc.--leads to stronger swimming and biking and easier running. I can personally attest that running long distances, a lot, will pound you into central inflexibity--you may end up with the world's strongest legs, but you won't be able to bend me shape me too well.
Strength begats strength. Therefore, I am trying at least once a week (twice if I can find time) to do exercises that help solidify my core and flexibility.
I am not very excited about going to the gym and doing the weights/balls/elastic bands thing. First, it's a drive to the gym for a short workout, and second, there never seems to be any real room on the mats. So I'm trying to do these exercises at home, which is easier for me (I can do them in the morning before I hop in the shower) and a lot cheaper. I have some small hand weights (10 pounds each, and some that are 3 pounds each) and an exercise ball, and a mat.
My chosen exercises vary from session to session, but they include side and front planks (if done correctly, with a fairly straight back, these will kill you very quickly), leg lifts, lunging squats, push ups (okay, I will fall on my sword and admit that I have NEVER been able to do a guy push up. I'm determined to get to that stage, but right now I'm on 15 girly push ups. I hate that, but upper arm strength has never been my big thing), simple weight lifts for biceps and triceps, and several yoga poses for flex: the tree (I started out on the Wii Fit with this one before the Wii Fit went to Broken Wii Heaven, and I would get mad at the cartoon instructor who would tut tut me when I wobbled and fell over on this pose--and I am proud to announce that now I don't fall over any more), the sun salute and the warrior poses. I do these all on my mat on my bedroom floor and am done in 20-45 minutes. I've also asked for a chin up bar for Christmas (what every girl wants I am certain). I have no illusions that I can lift myself up to a chin up bar, but I have a stool to use, and my upper body strength really needs some help here.
Since I've started the core strength workouts (which I do either on my rest days, or in the mornings when my workout that day is at night, or vice versa), I've noticed a couple of things: one, I can go a lot longer down on my aerobars on my bike without my neck or shoulders or back nagging at me, my posture seems better when I run (I am just more relaxed), and my arms don't get as tired on my long swims.
I am four months away from my 70.3 this week. I am still nervous and unsure, but every week I feel a wee bit stronger (with some limited exceptions, okay, we all have feet dipped in liquid lead days). I have a long way to go still especially with the bike, but I am confident I will improve and dance my way across that finish line!
Core strength and flexibility--to be more precise, being strong around your gut, back, hips, etc.--leads to stronger swimming and biking and easier running. I can personally attest that running long distances, a lot, will pound you into central inflexibity--you may end up with the world's strongest legs, but you won't be able to bend me shape me too well.
Strength begats strength. Therefore, I am trying at least once a week (twice if I can find time) to do exercises that help solidify my core and flexibility.
I am not very excited about going to the gym and doing the weights/balls/elastic bands thing. First, it's a drive to the gym for a short workout, and second, there never seems to be any real room on the mats. So I'm trying to do these exercises at home, which is easier for me (I can do them in the morning before I hop in the shower) and a lot cheaper. I have some small hand weights (10 pounds each, and some that are 3 pounds each) and an exercise ball, and a mat.
My chosen exercises vary from session to session, but they include side and front planks (if done correctly, with a fairly straight back, these will kill you very quickly), leg lifts, lunging squats, push ups (okay, I will fall on my sword and admit that I have NEVER been able to do a guy push up. I'm determined to get to that stage, but right now I'm on 15 girly push ups. I hate that, but upper arm strength has never been my big thing), simple weight lifts for biceps and triceps, and several yoga poses for flex: the tree (I started out on the Wii Fit with this one before the Wii Fit went to Broken Wii Heaven, and I would get mad at the cartoon instructor who would tut tut me when I wobbled and fell over on this pose--and I am proud to announce that now I don't fall over any more), the sun salute and the warrior poses. I do these all on my mat on my bedroom floor and am done in 20-45 minutes. I've also asked for a chin up bar for Christmas (what every girl wants I am certain). I have no illusions that I can lift myself up to a chin up bar, but I have a stool to use, and my upper body strength really needs some help here.
Since I've started the core strength workouts (which I do either on my rest days, or in the mornings when my workout that day is at night, or vice versa), I've noticed a couple of things: one, I can go a lot longer down on my aerobars on my bike without my neck or shoulders or back nagging at me, my posture seems better when I run (I am just more relaxed), and my arms don't get as tired on my long swims.
I am four months away from my 70.3 this week. I am still nervous and unsure, but every week I feel a wee bit stronger (with some limited exceptions, okay, we all have feet dipped in liquid lead days). I have a long way to go still especially with the bike, but I am confident I will improve and dance my way across that finish line!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Doubt
There comes a time (and of course, it happens more than once) when that nasty outlier named Doubt creeps into every athlete's mind.
No matter how good you are, how much in shape you are, or how fast you are, Doubt lurks in the back of everyone's head on certain days or certain workouts. OMG, you say, there is no freaking way I can (a) do this, (b) be ready for this, (c) finish this, (d) get there from here.
Half of the preparation for any race or event is mental. If you allow Doubt to come along with you as a guest rider or swimmer or runner, you are going to have a devil of a time finishing your race (or workout). Doubt is the stepchild of Lies, and he loves to sit on your shoulder (as if you needed that extra weight!) and tell you that you are simply incapable.
Banishing Doubt from your workout and race isn't easy. I know that at least twice a week I find myself saying "I can't .... (you fill in the blank--swim any faster, bike any faster, bike in a strong headwind, run uphill, etc.)." The minute I say it, I believe it. And my workout suffers because of it.
Patient Spouse is excellent about telling me to get rid of the negative thoughts and sayings. If something gets hard or I don't do as well as I want, then I can say: "this is hard. And I'm going to really, really make some progress doing it." Or "I'm biking pretty slow. I know I can speed up by just concentrating on my cadence." Or "the swim is pretty long. Good, because I gonna OWN this swim!" You get it. Sounds stupid when you say it out loud, trust me, but it really works. Don't kid yourself into thinking your brain can't kid itself, because it surely can.
