Congratulations to the Fargo Marathon Crew.
We're looking forward to the stories and the pictures.
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What cigarette do you smoke doctor?
It's true you know, more doctors actually did prefer Camels to the other brands in the 1940's...139,572 were actually polled! The good doctors even invented the T-Zone to scientifically explain to we lay-folk why Camels truly are the preferred choice. Yes sir, nothing like science to prove the positive health benefits of a good ole smoke! Thanks.. cough, cough... doc.
Mmmmm, lard... makes me happy!
You have to chuckle at these ads from the 40's. They are absurd by today's standards, but in the context of the time the ads worked. People simply didn't know better. The makers of the Camel ad claim that three independent research organizations polled 113,597 doctors, surgeons, and medical specialists across The United States and the majority preferred Camel. It wasn't until the early 50's that these same doctors started to make connections between cigarettes and health when the ads began to drift away into nostalgia. Nowadays you'd be hard pressed to find a doctor that still smokes, let alone one that would actually endorse a brand.
So, where am I going with this? At the risk of sounding preachy, I am perplexed that in spite of all we have come to learn about poor diet and smoking, all the evidence that point unequivocally to cancer, cardiac issues, diabetes, obesity, and on and on, why some people continue to make incredibly poor diet choices and continue to puff away ... even at $10.00 a pack. I respect their right to choose whatever lifestyle they like (thankfully we live in a society that allows for free choice) but I just don't understand why anyone would knowingly harm their body day after day. I just don't get it.
Here's one of the original ads of the overworked doc trying to grab a relaxing moment between patients... notice the smoking tail pipe (fitting?) and the glamorous gal (where she come from?).
Wet and cold today. My gutsy grade 8 runners logged 8 k outside while the rest of us ran laps in the gym. We had a great game of "tag it forward" involving 4 squishy balls and 60 kids. Great fun and lots of laughs. Excellent group of kids, again. 
Wednesday, 6 miles, 8.50 m/m, speed intervals.
This was the first day for speed intervals. We started running 1 minute slow jog (about 60 % max HR), and 2 minutes speed (about 80% max HR). After several intervals a little bird told me we were going way too fast... way too soon. I asked the group if they would mind if we toned it down a little, say 4 minutes slow jog and 1 minute speed. No one objected! We finished the 6 miles doing 4 and 1's and it was a good little work out. Speed training sure tuckers you out a whole lot faster than tempos.
Lynda dropped by this evening to say hello. As you know she just completed the Boston marathon and she looks smashingly healthy. She thinks she'll run the MB half-mary, but hasn't decided. Lynda, one classy dame, bought me a 2008 OFFICIAL Boston Marathon, 2008 training cap with a card thanking me for inspiring her. I appreciate the sentiment and I am honored by the compliment, but me thinks the lactic acid has moved into her cranium matter! She is the inspiration. She is the model. She is the one who motivates me. Thank you Lynda. I will cherish the hat forever and it will provide me with the focus and strength to run Boston by 2015.
Thursday, Run Club, 4 miles... good kids, good weather, good support from volunteers... what more could I ask for!? My top runners are really piling on the mileage. One of the kids training for the half-mary has logged over 120 kilometers.
Thursday Clinic, 6 miles, speed training
Henry put us through a heck of a workout this evening. His speed training is way more intense than hills. At the end of the workout he implied "this is how you'll feel at around mile 20". He's absolutely right. I felt as though I had run 20 miles in the space of 1 hour! He had us run variations of time and distance intervals. For example: 2 minutes @ 80% MHR and 4 minutes recovery or 2 k @ 75% MHR and 1 k recovery. This went on for about 40 minutes in addition to the 2 mile run to the park and 2 mile return... man I was tired. I can't say I'm looking forward to next week, but like cod liver oil and lard ;>) I know it's good for me. Speed training, says Henry, gives one the edge in a marathon. It provides added strength that'll come in handy at mile 20. At 10 miles, it was a good day.
Saturday, 18 miles, 9.34m/m pace, 2 hours, 52 minutes, 19 seconds. Jacques, Dianah, Debbie, Nazir, John, Rod, David.
Just the eight of us today. The route hugged the banks of the Red both outbound and inbound. We weaved through old Scotia Street in the North End and returned via Kildonan Trail and Whittier Park Trail. We attempted a negative split, but for some reason my Garmin didn't auto-lap at 9 miles. We picked up the pace to 9:19 (race pace) for the 2nd half so I expect we did manage a negative split. Race pace feels good; it's no longer a daunting goal, it's now an achievable and it feels right. The training is paying off in dividends! For the first time this year heat was a bit of an issue. I consumed considerably more liquid than I normally do and I still felt a little dehydrated. John struggled for the last couple of miles due to dehydration; he fell way back and Dianah kindly matched his pace and got him through to the full 18 miles. John's face was covered in white salt, a sure sign of dehydration. Nancy Clark's Food Guide For Marathoners recommends consuming 4 to 8 ounces (1/2 to 1 cup) of water every 15 to 20 minutes of hard running. Do the math... over the course of a one hour of run you need to consume 16 to 32 ounces (2 to 4 cups) of liquid, during a 4 hour marathon you need 64 to 128 ounces of fluid. I usually weigh myself pre and post run and I typically lose between 2 and 4 pounds depending on conditions and distance. One pound of weight loss during a one hour run = 16 ounces (2 cups) fluid loss. Drink accordingly, especially the week before race day. According to Doctor Lawrence Armstrong (the maker of this handy-dandy chart), your urine should never be darker than number 3.
John has located a new sports drink called Accellerade available at Wally-mart. It sounds promising. Hopefully he'll give us a run down for next week's blog.
Anyone up for the Fifty Mile Week challenge? Last year I logged 49.5 miles and I didn't realize it until I totaled my distance at the end of the week. I've been wanting to round it off to 50 ever since. Any takers?
We miss Naomi and wish her well. There's a hole in the group that once was Naomi. It's a hard one to fill :>(
Yes, buds and budetts, it was a fine week to be alive!
Week total = 35 miles
4 comments:
Still looking for the right boost and don't like gels read this.
SUN MADE SPEED
This isn't a grapevine rumor:
Raisins provide the same cardio boost as energy gels do. When San Diego State scientists had cyclists down 3.5 ounces of raisins or a similarly carb-packed gel before training , they found that both enhanced performance equally. "Raisins, however, also deliver antioxidans, fiber and vitamins," says the study author, Mark Kern,Ph.D. And at a fifth the cost of gels, raisins also help keep your wallet full.
(from Men's Health magasine)
Sounds like a good week of training! I love the speed workouts and would much rather do those than tempo ones! I liked the hydration guide. I'll have to bookmark that and remember it. It's hard to do that in a race. Any tips?
Jacque, You're so right. I've been reading Nancy Clark's Food Guide For Marathoners and she advocates "real food" as opposed to gels and sports drinks. Real food is a whole lot cheaper and, as you mentioned, contain good stuff like vitamins and fiber. It has occurred to me at this very moment that you might not want too much fiber on race day for obvious reasons! Anyhow, good post, worthy of further research. See you tonight. M
Jen, The speed workouts are killer, but apparently they make you stronger. Yes it would be difficult to check urine colour during a run ;>) (that would be real OCD now wouldn't it!). The guide would be helpful for the week or two leading up to the marathon when you want to be max hydrated. As for tips, drink more fluid than you think you need, way more if it's even a little bit hot. Did you know until the 1950's marathoners either were not allowed or they thought it wasn't good to drink before mile 9. That was the norm, first sip at mile 9!. Like lard, we've learned a lot. Rest well after that Ogden marathon. M
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