Saratoga Runs

Was away this past weekend and did a couple of runs in Saratoga Springs NY ! It was very warm and humid so it was good practice running hot!

Saturday I did an 18K run and Sunday it was a short 7K. Both were all about heat , too much and then recovery.

Went through two bottles of water, included is a JPG

of my Google Earth Overlay!

Race this Saturday, Creemore Vertical Challenge!

Ron.

Trail Run Today

It was a warm and Humid Eve, I was waiting for it to cool a bit before heading out. Did my 11K trail run. It was good practice overheating / recovering and then overheating again. Very slow pace compared to earlier runs but its good to train in the heat!

Ron.

Another mental note to self ... LSD stuff!

How to run LSD to train to run faster

Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrate, and when you run low, you run slow. An important objective of long runs is to deplete your glycogen stores which stimulates your muscles and liver to store more glycogen-to help prevent future depletion. Because the faster you run the more glycogen you burn, running your long runs at a solid pace is a more effective way to deplete your glycogen stores (and hence stimulate the muscles to store more) than running slowly. Similarly, long runs train your muscles to rely more on fat and less on carbohydrates at a given speed so your glycogen stores last longer. If you jog your long runs your body will adapt to burn fat at a very slow pace but will not necessarily be trained to increase the proportion of fat utilised at speeds approaching race pace.

20 K On the road today

Was going to do another LSD but decided to back off, last 7 days has bee more then 80K so its time for a rest!

Good run, somewhere around a 5:40 pace, heat was a bit of an issue . Backed off when I warmed up too much... seemed to work. No doubt that the 24C and Humidity slowed me down a bit but that was quiet OK. Got rained on for about 5 min, very nice! Jelled at 10K , it helped.

Ron.

Townsend loop today

Did my 16K Townsend Lake Loop today. Garmin says 5:29 pace, looks like I am reasonably on track , my last tempo was at a 5:00 pace and the LSD was 6:00. I think I could do better on the 10K now that I recognize that I was running too upright. One thing that struck me today was the faster pace with a reasonable 147 bpm heart rate.

The weather cooperated again, cloudy and 18C. It always seems to clear off during my run, finished in Sun and 20C. I was hot but not too hot. Wore my new Halo Sweat band . It worked pretty good but it made my head feel hot .. not sure about it yet!

Didn't gel and I was feeling fatigued in the last few Ks. Overall a pretty decent fun run. I think tomorrow I will do another LSD run.

Ron.

Figured something out!

Did my 10K McCormick loop yesterday and applied what I learned about the "lean". BINGO , guess what it works. I did this lop as fast as I can remember in recent time, heart rate was up and I was near o2 Max but I didn't feel nearly as fatigued even though I was much faster!

So , lesson learned is ... Keep the cadence the same and introduce a lean to speed up!

I knew that the LSDs were slowing down my fast runs but I didn't know why. One thing that I found peculiar on the LSD was when I hit an uphill I speed up! Now I know why because I unusually lean into a hill. LSDs are upright , almost arching backwards . Trying to run fast with that stance is like being a cartoon character , you know the one that is leaning backwards legs spinning but not going anywhere! That WAS me!

Weather was perfect to a short quick run yesterday, 14C/Overcast/Drizzle ... amazing conditions for mid June! Yes the miserable weather to most is glory to a runner.

So going forward I now know the "Secret". Have to do some work today but I hope to do a 16K later this afternoon.

Ron.

Mental note to self

Every now and again I come across something that hits home and makes a difference!

A forward lean causes your stride to open, and you go faster. If you lessen the lean, that's how you slow down while keeping the cadence the same (and your stride shortens)the forward lean causes your stride to open, and you go faster. If you lessen the lean, that's how you slow down while keeping the cadence the same (and your stride shortens).

Since doing LSDs I have found I go slower! When I run 3 hours at a time I am very upright stance. Running upright has become a habit , 70% of my time spent running is upright! I know that lean makes you go faster I just never understood why.... now I know !