On Thanksgiving I had a hard run. It was in Houston, and it was 82 degrees at 7 a.m. and about 340 percent humidity and the trail we went to was ALL little rollers of very steep nature (so much so that you couldn't ever enjoy a downhill because you were looking smack at the next steep uphill). I had 8 miles to crank out and I thought, boy, am I going to tank this run. Then I shook myself like one of my dogs and said to myself, I am going to KILL this run, by golly. And I ran 8 miles in less than a 12 minute mile doing run 8 walk 2 and never missed a beat.
The next day we biked 31 miles in a very stiff and strong north wind. I was disappointed in my speed--at one point I was biking at 12 mph into that wind and was yelling at myself -- literally, out loud--that I needed to bike 15.5 mph average on this 70.3 to make the time cut off and that I was a stupid weak biker who would never get any better. Well, I ended up averaging 14 mph for the ride, which isn't great, but then again, it was a strange trail where we slowed down or even stopped a lot for turns and entrances and people, and then there was this giant headwind for a lot of the ride. So I needed to go a bit easier on myself as I know in my heart that I am steadily improving on my bike every time I ride. I let Doubt come sit on the back of my back and it made a great and fun ride into something unpleasant.
Doubt is always there. It's our job not to let him into our program. We can politely show him the door and remind him that all of our hard work and training really does pay off, and handsomely.
Give Doubt the boot. I did.
No matter how good you are, how much in shape you are, or how fast you are, Doubt lurks in the back of everyone's head on certain days or certain workouts. OMG, you say, there is no freaking way I can (a) do this, (b) be ready for this, (c) finish this, (d) get there from here.
Half of the preparation for any race or event is mental. If you allow Doubt to come along with you as a guest rider or swimmer or runner, you are going to have a devil of a time finishing your race (or workout). Doubt is the stepchild of Lies, and he loves to sit on your shoulder (as if you needed that extra weight!) and tell you that you are simply incapable.
Banishing Doubt from your workout and race isn't easy. I know that at least twice a week I find myself saying "I can't .... (you fill in the blank--swim any faster, bike any faster, bike in a strong headwind, run uphill, etc.)." The minute I say it, I believe it. And my workout suffers because of it.
Patient Spouse is excellent about telling me to get rid of the negative thoughts and sayings. If something gets hard or I don't do as well as I want, then I can say: "this is hard. And I'm going to really, really make some progress doing it." Or "I'm biking pretty slow. I know I can speed up by just concentrating on my cadence." Or "the swim is pretty long. Good, because I gonna OWN this swim!" You get it. Sounds stupid when you say it out loud, trust me, but it really works. Don't kid yourself into thinking your brain can't kid itself, because it surely can.
On Thanksgiving I had a hard run. It was in Houston, and it was 82 degrees at 7 a.m. and about 340 percent humidity and the trail we went to was ALL little rollers of very steep nature (so much so that you couldn't ever enjoy a downhill because you were looking smack at the next steep uphill). I had 8 miles to crank out and I thought, boy, am I going to tank this run. Then I shook myself like one of my dogs and said to myself, I am going to KILL this run, by golly. And I ran 8 miles in less than a 12 minute mile doing run 8 walk 2 and never missed a beat.
The next day we biked 31 miles in a very stiff and strong north wind. I was disappointed in my speed--at one point I was biking at 12 mph into that wind and was yelling at myself -- literally, out loud--that I needed to bike 15.5 mph average on this 70.3 to make the time cut off and that I was a stupid weak biker who would never get any better. Well, I ended up averaging 14 mph for the ride, which isn't great, but then again, it was a strange trail where we slowed down or even stopped a lot for turns and entrances and people, and then there was this giant headwind for a lot of the ride. So I needed to go a bit easier on myself as I know in my heart that I am steadily improving on my bike every time I ride. I let Doubt come sit on the back of my back and it made a great and fun ride into something unpleasant.
Doubt is always there. It's our job not to let him into our program. We can politely show him the door and remind him that all of our hard work and training really does pay off, and handsomely.
Give Doubt the boot. I did.
Monday, November 22, 2010
How is the Weather?
I think the Turtles were an awesome rock group of my generation (soft rock, actually), plus they had a cool name. And their song "Happy Together" is simply a classic. Until you get to that strange tag line near the end where they croon, "how is the weather?" which I realize rhymes with "happy together" but otherwise makes absolutely no sense in this song. That is like sticking the phrase "can someone please call me a cab?" in the middle of Hey Jude. You would think the Turtles would be smart enough to figure out that maybe the word "forever," while not an exact rhyme, would go better with the happy together phrase. Then again, this WAS the 60s.
What the Turtles may not have realized, is that the tag phrase "How is the weather?" is a big one for athletes. Race day or training day we aren't going to stick our broken toenails outside until we know what we have to deal with regarding the elements. And we've also learned two things about the weather outside: you can't change it by complaining about it, and it's the same for everyone.
If all training or race days were 55 degrees, light south wind at 5 mph and a blue sunny sky, there would be no need for all this expensive gear we buy and fling on and off at random to try to cheat the weather gods. There would also be no need for weather forecasters, which, come to think of it, isn't in itself a bad thing, as it's one of two jobs in the universe where you can be 100 percent wrong 100 percent of the time and still keep the job (the other--you know it already--a financial forecaster). One thing I've learned by watching weather forecasts for five decades is that whatever they are predicting, it's going to occur 24-48 hours later than they predict it.
Of course, we can all go work out inside and discard the uncomfortable preamble of sticking our limbs out the front door to see what the wind and temp is like on any given day, but anyone who prefers to run on a treadmill or ride a spin bike gets what they deserve in other ways.
