Gordo Running

Wow, last week was a busy one.  Between Saturday and Saturday, I ran 2 races, a PT test, and a fun "race" with Mila, I'm a bit sore (achilles and right hip, specifically) but hey, it was worth it! On Saturday, March 11th I ran Trail Racing Over Texas' Crazy Desert Trail Race 5k.  They also had races ranging from 10k-100k.  Plenty of my fellow Road Lizards ran the half marathon and even the 100K, but I couldn't go that far due to the PT test on Thursday. photo taken by Trail Racing over Texas After a poor showing at  Shannon Trail Series 3 , where I went out too fast trying to catch up after having to retie my shoes, I was determined to run better.  Again, in trail races, it is hard to gauge a race based on time as courses can vary so much..  So, I had to measure how well I felt about my run.  Turns out - pretty good.  Since it was a chip timed race, I didn't push my way to the front.  I stayed in the back to make sure that my sho...

I started mentally writing this post moments after crossing the finish line.  It took me a few minutes to get through collecting my medal, a couple water bottles, a mug, and a finisher's shirt.  From there I had to shamble through a sea of smiling faces and congratulatory hugs between friends and family members to get to our reunion area.  All I wanted to do was lay down.  Anywhere would have sufficed. During that walk from the finish line to the "T" (for TNT runners, get it?) section of the reunion section, I was deep in that overly emotional post-marathon state.  You know, the way you get after you've trained for months and have exerted just about every last bit of energy.  Of course, I say you as if everyone does feel that way.  Maybe it's just me.  I didn't know how to feel.  The "sweat" in my eyes was from what? pride? disappointment? the Gatorade I kept dumping in my eye instead of my mouth at the aid stations? (literally did that 3 ti...

     Nope, no gym selfies here.  Not even two Marshawn Lynch references.  Beast mode in this case refers to the primal diet that Mila and I have (mostly) been following since mid April.  I  wanted to dig a little deeper into it today, especially since I haven't had anything significant happening in running since my last post.  OK well I did get tricked by a pitbull last night.  Ran up to me wagging his tail all friendly looking, once he was behind me he started snarling and barking and had to be called back by his owner. I just kept thinking "THAT'S NOT SNOWFLAKE!!!"      I have long known that eating was a key component missing from my training.  I've gotten quicker over the last couple of years through hard training and great coaching, but there is a ceiling to that improvement.      In listening to Trail Runner Nation ( trailrunnernation.com ), many athletes talk about becoming "fat burning beasts." ...

I mean that.  I did another MAF test.  Then when I got home 8 hours later, I looked over my training plan and realized that today was supposed to be a rest day and tomorrow was supposed to be my second MAF test.  Overexcited maybe?  Well, I think giving me 3 days off on a training plan is likely to drive me crazy.  I mean, I did some push ups and planks and even tossed a football in the direction of my wife a few times on Monday, but running was a no-go.  So I don't run tomorrow?  Is that what I'm supposed to do?  Ugh.  Ok, no run tomorrow but Mila and I can go lift (relatively) heavy things and set them down.  Today's run got off to an inauspicious start when I had to start 20 minutes late.  I was supposed to meet someone at 720 on the track to help him get ready for his PT test.  He would only be able to run until 730 before having to head to work.  Luckily I got a text from him later explaining that he'd run the night b...

The long run.  It's a staple of any distance training plan.  The runner is building themselves up for that big goal race bit by bit.  As I'm writing this blog, I'm also using it as an opportunity to learn myself.  I'm not about to say that I'm an expert on, well, much of anything.  Writing a running blog when you're not an expert can be dangerous to the readers or it can be taken as a chance to learn.  I'm going for option #2, talking about my experiences while trying to learn and relaying what I learn. In today's research, I came across as article by Greg McMillan about the long run. In it, he admits that some of his views are a bit controversial.  However, at the end of the article, I read that the "controversial" parts of his article involve not ingesting tons of calories during the run.  Funny thing is, that matches perfectly with what I'm trying to do with this primal diet and training plan. In his article, McMillan specifies two type...

I'm a bit overdue for a training update.  First I need to cover the fact that last weekend was not a good weekend for training continuity.  Let's look at it this way: Friday: weigh in 169.5 7 hour drive.  dinner was a Large Chick Fil A #4 with a frosted coffee Saturday: ran 11 miles, 4.9 of them as fast as I possibly could lunch and dinner was pizza and coke and 3 beers at the after party Sunday: breakfast was a latte and a blueberry muffin, dinner included a lot of rice and another 6 hour drive Monday: weigh in 173.6 So, the beach to bay relay took its toll on my weight at the very least.  I expect it to be back down under 170 pretty quickly though. (170.5 as of Thursday) It's been just over a month of eating primarily "primal."  I love Mark Sisson's 80% rule and I try and do at least 90%.  Meaning I strictly stick to the diet plan at least 90% of the time.  Obviously, this weekend was one of those exceptions that I'm willing to make.  I'm ...