The Winter of Scarcity that Never Comes

This is my hypothesis:

Our distant ancestors had access only to berries in the late summer.  We consumed them and they were sweet which gave us a reward in our pleasure centers of our brains.  We ate them specifically to gain weight for the upcoming winter.  A food intended to fatten us up should NOT have a satiating trigger, that would defeat the purpose.   

Fast forward to today, sweet is available all the time.  Still no satiety trigger.  We are constantly fattening for a 'winter' of scarcity that never comes.  

If only there was a controlled way to test this... for example:

• In the upcoming That Sugar Film, Damon Gameau, a filmmaker and TV actor, vows to follow a strict diet of “healthy,” low-fat food with high sugar content, News.com.au reported....

• Gameau reportedly consumed 40 teaspoons of sugar per day, or slightly more than the average teenager worldwide, according to News.com.au. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the average American consumes 20 teaspoons of sugar daily

<40 teaspoons of sugar?? "to match averages." What did he do, just shoveled sugar in his mouth? Not exactly.>

• “All the sugars that I was eating were found in perceived healthy foods, so low-fat yogurts, and muesli bars, and cereals, and fruit juices, sports drinks ... these kind of things that often parents would give their kids thinking they’re doing the right thing.”

• Within three weeks, the formerly healthy Gameau became moody and sluggish. A doctor gave him the shocking diagnosis: He was beginning to develop fatty liver disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, the most severe outcome for fatty liver disease is liver failure.

• Gameau said his sugar-laden diet left him feeling hungry, no matter how much he ate.

These are highlights taken from this news Article: "Man eats sugar-heavy diet for 60 days, receives shocking diagnosis"  (stupid click bait title, must be the new norm')

PR87 Mark Lofquist: Paleo Running

I talk with Mark Lofquist about his transition to barefoot and minimalist footwear.

I talk with Mark Lofquist about his transition to barefoot and minimalist footwear. Mark has an incredible story about how barefoot and minimalist shoe running allowed him to run pain free and enjoy the sport of running. We also talk about his experience with the Paleo Diet and Crossfit Endurance.

Sponsors:
– 3Fu3l: 3FOLSON http://www.3fu3l.com
– Audible http://www.audibletrial.com/paleorunner

Follow:
– YouTube https://youtube.com/runneraaron
– Facebook https://www.facebook.com/runpaleo
– Twitter https://twitter.com/runpaleo
– Website http://paleorunner.org/

Feedback:
– Voicemail: (612) 567-2471
– email aaron@paleorunner.org

Quotes:
“I realized the I could run more miles in my Vibram FiveFingers than I could in any other shoe/insole combination, ever. The first few runs I picked up some distance and was surprised that I could run the next day without soreness. The thinner the better is what I learned.”

Chapters & Links:
Episode http://paleorunner.org/2014/12/pr87-mark-lofquist-paleo-running.html/
00:00:00 3Fu3l: 3FOLSON http://www.3fu3l.com/shop/
00:00:39 Mark Lofquist http://paleorunners.blogspot.com/
00:01:29 How did you get started running? 
00:02:35 How did you improve on your running? 
00:05:45 How long did it take to transition to minimal shoes? 
00:08:05 Working with Eric Orton http://amzn.to/1FJ1Kl1
00:10:03 Transitioning to a barefoot style of running 
00:10:34 Newton shoes http://amzn.to/1yBxMx0
00:10:41 Vibram FiveFingers http://amzn.to/1yuKKvG
00:11:20 How many miles did you start with? 
00:14:17 Can everyone run barefoot? 
00:14:49 Barefoot/Minimalist Runners Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/barefootminimalist/
00:16:43 Crossfit Endurance http://amzn.to/1wcVoJ3
00:19:30 How many miles per week do you run? 
00:20:10 Paleo Diet http://amzn.to/1rNYVa6
00:21:52 What was the major dietary modification? 
00:22:52 What do you eat? 
00:23:02 Microwave egg cooker http://amzn.to/1v4JZEH
00:23:52 Coconut oil http://amzn.to/1HRXf9X
00:24:23 Grass fed butter http://amzn.to/1z8W3ZH
00:26:33 Perfect Health Diet by Paul Jaminet http://amzn.to/1rO1hG3
00:26:37 Chris Kresser’s Book http://amzn.to/1CysA13
00:28:00 How fast could you run 1 mile? 
00:29:09 Audible Trial http://www.audibletrial.com/paleorunner

Qualitative thoughts about running form

Built to Run: If you have been convinced by the science that upright-walking humans are formed over time to be the ultimate long distance running machines in dry hot weather.  If you have not heard this hypothesis and its supporting evidence, please click here.