Here are some thoughts I've picked up about training in what I call Weird Weather:
Heat. Where I come from, if it's not hot, it's working on getting that way, at least 90 percent of the time. Here it is November 21 (yesterday) and my four mile run was in shorts and a sleeveless wicking tank and I left about six pounds of sweat on the road. In July, that temp in the early mornings can soar over 90 degrees before 9 a.m. We Texans know our heat. We run or bike in light colored clothing (it reflects heat, while darks clothing absorbs it) that is loose (for wind to vent inside). Socks are thin and moisture wicking. Sunscreen goes on immediately, and gets reapplied at mile 6 and 10 because no matter what they tell you, waterproof sunscreen doesn't really exist (which I suppose is fortunate, because you'd never be able to wash it off). Bike gloves become important (fingerless) to swipe sweat off your face and a headband helps catch the forehead drip. I don't run with a hat in the heat, because no matter how thin or cool the manufacturers swear it is, it makes me even hotter.
And of course, we all know that as your workout progresses and the sun gets higher, the hotter you will get. I've learned the hard way (like everything I learn, I swear I'm going to trademark that statement) that you don't wear a long sleeved tech shirt out to run 10 miles on a 50 degree day. You wear a short sleeved one and say brrrr for about half a mile.
Cold. I love running in the cold, but then again, cold in Texas is 35 degrees. I would imagine running in minus 10 isn't so much fun. And biking in the cold? Not so much fun either. But either way, I prefer to throw on the clothing and avoid the indoors if at all possible. I have running tights that I love, and I understand they come in various thicknesses. I have the least thick pair I could buy, because it doesn't get all that cold here in the south, and I've never had cold legs on a run but one time (a Turkey Trot where the wind was howling 25 mph from the north). I wear thicker socks on cold days, and open my laceloks up accordingly so my feet don't feel pinched. I have a great one piece long sleeved jersey with a hood that I like to wear and with the hood up and a hat on top, I'm usually pretty good in the neck and head department. I have worn gloves on really cold days, but my hands get hot before anything else does, and I always find myself stripping them off and stuffing them into my fuel belt or waistband after about 2 miles of running. I also have biking tights, but I find I need a lot more under protection on a windy cold bike ride than a run. This usually involves layering two shirts and my hooded jersey, and my full fingered bike gloves are a must on really cold days. I've looked at shoe covers for my shoes--and I think I'm putting them on an Xmas list, because cold toes are just no fun while biking.
There are also leg warmers and arm warmers which cover just part of the legs and arms and not the torso. I've not bought any, but although they look pretty funny, they seem to do a good job of keeping the areas warm that need warming. If I ever move out of the south, I'm buying some.
I haven't figured out what to do about a cold face though. I can't handle any kind of mask--I feel claustrophobic--although I have pulled a bandana over my nose --an old snow skier's trick--on a really cold New Year's Day bike ride, and it did okay, although it fogged up my sunglasses (just like in skiing). For my head, I wear my hood of my jersey under my helmet, although skullcaps are popular for the non-Harry Potter look.
I've not been swimming in terribly cold water, and my wetsuit has done a fine job on the cooler swims I've made. I know they make skullcaps for extra warmth, but again, there is simply nothing out there that's gonna save your face from the cold water. I have heard a thin layer of Vaseline helps, but I've not been forced to try that. Yet.
Rain. I love running in rain. Now, when I say that, I mean gentle rain when it's not windy or cold and the rain is just misting down and you think, oh, this is fun, or at least you do until you trip over your first giant water puddle and soak your shoes. No, seriously, I see no reason to take my run indoors in a light rain. I'm more careful where I put my feet, but I am not going to melt.
I do have a sort of waterproof running/biking jacket I got from Brooks Running. Now, true waterproof clothing for athletes is hard to find. The main reason is pure waterproof means no breathing, and there is nothing more delightful than running or biking in a garment that doesn't breathe, because it's like wearing a sauna suit (this is why you avoid cotton for working out). Most of the times running/biking rain gear is water resistent, not waterproof, which means it will repel a little rain or mist up to a certain point, but if the heavens open, you are gonna get wet. I have not had the opportunity to try this jacket out in a downpour yet. It seems to work pretty well in the misty drizzle stuff and it doesn't seem to act like a non-breathing Hefty Bag. But I haven't really tested it out yet.
And dry your shoes out after a wet run. Even if it means blowing them dry with your hair dryer, there is nothing worse than trying to squeeze on damp shoes the next day. I find putting my shoes on top of the clothes dryer while doing a load works very well.
Biking in the rain is a whole 'nother matter. Biking in the wet frightens me. My tires are about the size of a line of toothpaste anyway, and the idea that such is all there is between me and a concrete divider makes me nervous on dry days, much less wet ones. I suppose I could take the hybrid out on really wet days with its knobbier tires, but for me, a rainy day means an indoor bike ride. Others are either smarter or more foolish than I, but everyone has to have a line in the sand. That's mine. If it rains on a race day, I'll gut it out, but I'm going to be bringing up the rear so badly you might as well put a basket and bell on my bike that day.
Exceptional triathletes have several different sets of bike wheels for different weather conditions. These people don't have mortgages and children in college, I suspect. And there is nothing I hate more than changing out wheels on a bike.
I am going to assume that everyone knows not to run or bike in a thunderstorm. And if you get caught it one, to go seek shelter immediately under a bridge, culvert, parking garage, Jack in the Box, whatever. You want to run LIKE the lightning, not as part OF the lightning. When I run, I'm always aware on my routes of safety areas in case of bad weather and none are more than 2 miles apart.
Wind. As mentioned before, the wind she do blow here in the south. Hard. And nearly every day. I know wind is a good thing for windfarms, pollination, and sailors. Otherwise, I don't have much good to say about it.
Obviously, when it's cold, the wind makes it even colder. What I have trouble with is dressing warmly enough for the part of the run or bike INTO the wind, and when I turn around with the wind at my back, not sweating to death.
Something I learned about running and biking when it's really blowing out there. Secure your loose clothing. That sounds like a warning for a roller coaster ride, but I'm serious. Flapping jackets or shirttails can really cause a drag on your time. Tuck in and secure with velcro bands if need be (God's gift to athletes).
