Week Summary and Energy Drinks
Monday and Tuesday: here.
Wednesday: Creekside/Fools/Flume - 7.5 miles, ~500', 1:08 - Still recovering. Amazing how slow this recovery is. The race day effort really got to me, which is good. Shows I tried.
Thursday: Elk/D2/WTB/D4/D2/Elk - ~9.5, 1,500', 1:21 - Feeling better. Ran some familiar trails, found two more "secret" trails. Not sure where they go.
Friday: Off, 6 hours standing and walking.
Saturday: 6 hours standing and walking. Treadmill 15/15 challenge. After work, it was dark and snowing, so I decided to try another 15/15 challenge. My legs were not feeling it, but it was still fun. 15 minutes at 15 incline - got 1.2 miles again. Didn't have the motivation to try a second time.
Still slowly recovering from Sunday's race. The more I reflect on my performance, the happier I am. I think averaging 7:45 pace over 10.4 miles with some hills is fairly good, especially since I don't train speed. However, the effort has made my recovery a bit longer then normal.
A new study was just published on energy drinks. The study is kinda interesting, in that the authors looked at whether energy drinks (red bull, Monster, etc.) contained any active components other then caffeine that might boost performance (both cognitive and physical). After conducting a literature search and doing a meta-analysis, the authors found that no, energy drinks do not contain any active components (taurine, guaraná, ginseng, glucuronolactone, B-vitamins, etc.) in amounts that enhance mental or physical performance. The only ingredient that boosts performance - with some scientific evidence - found in energy drinks is caffeine. Personally, I like to get my caffeine from coffee or tea, without the added sugar found in energy drinks. If I want sugar, such as on long runs, I prefer Sprite or some other lemon lime soda.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Skiing At Eldorado Springs
Skiing At Eldorado Springs
I'm excited to be writing for a new publication - Free Heel Granola - on the many exciting aspects of telemark skiing. Most of my writing has been in the field of academics, and I am excited to try my hand at writing about the sports I do on a daily basis. I love telemark skiing, and find it a perfect compliment to mountain running in the winter. Now, on to the title of this post. I ran across an old booklet on the Rocky Mountain Ski Club of Denver published in 1920 that has information on a ski hill at Eldorado Springs. I grew up in Boulder and know about the ski cut at Chautauqua, but didn't know there was also one at Eldo. Looking at the picture, I can't place it. I assume it is somewhere up the old Mesa Trail/Shadow Canyon trail. If anyone knows, I would love to find out.
I'm excited to be writing for a new publication - Free Heel Granola - on the many exciting aspects of telemark skiing. Most of my writing has been in the field of academics, and I am excited to try my hand at writing about the sports I do on a daily basis. I love telemark skiing, and find it a perfect compliment to mountain running in the winter. Now, on to the title of this post. I ran across an old booklet on the Rocky Mountain Ski Club of Denver published in 1920 that has information on a ski hill at Eldorado Springs. I grew up in Boulder and know about the ski cut at Chautauqua, but didn't know there was also one at Eldo. Looking at the picture, I can't place it. I assume it is somewhere up the old Mesa Trail/Shadow Canyon trail. If anyone knows, I would love to find out.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Recovery and Interval Training
Recovery and Interval Training
Slow recovery from Sunday's race. Since I don't do much speed training/running, the race really made me sore. I have plenty of energy, but my legs don't want to do much more then a shuffle.
Monday: Recovery run up Elk Creek. 5 miles, 500' - 45 minutes.
Tuesday: More recover running around on animal trails off of D2. ~6 miles, 1,000' - 1:08.