Running Form: With a rudimentary understanding of human anatomy we can make some assumptions about the running form most conducive to our structure.  Some of the action verbs required to run:

• Twist - the trunk 
• Swing - legs/arms
• Reach - reach in front and bhind
• Absorb - landing, absorbing the momentum down loads the springs of the body 
• Propel/Push-Off - propel over the landed foot, and extend legs, toe off.

Big to Small: Always tackle a problem big-to-small.  Working on the assumption that the biggest muscles need to bear the biggest loads.

1. The glutes:

"The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the human body. It is large and powerful because it has the job of keeping the trunk of the body in an erect posture. It is the chief antigravity muscle that aids in walking up stairs."

The glutes do two things: keeps you from folding in half like a pocket knife and pushes your thigh from a raised position to a lowered position (sitting to standing).  If you have good upright, "hips-open" posture when running, you can dedicate this muscle group to absorbing and propelling the leg down and back.  If your posture is bad, you engage the glute to keep you from folding in half.  The glutes need to share their capacity to maintain your bad posture AND run.  The strongest movement of the glutes is pushing back - this is what propels you forward.  Try to fire this muscle when it contributes most.  The glutes are ~25% of your running muscles, make them do 25% of the work.  (25% pulled from the sky.)

   2.  The quads:

The next biggest cluster of muscles and cetrtainly the longest.  The Quads is an eccentric powerhouse, it absorbs your landing, turning all that downward momentum into stored energy.  The quads stops you from collapsing and in contraction straightens your leg.  It is the heel-cushioned running shoes that incorrectly allows you to straighten your leg WAY too soon.  Landing with knees slightly bent stored the most energy, straightening the leg should happen at push-off, firing simultaneously with the glutes.  It's the one-two punch of propulsion.  The quads are ~20% of your running muscles, make them do 20% of the work.  (20% pulled from the sky.)

  3. The trunk:

Twisting the trunk is often over looked.  We coach pitchers, batters, boxers, golfers, etc to originate motions in the hugely muscled trunk.  A perfect punch begins at the foot, twists the hips, twists the trunk extends the arm.  The arm is a messenger of the forces generated from the 'big boys' of the muscle groups.  Running is the inverse of that.  A trunk twist turns into a foot motion.  Twisting the trunk allows the reach portion of the running stride and extends the push off out the back.  The more the twist, the longer the stride (at the same cadence).  I think of the 'X' created by the shoulders and hips when I'm driving my knee forward and pushing out the back.  Arm swing exists only to engage this twisty spring mechanism.  The trunk is ~15% of your running muscles, make them do 15% of the work.  (15% pulled from the sky.)

4. The hamstrings

Next on the size-matters comparison is the hammies (I told you, conversational tone, this is no kinesiology class).  Hamstrings do the opposite of the quads, and fold the leg to make the knee drive easier.  The torque on the hip flexors during the swing phase is a function of leg weight AND leg length.  You can't lighten your leg, so make it shorter by folding it.  Engage hammies to bend the leg before (or syncopated) to leg swing forward.  This is why leg-swing-forward is referred to as knee-drive, not foot drive.  Hip flexors getting sore?  Try engaging hamstrings sooner! The hamstrings are ~12.5% of your running muscles, make them do 12.5% of the work.  (12.5% pulled from the sky.)