Snow/Ice. It really does snow here in Texas, maybe twice a year where I am. But not enough to make me an expert on it. I see photos of all these northern people out running and biking on snow covered roads and I think, you go, friends. I can assure you that if it snows a lot where I live, there will be no biking outside, because we don't own any plows. Running--I can see doing it in my trail shoes, on a known path, so long as my insurance is paid up.
The only thing I do with ice is put it in my drink.
So...with some exceptions, there is no reason to avoid working out in Weird Weather. Be friends with the weather. As the Turtles would say, be happy together.
What the Turtles may not have realized, is that the tag phrase "How is the weather?" is a big one for athletes. Race day or training day we aren't going to stick our broken toenails outside until we know what we have to deal with regarding the elements. And we've also learned two things about the weather outside: you can't change it by complaining about it, and it's the same for everyone.
If all training or race days were 55 degrees, light south wind at 5 mph and a blue sunny sky, there would be no need for all this expensive gear we buy and fling on and off at random to try to cheat the weather gods. There would also be no need for weather forecasters, which, come to think of it, isn't in itself a bad thing, as it's one of two jobs in the universe where you can be 100 percent wrong 100 percent of the time and still keep the job (the other--you know it already--a financial forecaster). One thing I've learned by watching weather forecasts for five decades is that whatever they are predicting, it's going to occur 24-48 hours later than they predict it.
Of course, we can all go work out inside and discard the uncomfortable preamble of sticking our limbs out the front door to see what the wind and temp is like on any given day, but anyone who prefers to run on a treadmill or ride a spin bike gets what they deserve in other ways.
Here are some thoughts I've picked up about training in what I call Weird Weather:
Heat. Where I come from, if it's not hot, it's working on getting that way, at least 90 percent of the time. Here it is November 21 (yesterday) and my four mile run was in shorts and a sleeveless wicking tank and I left about six pounds of sweat on the road. In July, that temp in the early mornings can soar over 90 degrees before 9 a.m. We Texans know our heat. We run or bike in light colored clothing (it reflects heat, while darks clothing absorbs it) that is loose (for wind to vent inside). Socks are thin and moisture wicking. Sunscreen goes on immediately, and gets reapplied at mile 6 and 10 because no matter what they tell you, waterproof sunscreen doesn't really exist (which I suppose is fortunate, because you'd never be able to wash it off). Bike gloves become important (fingerless) to swipe sweat off your face and a headband helps catch the forehead drip. I don't run with a hat in the heat, because no matter how thin or cool the manufacturers swear it is, it makes me even hotter.
And of course, we all know that as your workout progresses and the sun gets higher, the hotter you will get. I've learned the hard way (like everything I learn, I swear I'm going to trademark that statement) that you don't wear a long sleeved tech shirt out to run 10 miles on a 50 degree day. You wear a short sleeved one and say brrrr for about half a mile.
Cold. I love running in the cold, but then again, cold in Texas is 35 degrees. I would imagine running in minus 10 isn't so much fun. And biking in the cold? Not so much fun either. But either way, I prefer to throw on the clothing and avoid the indoors if at all possible. I have running tights that I love, and I understand they come in various thicknesses. I have the least thick pair I could buy, because it doesn't get all that cold here in the south, and I've never had cold legs on a run but one time (a Turkey Trot where the wind was howling 25 mph from the north). I wear thicker socks on cold days, and open my laceloks up accordingly so my feet don't feel pinched. I have a great one piece long sleeved jersey with a hood that I like to wear and with the hood up and a hat on top, I'm usually pretty good in the neck and head department. I have worn gloves on really cold days, but my hands get hot before anything else does, and I always find myself stripping them off and stuffing them into my fuel belt or waistband after about 2 miles of running. I also have biking tights, but I find I need a lot more under protection on a windy cold bike ride than a run. This usually involves layering two shirts and my hooded jersey, and my full fingered bike gloves are a must on really cold days. I've looked at shoe covers for my shoes--and I think I'm putting them on an Xmas list, because cold toes are just no fun while biking.
There are also leg warmers and arm warmers which cover just part of the legs and arms and not the torso. I've not bought any, but although they look pretty funny, they seem to do a good job of keeping the areas warm that need warming. If I ever move out of the south, I'm buying some.
I haven't figured out what to do about a cold face though. I can't handle any kind of mask--I feel claustrophobic--although I have pulled a bandana over my nose --an old snow skier's trick--on a really cold New Year's Day bike ride, and it did okay, although it fogged up my sunglasses (just like in skiing). For my head, I wear my hood of my jersey under my helmet, although skullcaps are popular for the non-Harry Potter look.
I've not been swimming in terribly cold water, and my wetsuit has done a fine job on the cooler swims I've made. I know they make skullcaps for extra warmth, but again, there is simply nothing out there that's gonna save your face from the cold water. I have heard a thin layer of Vaseline helps, but I've not been forced to try that. Yet.
Rain. I love running in rain. Now, when I say that, I mean gentle rain when it's not windy or cold and the rain is just misting down and you think, oh, this is fun, or at least you do until you trip over your first giant water puddle and soak your shoes. No, seriously, I see no reason to take my run indoors in a light rain. I'm more careful where I put my feet, but I am not going to melt.
I do have a sort of waterproof running/biking jacket I got from Brooks Running. Now, true waterproof clothing for athletes is hard to find. The main reason is pure waterproof means no breathing, and there is nothing more delightful than running or biking in a garment that doesn't breathe, because it's like wearing a sauna suit (this is why you avoid cotton for working out). Most of the times running/biking rain gear is water resistent, not waterproof, which means it will repel a little rain or mist up to a certain point, but if the heavens open, you are gonna get wet. I have not had the opportunity to try this jacket out in a downpour yet. It seems to work pretty well in the misty drizzle stuff and it doesn't seem to act like a non-breathing Hefty Bag. But I haven't really tested it out yet.
And dry your shoes out after a wet run. Even if it means blowing them dry with your hair dryer, there is nothing worse than trying to squeeze on damp shoes the next day. I find putting my shoes on top of the clothes dryer while doing a load works very well.