LSD on a short rest

Did a 31.5Km LSD Run on 5 days after the last LSD! It wasn't bad but I did fatigue in the last 5K. Overall pace , including walking a hill and the last K was 5:55.

It was another perfect day for run, cool for June at 15C. Started with no breeze and ended up with a strong wind in my face for the last 8K . Didn't mind the breeze as it really aided with cooling.

Jelled at the 9K and 19K mark , just felt like the right time to do it! Drank my water bottle twice... around a liter . Was dressed a little on the warm side. I have been trying to run on the brink of being too hot. I have had a suspicion that I have been running a little too cool , especially the chest, seems to effect breathing... makes it shallow and laboured when chilled. I think I may have been a little too warm though and I suspect that it contributed to the slow down at the end.

The run was quiet enjoyable , I found from time to time that my mind wandered and I sort of forgot that I was running! Guess you would call that " in the zone" !

Took a few hours to recover , I am writing the blog the next day and have no ill effects from yesterdays LSD. Tomorrow I will run again , a little shorter distance!

10K indoors today

Working 12 hour days today , did a 10K on the treadmill at a moderate 4:50 pace. Didn't mind the indoor run today, was really in the mood to go go go . Was well rested so it was a real pleasure , looking forward to getting outside after the weekend.

Ron.

Better LSD this week!

Just shy of 30K at a 5:45 pace. Great weather , 15C and cloudy to start that turned into 20C and Sunny at the end. This was a really good run compared to the week before , two things that I think made a difference 1) I wasn't overheating , last weeks LSD was 24C/Sunny Humid 2) I was well rested , last week I did a 12K Trail 12 hours before LSD. The Acsis Shoes are great , didn't wear any band aids and there wasn't a single blister. I tied my shoes much looser then before and I think that my have contributed to pain free feet! I did how ever end up with some chaffing that was a result of sweat! Going to need some body glide.

Ate a bowl of Cream of Wheat with OJ and 3 Cups of Coffee , only waited 30min then headed out... no cramps or digestive issues. Only jelled once at 10K , never felt like I needed a second boost , water was enough.

I think I have turned the conner on the long run , time to pick up the pace soon!

Ron

10K on the dreadmill

10K on the good ol treadmill this morn. Working mids so there is not allot of time to run outdoors , not to mention that it going to be in the 30's today ... a little too warm to run. Good thing about the treadmill was setting a steady pace , didnt it at a 5 min pace ... moderate for me . One thing I did notice was that I my breathing was hardly laboured!

Ron.

Warm and Steamy 10K today

Warm and steamy 10K on Thursday. Did the 10K Townsend Lake Loop. Started to rain and I was glad .... rain please rain because to was hot hot hot, 24C and 100% Humidity!

Ron.

30K LSD, the warm weather really slowed me down

Sunday Eve I did a 12K trail run, no Garmin! Was all set to head
out an realized I had a low bat alarm on the Garmin, well I almost
didn't go , felt a little naked without the toy!


Monday was LSD , it was a hot day and once again I was feeling the affects of the heat ! First 8K south on the second were OK , about 20C into a stiff breeze with the sun high in the sky. When I got to the Durham Conservation Park I headed into the trails for a couple of K , it was much cooler and I recovered a bit. Made my way through town , past Tims, the Beer Store , past downtown and around the Ball Diamonds and back to the park .... 8K of "Urban" running ... fun ! Back at the park it was around the 16K mark and once again I was feeling the heat after being exposed to the Sun for the last 8K, did my final Gel and headed into the trails for a cool down. At 18K I got new water and dunked my head under a tap ! O knew the last 8K totally exposed , sun at my back would be brutal and it was! Walked three hills , all due to heat! I suspect that the blood will thin a bit as we get into the warmer weather . One thing for sure is that I am going to have to head out early in the day to beat the heat !

Ron.