       5.  The gastroc chain

Shorten to 'the calf'.  Absorbs energy eccentrically allowing the heel to drop to the ground in a controlled manner.  Energy return happens at push off.  If you raise your heel with heel cushioning in your shoes then you're reducing the effectiveness of this energy return mechanism.  This is why people that transition to minimal shoes or barefoot in one day complain about calf soreness.  these > 1 inch heel raises in shoes limits the calf range of motion from 5-10%.  (reminder, if you see a '%' then the number is pulled from my rear, i meant he sky.)  The calf is not a muscle used to push the body in the air at push-off, it's relatively too small. Absorb, hold, return - it's due to fire at the end of the glute/quad firing and just before the hamstring folds your leg.  This phase in the running sequence is sometimes referred to as toe-off. Calves sore? Try lifting the foot with heel and forefoot at the same time - lift your foot flatfooted. The calves are ~7.5% of your running muscles, make them do 7.5% of the work.  (7.5% pulled from the sky.)

 6. The foot

Almost a copy paste from above, the foot muscle contribute a small but necessary component in the absorb/release phases.  Most important is that the foot is thought to contribute ZERO, so strap them to an unmoving slab of wood (eg 'supportive' shoe).  We ignorantly turn off any foot contributions by selecting the wrong shoes.  Let the arch load eccentrically and return it's share to the push off, that's what it's for!  The feets are ~5% of your running muscles, make them do 5% of the work.  (5% pulled from the sky.)

        7.  Others - supporting muscles that help (sometimes hinder) the balance and movements of these larger groups.  The shoulders, traps, glute medius, muscles for balancing, muscles for left-right (frontal plane) movements comprise the rest.

Summary: Asking too much from a smaller muscle group will limit your performance or distance quick!  Having an awareness of what's getting tired, sore or hurt will give you clues of what groups aren't pulling their weight.  Practice mindfullness with your runningfullness!  Remember, endurance isn't how hard a muscle can work - it's as much turning off the muscle groups when not in use.

100: Head/Heart/Feet

100: Head/Heart/Feet opens is an amazing look into the Vermont 100 (VT100).  At this point it's the most decorated ultrarunning film, appearing at 12 film festivals, receiving  director's award.  We follow Zak Wieluns in his third attempt at completing the VT100.  As the story unfolds of race, we flash back to his training and previous attempts.  This story is complemented with stories of other endurance athletes and germane interviews from professionals.  Anyone in the sport has failed an attempt at an event, or knows someone who has.  (Know thyself in my case!)

I am a sucker for these films since it is my sport.  I was stoked to be offered a chance to view a Kickstarter Screener.  I guess my wood working background appealed to 'Hammer and Saw films' (hehe).

100: Head/Heart/Feet opens at an aid station 'somewhere in Vermont' at 10:30pm we see a race that has been going on ALL day.  Weigh-ins for the runners, medical attention, head lamps, cramps, scrapes and (notably) dozens and dozens of volunteers, crew'ers.  So much support.  As a runner, I seldom get to see the behind-the-scenes work, concerns, logistics and support that goes in to races like this.  Movie summary from the creator's the site:

“100: Head/Heart/Feet” will follow the day-to-day life of ultra-runner Zak Wieluns as he trains for and finally runs a 100 mile race. The actual event is called the Vermont 100 Endurance Race, one of the original 100 mile runs in the USA. This year the Vermont 100, which raises funds to benefit the Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports Association, celebrates its 25th anniversary, promising an even more competitive challenge for the 300 dedicated runners who attempt to complete this grueling competition over Vermont’s paved streets, gravel back roads and wooded trails…in daylight and darkness…all within 30 hours. A well-trained few will complete the race; many will never cross the finish line.

Being a 'recreational' runner, like Zak, one finds a struggle for not just the runner but also for those close to the runner.  Many of us are: parents, husbands, cubicle-slaves, and.... also wanting to run 10-20 hours per week??  John Lacroix is interviewed in the movie and makes the most salient points about how the hobby of unltrarunning is <paraphrased> what we need to be happy.  It is important our loved ones understand that.  With equal fervor, we must encourage our loved ones' pursuits for equivocal levels of happiness! (just my opinion.)

This movie is the story of a journey, finishing something you've started.  Lean on people you care about to help you through your journey.  Never be afraid to ask for help.  I cried three times during this well put together documentary*.  The filming shifts to focus in on small details of what a runner might notice.  Explains the physical and emotional pains of reaching far to achieve something great.  This movie is for everybody, whether or not you plan to run 100 miles.