Sunday's race showed me that I need to do some speed work. Interestingly, a new study was published recently that makes the same argument. Entitled "Running Interval Training and Estimated Plasma Volume Variation" the study looked at whether interval training increased plasma volume in runners. After 7 weeks of training, doing intervals three times per week, those that did do intervals had a significant increase in plasma volume. This increase in plasma volume the authors believe contributed to the observed increase of aerobic fitness (maximal aerobic power and maximal aerobic speed) among those runners who did intervals, versus those that maintained their regular training. So, speed work - interval training - leads to an increase of aerobic fitness. This is well known already in terms of lactate threshold, but here is more evidence (in terms of increased plasma volume) in support of adding interval training to your running. After Sunday's race, I clearly need to do this. I just need to figure out a fun way to do so - perhaps fartleks of some kind? There is no track up here in the valley, and I don't think I could get myself to consistently do workouts if there was. However, there are plenty of miles of trails, so adding in a once a week fartlek training (instead of just hills), may be beneficial.
Slow recovery from Sunday's race. Since I don't do much speed training/running, the race really made me sore. I have plenty of energy, but my legs don't want to do much more then a shuffle.
Monday: Recovery run up Elk Creek. 5 miles, 500' - 45 minutes.
Tuesday: More recover running around on animal trails off of D2. ~6 miles, 1,000' - 1:08.
Sunday's race showed me that I need to do some speed work. Interestingly, a new study was published recently that makes the same argument. Entitled "Running Interval Training and Estimated Plasma Volume Variation" the study looked at whether interval training increased plasma volume in runners. After 7 weeks of training, doing intervals three times per week, those that did do intervals had a significant increase in plasma volume. This increase in plasma volume the authors believe contributed to the observed increase of aerobic fitness (maximal aerobic power and maximal aerobic speed) among those runners who did intervals, versus those that maintained their regular training. So, speed work - interval training - leads to an increase of aerobic fitness. This is well known already in terms of lactate threshold, but here is more evidence (in terms of increased plasma volume) in support of adding interval training to your running. After Sunday's race, I clearly need to do this. I just need to figure out a fun way to do so - perhaps fartleks of some kind? There is no track up here in the valley, and I don't think I could get myself to consistently do workouts if there was. However, there are plenty of miles of trails, so adding in a once a week fartlek training (instead of just hills), may be beneficial.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Bear Creek 10 Spot
Bear Creek 10 Spot
Fast! That about sums up the Bear Creek 10 Spot race. Yesterday was the 4th annual race, and boy was it fast. Held right outside of Morrison, the race is 10.4 miles (two laps) on a fairly flat course of trails and dirt roads. I've never run a race this short, nor this flat, but with the goal of getting more race experience, I figured it would be a fun time. Now, I don't do much, if any, speed work. I try and push myself on certain loops up in the valley, but otherwise, I train for longer events. So, when the gun went off, I knew right away that I had no chance of placing anywhere in the top 20. The lead group took off at a full on sprint, and the guy that won ran an average of 6:02 pace! Pretty darn fast. After the first couple hundred yards, I was in 29th place, and I kept that place almost until the end, where I finished in 1:20:27 good for 32 overall (out of 116). My average pace was 7:45, which may be the fastest I've ever run at that distance.
A couple of interesting observations. One, within literally a few hundred yards my overall place in the race was decided. I never passed anyone, and no one passed me. I find it very interesting that my overall place was already decided from the beginning. Of course, if I had crashed and burned, I would have dropped back, but again, this shows to me just how important the start is. I've also noticed this in the ultras that I ran, in that I was basically in the place I finished right from the start.
Also, the race was impacting. By that I mean both Tara and I noticed that after the race it felt like we had run on pavement, not trails. The trails at Bear Creek are fairly hard, Front Range compacted mud/dirt. The surface may have played a part, but also the speed at which I ran also made the race impacting. As I said, I don't do speed, and running all out for 10 miles really hard puts a big impact on one's knees, feet, etc.
All in all, a great race. It is fun to run these faster races with the speedsters of the Front Range, simply because you get to toe the line with some really fast people, but also because it really pushes you as a runner. Obviously, I'll never place good at these races unless I spend some time training speed, but I still think I learned so many lessons - lessons that I am still processing - that when it comes to the longer races next summer, I'll be much better at them. If you are looking for a fast 10 mile trail race to do in the fall, and you want to see how you will stack up with some of the faster runners in the Denver area, I definitely recommend this race.
