THE SLAYER RULES-FULL Up (Page 4)

What do you mean by short course races?

I agree with bloated feeling and minimal nutrition. An athlete have to have in mind that the body cannot absorb (that) kind of large amount of nutrients at once i.e. use it properly. Fuelling on endurance workouts and races should be gradual.

As far as carb loading is concerned, there is a catch to it, but it gives you support as a reserve only for some time. If we're talking about endurance events, race day nutrition is what matters the most. Some research mention that average athlete's body have energy for 1700kcal to spend in the morning (from liver reserves) i.e. when not eating anything before the morning race. Now, if you know that an hour of running, depending on the athlete's body, uses 700kcal of energy, the scenario is obvious. Race day is what matters.

What do you mean by short course races?

Good question'

Short course Sprint and Olympic/International

Long course: HIM and IM

It always helps if we use the same definitions.

I think we can all agree about the 1-1:30 hour stores of glycogen in the liver that can be mobilized rapidly and efficiently. After that the body has to start scavenging or utilizing less valuable energy sources.

My nutrition needs haven't changed much over the years. I am still following Phase III of the South Beach - no processed food, limted meat - salads most days in the evevings.

I have had an issue with gastro on a couple of runs, once actually ended up fainting and spending a few hours in the emerg getting prodded and pocked. No issues found except that stomach was the issue and blood rushed to the offending area causing the faint.

I use GU gels, tried PowerBar gels and caused gastro issue. For a 1/2 Marathon I use 2 gels and stick the course water and gatorade. For Marathons I will use about 4 or 5 gels and also live off the course.

I will be adjusting my diet this coming year to see how it can improve my weight, want to be down to 175lb by the summer and improve my endurance.

Looking forward to hearing about everyone's progress in the months to come.

This Friday I plan to run 28k. I am keeping up with my Marathon training program schedule. I noticed I start to get blisters on 20k+ runs as the feet swell up. 4 weeks ago, on my 25k run, I earned two blisters and a blue toenail.

BT site members suggested I use some sort of creme or a spray (like trislide spray). I would like to but I can't get something like this here. How do you deal with this issue? Two weeks ago I did 20k and I just started to feel my fingers' problem. If I was to run another 2-3k I would have a difficult situation. I'm a bit frightened because on my 25k run these last 2k ruined me completely. It mentally worn me out because of the pain. I start to wonder where to pull 17k more for a full Marathon, if these problems occurred on 25k run.

Nutrition is a topic very close to my heart, being focussed on weight loss then it's something I've been particularly interested in. 

Everyday nutrition: I eat out a lot with work so often food is prepared for me but I try to keep it fairly clean and simple, real focus at the moment is on protein as it's something I tend to neglect and move towards veggie options so get all the carbs I need. Having switched to a focus on protein I've also found weight loss a lot easier. I don't eliminate any food group as they're all needed but with a focus on protein I make sure I get enough in. I easily get in my 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. 

Training nutrition: If it's a long session I'll take electrolytes with no carbs and for anything over 2 hours I will eat some easily digestible foods like a banana or granola bar. I very much favour natural over synthetic foods and cannot stand most of the bars that are made for training.

Race day: I do use jelly beans for longer races but most of the time I stick to fluids with carbs and electrolytes as I cannot stomach anything else. This is an area I need to work on for longer races. 

Ahahahahahahahahahhaa!

I'm spending today getting life back on track after having family staying with us for the past 2 weeks, my big 3-0 birthday, the subsequent party and then Christmas.  Doing lots of meal prep and scheduling all of my IM training workouts through July 2012.  Got to get it all on the schedule or it doesn't happen.

Gladiador: blisters are not fun.  The biggest thing I've found to help is really good running socks.  Of course, after a certain point, not even those help.  I've used the following: Body Glide, Vaseline (you can get that, right?), foot powder.  Don't especially like tri slide for my feet, as I prefer Body Glide.  It's also really important to cut your toenails short or they'll hit the end of your shoes and you'll lose toenails.  That said, even with all precautions, I always lose a toenail (or two) after a marathon.  If it's blue, it's going to go.  Try not to pull on it, or else it will be very sensitive.  My toenails are just staring to look normal again after CdA.  I've tried taping (doesn't work for me) and Injinji socks (socks with individual toes.  Don't work for me, but I know good runners who swear by them).

Good luck and great job on the mileage!

For me, daily nutrition isn't something I've ever really focused on. I know I need to give it more attention.  This may go against the grain here, but I have a harder time keeping my weight on. It's becoming an issue as I train more.  I think it's time I start supplementing what I eat with protein shakes to get in enough calories.

As far as race day nutrition, how do you determine how many calories needed per hour?  How did you decide what you would eat/drink during the race? I'm talking HIM distance. My guess is that the only way for me to learn this is by doing long brick workouts?

