Morning Nutrition: Kale Smoothie and Bulletproof Coffee

This morning I had bulletproof coffee and a kale smoothie for breakfast.  I have to say that I feel fantastic from all the energy.


1) Bulletproof Coffee, Run Slinger edition

3 tablespoons ground coffee *
6 teaspoons unsalted grass fed butter **
.5 tablespoons coconut oil (optional)
Note: I prefer to use a French Press for this.  Once you've brewed the coffee combine it with the other ingredients in a blender and blend.  You can preheat both the blender and coffee press containers with boiling water.  Bulletproof Coffee was created by Dave Asprey, Bulletproof Executive.

2) Kale Smoothie
1 cup Kale (no stems)
.5 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 ice cubes
1 partial celery stalk
.5 to 1 banana
.5 to 1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 vitamin B6-B-12 supplement


* I use either Tim Hortons Dark Roast or fresh coffee beans from either Broadway Roastery or McQuarrie's Tea & Coffee Merchants in Saskatoon.

** Here in Canada it's tougher than you'd think to get grass fed butter, but although it's not too clearly advertised it does exist.  The trick is to look for the packaging that shows green cows eating grass. Basically the best you're going to get it mostly/partially grass fed butter.

Printemps Weather?!

So yes, as you can see from the forecast for this week Saskatoon is expected to have above freezing temperatures (US readers will note that the temperatures are in Celsius--and that yes, although it was 8:31am when I grabbed the screenshot, it was still dark outside).  As Jasmine told me this morning, the human race had a good run.

At any rate, I don't think it's the end of days just because it's not utterly freezing in Saskatchewan right now... or maybe it is?

This week I have not run even a step.  The reason?  Because I noticed some weakness in my hamstring last time out.  This weakness caused pain in my already tight calves.  I've selected/redesigned my 18 week training program with the idea that I'm going to miss at least a few days, and probably a few weeks while training.  Obviously no one plans to get injured, but it's probably still a good idea to add some extra time to the training plan for situations where some minor rest come in handy.

After resting Sunday and Monday, I focused on my core and leg muscles yesterday.  For some added fun I used two 5lb weight straps, which I wrapped around my lower legs near my ankle.  In some cases I put both straps on the same leg.  Here's a breakdown of what I did and why.

Squats: 50
Lunges: 20
Jumping Squats: 10
Bridges: 50
Push-ups: 30
Crunches: 10
Sidelying Leg Raises: 40
[Unidentified supine alternate leg raises]: 80


The muscle that got the most emphasis here was the transverse abdominis.  Given that it helps to stabilize the pelvis, the reasons for doing this should be fairly obvious to anyone who has been reading this blog.   You'll notice I did only 10 crunches.  That may seem like an odd number, but I stopped at 10 because I felt that the work I was doing with the other core exercises was fatiguing my muscles already.  Additionally I did only 30 push-ups because I wanted to use my energy on strengthening my core.  Obviously I can do push-ups today--perhaps between 70 and 100.

Bridges and Jumping Squats are new additions.  For the latter I'm not too sure if I'll be doing those again in the near future because getting back into the starting position after completing a rep appears to require some repositioning--this, in and of itself, suggests I ought to get into better conditioning before I use this particular exercise.

I felt that the workout went pretty well.  I can tell you right now that I feel pretty good right now (i.e. the next morning) and do not absolutely need any more recovery time.

My nutrition has been heavy on the protein this week.  I'm eating fewer calories than normal and am starting to cut out processed sugars (yes, I had a Coffee Crisp yesterday).  I'm going to add more carbs to my diet as my training progresses.  The added glycogen will really come in handy.

The calm before the training storm

Training begins the week after next.  Right now my runs are typical and non-taxing.  I’ve already begun doing some intensive core work, and I’m starting to see the results.  Believe it or not, I dropped 11 seconds from my typical kilometre pace.  I ran an easy 6 minute pace and mostly depleted my glycogen stores (which weren’t very full given that I depleted them in 10k).  The fact that I attained this pace (and so consistently) while wearing spikes, and running on a mixture of pavement and snow suggests that a) my fueling strategy (banana) is working and that b) the core work is keeping me in good running form throughout.  Bottom line: I’m running more efficiently… and training really hasn’t “begun” yet.  I will say that it’s definitely a nice thing not to have to bundle up as much as I had been when I was running in -30.  Was I faster in lighter clothing? We’ll see.