Biking in the rain is a whole 'nother matter. Biking in the wet frightens me. My tires are about the size of a line of toothpaste anyway, and the idea that such is all there is between me and a concrete divider makes me nervous on dry days, much less wet ones. I suppose I could take the hybrid out on really wet days with its knobbier tires, but for me, a rainy day means an indoor bike ride. Others are either smarter or more foolish than I, but everyone has to have a line in the sand. That's mine. If it rains on a race day, I'll gut it out, but I'm going to be bringing up the rear so badly you might as well put a basket and bell on my bike that day.
Exceptional triathletes have several different sets of bike wheels for different weather conditions. These people don't have mortgages and children in college, I suspect. And there is nothing I hate more than changing out wheels on a bike.
I am going to assume that everyone knows not to run or bike in a thunderstorm. And if you get caught it one, to go seek shelter immediately under a bridge, culvert, parking garage, Jack in the Box, whatever. You want to run LIKE the lightning, not as part OF the lightning. When I run, I'm always aware on my routes of safety areas in case of bad weather and none are more than 2 miles apart.
Wind. As mentioned before, the wind she do blow here in the south. Hard. And nearly every day. I know wind is a good thing for windfarms, pollination, and sailors. Otherwise, I don't have much good to say about it.
Obviously, when it's cold, the wind makes it even colder. What I have trouble with is dressing warmly enough for the part of the run or bike INTO the wind, and when I turn around with the wind at my back, not sweating to death.
Something I learned about running and biking when it's really blowing out there. Secure your loose clothing. That sounds like a warning for a roller coaster ride, but I'm serious. Flapping jackets or shirttails can really cause a drag on your time. Tuck in and secure with velcro bands if need be (God's gift to athletes).
Snow/Ice. It really does snow here in Texas, maybe twice a year where I am. But not enough to make me an expert on it. I see photos of all these northern people out running and biking on snow covered roads and I think, you go, friends. I can assure you that if it snows a lot where I live, there will be no biking outside, because we don't own any plows. Running--I can see doing it in my trail shoes, on a known path, so long as my insurance is paid up.
The only thing I do with ice is put it in my drink.
So...with some exceptions, there is no reason to avoid working out in Weird Weather. Be friends with the weather. As the Turtles would say, be happy together.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Feeding Frenzy
Lately I've been feeling like I'm either taking the Pepsi challenge or being the head taste tester at strange food fair. Less than five months out from my 70.3 (eeps, don't keep reminding me of the fact that my longest bike so far has only been 35 miles) I'm experimenting with all kinds of foods, gels, bars, etc. so that I know what sits best with me before, during and post workout to prevent bonking, upchuking, and passing out at the post race dinner. I'm sure I have driven various manufacturers mad as I order products from every possible source (what would we do without our internet?).
I'm not nearly done yet, as I have a goal to finalize my nutrition before Valentine's Day, thinking wisely that anything leftover might be crammed into a heart shaped box and served to the Patient Spouse (look, dear! Powerbars, Hammer Gels and --the piece d' resistance--a lint covered gummy bear!). Just kidding on that, of course. I think.
I have come to some interim conculsions, however, with regard to the Big Three: Pre Race (training) intake, during Race (training) intake, and Post Race (training) intake. One is that too much wine and homemade chili the night before a long run falls under the category of Slightly Bad Idea. Otherwise, here's what I've come up with so far:
Pre Race (training):
Oatmeal. I've read about the benefits of long cooking (steel cut) oatmeal from so many sources you would think that the nation's oat growners have some kind of cut they give to triathletes. I've been cooking myself oatmeal the last 3 weeks on weekends before I head out for my long run or brick. The benefits of oatmeal is that it is low glycemic and therefore lasts a long time in your system and also doesn't tie up your blood stream into your gut by requiring long and difficult digestion. It's also a great blend of carbs and protein (and as a side benefit, a good fiber source, although that is also one of the detriments to it).
I do notice when I cook and eat oatmeal that I am not generally craving "something else" about an hour into the run or bike; but that I can go up to about 90 minutes before my system demands a refueling. I also haven't thrown it up (always a good sign) or been forced to find a fast bush.
However, the detriments are first, it takes a freaking long time to cook steel cut oatmeal (30-45 minutes) and you really don't want to cook it the night before and try to rejuvenate it the next day (you could, however, use it as a handy glue around the house if you do that). Second, you need to wait about an hour or two after ingestion before your gut says it's okay to get out there (I've tried running 30 minutes post oatmeal ingestion. It's a recipe for a lot of feeling uck and run-burping, which would entertain your four year old but not so much yourself). So if you want to get up at 4:30 a.m., cook some oatmeal, eat it at 5:30 a.m., and go back to bed until 7 a.m. and then start your run at 7:30 a.m. you are gonna benefit like mad. Most of us don't have this luxury. However, oatmeal is on the list for possible race day breakfast, as you are always up and at em three to four hours before you start anyway. Just not for training.
Smoothies. I think smoothies and other stuff you put in a blender are awesome. I just don't like them first thing in the morning. First the blender makes a heckuva racket, which my just awakened ears find annoying, and then you are generally out of something that is supposed to go into the mix. Finally, even with the pre mixed powders, which still to me taste like Carnation Instant Breakfast from college, the smoothies just don't seem to stay with me on a hard workout. I find myself longing for something solid an hour later. Same thing with sports drinks. Although I use them on any work out longer than an hour during the workout, alone, they aren't enough to kick start me out of the gate.
Bars and gels. For early morning workouts, these guys are too full of dextrose and sugars for me. I need a bit more, what, "real food" in my system. They get me going but seem to peter out quickly and also can leave me with a headache. However, for late day workouts, these guys seem to do the trick better than anything else. I've fooled around with several bars, and for me, the lower protein Luna bars work best (around 8 g protein max) for a pre workout snack. On the way to a swim, bike or run from work, I'll down one of these babies 30 minutes before I start and I can go up to 90 minutes without needing to eat anything else, so long as I am sipping a sports drink during the workout. The Powerbars are also good, but they tend to have too high a protein content for me pre workout and I like them better post workout. I have just ordered Hammer bars for a test drive and I'll let you know. PS Yes I know Luna bars are geared toward women. Patient Spouse likes them, and trust me, he is all man.