My favorite line: "dude I really smell, seriously I think I really smell."

My favorite scene: The recurring interjections of a sports psychologist explaining the underlying rationale an endurance athlete is making the decisions and reasoning they exhibit.  Tied with the interviews of ultra-athletes that give their own applicable experiences.  

What bothered me about the movie: The concept of weigh-ins for endurance athletes.  It's ok to see if someone is gaining too much weight (overdrinking!)  But losing weight in an endurance event will never lead to dehydration as is suggested.  It's not the movie-makers' fault for this potentially misleading information.  The concepts of calories in = calories out and drink to lower body temperature or avoid dehydration are antiquated and need to stop.  Hundreds of endurance athletes have overhydrated and died through exercise associated hyponatremic encephalopathy (EAHE).  Many times by EMTs not knowing what the athlete is suffering from and adding more hydration intravenously.  It's a pet-peeve of mine that this dogma continues.

Support the sport, see the movie.  Then train for something hard!




*As a teenager I swam for the state.  I was tested for VO2max, step-tests, etc.  At the time, I was under the impression I would be some notable athlete.  Mostly it was natural ability, decent genes.  After a misspent youth and young adulthood, I didn't do another competitive event until I was 39 years old.  Watching Zak go through some of the athletic testing resurfaced some of those emotions.  So well filmed, it hit me hard.

"So if you'll excuse me, there's someone I need to get in touch with and forgive.... myself"
-Fat Bastard

Phone ArmBand

Carrying my phone on a run is non-negotiatble with me.  I'm making calls on low HR runs, listening to audiobooks/podcasts.  I love being outside, but as a paleorunner in a modern age I have found I need constant information.  Always learning.

 I once bought a set of headphones that came with an armband for my phone.  I became a big fan of holding the phone up high on the arm.  Soon after I tore it trying to fit credit card, building id card, car key, etc etc in there.  the armband adjustment was just folding the material - pretty cheesey.

Old phone arm band

Then I bought a bigger phone and had to retire this thing.  I went to carrying phone in my hand!  Or using 'Ultra' style vest just to have my phone with me.  Carrying it in my hand cost me $hundreds in cracked screens.  You never think you're going to trip... until you do.  :(

This new mofo from ArmPocket has it all.  It's roomy, extra pocket inside for incidentals.  There is a strap that keeps phone pressed against the inside of the clear plastic.  Touchscreen work just fine.  If you have Siri (or equivalent) you can execute quite a few commands by telling her what to do.

A photo posted by Mark Lofquist (@malofquist) on Oct 10, 2014 at 12:43pm PDT

New phone arm band.

A photo posted by Mark Lofquist (@malofquist) on Oct 10, 2014 at 12:44pm PDT

The Goods:

Easy to use adjustment strap. Extra Pocket.  Velcro to hold extra headphone cable.  Unzips/zips easily.  Touchscreen work through plastic.

The bads: Still searching for a downside.  Will take getting used to if you're new to an arm band, like you have to think through how to shed/add layers.  My only issue, and this seems silly- the zipper tabs are metal and there's two of them.  They *clink* together and I think there's something moving in the woods :).  Maybe it's just that I need to relax a little.

If you have to carry a phone, use this product.

Injured?? How could *I* be injured??

...Um, because I'm dumb and overreached.  

A rant:

After 5 years of injury-free running (5 years being the extent of my running ‘career’).  Starting in 2009 at age 39.  Ffwd to Spring 2014, running ~50-60mpw with 10-14k feet of elevation.  Mostly 70-90min runs at lunch time up into technical trails.  

Took a MAF test (fix heart rate to 180-(your age) and run 4 miles after warm up, record your average pace) on the only flat land around my neighborhood. I was clicking off 6:50-7:15 pace.  

Mid June broke my second toe (on business travel, tripped on a flat non-technical trail in Boston, ironic) and took 5.5 weeks off - cold turkey.  I cancelled a few summer races (reluctantly).  By mid July I was running again.  I tried to match pace and distance from before injury.  I had one more trail marathon I wanted to do in mid August.  With a month of training, I could regain the fitness I had.  no?  