Holidays aren't over for me yet.  Still have extra family obligations today, but I'm gonna get a 3 mile run with about a 2500 yard swim in somehow!!

Weight loss during the build period is not that unusual. My IM coach freaked when I lost about 10 lbs in  two weeks. The first 30 miinutes after a had work-out is a good time to get in a recovery meal/drink. I use Ensure because it is cheap, doesn't have to be prepared or refrigerated, and easy. I keep a case in my office. It also satisfies my hunger so I don't get tempted by the snack machine, doughnuts or crackers. Some people recommend chocolate milk.

For the race I have been told that you need to take in as many calories as your gut can tolerate. This is probably not good advice. Somewhere between 200-300 cals per hour is about right for most people. 

I use Spinnervals. I try to pick out an episode that matches my training plan for the day. I find the constant blabbering of Coach Troy to be distracting enough to make the time pass quickly. I have a couple of other DVDs  that are insanely boring and I just can't tolerate. I haven't used them in years so I can't even remember what they are. I don't think you would go wrong with any of the Spinnervals but I am sure there are title that are just as good..

Sorry for just getting around to my bio. Hectic holidays.

NAME: Jordan

STORY: 30 yo, played sports in high school, drank beer in college, started running about 5 yrs ago, have done all distances except IM

CURRENT TRAINING: Run heavy, no swimming or biking until Feb

THIS YEAR'S RACES: Jeckyll Island Turtle Crawl, few road races

2012 RACES: Mtn. Mist 50k, Turtle Crawl, Charleston HIM, hopefully a Rev 3 Half or Oly

Plans: I just take it as it comes. I like to train much more than racing. Eventual goal is a full IM (maybe a year off) and some more ultras.

Weight: Never been much of an issue. Weighed about 185 in high school and throughout college. Currently weigh about 140.  At my heaviest it was usually a result of sports (football) or bad habits (junk food and beer). 

Usually am lucky enough to run with Slayer 2-3 times a week (anywhere from 5 to 26.3 miles).

I have tried just about every Gel available. They range from pretty good to awful. I tried Hammer Raspberry going uphill during an Olympic race. It was free and in my Goodie bag. It ruined my day but I learned a valuable lesson. If I want to try something new I do it during a training session. The best Gels for me are Lava gel. I can tolerate Gu but don't do very well with Hammer. It is a personal thing. 

Got in a 7.5mile run this morning in the cold of central PA.  Looking for a little temperature bump when we get back to VA tomorrow.  Training plan officially starts on Jan 2. 

As for nutrition

Day to day: as a good Italian boy, I eat more than my share of carbs.  Breakfast ends up being too many empty carbs and not much else.  Throughout the day Im pretty good, usually turkey for lunch and a bunch of fruit as snacks.  As the training hours pick up, Ill have something like rice and chicken before leaving work.  Dinner after workouts is some kind of meat and carbs.  Not enough vegetables.

I usually use shot blocks during my longer runs and bikes with water.  Race prep is pasta two nights before and pizza the night before.  More of mental comfort foods knowing that I wont have any GI problems come race day.  Morning of is a bagel with peanut butter, banana, and apple sauce.  I take Hammer gels (raspberry) at 5, 15, 25, 35, 45, and 55 miles on the bike and one shot block every mile on the run (although Ill get to a point around 8 miles where stop taking them, its all a matter of feel).

This season, Im going to try to track my food intake a lot better.  Hopefully it will help me make some better decisions as to what Im eating.  If nothing else, at least Ill be a little better educated on what Im fueling with to come up with some bench marks that I need to meet on a daily basis to be feeling at my best.

Thanks Peter - I am definitely gonna try the Ensure route, even leaving some in my office for those post  midday jogs.  It just so happens that over this past week I've gotten several comments from family members about how skinny I'm getting    Cutting down on my fiber intake particularly during breakfast should help also.

It's interesting to see everyone's take on race day nutrition. I can't wait to implement those suggestions and see how it affects my performance.

Jimmy

After a hectic couple of days my 30 week plan kicked off yesterday with a rest day. Today's session is a 30 min zone 2 run. Will be doing this in the evening as i've got another busy day with family planned.

some people prefer chocolate milk as it's close to perfect ratio carbs vs proteins (2:1, and carbs vs fat ratio4:1 or 5:1 on low fat).

correcting myself

After a day off yesterday, back at it again today:

1K swim in 19Minutes - good pace for me, need to keep this pace up for most of my swim training now.

45minutes strength work on the upper body. - Need to do more of this, I think at least once per week is needed and another time for lower body workout.

What does everyone else's strength workout regimen look like? Would be interested to hear what you guys do, so that I can improve my workouts effectiveness.