My favorite. My favorite pre workout booster, whether morning or night, is a half bagel with chunky peanut butter. For some reason, that combo sits easily on my stomach and give me plenty of oomph. The bagel is whole wheat or cinammon, nothing with raisins or blueberries or vodka in it. It's not quite the exact carb/protein mix that the experts say is ideal, but it works for me.
2. During the Race (workout)
Once again, this is a work in progress still, but I have found several things I like and don't like during a long (over an hour) workout.
For workouts over an hour, I always sip a sports drink. I have tried four different kinds so far, and am still experimenting. So far, not to be outdone by the fact they sell it at Walmart, Gatorade still wins my vote. Not the reduced sugar kind, but the full monte. There are still several others I am going to try out and I may end up changing my mind, because sometimes Gatorade is well, too thick and sticky for me and I cut it 1/3 with VitaRain (Costco's cheap sugar free version of VitaWater). If my workout is between 60-90 minutes, usually a pre race snack and sports drink is all I need. Over 90 minutes and I'm looking for something else.
I've tried gels and bars during a long workout. Bars are just not something I can handle, even broken up in small pieces that stick the inside of my fuel belt when I've been sweating and have to be pried out. They just take too much energy to chew and swallow. I love them, but not in the middle of a run or bike. Gels are much easier to ingest, although just as messy and I always end up having to wash out my fuel belt because like a good citizen, I stick the empty gel packet back into my belt. I plan to stick with gels, but not by themselves, on my 70.3. So far I've found Hammer gels (cherry) and Accelgels (chocolate) to be my favorite; they don't seem to upset my system and they get the job done. I'm going to test a few more, however, just in case there is something that will make me go YEE HAH. You do have to drink a ton of water when you ingest a gel; and sometimes that is inconvenient on a run if you have just passed a water station so you have to plan it well.
My latest invention is a hard boiled egg (on the bike, not the run). I am borderline low blood sugar and thus my need for regular intake of protein is a bit higher than the average bear. Protein takes longer to digest than carbs, so the articles all warn you about taking in too much on a race as your body will shunt more blood from your feet, arms and heart to your gut to digest it. However, I can't do with pure sugars and carbs for a 7-8 hour race so I have to ingest some protein or I will get the funny shakes. Eggs have always sat well on my stomach and a hard boiled egg (cut in two, and salted and wrapped in saran wrap) comes in a pretty convenient size--much easier than carrying a peanut butter sandwich or a turkey leg, for example. I've tried it and it works fine, the added salt helps too, you just have to drink a lot of water while you eat it. And of course, it helps to keep it well wrapped because the smell of a hot cooked egg can't be something you would want to experience if you are feeling naseous.
Also, I've found that taking in some candy during the bike/run helps keep the energy level flowing. Gummy bears are a bit chewy, but I've hit on leftover Halloween candy corn. It's small and it's pure sugar (I need to look up what kind, dextrose is allegedly the fastest digesting and the best during a hard workout). And if you think generic and Brach's candy corn are the same, boy are you in for a surprise.
3. Post race (workout). Like you, I'm going to fall all over whatever the race folks set out at the finish line and find it to be just fine (so far I've been offered gels, pizza, Chick Fil A sandwiches, fruit, hot pancakes, donuts, cookies, candy, pretzels and --strangest of all--some caesar salad--this was at a 10K). However, post workout, I find a banana and maybe a bar work great for me for recovery--and the higher protein bars come into play post workout, as protein is needed then. Remember, you are supposed to ingest your recovery within 30 minutes of your workout ending for maximum effect. I've also done the peanut butter/bagel post recovery, but face it, nothing, and I mean nothing, beats a hamburger and a shake after a 13 mile run. It's not quite the mix of carbs/protein the experts say is perfect, but let's look at it this way: you earned it.
Everyone and everybody is different in how they react to food and fuel. Experimentation is fun, although sooner or later I've got to narrow down my choices to the race day group, and pack it into my fuel belt and bento box. A shame a turkey leg won't fit.
I'm not nearly done yet, as I have a goal to finalize my nutrition before Valentine's Day, thinking wisely that anything leftover might be crammed into a heart shaped box and served to the Patient Spouse (look, dear! Powerbars, Hammer Gels and --the piece d' resistance--a lint covered gummy bear!). Just kidding on that, of course. I think.
I have come to some interim conculsions, however, with regard to the Big Three: Pre Race (training) intake, during Race (training) intake, and Post Race (training) intake. One is that too much wine and homemade chili the night before a long run falls under the category of Slightly Bad Idea. Otherwise, here's what I've come up with so far:
Pre Race (training):
Oatmeal. I've read about the benefits of long cooking (steel cut) oatmeal from so many sources you would think that the nation's oat growners have some kind of cut they give to triathletes. I've been cooking myself oatmeal the last 3 weeks on weekends before I head out for my long run or brick. The benefits of oatmeal is that it is low glycemic and therefore lasts a long time in your system and also doesn't tie up your blood stream into your gut by requiring long and difficult digestion. It's also a great blend of carbs and protein (and as a side benefit, a good fiber source, although that is also one of the detriments to it).
I do notice when I cook and eat oatmeal that I am not generally craving "something else" about an hour into the run or bike; but that I can go up to about 90 minutes before my system demands a refueling. I also haven't thrown it up (always a good sign) or been forced to find a fast bush.
However, the detriments are first, it takes a freaking long time to cook steel cut oatmeal (30-45 minutes) and you really don't want to cook it the night before and try to rejuvenate it the next day (you could, however, use it as a handy glue around the house if you do that). Second, you need to wait about an hour or two after ingestion before your gut says it's okay to get out there (I've tried running 30 minutes post oatmeal ingestion. It's a recipe for a lot of feeling uck and run-burping, which would entertain your four year old but not so much yourself). So if you want to get up at 4:30 a.m., cook some oatmeal, eat it at 5:30 a.m., and go back to bed until 7 a.m. and then start your run at 7:30 a.m. you are gonna benefit like mad. Most of us don't have this luxury. However, oatmeal is on the list for possible race day breakfast, as you are always up and at em three to four hours before you start anyway. Just not for training.