I did a MAF test and noticed 8:45-9:15 min/mile!  Very sad I’d slowed so much with 5 week break.  

In my runs before the race, I was sore after my lunchtime runs.  Felt nice to be sore, but this made me abandon long runs on the weekends to adequately recover.  *Never run so sore that it affects your form!  

The marathon came, I had no expectations.  I ran it pretty well, but was limping the end of it.  The second half was all downhill and I found myself walking parts of it.  Just felt like I couldn’t handle that much time on my feet.  My longest training run was ~12miles since the toe break.  

I took the day off after the race felt good!  Just little aches and pains.  That Tuesday I decided to take a little recovery run.  Just to see how I felt.  I was 2-3 miles in and I was loose and feeling fine.  I ran some decent miles expanding my planned route.  Then I felt the pains that made me walk in the race.  I slowed then walked, then limped.  Nothing traumatic, just right leg seized up in many places.  *I am horrible at self diagnosing injury, level of pain, etc.  All I know is I couldn’t swing my legs correctly.  Reminds me of the sad image of when an animal gets hit by a car then tries to run away and seems surprised that their limps don't move the way they expect :'(. 

I took 4-5 days off.  Every day seemed to hurt more, limping while walking.  I tried a lunch time run, three miles out, then limped back.  Then repeat (4-5 days off, try, limp).  

Very unscientifically I threw a lot of things at it: NKT, ART, x-ray (no stress fracture), wraps, splints, acupuncture.  Actual diagnosis was soft tissue damage along fibula 2-3 inches above ankle.  This was the opposite leg from toe-break.  Probably some compensation issues and maybe rolled my ankle one too many times coming down a mountain.  

Late September, after a cortisone shot and a little bravery, I ran very slowly.  Every step hurt the same amount, but I felt my form was somewhat in tact.  That night and the next morning I noted that I felt much better.  I could walk without a limp.  I ran again, just 50mins this time, same slow pace.  Hurt during, but better after!  Repeat all week.  My MAF pace at this point was 11:30 min/mile.  Very depressing, but I’m so happy to be out there moving!  Part of this slow MAF pace is my form isn’t right, I’m purposely shuffling.  

The injury still prevents me from lifting my body weight (one foot’ed calf raise) on my right foot.  I can not jump rope, or launch off a rock with right foot.  I give runners advice all the time NOT to run if they can't do these movements.  But I think I'm being ginger enough.  I am closely tracking my runs limiting them to (180-44)bpm and only 4miles.  I have 2 routes I'm running, one hilly and one flat.  I will do these for 6 weeks (1 week down, 5 to go).  

HR fixed to 135 BPM
Course 2miles out, two miles back (Skunk trail)
			Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
	Mile	elev'	9/29/2014		10/1/2014	10/2/2014	10/3/2014
Hilly course	1	303	13:47		13:29	14:06	14:22
	2	402	16:06		15:37	14:43	16:17
	3	-402	11:10		11:15	10:17	11:04
	4	-303	10:32		10:22	9:40	10:11
			avg = 12:53		avg = 12:41	avg = 12:10	avg = 12:59
HR fixed to 135 BPM
Course 2miles out, two miles back (at home, flat)
	Mile	elev'
Flat course	1	-16		10:56				11:15
	2	43		11:12				11:53
	3	-51		11:26				11:31
	4	18		11:34				12:21
				avg = 11:25				avg 11:44

Still a work in progress.  Will post an update, and turn this into a 'part one'.  

I am elastic already i don't need your help

Elasticity - the ability of an object or material to resume its normal shape after being stretched or compressed.

When landing on your foot or feet, you compress tendons, ligaments, muscles.  If you return to original shape quickly enough, the stored energy in the springier elements in this kinetic chain give you an extra push.  Even when running slowly, pop your feet up quickly and deliberately to take advantage of this. 

To test how quick, deliberate motions take less effort, try jumping an imaginary rope at a natural rhythm for 10 jumps.  Then try to jump once every 2 seconds for 10 jumps.  Which took less energy?

