Tough Mudder Preparation

by tdhurst on November 30, 2011

I read through the course set up last week.

Holy hell.

To get somewhat of an idea, I ran in the canyon by my parents’ house last Saturday. The ‘trail’ (more of a path on the side where less stuff grows) was packed with leaves, mud, trees and branches.

To simulate the ice bath, I dipped myself in the creek (there’s a small dam that makes a shallow pool) up to my nipples and ran about a half mile down the canyon, then back. I added a few canyon climbs up (about 200 feet on a kinda winding path) and then ran on the road a mile back home.

Total trip was less than 2.5 miles, but it wasn’t easy, considering.

Few things I learned:

1. It was 45 when I went and the water was a little less than that. I was fine.

2. My Under Armour boxer briefs and compression shirt are invaluable. They kept me quite warm and dry-ish.

3. Nike Dri-Fit shorts worked great, but make sure you get the short running ones. Mine were a bit longer and would have rubbed after more than a few miles.

4. My Nike Dri-Fit pullover handled like a champ.

5. I run in Vibram Sprints, sans socks, and they were great. If you DO wear socks, for the love of god don’t wear cotton. Get some dri-fit, thin-as-all-hell nylon blend.

6. My thighs burned a little bit yesterday, but nothing horrible. Knees were sore, but after a foam roller session, they felt fine.

7. I’m going to start running wet and/or muddy to simulate the course. Running is easy, running while wet and muddy isn’t.

8. They were right about cardio not being as important for this race as it would be for a half marathon. Focus on running a 10k+ with LOTS of sprints and lifting. You’ll be far more tired from the obstacles than the actual running.

9. Use BodyGlide. Don’t ask why. You’ll thank me.

10. Lose weight. I know this is a duh, but I’m at 215 and the bending over and such is far more prevalent than a typical road race would be (obviously). And none of us want to pull your fat ass over a wall.

Looking forward to the race. And scared.

My run took me 32 minutes, so a time of around 2.5 hours for our race is a great goal. I’d be happy with three hours. Just looking to finish strong!

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Body Fat Reduction Challenge at Pro Fitness AZ

by tdhurst on February 5, 2011

I’ve never run a half marathon in less than 2:10. I’ve never run one in Vibram Five Fingers in less than 2:17. After my fifth half marathon, it’s become apparent that I need to do a lot more with my training if I want to get faster or ever compete in a triathlon.

My legs are great. Strong, lean and in probably the best shape of my life. But my upper body? Psh. I carry all my fat there. From my protruding gut to my pecs that jiggle a lot more than I’d like, it’s time for some full body workouts. So when Vin Vallejo of Pro Fitness AZ offered me a chance to compete in a two-month Body Fat Reduction Challenge in exchange for documenting my progress, I jumped at the chance.

Who's that chunky dude on the left? That's me? Huh.

I’ve never worked out full time in Vibram Five Fingers before. I suppose I should be worried about dropping a weight on my toes or slipping, but they’ve been great in the gym. Except for the few times I have to rest on my heels, I forget I’m not wearing regular shoes.

I still get questions about my Sprints, ranging from “don’t they hurt your feet” to “are they really comfortable,” but I’m really surprised that more serious trainers don’t use them. Maybe they know something I don’t or perhaps they’re just not distance runners. Or maybe the Vibram Five Fingers are just too ugly. My Sprints certainly are. (what new color should I get?)

The goal of my time with Vin is to lose 8% of my body fat, to get down to 17% total body fat. The plan is to lose 30ish lbs of fat and gain 6-7 lbs of muscle. The first two weeks haven’t been easy, as my posts from each day will attest.

My hope is that adding weight and resistance training, from an actual trainer, will help me prepare to compete in the 2012 Ironman in Tempe that November. A lofty goal, but hell, Peter Shankman did it, so I figure with some serious training, I can too.

And yes, I’ll be biking and running almost barefoot. But which Vibram Five Fingers should I run in?

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Fifth half is in the bag

by tdhurst on January 16, 2011

2:20. That’s two hours and twenty minutes it took me to run 13.1 miles this morning. Of my five half marathons, this is my second-worst time, but only if you count my disastrous 2:45+ showing in L.A. that had me limping three miles to the finish.