Smoothies. I think smoothies and other stuff you put in a blender are awesome. I just don't like them first thing in the morning. First the blender makes a heckuva racket, which my just awakened ears find annoying, and then you are generally out of something that is supposed to go into the mix. Finally, even with the pre mixed powders, which still to me taste like Carnation Instant Breakfast from college, the smoothies just don't seem to stay with me on a hard workout. I find myself longing for something solid an hour later. Same thing with sports drinks. Although I use them on any work out longer than an hour during the workout, alone, they aren't enough to kick start me out of the gate.
Bars and gels. For early morning workouts, these guys are too full of dextrose and sugars for me. I need a bit more, what, "real food" in my system. They get me going but seem to peter out quickly and also can leave me with a headache. However, for late day workouts, these guys seem to do the trick better than anything else. I've fooled around with several bars, and for me, the lower protein Luna bars work best (around 8 g protein max) for a pre workout snack. On the way to a swim, bike or run from work, I'll down one of these babies 30 minutes before I start and I can go up to 90 minutes without needing to eat anything else, so long as I am sipping a sports drink during the workout. The Powerbars are also good, but they tend to have too high a protein content for me pre workout and I like them better post workout. I have just ordered Hammer bars for a test drive and I'll let you know. PS Yes I know Luna bars are geared toward women. Patient Spouse likes them, and trust me, he is all man.
My favorite. My favorite pre workout booster, whether morning or night, is a half bagel with chunky peanut butter. For some reason, that combo sits easily on my stomach and give me plenty of oomph. The bagel is whole wheat or cinammon, nothing with raisins or blueberries or vodka in it. It's not quite the exact carb/protein mix that the experts say is ideal, but it works for me.
2. During the Race (workout)
Once again, this is a work in progress still, but I have found several things I like and don't like during a long (over an hour) workout.
For workouts over an hour, I always sip a sports drink. I have tried four different kinds so far, and am still experimenting. So far, not to be outdone by the fact they sell it at Walmart, Gatorade still wins my vote. Not the reduced sugar kind, but the full monte. There are still several others I am going to try out and I may end up changing my mind, because sometimes Gatorade is well, too thick and sticky for me and I cut it 1/3 with VitaRain (Costco's cheap sugar free version of VitaWater). If my workout is between 60-90 minutes, usually a pre race snack and sports drink is all I need. Over 90 minutes and I'm looking for something else.
I've tried gels and bars during a long workout. Bars are just not something I can handle, even broken up in small pieces that stick the inside of my fuel belt when I've been sweating and have to be pried out. They just take too much energy to chew and swallow. I love them, but not in the middle of a run or bike. Gels are much easier to ingest, although just as messy and I always end up having to wash out my fuel belt because like a good citizen, I stick the empty gel packet back into my belt. I plan to stick with gels, but not by themselves, on my 70.3. So far I've found Hammer gels (cherry) and Accelgels (chocolate) to be my favorite; they don't seem to upset my system and they get the job done. I'm going to test a few more, however, just in case there is something that will make me go YEE HAH. You do have to drink a ton of water when you ingest a gel; and sometimes that is inconvenient on a run if you have just passed a water station so you have to plan it well.
My latest invention is a hard boiled egg (on the bike, not the run). I am borderline low blood sugar and thus my need for regular intake of protein is a bit higher than the average bear. Protein takes longer to digest than carbs, so the articles all warn you about taking in too much on a race as your body will shunt more blood from your feet, arms and heart to your gut to digest it. However, I can't do with pure sugars and carbs for a 7-8 hour race so I have to ingest some protein or I will get the funny shakes. Eggs have always sat well on my stomach and a hard boiled egg (cut in two, and salted and wrapped in saran wrap) comes in a pretty convenient size--much easier than carrying a peanut butter sandwich or a turkey leg, for example. I've tried it and it works fine, the added salt helps too, you just have to drink a lot of water while you eat it. And of course, it helps to keep it well wrapped because the smell of a hot cooked egg can't be something you would want to experience if you are feeling naseous.
Also, I've found that taking in some candy during the bike/run helps keep the energy level flowing. Gummy bears are a bit chewy, but I've hit on leftover Halloween candy corn. It's small and it's pure sugar (I need to look up what kind, dextrose is allegedly the fastest digesting and the best during a hard workout). And if you think generic and Brach's candy corn are the same, boy are you in for a surprise.
3. Post race (workout). Like you, I'm going to fall all over whatever the race folks set out at the finish line and find it to be just fine (so far I've been offered gels, pizza, Chick Fil A sandwiches, fruit, hot pancakes, donuts, cookies, candy, pretzels and --strangest of all--some caesar salad--this was at a 10K). However, post workout, I find a banana and maybe a bar work great for me for recovery--and the higher protein bars come into play post workout, as protein is needed then. Remember, you are supposed to ingest your recovery within 30 minutes of your workout ending for maximum effect. I've also done the peanut butter/bagel post recovery, but face it, nothing, and I mean nothing, beats a hamburger and a shake after a 13 mile run. It's not quite the mix of carbs/protein the experts say is perfect, but let's look at it this way: you earned it.
Everyone and everybody is different in how they react to food and fuel. Experimentation is fun, although sooner or later I've got to narrow down my choices to the race day group, and pack it into my fuel belt and bento box. A shame a turkey leg won't fit.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Older is Better
With the exception of some wines, cheeses, and furniture, nearly everything in today's society leads one to believe that youth is the ultimate desire(actually, maybe I should not have included furniture in that list. My stepdad owned several furniture stores. He would shake his head when my mom and I would buy antiques, asking why in the world anyone would pay good money for USED furniture).
