It has been a crazy year! Going into 2012 I was hoping to run a time in the 15’s at the Rocky Road 100 Mile and after that……I had no idea what I was going to do. I certainly was on the downside of my career and the days of running PR’s were over…Right? Well, 13:14 at Rocky Road and the rest has been history. How do you explain going from a second alternate on the 100k Team(four weeks prior to the race) to 2nd place finish on the team, 7th in the World, and a Team Silver? It is hard to imagine the runner I once was waaaayyyyyy back in 2011:)
People ask me what major changes I made to bringing on such success. Well, I can narrow it down to three things.
1.) Change in diet. I went from a high carbohydrate diet, to a high protein diet.
2.) My Chiropractor Dr. Paul Forakis has taken care of my minor nagging issues before they became big issues. Because of this, I have been able to run higher mileage weeks without injury. Before this year, I had only recorded one one-hundred mile training week, and this year I have run double-digit 100 mile weeks.
3.) I gave up mountain trail running and focused on road/trail ultras that I could train for locally here in Modesto. Too often I would race in the mountains at elevation, but I couldn’t do the training to mirror the races I was running. Therefore, I would do poorly. My wife has been trying to tell me for years, but I was too stubborn to listen. Thank you Honey:)
I will use the next five days to chronicle the five biggest moments of my 2012 running year.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
The Exclamation Mark to My Year!
A last minute change in race plans(I was going to run ATY 24 Hours December 29th.) landed me in Phoenix for the Desert Solstice 24 Hour at the Central High School all weather track. The race is called a 24 hour race, but the race was created to go any distance you want. The done rive of the two race directors Jamil and Nick Coury is to design a race for top level runners to attempt at World/National records. The race was comprised of about twenty runners with varying goals. Mine was simple. I wanted to run a fast hundred whatever that meant. I threw out the number 12:30 but running a 7:30 mile pace for 100 miles seemed mind boggling. Breaking 13 hours would have been nice.
Jamil had set me up with a place to stay while I was in town. Rich and Erin McKnight, newlyweds, and ultra runners of there own opened there house to me and took care of my every need and they were going to also double as my crew. This was going to be a tough task because I'm a high maintenance runner:) After a medium steak and baked potato dinner and a good night sleep, I was ready to go and off to the Central High School track and the start of the race. A cup of coffee and two Vespas would fuel me prior to the race.
I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't a little intimidated by the field in the race. David James, Ian Sharman, Michael Arnstein....just to name few, were runners I looked up to and followed in the sport. BUT I knew what race strategy worked for me, so I planned to stick to it and where the chips fell, they fell.
The race called for some showers off and on throughout the day and that became the biggest understatement of the day! The gun went off right at 8 am local time and the runners began to make there way around the hamster wheel. We would start the race running counter clockwise, and we would change directions on the track every four hours. That is exactly how I planned to break up the race, three separate four hour races. The first four hours would be a warm up. I would concentrate on running a comfortable pace and working on calorie consumption and staying hydrated.
In the first hour David James and Ian Sharman lapped me three times. They're sights were set for sub 12 and a World Record! I didn't even entertain the thought of running with them. I got a chance to talk to Ian before the race and he wanted to aIso run a fast 100, then jog the rest of the 24 Hour. He would reconsider this strategy later in the race. I had my strategy and was sticking to it. As my wife had said the night before,"Run your race like you did in Italy." She was so right. By the second hour, I had gone from 7:30 pace to a consistent 7:15. It felt comfortable. By the end of the second hour, Ian and James had at least five laps on me, however you could see David slowing and soon he would drop. It wasn't his day, but it didn't stop him from providing motivational support throughout the entire race. He is a class act.
We hit the four mark and the first turnaround without much drama. At this point Ian was 8 laps up on me, but I was now running a solid 7:10 pace and feeling good. The stomach was also strong. I was consistently rotating gels, V8, chicken noodle soup, potato chips, gummy bears, and M&Ms the whole day. I would take a caffeinated gel every two hours and also a Vespa every two hours. Moreover, I would wash this down with water. Rich took care of my every need. Every couple of laps I would be shouting out requests and Rich was on it. His job would soon become more difficult as Mother Nature would make her presence felt in the 4-8 hour section of the race.
