30 day squat and wall sit challenges

The past couple months my training has been up and down. I got in some big run days in January but all the crazy icy conditions have made my body revolt. But I'm glad to say I'm strong like bull again. Right now I am training based on my upcoming events, to be specific: more hills, more strength, more speed, and a progression of running longer distances. To be completely honest in the past couple years my hill training was bordering on non-existent and with running the Sinister 7 and wanting to drive home a strong time at Blackfoot, hill/climbing train is key this year. I don't want to rely solely on doing mountain repeats or snakes and ladders (Calgary Curling Club stairs) to prepare me for this year's races.

A few months ago I completed the 30 day plank challenge with great results and am proud to say, I've kept it up and am planking every second day. The sad thing is I still don't look too attractive topless but you can't have it all…right? With where my training is at this point I think it is perfect timing to introduce two new challenges: the 30 day wall sit and squat challenges. Once again, since I'm bat shit crazy I will double both.

I won't do both exercises on the same day but will interchange the workouts for 60 days. I feel doing only one of these challenges at a time would create a significant imbalance. Doing both would allow both the anterior and posterior tissues of the upper leg and hip to adapt together. On a regular basis I'm already doing 4-5 minute wall sits and 100+ squats, so that's where I will start these challenges on day 1 and 2. If all goes well on day 59 and 60 I will be doing 500 squats and a 10 minute wall sit.

I can hardly wait for the need to go jeans shopping, because my new found glorious ass will no longer fit into my current ass jeans. Remember that's what I said before the plank challenge and I still look like Homer Simpson…doh!

Don't side step life to arrive at death safely

     If you're like me, Jan/Feb is the time to finalize your race schedule. Every year I get both excited and nervous just thinking about the races that I can improve on and the distances and terrain that will ultimately challenge me. Mitchell Naufell once said, "Set your goals high because what a person accomplishes is in proportion to what they attempt." That has been very true for my running the past couple of years and has propelled me to run faster and longer than I thought possible.

      Ultrarunning Magazine published data showing the growth in popularity the sport has been gaining over the past many years. What I love about these stats is that they demonstrate how many of us are testing our own limits.

     I'm not suggesting every runner go out and sign up for a 100 miler. If you've run a handful of marathons, try a 50K. If you've been successful at the 50M distance, try your luck at the 100K. Not all races are created equal. One can't compare the flat Elk Beaver 100K with a challenging Lost Soul 100K. Same can be said for Gord's Frozen Ass Fifty and the Knee Knacker 42. So, knowing your limits and general fitness when it comes to elevation, time on your feet, aid station distances, race day temperatures, month the race day falls in, general expectations and what you want to get out of the race are all super important. 

     Is 2014 going to be the year you raise the bar? If so how high? Is it a realistic goal? Are you setting yourself up for failure? All are important questions and need to be considered and discussed with fellow ultra runners during a run or over a beer. Feedback from others can be more helpful than weighing in on the answers on your own. I believe we all have a little defeatist devil in each of us that feeds on mediocrity, wanting us to stay in the nice and comfortable situation we are in. Some would say it's a survival or preservation method. Others might say it's just plain ol' not living. In discussion with fellow ultra runners you'll find that when they took their leap, the fear didn't match up with what really happened that day. Sure it was probably hard but anything worth doing is hard.

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     Anne Transon was quoted "It hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse." In my opinion the 10K distance is the most painful of all distances. I think people think that a 100K run must hurt 10 times more than a 10K because you're grinding for 10 times the distance. This is simply not true. Everyone on their race day will expend their maximal effort not withstanding the distance they are running. So it's my belief a runner shouldn't be any more wiped after running a 50M than after a hard half marathon. The fear of the expected pain, knowing very well how tired you were after completing a 10K and multiplying that by 8 would make even the strongest runner quiver. If this were true, no one would sign up for these races but the evidence suggests otherwise. More people are extending their limits and after doing so, realize that the human potential is great…and if that is not bloody empowering, what is?!?