Those of us over 50 know that it just ain't so. We know. Our kids and grandkids would not believe us if we tried to explain just why older is better, so we generally just keep that secret to ourselves. (And anyone who says they want to be 16 again--100 percent 16, mentally and physically--needs more help than I can give them).
Truly, sometimes older athletes are just better. Not necessarily faster, but simply better (yes, I did watch the Vikings game, but this is not a discussion on the merits of Brett Farve). Here are some of the reasons why:
1. We work out smarter. Age does a funny thing with your intelligence. It makes it grow in leaps and bounds. We no longer see a need to push to run that extra mile when 10 was our goal, we understand our bodies' limits and abilities, we know the truth in going hard on hard days and going easy on easy days, and we stick with that. We plan workouts like we plan our retirement; we spreadsheet things and keep an eye on our progress. We make sure we back off appropriately, and push when pushing is required.
2. We race smarter. After a certain age, the race really is between you and you. Although age group podiums remain fun and interesting, we will sacrifice those in order to keep our health and bodies intact for another year. When we hurt, we slow down. We quit writing "pain is fun" on our biceps, because we know it isn't. We do understand the concept of suffering, but we know that doesn't mean to an extreme. We don't have to pass that guy who just biked past us. We look at our watches, our heart monitors, and race smart. And we finish.
3. We eat smarter. We know we can't rush out there on an empty stomach after having imbibed a bottle of red the night before and run 7 miles (neither can the younger set, but they won't know it until about mile 4). We've (hopefully) gotten past the diet of fries, pizza and beer and are eating fresh fruits, veggies and lean meats. We no longer think a keg party is the perfect pre race carb load. Very few of us end up upchuking our intake halfway through a long course.
4. We heal smarter. We know our bodies have a limited warranty on them, and we want that warranty to last a long, long time. We have a great orthopedic doctor, a good massage therapist, a cardiologist, and a chiro on our speed dials. We don't just "run through the pain." We don't "rub it out/walk it out." We figure out what's wrong, and we fix it or let it heal, and then we keep going.
5. We think smarter. We don't let the irritation of a bad workout or a bad race overshadow our lives. We don't let the glory of a great workout or race blind us to the need for continued improvement. We laugh at ourselves, especially when we screw up, fall down, bonk, or have to do a Walk of Shame halfway through a run. We get giddy over small victories. We know that life is bigger than us, bigger than our PR, and way bigger than our daily workout routine. We are polite and accomodating to those who share our road, our path, our pool and our treadmill. We've learned that it's really true that it's not all about us.
6. We recover smarter. We know the value of a good night's sleep, a good recovery meal or drink, an ice bath, a massage, a rest day. We quit trying to be Superman(woman) a long time ago. We enjoy running/biking/swimming for its own sake more than the numbers on the watch at the end.
So, yes, although we are often slower, grayer, thicker and more wrinkled, we are better. We may not beat always the youngsters on the clock, but we beat them a lot in our heads. The good news for those young pups is that one day, they will be where we are, and enjoying their own superior status as an older athlete.
We rock.
Those of us over 50 know that it just ain't so. We know. Our kids and grandkids would not believe us if we tried to explain just why older is better, so we generally just keep that secret to ourselves. (And anyone who says they want to be 16 again--100 percent 16, mentally and physically--needs more help than I can give them).
Truly, sometimes older athletes are just better. Not necessarily faster, but simply better (yes, I did watch the Vikings game, but this is not a discussion on the merits of Brett Farve). Here are some of the reasons why:
1. We work out smarter. Age does a funny thing with your intelligence. It makes it grow in leaps and bounds. We no longer see a need to push to run that extra mile when 10 was our goal, we understand our bodies' limits and abilities, we know the truth in going hard on hard days and going easy on easy days, and we stick with that. We plan workouts like we plan our retirement; we spreadsheet things and keep an eye on our progress. We make sure we back off appropriately, and push when pushing is required.
2. We race smarter. After a certain age, the race really is between you and you. Although age group podiums remain fun and interesting, we will sacrifice those in order to keep our health and bodies intact for another year. When we hurt, we slow down. We quit writing "pain is fun" on our biceps, because we know it isn't. We do understand the concept of suffering, but we know that doesn't mean to an extreme. We don't have to pass that guy who just biked past us. We look at our watches, our heart monitors, and race smart. And we finish.
3. We eat smarter. We know we can't rush out there on an empty stomach after having imbibed a bottle of red the night before and run 7 miles (neither can the younger set, but they won't know it until about mile 4). We've (hopefully) gotten past the diet of fries, pizza and beer and are eating fresh fruits, veggies and lean meats. We no longer think a keg party is the perfect pre race carb load. Very few of us end up upchuking our intake halfway through a long course.
4. We heal smarter. We know our bodies have a limited warranty on them, and we want that warranty to last a long, long time. We have a great orthopedic doctor, a good massage therapist, a cardiologist, and a chiro on our speed dials. We don't just "run through the pain." We don't "rub it out/walk it out." We figure out what's wrong, and we fix it or let it heal, and then we keep going.
5. We think smarter. We don't let the irritation of a bad workout or a bad race overshadow our lives. We don't let the glory of a great workout or race blind us to the need for continued improvement. We laugh at ourselves, especially when we screw up, fall down, bonk, or have to do a Walk of Shame halfway through a run. We get giddy over small victories. We know that life is bigger than us, bigger than our PR, and way bigger than our daily workout routine. We are polite and accomodating to those who share our road, our path, our pool and our treadmill. We've learned that it's really true that it's not all about us.
6. We recover smarter. We know the value of a good night's sleep, a good recovery meal or drink, an ice bath, a massage, a rest day. We quit trying to be Superman(woman) a long time ago. We enjoy running/biking/swimming for its own sake more than the numbers on the watch at the end.
So, yes, although we are often slower, grayer, thicker and more wrinkled, we are better. We may not beat always the youngsters on the clock, but we beat them a lot in our heads. The good news for those young pups is that one day, they will be where we are, and enjoying their own superior status as an older athlete.
We rock.
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