 Your natural jump rope rhythm and rate-of-bounce turns on an amazing kinetic chain that returns much of the landing energy (ground force reaction) to the next jump.  To turn off segments of that chain try this.

10 jumps on your imaginary jump rope without bending your knees (turns off quad and hamstring absorption). Reset.  10 jumps on your imaginary rope landing on your heels (turns off lower leg, or gastroc. chain including achilles tendon, calf, soleus, etc). 

Now to the cushioning.  An extreme example of cushioning would be jumping on a trampoline.  If you tried jumping rope on a trampoline, you'd find it's ~3 seconds per hop.  You are adjusting to the resonance of the trampoline's elasticity.   You proved your natural rhythm is much faster, but you had to move to an unnatural rate to accommodate an outside spring put in series with your built-in springs.  

A less dramatic example would be hold a marble 24" from a hard counter top surface and let it bounce.  notice its first bounce is only a few inches less than 24.  Now place a paper towel on that counter and repeat.  You've lost 50% of the bounce.  The marble deforms more and thus returns more energy without the 'help' of the thin cushion.  Try a thicker cushion, try something springy - anything make bounce higher than the original test?  The poor deformed marble needs to re-expand to its original shape to deform this new cushion THEN push itself back up. 

These examples are of simple systems, elasticities that are rigid and only one value.  The beauty of the human form is muscles can tighten and relax in a way to adjust the elastic properties of your kinetic chain.  If you've ever ran across a trampoline, the trick is to pop your foot up so fast that you don't have time to sink into the trampolines large elastic value.  Pop-pop-pop.  That actually takes more energy, but you compensated.  Your shoes' cushions are the same way.  You can compensate, change your natural rate, vary your leg's spring-compliance but why should you? Why are treadmills another layer of springiness you didn't ask for? 

My first minimal shoes were slabs of thin, hard rubber with no foam and no EVA (also... no spring, rockers, air pockets, etc).  It took some getting used to but letting the natural springs take over took me from 5km to 80km runs.  

Beware of those unintended consequences.  Remember that 'help' isn't always helpful.    

How to Climb a Mountain

Maybe that should read 'why climb a mountain'.

When I did the Pikes Peak Marathon in 2013, I knew it would be ~6-7 minutes per mile slower than my road marathon pace.  This can be frustrating for a 'runner' where moving slower can seem like failure, in a way.  But if you fix effort level which can be measured by heart rate, an inclined run can turn into a walk and yield the same 160 bpm that a 7 minute/mile pace flat run can yield.

The PPM is an out and back, you get to see every runner.   It's amazing to see the range of human performance in that sample.  Some front-runners are **trucking** long strides, large broad jumps over obstacles - to - those that are doing a sort of zombie walk, leaning on rocks to catch their breath.  A  small handful of runners were heading back down the mountain having missed the cut offs at certain aid stations.

In 2013 my PPM training was convenient since I lived in Manitou Springs.  I could leave my house (on foot) and in 3 miles, I was on the Barr Trail.  For my weekly long runs, I practiced ascending to 8,000, then 9,000, etc etc until I reached the top.  I ascended the full summit 4 or 5 times before the PPM '13, taking the train back down.  I ascended by train and descended by foot a couple times.  Somehow the race went very poorly for me.  5 months of living in Colorado, the training runs, I expected to be 5:30, but it took me 6:48!  Poor estimates like this leave my wife waiting nervously at the finish line.

This year, I'd moved to Boulder training in 5,500-8,200 feet of elevation without taking a road trip.  Family/work life does lend itself to making trips to 14ers for true altitude training.  My training runs got ~20miles by late May (for the August race).  But in early June, on a business trip to Boston I tripped on a trail run and broke my toe - bad.  Cleanly, but non-displaced, fracture of intermediate metatarsal of my second toe.  This being my longest toe, any toe-off stage of gait re-stressed the fracture.  I had to be careful.  I took off the rest of June and most of July.  In my big come back I tried a 13mile sea level flat training run and I was hurting the next day(s).  Even shin splints, which I hadn't felt since my first attempts of running in 2009-10.  I was clicking off some nice 9 mile hilly runs by August.  No long runs, no altitude, but some signs of strength.

