Running Fuel

Fettuccini Alfredo with sausage. A Canadian classic. Fueling up for tomorrow's 24k training run. #running #fuel #carbs #food

A photo posted by John (@misterspalding) on Mar 22, 2015 at 4:23pm PDT

Mizuno Wave Inspire 10 Review

Generally speaking stability shoes come in quite a few varieties.  That said, I just took a pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire 10's out of the box for a quick 4k around the neighbourhood.  My first impression is that these shoes are built for comfort as well as stability control.  I wouldn't use these for speed work, but I would for a marathon.  They felt a bit heavy (despite their reputation for their lightness--they are purported to weigh 9.3 oz), which isn't a big deal since the comfort they provide more than makes up for the weight.

I ran a slow first kilometre (6:03) and followed with a faster 5-minute kilometre before settling in at a nice 5:30 pace.  This is where the Mizuno Wave Inspire 10 just blows me away: I thought I was going much slower than 5:30.  Wow.  When Runtastic advised me of my split, I almost couldn't believe how I was basically gliding along at my marathon race pace without even realizing it.

After my run, I stretched and had a nutrition shake and then took a look at the shoes.  The Mizuno Wave Inspire 10 looks and feels like a shoe for which a lot of care and inspiration went into designing.  The pairing of midnight blue and neon green trim with the silver logo looks even better in real life than it does online.  (I thought the green lace tips were a nice touch as well.)

To recap, the Mizuno Wave Inspire is a stability shoe for runners who overpronate.  It's a great training and marathon shoe, but for shorter racing distances you might want to stick to a lighter shoe.

Other reviewers will talk more technically about the foam and cushioning, so I'll stick keeping it real simple.  The Mizuno Wave Inspire 10's are a terrific running shoe.

Pools

After months and months of bone-chilling cold, Saskatoon is starting to thaw... and that means pools of water are forming on sidewalks, freezing to long dark blocks of ice, and thawing again.  On some stretches of the Meewasin trail off Spadina Crescent running is literally impossible without spikes, and even then it is hazardous.
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In other news, thanks to Voltaren (topical pain relieving gel), my calf cramping issues are subsiding.  But still, I think the key to preventing future soleus muscle injuries will be rely on how much I strengthen that muscle.
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The Saskatchewan Marathon is just 81 days away.

Marathon training diary

One of the things that happens when you train is that you get a little hurt.  A few weeks ago I began my Monday long run as usual, and after about 10 minutes I noticed that "flat tire" feeling one gets when--as Dr. Google would later diagnose--the soleus muscle gets strained.  The soleus muscle is one of two calf muscles, but unlike its bulbous brother (the gastroc), this thin and relatively sinewy muscle resides in the lower leg.  The soleus is a fast twitch muscle, which means that it sees most of its action when you do speed or hill work.  If you neglect to stretch and/or use this muscle you could well experience what I went through.

The sensation was as if my right lower leg has turned to stone.  The pain stayed with me as I continued running--one problem with running in extreme cold is that stopping is usually a very bad idea--and the pain eased a bit.  I pressed on with training for another two weeks until the pain was too debilitating to continue.  I haven't run in days (this problem can sideline you for days or weeks).

And so I've been soaking my legs in hot water, taking ibuprofen with muscle relaxer and stretching.  I've also stopped my protein and creatine supplements and eschewed my attempt to get more "cut".  It seems ludicrous now that I ever contemplated gaining weight while training for a marathon.  I have, as a result, lost 4 pounds this week.

My next run is scheduled for Monday.  I intend to do a graded (run/walk) return.  Let's see how that goes!

At some point even winter must end.

A photo posted by John (@misterspalding) on Feb 26, 2015 at 10:24am PST

Notes on doing speed work in -25 Celsius

So as week #3 of marathon training draws to a close, I can say for sure that doing at least some speed work in ultra cold temperatures is the way to go.  If I remember my biology classes correctly, most of the energy created by your muscles is, ultimately, just heat--less than 30% of the energy created is used for actual work.  Thus, the more your muscles work, the more heat you generate (a nice thing to know during a Canadian winter).
For example, on Wednesday, I slipped a pair of spikes onto my Saucony Guides and ran like a jackal on one of Saskatoon's many (and quite confusing) Crescent-shaped roads and down another street of the same name (*true) completing a 600 metre loop. Then I walked for two minutes and began the torture again.  (Another point I'm making is that even if the streets are sheeted in ice and the sidewalks alternate between clear and icy, there aren't any good reasons to ease up on training so long as you take the proper precautions.)  At any rate, the speed at which I ran was sufficient to generate more than enough heat to handle the cold--whereas running at my previous norm would be too slow to withstand temperatures colder than -15, to say nothing about -25 (never mind that the windchill was -33).

Running toward the sunset

Running into the sunset. #saskatchewan

A photo posted by John (@misterspalding) on Feb 4, 2015 at 5:28pm PST

The above photo was take a few days ago during a 14k run.

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.