My plan for the second part of the race was to maintain my 7:10-7:15 pace with an occasional faster mile at the beginning of each hour. This seemed to wake the legs up and help reduce some of the lactic acid build-up. I noticed Joe Fejes, the eventual 24 hour champ and National 24 Hour team member, work this to perfection on his way to running 156.5 miles! However, it became difficult to stick to the race strategy when the Heavens opened and the wind picked up. With temps in the 40's and a bone chilling breeze/shower on the back stretch, the race strategy had to be altered. I ended up changing in and out of two shirts, three hats, one beanie, and a jacket during a three hour window in the 4-8 hour stretch. Unfortunately this put a heavy burden on my crew to keep me dry. Then on again, off again, and off again, rain showers played tricks on the runners and made the runner's crews work like NASCAR Pit Crews. You could see Ian was starting to slow a little and after increasing his lap lead to nine, I was able to chip away a get one back. It seemed as though he had fought through a tough stretch and was back to his old self quickly after the pass.
Then, all of a sudden the rain shower became a steady rain. Lakes were forming on the track every inch of me was soaked. Ian and I tried to work together as we made the turn at eight hours but the cold was starting to get to us. Luckily enough, Rich persuaded me to change the completely saturated shirt I was wearing under my jacket into a long sleeve shirt. I then requested a beanie. This was HUGE! Within a couple of laps I felt warm and rejuvenated. However, I noticed Ian didn't make any clothing changes and was beginning to feel the effects.
I was able to make up one more lap on Ian, but the guy is as tough as nails and I knew he wouldn't go down
without a fight. Unfortunately within a few laps, Ian was reduced to a walk after having a leg issue. And with the weather the way it was, it didn't take long before he was hypothermic and had to drop.
We were now nine hours into the race and I was now in the lead. My strategy needed to change. I originally had planned to use the third part of the race to try to run down the leaders, but since I was in the lead, a change was in order. I went through a body diagnostic test and determined I felt good, stomach and all. The legs were tight but that was to be expected. I now determined that I would run a comfortable pace that I could maintain for the duration of the race...easier said then done, especially with the weather the way it was. It was hard to get in any rhythm. This would be the longest 3+ hours of my life.
I concentrated mile to mile. Trying to hit each desired split. Also, I tried to keep my spirits up and converse with other runners as we passed each other on the track. Anything to distract me from the overall distance/time. Erin had arrived to help crew and with their combined help, I didn't have to pause or think much other than about my running.
Between the 10th and 11th hour the lights came on over the track but my pace had slowed to about 7:55 per mile. Then, out of nowhere Michael Arnstein comes flying by me running a low six minute pace and he says to me as he runs by, "I'm comin for you Jon!" Needless to say, this woke me up! I knew it was said tongue and cheek, but I felt the need to refocus.
The rain had finally subsided and with about two hours left to run, I was on pace to break 12:40 and I wanted to make sure that happened. That 7:55 pace became a 7:40 pace. My eyes were focused on Michael. Trying to keep him at bay, but even with my increased pace, he continued to lap me. Mathematically, it may have been a long shot that he make up the seven mile deficit, but I didn't want to give up this race after working so hard and steady all day. With less than two hours remaining in the race, it came to the attention of the Jamil Coury the American Record for 100 miles on track was 12 hours 27 minutes and 2 seconds. This information was relayed through my crew Rich. He told me that I would have to run 1:52 laps(7:28 mile pace) to break the record. I quickened the pace for a mile but it was short lived as I noticed this pace was too much with so much time left in the race.
I was reserved to the thought that 12:27 was not going to happen, but I continued to plug away. At this point, I found a pace I felt comfortable with for the rest of the race and was clicking away laps. BUT the race staff and my crew weren't going to stop encouraging me to pursue the record. I told Rich to let me know when it was eight miles to go. I thought I could push my body to the edge with one hour to go, and with eight miles to go, I started my pursuit towards history. 1:48's were the target with 32 laps to go. It seems crazy to have to real off 7:10 miles from mile 93-100 in the race, but that was the situation I put myself in. Jamil asked the runners to give me the inside of lane one as I was on pace to break the American Record. It was electric feeling on the track. All the runners were very encouraging as I passed them. And with their help, I was able to stick close to this target for the first five miles, then the clock struck twelve hours. That meant another change of direction on the track. It seems so simple to have to turn around a cone and run the other way, but it was anything but that. The legs got a little tighter, and my left hamstring was starting to twinge. What was I to do? Do I keep pushing until I couldn't push any longer? or Did I make sure I finished running? The later was more important. To me, nothing would have been more demoralizing than crossing the finish line walking. So after crunching the numbers, I could break 12:30 with the 8 minute pace I was running. And on that last lap, a sense of accomplishment fell over me. I couldn't believe I was just about run under 12:30 for 100 miles, but at the same time, I was a little disappointed that I didn't break the American Record after being so close.........I guess that means I will have to come back in 2013:)
Jamil had set me up with a place to stay while I was in town. Rich and Erin McKnight, newlyweds, and ultra runners of there own opened there house to me and took care of my every need and they were going to also double as my crew. This was going to be a tough task because I'm a high maintenance runner:) After a medium steak and baked potato dinner and a good night sleep, I was ready to go and off to the Central High School track and the start of the race. A cup of coffee and two Vespas would fuel me prior to the race.