PPM 2014 arriving.  I discussed my plans for the race with my mom.  Getting someone who knows me so

Just don't trip, just don't trip

well, but doesn't understand the sport is ALWAYS helpful.  She said 'just don't trip'.  Such a simple statement and it rang in my head tap-tap-tap-just-don't trip-just-don't-trip-tap-tap-tap.  Thanks mom!  It worked, I didn't trip.  There is carnage after this race, much open wounds from many who fell!  I was not one of them.

My ascent felt great, I was walk/running watching my Heart Rate Monitor(HRM) occasionally.  NOT concerned with distance.  I tried to stay under 160, preferably 156 bpm.  I knew I could hold that for hours and hours.  In 2013 it took me just over 4hours to get up there (worse than most training runs).  PPM 2014 seemed all about restraint, I held that heart rate!  I passed person after person and ascended in 3:40.  Given my training I couldn't expect a better time, but it happened!

Is my camel-toe showing?

The turn around felt amazing, I was bounding and zig-zagging.  I thought I was making good time.  After a few miles down, I could feel the lack of volume in my training.  My muscles were tightening up even before mile 20.  Even on the less technical sections I felt like I was lucky to dip into ~10 minute/mile pace :(.  I felt the sting of people passing me.  'Just don't trip Just don't trip' kept working.  I saw people fall, people cramp up and limp off the course.  People that missed the time cut offs.  I felt ok with where I was.  I consumed ~4 scoops of Ucan Superstarch, 4 honey stinger gels, and a few handfuls of grapes (at aid stations).  For my effort level, it felt like I was perfectly sated.  Taking in 600 calories, and burning 4600 calories proves I'm pretty well fat-adapted.  A fat-burning machine?  ;).

Crossing finish line just a few minute past my goal.

Soaking my legs that would cramp  if I moved them too fast!

The final 1-1.5 miles on road surface I felt like a robot, and the finish I felt like smiling.  Temperatures reached 104 degrees in the sun on the descent.  I KNEW I'd lounge in the creek at the end.  I could feel it towards the end.


My Nathan Quickshot water bottle, Ultimate Direction AK Race vest, and Born2Run Trail Shoes worked flawlessly.

The details of my 'performance':

http://www.strava.com/activities/181738822

Overuse injuries?

The are no overuse injuries, just underuse: 

If running far is not normal to you and you get hurt, it's because you've under-ran in the past not over-ran in the present.

— PaleoRunners (@PaleoRunners) July 29, 2014

falling asleep just like running?

My latest focus in running is relaxation.  A body-audit, if you will.

Pick a body part that I shouldn't be engaging for running and ask myself if it's flexed or relaxed.  Muscles you've identified as not helping, then ask yourself if it's relaxed.  Try flexing then releasing.  Pay attention to your running form, the sound of your steps, and your breathing.

Letting go of unneeded muscles will lower your heart/breathing rate, functioning economy improvements.

I have noticed I can incorporate this technique as I fall asleep. Its good practice for muscle relaxation while running. I noticed when I lay down to sleep my hands make tight'ish fists. Recognizing this and flattening out my hands changes my breathing and increases relaxation. Flex a foot then relax it. Notices the difference?  Flex gastric chain then relax it.  Notice Tue difference. Turning off everything allows sweet sleep. Relaxing most things allows for sweet runs.


* This topic supports my theory that the key to endurance is not ability to engage muscles but is the ability to relax muscles. Extrapolated explains a cramp-inability to release a completely flexed muscle. Watching heart rate creep to maintain the same intensity is due to recruiting muscles you don't need for the motion.

Take your time adding more weight to your lifts

Take your time.  

When trying to get stronger.  Say your form is GOOD, rock solid.  

Once form is locked in, getting stronger means the entire chains strengthens. The gains you’ll see given appropriate time to recover:

Muscles take ~90days

Connective tissue takes >200 days

Bone density increases in ~2years

Keep increasing the weights you’re lifting too soon and outpace the connective tissue and bone density and you’ll fail.  

