120 Miles

03 Friday Jul 2015

Tags

Boulder Marathon, Caballo Blanco, DAM, Denver Botanical Gardens, health benefits, massivemileage, Micah True, Wicked

This photo from the 2015 Bolder Boulder captures how I’ve been feeling during my 120 miles worth of running over the last two weeks in the summer heat. I completed another 60 mile week today – week two of my 13 week plan training for the Boulder Marathon. I had to squeeze in 60 miles in only four runs since Sunday. I had to commute to Denver for training Monday and Tuesday which didn’t leave time for working out. Then Karen and I are spending the weekend in Denver to see Wicked and the Denver Art Museum. And possibly the Botanical Gardens. Ran 21 Sunday, 10 Wednesday, 14 Thursday and 15 today. Hope I don’t have these sorts of time challenges going forward when my mileage increases. I like long runs, but not every time. This photo also captures how my left foot turns outward when I’m fatigued. Not very pretty form but I’m working on it.

I saw Dave and Amy biking on the LoBo Trail after two miles. Apparently they don’t spend the first hours of the morning drinking coffee and reading the paper like me as they were just finishing their ride. I also saw Steve on my return in nearly the same spot, maybe a mile further between Ogallala Road and 83rd. Steve was running with his dog. They have similar form.

My body is holding up fairly well after two 60 mile weeks. It’s fatigued but I can’t point to anything that feels like a pending injury. Haven’t lost any weight. I’m good at replenishing lost calories. Karen is worried about me wearing myself out. Along with my mom. Karen had her dad talk to me about the health benefits of ultra distance running. Basically, there aren’t any, but I know that. I don’t do this year long, only to prep for marathons. I’ve never put in this many miles though, assuming I complete my plan.

The medical studies, which my father-in-law pointed out to me, fall into two areas. The first are studies that suggest ultra endurance training, coupled with your genetic makeup, can lead to a higher incidence of heart disease, such as cardiomyopathy or enlarged heart. This is what killed Caballo Blanco (Micah True), the famed ultra distance runner from Boulder. I don’t tend to run over 35 miles a week, at least not for prolonged periods, so this is not something I worry about.

The second set of studies suggest a U-curve graph around the negative health benefit of running less than or more than 35 miles per week. Or in that range. I find the symmetrical nature of U-curves specious, suggesting inherent sample bias. The studies I’ve read in the paper or have been able to google don’t have control groups. They simply record results from volunteers. They have many less results from people running much longer than 35 miles because really, how many nut jobs do you know who run 100 miles per week? Sample bias is when smaller sample populations appear as outliers because the larger sample essentially establishes the average. I’m not a scientist and I failed college statistics, but I have friends who are scientists, so I’m like one degree of separation away from knowing what I’m talking about.

I’ll take this further. Correlation is not causation. You can show that people who run less than the average runner or more than the average runner live shorter lives, but you can’t say it is due to the miles. Figure people running less are possibly more obese. Anyone running 100 miles a week is clearly obsessive and likely displays many more characteristics that could just as easily be responsible for their shorter lifespan. They likely drink more, experience more dramatic weight loss and gain, get more speeding tickets and have more sex partners. They are doomed to a shorter but highly satisfying life.

Part of Karen’s concern for me is that I look so bad after finishing some of these long runs. Click on that picture to enlarge it and you’ll see the pain in my face from fatigue. Anyone who hikes or runs with me knows how I grunt loudly and am generally highly expressive when I hurt. It’s part of my pain management routine, but it doesn’t mean I’m dying. Just sounds and looks like it at times. I did well today staying hydrated during my 15 mile run and am doing everything possible to recover for our weekend stay in Denver. I drank a protein smoothie after my run. And just dropped 10,000 IUs of vitamin D and 20 mg of Cialis. I’m expecting fireworks this weekend.

The Finger

25 Sunday Aug 2013

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Merrell, Micah True, minimalist

I get way more comments from some of my distribution channels, facebook or twitter, than directly to my blog itself. Some are strange enough that I don’t even understand them, but unless they are clearly from an ad-generating machine, I don’t moderate or censor. The comments I received today, which I’ve included below, came to me via email. They are clearly designed to goad me to respond. Like it takes some really clever rhetoric to tempt a blogger to write online. Thanks for the content Blaine.

Irony is so ironic at times. I just came in from a 4 mile run in my minimalist Merrell Trail Gloves to read Blaine’s observation. He hasn’t read all my blog entries. I’ve written well over 300 in the past 3 years. I should point out to my readers that the search bar in the upper left works quite well. It doesn’t just find tags, the entire blog is indexed. You want to know if I have ever mentioned your name? Use that search tool. I’ve written extensively on minimalist shoes and barefoot running. And I’m a fan. I’m not able to fully transition to the method myself. Too old and delicate. But I support the concepts behind the trend.

I will never consider the “five fingers” types of tread. They freak me out. Not looking at them on the store shelf but when running behind another athlete, in a race, who is sporting a pair of five fingers. I get the sense I’m in a Terminator movie or something. I say this without irony, they don’t look natural. So I go with a standard tread, yet with a zero heel-to-toe drop that meets minimalist specs. For the uninitiated, heel-to-toe drop is what largely defines minimalist running shoes. The heel of a shoe might have 20mm of thickness and the front might have only 5mm. The 15mm difference is referred to as the drop – 15mm is fairly traditional. I don’t really know the exact specs but I believe a drop between 4mm and 10mm is considered minimalist. Under 4mm is referred to as zero drop. I’m not certain what defines a shoe as barefoot. Apparently more than just the near-level slope. It likely refers to very little thickness anywhere in the sole.