I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't a little intimidated by the field in the race. David James, Ian Sharman, Michael Arnstein....just to name few, were runners I looked up to and followed in the sport. BUT I knew what race strategy worked for me, so I planned to stick to it and where the chips fell, they fell.
The race called for some showers off and on throughout the day and that became the biggest understatement of the day! The gun went off right at 8 am local time and the runners began to make there way around the hamster wheel. We would start the race running counter clockwise, and we would change directions on the track every four hours. That is exactly how I planned to break up the race, three separate four hour races. The first four hours would be a warm up. I would concentrate on running a comfortable pace and working on calorie consumption and staying hydrated.
In the first hour David James and Ian Sharman lapped me three times. They're sights were set for sub 12 and a World Record! I didn't even entertain the thought of running with them. I got a chance to talk to Ian before the race and he wanted to aIso run a fast 100, then jog the rest of the 24 Hour. He would reconsider this strategy later in the race. I had my strategy and was sticking to it. As my wife had said the night before,"Run your race like you did in Italy." She was so right. By the second hour, I had gone from 7:30 pace to a consistent 7:15. It felt comfortable. By the end of the second hour, Ian and James had at least five laps on me, however you could see David slowing and soon he would drop. It wasn't his day, but it didn't stop him from providing motivational support throughout the entire race. He is a class act.
We hit the four mark and the first turnaround without much drama. At this point Ian was 8 laps up on me, but I was now running a solid 7:10 pace and feeling good. The stomach was also strong. I was consistently rotating gels, V8, chicken noodle soup, potato chips, gummy bears, and M&Ms the whole day. I would take a caffeinated gel every two hours and also a Vespa every two hours. Moreover, I would wash this down with water. Rich took care of my every need. Every couple of laps I would be shouting out requests and Rich was on it. His job would soon become more difficult as Mother Nature would make her presence felt in the 4-8 hour section of the race.
My plan for the second part of the race was to maintain my 7:10-7:15 pace with an occasional faster mile at the beginning of each hour. This seemed to wake the legs up and help reduce some of the lactic acid build-up. I noticed Joe Fejes, the eventual 24 hour champ and National 24 Hour team member, work this to perfection on his way to running 156.5 miles! However, it became difficult to stick to the race strategy when the Heavens opened and the wind picked up. With temps in the 40's and a bone chilling breeze/shower on the back stretch, the race strategy had to be altered. I ended up changing in and out of two shirts, three hats, one beanie, and a jacket during a three hour window in the 4-8 hour stretch. Unfortunately this put a heavy burden on my crew to keep me dry. Then on again, off again, and off again, rain showers played tricks on the runners and made the runner's crews work like NASCAR Pit Crews. You could see Ian was starting to slow a little and after increasing his lap lead to nine, I was able to chip away a get one back. It seemed as though he had fought through a tough stretch and was back to his old self quickly after the pass.
Then, all of a sudden the rain shower became a steady rain. Lakes were forming on the track every inch of me was soaked. Ian and I tried to work together as we made the turn at eight hours but the cold was starting to get to us. Luckily enough, Rich persuaded me to change the completely saturated shirt I was wearing under my jacket into a long sleeve shirt. I then requested a beanie. This was HUGE! Within a couple of laps I felt warm and rejuvenated. However, I noticed Ian didn't make any clothing changes and was beginning to feel the effects.
I was able to make up one more lap on Ian, but the guy is as tough as nails and I knew he wouldn't go down
without a fight. Unfortunately within a few laps, Ian was reduced to a walk after having a leg issue. And with the weather the way it was, it didn't take long before he was hypothermic and had to drop.