Fast! That about sums up the Bear Creek 10 Spot race. Yesterday was the 4th annual race, and boy was it fast. Held right outside of Morrison, the race is 10.4 miles (two laps) on a fairly flat course of trails and dirt roads. I've never run a race this short, nor this flat, but with the goal of getting more race experience, I figured it would be a fun time. Now, I don't do much, if any, speed work. I try and push myself on certain loops up in the valley, but otherwise, I train for longer events. So, when the gun went off, I knew right away that I had no chance of placing anywhere in the top 20. The lead group took off at a full on sprint, and the guy that won ran an average of 6:02 pace! Pretty darn fast. After the first couple hundred yards, I was in 29th place, and I kept that place almost until the end, where I finished in 1:20:27 good for 32 overall (out of 116). My average pace was 7:45, which may be the fastest I've ever run at that distance.
A couple of interesting observations. One, within literally a few hundred yards my overall place in the race was decided. I never passed anyone, and no one passed me. I find it very interesting that my overall place was already decided from the beginning. Of course, if I had crashed and burned, I would have dropped back, but again, this shows to me just how important the start is. I've also noticed this in the ultras that I ran, in that I was basically in the place I finished right from the start.
Also, the race was impacting. By that I mean both Tara and I noticed that after the race it felt like we had run on pavement, not trails. The trails at Bear Creek are fairly hard, Front Range compacted mud/dirt. The surface may have played a part, but also the speed at which I ran also made the race impacting. As I said, I don't do speed, and running all out for 10 miles really hard puts a big impact on one's knees, feet, etc.
All in all, a great race. It is fun to run these faster races with the speedsters of the Front Range, simply because you get to toe the line with some really fast people, but also because it really pushes you as a runner. Obviously, I'll never place good at these races unless I spend some time training speed, but I still think I learned so many lessons - lessons that I am still processing - that when it comes to the longer races next summer, I'll be much better at them. If you are looking for a fast 10 mile trail race to do in the fall, and you want to see how you will stack up with some of the faster runners in the Denver area, I definitely recommend this race.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Dehydration And Endurance Performance
Dehydration and Endurance Performance
Dehydration is a constant concern among endurance athletes, and runners are no exception. A lot has been written and discussed about how much water must one drink to prevent dehydration, and after numerous scientific studies and Dr. Noak's recent book Waterlogged, there still seems to be no clear-cut answer. However, some consensus does seem to be forming, as a new study backs up Dr. Noak's general conclusion - drink to thirst. As the authors conclude: During exercise lasting longer than 1 hour, in which fluid is readily available, drinking according to the dictates of thirst maximizes endurance performance. In athletes whose thirst sensation is untrustworthy or when external factors such as psychological stress or repeated food intake may blunt thirst sensation, it is recommended to program fluid intake to maintain exercise-induced body weight loss around 2% to 3%.
So, as in many things with running, listening to one's body and the messages it is telling you are essential. Learning just how much water you need - and not another runner - is key. Now if I could just pin down my calorie intake for the longer races, I might be set. That is proving to be much harder then my fluids.
Dehydration is a constant concern among endurance athletes, and runners are no exception. A lot has been written and discussed about how much water must one drink to prevent dehydration, and after numerous scientific studies and Dr. Noak's recent book Waterlogged, there still seems to be no clear-cut answer. However, some consensus does seem to be forming, as a new study backs up Dr. Noak's general conclusion - drink to thirst. As the authors conclude: During exercise lasting longer than 1 hour, in which fluid is readily available, drinking according to the dictates of thirst maximizes endurance performance. In athletes whose thirst sensation is untrustworthy or when external factors such as psychological stress or repeated food intake may blunt thirst sensation, it is recommended to program fluid intake to maintain exercise-induced body weight loss around 2% to 3%.
So, as in many things with running, listening to one's body and the messages it is telling you are essential. Learning just how much water you need - and not another runner - is key. Now if I could just pin down my calorie intake for the longer races, I might be set. That is proving to be much harder then my fluids.
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