I ignored the minimalist trend for several years. I changed my mind after reading, Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Unfortunately for me, I ignored all advice. Rather than transitioning into them slowly, I ran in mine non-stop for two weeks, culminating in a foot injury during a 14 mile trail run. Something popped. I never fully understood what the injury was but had to take off 6 weeks to recover. I now only wear them on very short runs, generally 3 or 4 miles in length. But I think they’re great. They assisted me to modify my running form from less heel strike to more mid-foot strike. This is how I ran when I was younger. The change in stride helped me to heal my plantar fasciitis. Blaine, I hope you’re satisfied with my transparent response.

————————–unsolicited comments—————————-

I sometimes browse your blog, cleverly disguised to be about running, to see what you’re not writing about. So far, you seem to be checking all the right boxes:

…women popping a squat on the running trail. check.

…purposely running behind the “talent.” check.

…feigning modesty by wearing your running shorts to a massage knowing full well that you are under strict orders to do so. check.

Now, imagine my surprise when I went looking to see what Ed’s take was on these Vibram Five Fingers running shoes…and there was nothing!

“Set the fleet to condition one,” I thought. Something is wrong.

The truth is, I’ve often wondered if you’re actually some Cylonic skin job masquerading as Ed Mahoney for another attack on us poor humans.

If I’m suspicious, then think of your actual readers.

Do not answer me directly. Publicly explain on your blog why you haven’t written about these shoes. I don’t care anymore if they work or don’t work. Frack, I’m not even a runner!

I just want to know why you haven’t mentioned them. Prove you’re not a Cylon skin job!

Accidental? Purposeful? Distracted?

Don’t dawdle too long. People have been thrown out of airlocks for hesitation.

So say we all,
—
Blaine

Caballo Blanco

14 Saturday Apr 2012

Posted by Ed Mahoney in Running

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

CPTR, flat irons, Heil Valley Ranch, Micah True, REI, trail runner

I laced up my training shoes as Karen pulled up in the car – returning from teaching a Zumba class. A little after 1pm. I was seriously itching to hit the Heil Valley Ranch trail today for a big run. Partly because the front was expected to hit any minute. I would be fine in the rain and snow but my weather channel app showed the wind increasing steadily with each passing hour of the day. The other reason for my impatience was I just couldn’t wait to get out on the trail. I might be picking up a little addiction to the endorphins. Most of my runs go for an hour or more now. That’s enough time to fire up a nice runner’s high. My runs are becoming a nice little habit. Today’s 10.5 mile run was exceptional.

I got to the trail head a little before 2pm. I’m prepping for a mountain trail run in two weeks and decided I would use my weekend runs to replicate the race as much as possible. I wore my small pack with a 2 liter camelback. I added cytomax to the water. And I brought along a selection of running clothes to make the last minute decision on what to wear. The weather was cool and breezy, but no rain or snow yet. It will definitely be storming before I finish this in 2 hours.

I layered shirts with a summer-thin Under Armour long-sleeve high-tec fabric underneath covered with a light fleece pullover. The thought was the undershirt would whisk away sweat into the outer garment. This ensemble performed perfectly. I simply wore shorts for my legs. This was comfortable starting out although I pulled up my sleeves after two miles.

This course is great prep for Buena Vista. It rises non-stop until I decide to turn around. I turn after 5.5 miles where there’s a sign noting the trail joins a loop near the crest of the hill. My garmin actually shows this to be 5.25 miles. This garmin result link shows all the stats. You can see how the course rises from 5400 feet to 6400 feet where I turn. 1000 feet in elevation change over 5.5 miles. The CPTR rises 1000 feet in 9 miles – including a 200 foot drop on the 7th mile. So the steepness of the grade will provide decent conditioning to my legs. Then the rocks on this trail require constant vigilance. I decided against listening to a playlist so I would focus on the trail. The attention required for each footfall, thousands of repeating footfalls, is almost hypnotic. I could have run forever in this ultimate escape.

You have to plan each foot placement on the rocks in micro seconds. When a decision to yield to bikers coming the other direction must be made, I make it at the last possible second. So do many of the bikers. I generally feel like we can both pass without anyone stopping. The bikers were aggressive today and few ever yielded. I rarely yielded as well, especially as I was flying down on the return. Hills, footwork, gear testing, but the best part was the total escape of the run itself. I felt great.

Testing my gear was brilliant. Turns out I have a leak in my camelbak. I’ll pick up a new one tomorrow at REI. The drink leaked out over the back of my shorts. As the wind and cold increased near the end of the run, I got a bit chilled. So the dry clothes in my car came in handy. Good test run.

In honor of the Caballo Blanco, pictured above, this will be the summer of mountain trail runs. I’ll be training on trails every weekend that I’m not actually running a trail race. My first will be the Collegiate Peaks Trail Run on April 28th. I could feel Caballo Blanco’s spirit on the trail today. Hope to see him again tomorrow when I climb the Amphitheater Trail up the Flat Irons in Boulder. It should be snowing.