Lift a weight that’s HEAVY for you until lifting it is inconsequential.  Spend months on the same weight perfecting it.  When it no longer causes any adaptations increase that weight, and you’ll be surprised how far you’ve come searching for that next weight that’s heavy for you.  Repeat the cycle.  

What’s your hurry?  

Ask Coach Sommer, Robb Wolf did:

http://robbwolf.com/2014/07/01/episode-230-coach-sommer-gymnastic-bodies/

Skora Summer Sale

Why Are Fat People Hungry

Weight loss is a terrible goal when simply living, eating and playing in a healthy-ancestral way has the side benefit of a 'nice' body.  A body that suits your pheno-type.  But some people are into solving symptoms like 'losing weight' instead of 'identifying why they need to lose weight.'

I always ask the question 'why are fat people (those who store excess adipose tissue) hungry'?  

I weigh 157 pounds with ~6% body fat.  Let's round up to 10lbs of fat, that's 35,000 dietary calories of energy.  That is enough stored energy to run every second i'm awake for 10days, and I am a pretty small dude.  Yet people with 5, 10, 50, 100lbs of fat on their body need to eat 3 times a day (plus snacks) to maintain their sedentary lives to keep from being hungry?  That's hard to swallow.  

If you're curious,... it's metabolic derangement, that is why fat people get hungry.  with all that stored potential energy on board, one can not burn the stored fat in your adipose tissue if you're producing insulin.  One produces insulin in response to simple carbohydrate intake.  

Consuming simple, refined carbohydrates is like spraying ether in your old lawn mower.  In stead of priming the carburetor to get the REAL fuel from the tank into the engine, you spray something that is burned easily, quickly and then gone. You can keep an engine running by constantly spraying a bit off this fluid into the carburetor, leaving your full tank untouched.  the revs go high and then conk out - like you at 3pm at work looking for a snack, or a carbohydrate-dependent marathoner at mile 20.  


Weight loss clients should be asking, how can I access the fuel in my tank rather than storing more and more. I highly recommend Dr Davis's Wheat Belly which explains how the stored visceral (belly) fat becomes it's own organ secreting hormones contributing to the derangement of needing constant short term fueling.  

Shouldn't I just exercise to get rid of fat?  Exercise has been proven to increase appetite. Making yourself hungrier makes weight loss difficult. The only way exercise causes you to lose stored fat is because high intensity exercise squashes the insulin response from the carbs you've eaten allowing access to some fat.  You have to over come the simple sugars, then suppress the insulin, THEN burn stored fat in that order.  Again, you are squashing a symptom.  

Shouldn't I eat less to get rid of fat?  This is a tough question, you may trick your body into tapping into stored fat after you've beaten the strong urges to eat.  Once this happens you will be surprisingly sated.  This is temporary as soon the stored fat soluble vitamins will be depleted and you will achieve a new hunger, that of micro-nutrient depletion.  This is why calorie restrictive diets typically fail and the dieter regains the weight in spades.  Calorie restriction typically accompanies micro-nutrient restriction, which is bad and beyond the scope of this post.  

1. Lower carb consumption - plot your macro-nutrients in a web based food log like livestrong.com\myplate and tinker with what foods to cut to reduce high "glycemic load" foods.
2. Change the timing of your carb consumption - never eat carbs for breakfast, try to continue your sleep-fast into mid day.  Eat energy dense foods early bacon, eggs, sausage, avocado, nuts and raise carb intake as the day goes on.  Workout on an empty stomach, dive right into your fat reserves.  
3. Both - lifestyle changes give you lifestyle benefits. I kick off my athlete's fat burning metabolism with a weekend fast, no food for 24-36 hours.  It's easier than you think.  Check out Perfect Health Diet, or Warrior Diet for why.

It's not just for you and 'how you look', a carb-dependent, heavy person is starving inside.  Your kids will be born wired to think the world is short on food and posses a thrifty gene epigenetic expression. 

For a crash course in molecular biology to see what's happening inside the cells, Dr McGuff says it all (the entire video is good, but I've ffwd it to the relevant portion):