Ultra distances completed in 2013, Ultrarunning Magazine

     All of this 'Go People Go' stuff has got me excited and motivated to go harder and run faster in 2014. It's my belief that putting it out there for the world to see is a positive when it comes to goal setting. So here goes….In September 2014 after completing all my other goals (Blackfoot 100K, Sinister 7, World 100K championships) I will try my hand at a 24 hour race and try to run well past the 200K mark!

The Inner Drummer: Running to bpm Playlists

     Last May I ran the Elk Beaver 100K, a flat 10x10K loop around beautiful Elk and Beaver lakes in Victoria, BC. During that race I had considered myself fortunate to be running with a fast and very chatty runner/friend for the first 50K. But unfortunately for the remaining half of the race, I found myself hurting and alone with my thoughts…not a good place to be. My plan was to have a playlist of 185 bpm music to push my pace and keep my stride short and linear in the event I were to need my Inner Drummer. I'm proud to say, I finished that race in fairly consistent splits and with the fifth fastest 100K time ran in North America in 2013 (7:51)…sweet!

     There is plenty of research that indicates synchronization of a person's stride to the beat of music helps reduce the perceived effort and makes a runner run harder. Running at 180 bpm seems to be the universally accepted rate for an efficient stride pattern with less strain to the body's tissues. It's my belief that, especially when fatigued, the typical runner will start to over stride. In recent years there has been many studies indicating the majority of runners are greatly over striding. Thus, music that promotes a shorter, more bio mechanical proper stride, that when all one needs to do is dance to the beat, is advantageous whether training or racing. Running with a bpm playlist is most effective on flatter or rolling terrain. Running on mountainous terrain while doing this proves to be very difficult even though pushing a 180 bpm while climbing presents a solid challenge, yet running the descent at a 180 bpm would force an over stride and put undue forces on knees and hips. On most courses that are flatter, running at 180 bpm or greater creates more efficient speed and less injury to the joints and soft tissues associated with running.

     Research done by Runners World shows that 65% of runners like listening to music while a Nike study indicated a slightly higher percentage. So even if the majority enjoy listening to music, music itself is very subjective. Personally, I prefer the lengthier method of obtaining a playlist by using an app called the cadence bpm tapper. This allows you to manually find the exact bpm's to all of your existing music library, one song at a time, letting you customize your own bpm playlist.

A couple other great and ready to use playlists are:

PODRUNNER: A number of free podcasts set to a techno/trance rhythm that can gradually increase your cadence or push the pace on your next speed session. Best part...did I mention its free!

AUDIO FUEL: These playlists add variety to your run/pyramidization. With or without coaching instruction in the background, these dance tunes will have you pushing your cadence on your next run.

Just to mention a few songs that are on my playlist:

One - U2 183bpm
Everyday People - Arrested Development 183bpm
Love Is A Battlefield - Pat Benatar 184bpm
Gold Digger - Kanye West ft Jamie Foxx 185bpm
Muckin' Slushers - Stompin Tom Connors 185bpm
The Lovecats - The Cure 185bpm
Santeria - Sublime 185bpm
Ain't nothing like the real thing baby - Marvin Gaye 186bpm
Jamboree - Naughty By Nature 187bpm

A Year In Review

Moose mountain with John and Philippe the goat

With the year coming to an end, it makes a guy look back and contemplate the happenings in 2013. Overall, I'm thrilled about my running this past year on five fronts. Besides a very minor injury in early February, my body held up to the demands of my training. I'd like to thank my main man Tyson Plesuk at The Downtown Sports Clinics for all the amazing physio and keeping my body healthy. My friendship with my running buddy John Hubbard, who helped me get over many training hurdles this year, continues to grow strong. I was also fortunate enough to receive 3 sponsors to help ease the financial burden and support my running needs going forward. A very heartfelt thank you goes out to New Balance, Gord's Running Store and The Downtown Sports Clinics! I was able to train harder and longer than past years and as a result I had a race season that went very well.