I ran through Forest Grove to the Meewasin Trail (roughly 4-4.5k to the trail) and ran north along the trail for another 500 metres before turning back and heading home.  The weather was just too good (0 celsius).

I targeted my transverse abdominis muscle when I did my post run workout.  I did this because of two things: 1) I need to increase the stability of my pelvis so that my leg-length difference (3-4mm) doesn’t lead to any pelvic twisting. [Not sure I explained that right]. 2) I’ve heard (can’t remember where) that a stronger transverse abdominis muscle leads to greater speed.

That’s the news.  I’m on pace for 25-ish kilometres this week--that’s not much at all, but it ought to keep me in reasonable shape up until actual training begins.

Marathon Training planning

I’ve never actually trained with a plan for a race before and then implemented it and I've run (no pun intended) into real trouble because of this.  When I ran my sub-2 hour half marathon it was on grit and determination alone.  These two qualities got me through my subsequent two half marathons when I faced an assortment of maladies (iliotibial band syndrome among others).  The bottom line is that I had a steep learning curve and have emerged from my 2013 and 2014 racing experiences with a pretty good sense of where all the running landmines are located.

Today I'm posting my 18 week marathon training plan.  It is a variation of Hal Higdon's freely available intermediate Marathon Training plan. My variations are owing to the fact that I prefer to fit my long runs in during the week, and tend to run a bit less on the weekends.  Totally counter intuitive, I know.  Another variation is that my plan uses the metric system (kilometres, as opposed to miles) because it's a bit more precise--and let's face it, 10 kilometres sounds better than 6 miles.

Another thing to keep in mind is that I'm starting my training in Canadian winter, which is pretty cold.   There are a few rules that I'm adopting to ensure safety while maximizing progress: 

1. Unless the temperature drops below -40c (or if the wind chill drops below -40c) I will not be using a treadmill.
2. Slip-on running spikes will be worn at all times when not running on the Meewasin Trail.  Spikes will be worn on days during and after snowfall on the Meewasin Trail.
3. No speedwork in weather colder than -10c.  No tempo or pace runs when the windchill is colder than -15c.
4. No long runs in weather colder than -15c.
5. Replace running shoes every 600 - 800 kilometres.
6. Carry at least one air activated heat warmer + one hot water bottle.

So here is the first draft of my training program.  Note that the schedule actually starts on January 26th.

Missed Training

Viruses and such are a fact of life when you live with kids.  Although I tend to avoid nasty training-killing bugs, I've succumbed a few times because I have continued to train even after acquiring whatever virus happened to be around.  Thus, I intend to opt out of running on days when I'm obviously fighting something.   I'm going to be more than a little bit surprised if this schedule goes off as planned.  Remember the idea is to train up to the point that 42.2k can be successfully run without injury.

Racing while training

As you can see from the schedule I added a half marathon race in week 13--that is when the Saskatoon Police Half Marathon is schedule.  Given what happened last year when I ran the race (hint: it wasn't good) I'm eager to improve my time.  I'm not training for that race, per se, but I've added a rest day to the schedule in order to conserve glycogen, and may cut down the run for the preceding Friday (currently 8k) to 3k.

Pace

I've set my goal pace for the marathon at 5:32/km.  If I were to run at that pace now, I'd probably be exhausted by 12k, drop to 6-6:30/km and end up well over 4 hours. 

Nutrition

One of the goals of my training (particularly in the second half--which is where I'll be doing the longest runs) will be to find the right mix of sports drinks, gels and various fuels to accommodate my energy needs.  I already know, for example, that Gu Brew works extremely well for me, as do Smarties (deliciously enough) and Glucose tablets.  But I also know that running faster than 5:40/km will probably require a Gu gel or two.

Diabetics, listen up. As for fueling up, I've found that a banana usually does the trick, but so does Gatorade.  But Gatorade packs in a lot of processed sugar and calories.  Bananas, though high on the glycemic index, pack roughly 30 grams of carbs, natural sugars and only 100-ish calories.

Marathon Training with Diabetes

Diabetics have one odd advantage over non-diabetics.  Because we do not break down sugar quite as efficiently, excess sugar will quite literally end up in our blood stream (sometimes exiting through the skin).  This sugar can, and is, used for... wait for it... running energy.  My experience has been that I'm often able to run 10-12k without fueling either before or during the run if I haven't taken my medicine.  Your results may vary.

Bear in mind that I am in terrific physical shape and my blood sugar is under complete control.  If you're a diabetic thinking about running a marathon, you need to honestly assess your health before you start training.  Above all, make sure your blood sugar is under control.

