Posts by cpa_pfs

I am a high volume runner.  One of the common things we incur is that the back of the shoe rubs the Achilles.  We cut the first half inch and that solves the problem.

As to PF, I fought that for a couple of years.  Then I had an injury and was in a boot.  My PF went away.  I think it was because I sleep with my torso facing the bed and that forces my toes to point forward.  So now I sleep with my feet just off the bed.  This lets my toes point towards the ground and I no longer suffer PF.

Original Post by kelrantymus:

Original Post by jendisney8:

Thanks again, cpa! One more thing... I've noticed that sports drinks give me GI issues so i stick to water. I take in a gel about every 6 miles, with water and that has worked so far. I guess I'm just wondering how to get in some electrolytes, especially if the weather is warm, w/out Gatorade. Any ideas?

Have you tried electrolyte tabs like Nuun? I don't drink any sports drinks; too much sugar and makes me sick, too.

I do not drink carbonated drinks  ...  and Nuun tastes that way to me.  I also find that in a marathon I struggle with the sugar in sports drinks also.

I have tried every gel on the market that I am aware of.  I do not like most of them.  I can get down 2 of them  ...  but after that I debate running the balance without them  ...  as they taste just nasty.  Probably the sugar. 

I have been training with a friend who is doing and Ironman.  They have to really work on their nutrition to perform for 12 to 17 hours.  I have been exposed to a different way of viewing nutrition.  Through them, I found Infinit.  It is a custom blended concentrate that makes a sports drink.  It works for me.  If I ride 110 or 120 miles in 6 or 7 hours  ...  I still have energy.  They have a concentrate that makes a gel for runners called Napalm.  I like it and will use it this weekend in London.

Original Post by jendisney8:

Thank you, cpa! Your opinion, and those of other marathoners, is incredibly valuable and motivating! I do plan on running the full, not the half I originally signed up for. I ran a little over 19 miles on Saturday, still at a 7:55 pace. I was sore and tired but it was encouraging that I only had 7 more miles left. I think if I slow it down a little, my goal is about 8:10/mile (still BQing pace!), I will be able to complete it. Thank you so much for your reply!

JenDisney  ...  since you have decided to run the full  ...  I will share a thought I hadn't planned on sharing.  First, if you ran 19 at that pace  ...  I think you should target 3:30.  Run with either the 3:30 group  (8:00 pace) or the 3:25 group (7:50 pace).  Use them to set the pace and let your mind drift. 

I break the marathon into 3 sections.  The first half  ...  being between 1:40 and 1:45.  Then the next 7 miles  ...  where I simply want to "hold pace" and run steady.   Don't think about the remaining distance.  Then the final 6.  I run an 8 mile loop most mornings and always finish the last mile or two strong.  So I mentally run the last 6 of a marathon as if I was running my morning route.  I tell myself where I am on my morning route.  I do a lot of mental imaging.  I know how much energy and effort it takes to run my morning route well.  I tell myself I do this every day  ...  and today will be no different.  I can literally see the landmarks along my route  ...  hear my running buds chatting  ...  all in my head.  When I get to 24  ...  I finish my route  ...  the same way I do every day  ...  about a minute or so faster than I had been running.

When your mind/body knows what is left  ...  it also knows it can handle that. 

In summary, I run a half  ...  then target to get to 20  ...  then simply run my daily run and route.

Original Post by oldguysrule:  

I think that your training there in TX would give you a definite advantage, compared to others, in a warm race. It is the people who don't sweat heavily that overheat, and melt-down. I used to hardly sweat at all, and it felt like my brain was frying as soon as I got in the sun. I sweat more now, but am still heat sensitive compared to others. I look for cold races, where people quit due to hypothermia.

An Ironman will be a 12 to 15 hour race for me.  That is a long time sweating for someone who already is a heavy sweater.  I prefer the idea of November temps in AZ or FL instead of May temps in Houston where normally it will be 90 degrees and many times it is already in the high 90's.

Original Post by jaredp02:

Gotta love us vegans! Eat plants 4-eva!!

Confirmed  ...  he is a troll.

I am a marathoner and am training with a friend for his upcoming Ironman.  We train a lot.  Even then, I only train that long once a week, when I do a Century Ride  ...  and that is 5 or 6 hours.  But that is not that taxing on the body.  My weekly long run of 20 miles takes about 3 1/2 hours.  Otherwise, most of my daily training is an hour or two. 

I train to the verge of overtraining.  Yet I don't train near 4 hours a day.

I am running the London Marathon on April 21.

Original Post by kelrantymus:

cpa, you seem defensive...have you tried eating a plant?

 

Sure.  I had asparagus and corn for lunch  ...  along with grilled lamb.  :)

Original Post by kelrantymus:

cpa, I'm curious what type of nutrition you use on the bike and on the run? I'd love to start getting away from gels and blocks as much. I do bring peanut butter sandwiches on rides longer than 4 hours but I'd like other suggestions.I have gotten so I don't need to take much nutrition with me on runs shorter than 12 miles. I will take maybe one gel with me and then just salt tabs and water.

I use a custom blended product from Infinit.  It is a powder and is mixed with water.  I drink that during a long ride  ...  and it make a significant difference in my energy levels.  We usually ride fairly hard.  20 mph  ...  no drafting  ...  first stop after 50.

I use the same product on my long runs.  If I am only running my daily 8 to 13 mile runs I don't take anything.

They have a gel replacement product called Napalm that I am trying next week.

I will try anything once.  And I have tried many, many things over the years.  I train with a Tri group that is doing an IM and they use this so I tried it.  Very pleased with the results.

I usually get up at 3:05am.  Start my running, cycling or spinning at 4:00 and am done by 6:10. 

I seldom want to get up at that time.  Most mornings, that first half mile is tough.  My body doesn't necessarily want to run.  My joints and ligaments all need to get the kinks out.  My lungs question my sanity.

But after that first half mile  ...  everything changes.  I run/cycle/spin.  Like a flower blooming in the sunshine  ...  I come alive.

It takes no talent to find any one of 99 reasons not to do something  ...  talent is finding 1 reason to do it  ...  and then doing simply that.