I should probably be disappointed in myself and frustrated that my half marathon times have increased steadily over the past two years. Any semi-serious runner would see finishing as necessary, but improvement as paramount, and I haven’t been improving.

But if I sort out my running a bit, I remember that my last race in regular shoes was a scant year ago and that I’ve only been running full time in Vibrams for slightly over 13 months. In that time, I’ve run four half marathons, completely changed my running form and suffered through ITBS so painful I rested for the entirety of November 2010.

This also means I had a scant six training weeks to get ready for this morning, and as I sit here typing this, I’m aware of a few things that are certainly different than my other races.

1. I don’t hurt anymore
I’m stiff, I’m sore and I’m tired, but nothing really hurts. I didn’t lean on Katie in order to walk like I did in June at Seattle and I didn’t need medical attention like I did in L.A. I’m also not limping like I was after my 10-mile run last week.

2. I know exactly what I need to do to get better
I signed up for my first half marathon as a knee-jerk reaction to my pilonidal cyst surgery, knowing that if I spent money on registration, I was far more likely to train. I had no idea what I was doing then and subsequently hurt a ton after the race. I have a plan now.

3. I FEEL good
Yeah, I’m heavier than I should be and I’m sure I could be faster, but I can’t cut weight or get faster with poor form that injures me. Running no longer hurts as much as it used to.

4. I have a sense of purpose
Ironman 2012. I know it sounds crazy and way too much of a commitment, but dammit, it’s a helluva thing to be able to do. I’m sure it will hurt and I’m sure it will be harder than I can imagine, but you don’t get better by repeatedly doing things you’ve already done.

5. My friends run now
When I first started, I knew absolutely no one who ran. While I haven’t really met many new people (except for Corey Nagle, whose posts are noticeably absent) through running, I’ve met them through other activities. We’ve shared stories, traded tips and served to inspire each other. Without the support of others, competing against yourself gets really lonely.

So what’s next?

Cross training. Cross fit. Fat loss. Strength building. More running, biking and swimming.

22 months until Ironman 2012 here in AZ. Will you be ready?


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5 things I’ve never done while running

January 10, 2011

Everyone has running horror stories. From that time someone was chased by a dog to the near-miss when crossing the street and the unwanted bowel movement to the bloody toes, running can be a disgusting sport. Most sports have some sort of official that helps rein the athletes in, but for runners in training, we [...]

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My fifth half marathon

January 4, 2011

In 12 days I will run my fifth half marathon and my third in Vibrams. I am less prepared than I’ve ever been, as my ITBS flareup in November stole some of my prep time. I was originally signed up to run the marathon (26.2 miles!) this January, but meekly decided my body wasn’t going [...]

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I am a barefoot runner…no, *I* am a barefoot runner!

December 22, 2010

The (almost) barefooting code requires that I post this.
I’ve actually said a lot of these things, but I’m not where near as bad as Barefoot Corey.

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Luna Sandals Review by @ChaoticMark

December 8, 2010

I’m a huge Vibram Five Fingers fan, but I know that there are plenty of options out there in the minimalist community and Vibrams sure don’t work for everyone. Here’s a cool review by another minimalist runner about Luna Sandals, which I’ve wanted for a while.

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Foam rollers, baseballs and a helluva lot of pain

December 6, 2010

I’m still not full recovered from my ITBS that flared up during my half marathon.
And my legs hurt. They hurt a whole f***ing lot.
I started training again last week, eager to prepare myself for another half marathon in mid January. I ran three miles early in the week, did some lunges and squats and played [...]

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Injury recovery

November 22, 2010

There are few things worse than being injured while running. Up until this past month, I’ve been lucky while running in Vibrams. Except for a pulled calf muscle when I first started, I’ve been fairly injury free. This was mostly luck, as besides stretching, occasional weight lifting and periodic use of a foam roller, I [...]

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Knowing your limits

November 9, 2010

I’ve run almost four half marathons, the last two in Vibrams. I’ve never broken 2:11 and I didn’t finish my last because of an ITBS flare up at mile 10. Three miles of limping and the ensuing weeks of recovery made me rethink why I run, why I race and what the hell it is [...]

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