Lastly

I'll be posting more frequently throughout marathon training, and intend to do an extended post-race recap as well. I didn't expect this post to be an epic one when I began writing it.  But it happens.

2014, by the numbers

In 2014 I had my best year of running.

Kilometres run: 1,021.4
Duration run: 4 days, 12 hours and 7 minutes
Calories burned: 86,317
Pounds "burned": 24.6  (please note, I ate accordingly in order to avoid being emaciated).

21+k runs (Half Marathon distance): 6
Races (5k, 4 mile, 10k and half marathon): 13
Provinces/States raced in: 5 (Alberta, Manitoba, New York, Ontario and Saskatchewan)

Best 5K race: 24:02 in Calgary
Best 10k race: 55:23 in New York
Best Half Marathon: 1:57:38 in Burlington, Ontario

Total "DNF's": 0.
The numbers contained here were provided by Runtastic, Athlinks, New York Road Runners and Results Canada.

2015 New Years Resolutions

As everyone knows, it's always a good idea to make your New Year's resolutions public.  So here are mine.

1. Train for, and compete in, a triathlon.
2. Run the Saskatchewan Marathon (my first ever) in May.
3. Run a sub-20 minute 5k.

What the elites do

Chances are, if you can maximize the output your body produces during a race, you can probably translate the underlying thinking and commitment into other areas of your personal and professional life.  My opinion is that success comes not from a recipe (or predetermined series of steps) but from a frame of mind. 

I say this because about five years ago a really gifted (but unproven) salesman joined my real estate company.  Within a short period of time it became clear that this guy was a terrific salesman who had everything figured out.  People asked themselves and they asked others What is his secret?  How can I do what he’s doing?  But these aren’t the right questions, because ultimately the answers are either obvious or fairly easy to intuit.  For them to replicate his actions and methods in recipe form, would be equivalent to me eating and training like Meb Keflezighi and then expecting to have his results on race day.  If I want to get anywhere near to Meb's level of efficiency, I need to discover my own "secrets" and determine what works best for me.  This requires us to use reason deductively, not inductively.

The right question wasn't: What is his secret? But what is my own secret?  

If I want to know anything about a successful person, it is not what they had for breakfast, but how does this person think?  

Let's take a look at two questions that were posed to Shalene Flanagan by an interviewer who basically asks her what her secret (this is a fine question since it's an interview piece).

From Women’s Running:Women’s Running: What’s an average day like for you?
Shalene Flanagan: When I’m in serious marathon training, I run twice a day. I start at the Nike campus for my first run of the day, followed by a core workout with my team. Then I have lunch and take a nap. Later I might get physical therapy or get a massage. Then I do my second run, followed by dinner and bed.


Women’s Running: How did you begin running? 
Shalane Flanagan: I started running because my parents were both runners and they were my role models. I just wanted to be like them because they ran everyday. Also, when I was in grade school in Boulder, CO we had a physical fitness test and I beat all the boys in my grade and I thought, “You know, I really like beating all the boys.” 

As useful as it is to know her routine, what interests me are the statements "I just wanted to be like them" (her parents) and "I really like beating all the boys."  These are such strong and positive statements of what motivates her.  If Shalene Flanagan trained differently, her results probably wouldn't be all that different; but if she didn't want to be "just like" her parents or didn't "really like" competing, then she wouldn't be the elite athlete that she currently is.

I am not an elite athlete.  I'm a 38 year old diabetic whose dream is to run a sub 20-minute 5k.  My most credible effort occurred last March in Calgary when I ran a 24:02 5k.  This is a hopeful result because I did well despite running in an elevation I wasn't used to, on a somewhat icy path, while still dealing with a back issue... and perhaps most damning, no specific training of any sort and no cross training either.  Take away the ice and I probably break under 24 minutes.  Put the race at sea level, and I can probably break under 23 minutes.  Take away the back issue and we're talking another few seconds.  The bottom line is that in order to achieve my goal, I need to get into better shape (underway) and find more ideal conditions on race day.  These are remedies specific to me.

So I'll leave you with an article that I devoured this morning from Runner’s World where Meb spills his "secrets".  I don't think doing what he does will give you his results, but you can certainly intuit his thought process from what he says (just as we did in the example above).  Enjoy.

This is an entertaining read: http://www.runnersworld.com/boston-marathon/how-meb-keflezighi-trained-to-win-the-boston-marathon?page=single