Pneuma trail with John

New Balance kicks…sweet

My base season and training was at an all time high in 2013. This year I ran 4700 K in 202 runs. My average run was 23.2 K in length and per week would average 3.87 runs per week. This meant I had an average of 3.13 days per week that I was recovering. More recovery=more time with the family, which was a goal I set early in the year. Another goal I set was not to go over 70 K in one run during training, which I think resulted in many injuries the year prior. The vast majority of my running were done after night fall when my children were asleep, a routine that worked well with my family priorities. My longer training runs this year were no longer than 60 K but I would do multiples of these in the same week. Speed work was another focus in 2013. Getting out at least once a week to push the threshold was a great benefit at this year's ultra races. In 2012 I struggled to hold a sub 3:45 min/km pace but this year I ran a 35:30 10 K and consistently ran a 3:30 min/km pace in training! Woot woot!

Moral support at Grizzly 50K

Best crew a guy could ask for

Sam, Adele and Julia

  My racing was the best part of 2013! The year started with a fizzle with a DNF at Gord's Frozen Ass Fifty. My soleus suffered a minor tear at the 30 K mark which resulted in an immediate stoppage. Next was the 100 K National Championships at the Elk Beaver Ultra in Victoria, BC. I finished the race in first place with a time of 7:51. Couldn't be happier with that at this point, the best race of my life! Two weeks later I ran the Blackfoot 50 M just east of Edmonton, AB. I realized at the 60 K mark, I needed a hell of a lot longer to recover from a fast 100 K than two weeks. Struggling through the final 20 K I finished in first place in a time of 6:57. Next I took on my first 100 M at the Lost Soul Ultra in Lethbridge, AB. Super pumped, I took off like a shot completing the first two loops (107 K) in course record time. My lack of experience and issues on the final loop slowed me to come in at 21:26, about 30 min. off the CR but still in first place by around 2 hours. That race was one that I learned the most on; a turning point of sorts. My final race of the season was the Grizzly 50 K at the Canmore Nordic Center. This race attracted some of the best 50 K runners around. Though I am not a strong 50 K racer, I felt that I ran a solid race at Grizzly. Finishing in 6th place in a time of 4:19 I felt like it was a great way to finish the year in an absolute beautiful setting.

First 100M…ouch

Me and Sharon at Elk Beaver 100K

With my finish at the Elk Beaver 100 K I earned a spot on the National 100 K team which was set to go to the World 100 K championships in South Africa. Unfortunately this event was cancelled. I was so looking forward to travelling and running at the world caliber event but I'll just have to get faster and make the 2014 team going to Latvia next year.

All of this could not be possible if it wasn't for the support and love of my beautiful wife and my three wonderful children. I could go on and on but this post is already long enough. LOVE YOU GUYS!! 

So now I ask myself "What have I learned, what would I do differently and what will I continue doing?"

Plans for 2014: More speed work + more base mileage + more rest time + bigger focus on climbing + more cross training + keep up the awesome physio + represent New Balance, Gord's Running Store and The Downtown Sports Clinic to the best of my ability = EVEN FASTER RACE RESULTS!!!

3 best ultra podcasts

It's base season once again, time to get out and grind the miles. You're out for a 5 hour run in the dark and all alone..IT'S PODCAST TIME. I've compiled my 3 favorite ultra running podcasts in order from my fave to least. All are awesome for their own reasons. Tell me what you think. Click on each title to link to the respective podcasts.

1. ULTRARUNNERPODCAST.COM

Scotty Sandow and Eric Schranz are two wicked funny guys that definitely know how to interview a guest. Always asking the right questions we listeners want to hear. Their interviews range from crazy elite runners to some of the sports oddities to some great coaches and nutritionists. What's cool about this podcast is that Scotty and Eric are just two average guys who, like the rest of us, are absolutely awestruck when in the company of these elites. Thus asking the question that are relevant to us runners. My fave episode has gotta be the Sunny Blende interview. Sunny is a nutritionist and ultrarunner who explained in plain terms ultra nutrition, hydration and what to do when things go bad. The only problem was while I ran listening to the interview, I didn't have pen and paper to retain all the wisdom. The tail end of every interview is called the farkleg round. It's a number of rapid fire questions always concluding with "what is your favorite beer"! Awesome guys! I give this podcast a 10/10!