We were now nine hours into the race and I was now in the lead. My strategy needed to change. I originally had planned to use the third part of the race to try to run down the leaders, but since I was in the lead, a change was in order. I went through a body diagnostic test and determined I felt good, stomach and all. The legs were tight but that was to be expected. I now determined that I would run a comfortable pace that I could maintain for the duration of the race...easier said then done, especially with the weather the way it was. It was hard to get in any rhythm. This would be the longest 3+ hours of my life.
I concentrated mile to mile. Trying to hit each desired split. Also, I tried to keep my spirits up and converse with other runners as we passed each other on the track. Anything to distract me from the overall distance/time. Erin had arrived to help crew and with their combined help, I didn't have to pause or think much other than about my running.
Between the 10th and 11th hour the lights came on over the track but my pace had slowed to about 7:55 per mile. Then, out of nowhere Michael Arnstein comes flying by me running a low six minute pace and he says to me as he runs by, "I'm comin for you Jon!" Needless to say, this woke me up! I knew it was said tongue and cheek, but I felt the need to refocus.
The rain had finally subsided and with about two hours left to run, I was on pace to break 12:40 and I wanted to make sure that happened. That 7:55 pace became a 7:40 pace. My eyes were focused on Michael. Trying to keep him at bay, but even with my increased pace, he continued to lap me. Mathematically, it may have been a long shot that he make up the seven mile deficit, but I didn't want to give up this race after working so hard and steady all day. With less than two hours remaining in the race, it came to the attention of the Jamil Coury the American Record for 100 miles on track was 12 hours 27 minutes and 2 seconds. This information was relayed through my crew Rich. He told me that I would have to run 1:52 laps(7:28 mile pace) to break the record. I quickened the pace for a mile but it was short lived as I noticed this pace was too much with so much time left in the race.
I was reserved to the thought that 12:27 was not going to happen, but I continued to plug away. At this point, I found a pace I felt comfortable with for the rest of the race and was clicking away laps. BUT the race staff and my crew weren't going to stop encouraging me to pursue the record. I told Rich to let me know when it was eight miles to go. I thought I could push my body to the edge with one hour to go, and with eight miles to go, I started my pursuit towards history. 1:48's were the target with 32 laps to go. It seems crazy to have to real off 7:10 miles from mile 93-100 in the race, but that was the situation I put myself in. Jamil asked the runners to give me the inside of lane one as I was on pace to break the American Record. It was electric feeling on the track. All the runners were very encouraging as I passed them. And with their help, I was able to stick close to this target for the first five miles, then the clock struck twelve hours. That meant another change of direction on the track. It seems so simple to have to turn around a cone and run the other way, but it was anything but that. The legs got a little tighter, and my left hamstring was starting to twinge. What was I to do? Do I keep pushing until I couldn't push any longer? or Did I make sure I finished running? The later was more important. To me, nothing would have been more demoralizing than crossing the finish line walking. So after crunching the numbers, I could break 12:30 with the 8 minute pace I was running. And on that last lap, a sense of accomplishment fell over me. I couldn't believe I was just about run under 12:30 for 100 miles, but at the same time, I was a little disappointed that I didn't break the American Record after being so close.........I guess that means I will have to come back in 2013:)
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
The Keys to Success to Run" One Day"
I haven't run many 24 hour races, but I feel confident in my race strategy. The three keys are pace, diet, and body temperature.
I find an aerobic pace that allows me to run as efficiently and with as little extra movement as possible. This will allow me to put little stress on my stomach which allows me to digest food and put less stress on those running muscles to delay the build-up of lactic acid.
I like to alternate salt, fat, and sugar every twenty minutes or so. I prefer eating more often as opposed to a lot every hour. This has worked for me and keeps my energy levels pretty even the duration of the race. Vespa every two hours is key also.
As nighttime draws near, putting on the right clothing is key. Keeping your core temperature consistent keeps the blood flow to the muscles and stomach which need it. When you get hot or cold the body diverts some of your blood flow to deal with regulating your body temperature.
Lastly, I have found that running more and walking less keeps me looser and more uccessful. I thought mixing in walking early would help rest my running muscles and help me late in the race, however I found it did the opposite. Finding a pace I could run a long with was the key.
At Across the Years, I'm going to build in a faster paced ile every ten miles to help with the lactic acid build up.....I will let you know how it goes.
I hope this helps.
I find an aerobic pace that allows me to run as efficiently and with as little extra movement as possible. This will allow me to put little stress on my stomach which allows me to digest food and put less stress on those running muscles to delay the build-up of lactic acid.
I like to alternate salt, fat, and sugar every twenty minutes or so. I prefer eating more often as opposed to a lot every hour. This has worked for me and keeps my energy levels pretty even the duration of the race. Vespa every two hours is key also.