2. TALK ULTRA

If you could choose just one podcast with every single ingredient that makes a great listen this would be it. Hosted by Ian Corless (an elite ultra runner himself), Talk Ultra is a lengthy podcast covering international ultra marathoning news and events, detailed interviews, product reviews, pre/post race interviews and pretty much anything ultra related. Approached from an elite runners perspective they delve straight into the competitive aspect of the ultra community asking about racing and training that only a first hand elite could. I find listening to this podcast makes me realize I've got a hell of a long way to go and all along realize my pace has picked up for the duration of the broadcast. The only negative thing I can think of is the poor audio quality. For all the right reasons, I give this podcast a 9/10.

3. ENDURANCE PLANET

If you pay super attention to nutrition and are meticulous about your training this podcast is for you. This podcast brands itself as relevant to any endurance sport but to be honest, it is mostly directed toward Ironman athletes and marathoners. Tawnee Prazak interviews some of the world's best exercise physiologists and endurance nutritionists to pass along detailed and breaking science to the ultra/endurance community. Bordering on excessive, the information discussed is extremely useful when negotiating races exceeding 8 hours. In my opinion, the detail which is presented is too complicated for me (maybe that's why I run trail ultras not triathlons) but when I feel the need for attention to detail Endurance Planet is my go to podcast. I give it a 7/10.

2013 CTR Santa Chase

Nothing says Christmas like over dressing in a warm Santa suit along with beard and hat and getting out for a run with friends. That's exactly what I did on Dec. 19th with my fave running group the Calgary Trail Runners for there inaugural Santa Chase. Accompanied by about twenty runners wearing holiday headgear, we embarked on the snow covered trails in the Weaselhead alongside the Glenmore reservoir in Calgary. An urban trail run with more laughs than Santa could fit into his sleigh could only end in one way…a pub. Santa enjoyed a pint of Guiness and when he felt jolly and full, surprised all the good young trail runners, both naughty and nice (but mostly naughty) with a set of balls…protein balls that is of course! 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD RUN!!!

DIY Protein Balls

     If there's anything I hate, it's paying way too much for quality protein bars. For this reason and for the enjoyment of baking with my kids, I've started making my own. My dietitian, Samara Feleski-Hunt at The Downtown Sports Clinics gave me this fantastic recipe which doesn't just fulfill my nutritional needs but also saves me a ton of cash.

     Everyone I've given these to has raved about them and noted that they don't taste at all like protein bars, most have gone home and made some themselves. The biggest test was the passing grade I received from the three most discerning critics I know: Julia, Sam, and Adele!

Protein Balls

Per ball: Calories:166, Protein:10.5g, Carbs:20g, Fibre:2g, Fat: 5.5g, Sat.Fat1.5g

This recipe will make 40-45 balls. Store in a zip-lock bag in freezer. 

These freeze well and make for wicked healthy treats for kids and are great for Christmas parties.

5 cups whey isolate chocolate protein powder

3/4 cups cocoa powder
1 cup peanut or almond butter
1 cup honey
10 tsp flax oil
3 cups dried cranberries
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Combine whey protein and cocoa powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix the nut butter, flax oil, and honey. Combine the two mixtures until well blended. Add the chopped cranberries. The consistency should be similar to play dough. If it seems too dry, add 1/4 cup of water or a little extra honey. If it seems too wet, add extra cocoa powder or protein. Form into bite size balls and roll in the coconut. Chill in the fridge for 15 min. and enjoy. The ingredients bellow will make 40-45 balls.