As nighttime draws near, putting on the right clothing is key. Keeping your core temperature consistent keeps the blood flow to the muscles and stomach which need it. When you get hot or cold the body diverts some of your blood flow to deal with regulating your body temperature.
Lastly, I have found that running more and walking less keeps me looser and more uccessful. I thought mixing in walking early would help rest my running muscles and help me late in the race, however I found it did the opposite. Finding a pace I could run a long with was the key.
At Across the Years, I'm going to build in a faster paced ile every ten miles to help with the lactic acid build up.....I will let you know how it goes.
I hope this helps.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
The Light in the Tunnel is a Little Further Away
I guess that light is a little further away:) After running an intelligent race and forced to stop at 16 hours due to a left groin issue, I am signed up for Across the Years on the 29th of December. I need a full 24 hour to build my confidence for the 2013 World Championships in May. Mileage is not the goal....it is all about the time. The thing is if I run the majority of the 24 hours, the miles will take care of themselves.
What went right at 24 Hours The Hard Way? I had zero stomach issues and I was we'll hydrated throughout the race...peeing every 45 minutes or so. Also, I finished 100 miles in 14:00:50. That was about 15 minutes off my time at NorthCoast but the groin was tightening up big time the last ten miles and this course was much more challenging.
I will build on these positives and focus on heeling the groin and focusing on long race paced runs with long tempo runs built in once my body heels. I am excited about the opportunity to get better for Worlds and enjoy the nice Arizona sun:)
What went right at 24 Hours The Hard Way? I had zero stomach issues and I was we'll hydrated throughout the race...peeing every 45 minutes or so. Also, I finished 100 miles in 14:00:50. That was about 15 minutes off my time at NorthCoast but the groin was tightening up big time the last ten miles and this course was much more challenging.
I will build on these positives and focus on heeling the groin and focusing on long race paced runs with long tempo runs built in once my body heels. I am excited about the opportunity to get better for Worlds and enjoy the nice Arizona sun:)
Friday, October 19, 2012
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Eight days stand in the way between me and the end of my 2012 race year. I haven't allowed myself to sit back and reflect on my success' because there were always other races on the horizon to focus on and train for. I guess that is how we are wired....we know that we are only as good as the next race. AND I have had as much disappointment as success in my running career, so with that, I try to stay in the moment. The moment right now is 24 Hours the Hard Way.
My training has been going well following Western States in June and the TRT 50k in July. It has taken my body awhile to shake out all those long races in the spring and early summer. My legs finally have a little bounce to them. In hindsight, it was probably a good idea not to run at the 24 Hour World Championships in Poland in September. My body really felt run down.
I was pleasantly surprised that I ran so well at the Lake Tahoe 72 mile three weeks ago. I had no hill training/altitude training going into the race and my energy levels were consistent all day and I never had any low points after about 20 miles. It has given me some confidence going into the 24 hour race next weekend. I have some target goals for the race, but 24 hours is a long time and things can change in the matter of a couple of minutes, so I won't make any mileage predictions:)
1.) Find a pace I can maintain for as long as I can maintain it. Walk as little as possible.
2.) Attack the miles between 3 and 6 am.
3.) When the sun comes up, ride the adrenaline from the sun to 9 am.
4.) Run for my family at home and for all the kids at Prescott Middle School.
My twin brother Tom will be accompanying me on the trip and will be an integral part to my success. You will be able to follow my progress on Facebook and Twitter when my brother has time. All your positive vibes are greatly appreciated.
My training has been going well following Western States in June and the TRT 50k in July. It has taken my body awhile to shake out all those long races in the spring and early summer. My legs finally have a little bounce to them. In hindsight, it was probably a good idea not to run at the 24 Hour World Championships in Poland in September. My body really felt run down.
I was pleasantly surprised that I ran so well at the Lake Tahoe 72 mile three weeks ago. I had no hill training/altitude training going into the race and my energy levels were consistent all day and I never had any low points after about 20 miles. It has given me some confidence going into the 24 hour race next weekend. I have some target goals for the race, but 24 hours is a long time and things can change in the matter of a couple of minutes, so I won't make any mileage predictions:)
1.) Find a pace I can maintain for as long as I can maintain it. Walk as little as possible.
2.) Attack the miles between 3 and 6 am.
3.) When the sun comes up, ride the adrenaline from the sun to 9 am.
4.) Run for my family at home and for all the kids at Prescott Middle School.
My twin brother Tom will be accompanying me on the trip and will be an integral part to my success. You will be able to follow my progress on Facebook and Twitter when my brother has time. All your positive vibes are greatly appreciated.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Training August 6th-August 12th
Monday- It was a slow hilly run on the treadmill. My legs were fatigued and slow from the two runs the day before. It took me 1.5 hours to run 10 miles:( I did go up to 10% incline but it wasn't my finest day. Even with the slower pace, it was a hard run.
Tuesday- I met Bruce in the morning for our usual 12 mile loop. The legs were still sore but not quite as bad as the day before. We averaged in the high 7's almost 8's. The legs still had no pep.
Wednesday- Hallelujah! It took an afternoon run in 100 degree temps to wake up my legs. The 7+ miles to work felt easy at the 7:20 pace I was running. After stubbing my small toe at work(It is probably broken:() I ran home and that too felt pretty easy. I ran 14.35 for the day and in 1:45.
Thursday- Another very encouraging day:) I met bruce for our usual 12 mile canal loop and added two miles my legs felt peppy:) That made it 14.25 miles for the morning at 7:45 pace, but the toe is black and blue and i am beginning to be concerned that the toe is broken. Then I decided to get on the treadmill and add another hour hill work:) It felt easy(7 miles up to 12% incline. That made it 21 miles for the day:)
Friday- A much needed day off:)
Saturday- Only one hour on the treadmill this morning. I ran from 1% to 12% incline and from 7.5 to 6.5 mph. I totaled 7 miles.
Sunday- I did squat:) That leaves me with 64 miles for the week which is very poor. The next two week's training will determine whether I will be running Tahoe or not. The motivation is just not there right now.
Tuesday- I met Bruce in the morning for our usual 12 mile loop. The legs were still sore but not quite as bad as the day before. We averaged in the high 7's almost 8's. The legs still had no pep.
Wednesday- Hallelujah! It took an afternoon run in 100 degree temps to wake up my legs. The 7+ miles to work felt easy at the 7:20 pace I was running. After stubbing my small toe at work(It is probably broken:() I ran home and that too felt pretty easy. I ran 14.35 for the day and in 1:45.
Thursday- Another very encouraging day:) I met bruce for our usual 12 mile canal loop and added two miles my legs felt peppy:) That made it 14.25 miles for the morning at 7:45 pace, but the toe is black and blue and i am beginning to be concerned that the toe is broken. Then I decided to get on the treadmill and add another hour hill work:) It felt easy(7 miles up to 12% incline. That made it 21 miles for the day:)
Friday- A much needed day off:)
Saturday- Only one hour on the treadmill this morning. I ran from 1% to 12% incline and from 7.5 to 6.5 mph. I totaled 7 miles.
Sunday- I did squat:) That leaves me with 64 miles for the week which is very poor. The next two week's training will determine whether I will be running Tahoe or not. The motivation is just not there right now.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Why Do I Like Double Workouts?
I know there are pro's and con's on the effectiveness of double workouts, so I will get one of the major con's out of the way.
In my opinion, there is no debate, breaking up a long run over two runs isn't as effective as doing the long run in one run. I don't know of too many people that would argue that, BUT there are advantages to doing double workouts.
First, I like doing double workouts because it promotes calorie burning 24/7. So, I will do one or two double workouts so that I can "lean up" for a peak race.
Also, I find that double workouts simulate sore legs at the end of a long race. This helps me mentally to prepare for the final miles of a 100 mike ir 24 hour race.
Lastly, I like double workouts because the second workout can serve as a "shake-out" run to get the legs ready for a key workout the next day or it can be used to loosen up the legs after a morning speed work session.
I know double workouts may not be popular by some, but I find them to be an essential part of my training.
In my opinion, there is no debate, breaking up a long run over two runs isn't as effective as doing the long run in one run. I don't know of too many people that would argue that, BUT there are advantages to doing double workouts.
First, I like doing double workouts because it promotes calorie burning 24/7. So, I will do one or two double workouts so that I can "lean up" for a peak race.
Also, I find that double workouts simulate sore legs at the end of a long race. This helps me mentally to prepare for the final miles of a 100 mike ir 24 hour race.
Lastly, I like double workouts because the second workout can serve as a "shake-out" run to get the legs ready for a key workout the next day or it can be used to loosen up the legs after a morning speed work session.
I know double workouts may not be popular by some, but I find them to be an essential part of my training.
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