The Official Hype Fitness Thread 6.0 - Part 8

[Babillygunn]

Treadmill Intervals today within a long run.

13.3 miles total.

Intervals: 10x500m & 9x200m

Paces kph:
500m 1x13, 1x14, 8x15
200m 3x16, 3x17, 3x18

Sep runs total: 206.5 miles / 332.4 km

On Sunday I did a 21.6 mile long run and for once had good paces (for me) up to the 15/16 mile mark. I’m very happy with that and it feels like proper progress as my long runs have all been snail pace till now.

Amazing job on the long runs and the intervals. Sounds great that you are seeing progress in your pace for the long runs. It’s also amazing that you’ve bounced back from your injuries so well. That’s a testament to your patience and tenacity.



I have made a decision to try to cut some calories and to limit sugar for the next few weeks. I’d like to drop about 10 lbs in hopes that it will help me with stamina and prevent injuries in my runs. My recovery always seems a bit slow and I’m really spent after my runs. I used to not be this way.

I’m probably over 15 lbs heavier post-pandemic. I went from 170-175 up to about 190. That is due to a combination of not running at all during the winter of 2021, as well as me moving into my late 40’s which has seemed to slow down everything. But I also have to acknowledge that while my diet is cleaner than probably the average American, years of running have caused me to build the bad habit of having poor portion control. I’ve always eaten more because I thought I needed the fuel. But my almost 50-year old metabolism doesn’t burn it like it used to. And I’m not running every day like I used to, or the mileage that I used to. And I can have a sweet tooth, which I have to learn to not indulge whenever I feel like it. The weight increase was very gradual, but now I see and feel it. I think I need to build good habits and hopefully that will help with injuries and stamina.

 

[Babillygunn]

I’m the opposite! The vast majority of my runs are on an empty stomach (fasted) for convenience. I also don’t feel good running with food in my stomach. That’s why the short runs home after work often seem harder than the fasted long runs first thing. I much more often have to stop during those evening runs than any of the morning runs.

That’s interesting. I often run after dinner. But I feel drained when I run after a fast. Whenever I’m doing a half marathon, my favorite people are the volunteers handing out nutrition. Oranges and bananas on the run make me feel like Popeye eating spinach!

 

[Iceman]

Amazing job on the long runs and the intervals. Sounds great that you are seeing progress in your pace for the long runs. It’s also amazing that you’ve bounced back from your injuries so well. That’s a testament to your patience and tenacity.



I have made a decision to try to cut some calories and to limit sugar for the next few weeks. I’d like to drop about 10 lbs in hopes that it will help me with stamina and prevent injuries in my runs. My recovery always seems a bit slow and I’m really spent after my runs. I used to not be this way.

I’m probably over 15 lbs heavier post-pandemic. I went from 170-175 up to about 190. That is due to a combination of not running at all during the winter of 2021, as well as me moving into my late 40’s which has seemed to slow down everything. But I also have to acknowledge that while my diet is cleaner than probably the average American, years of running have caused me to build the bad habit of having poor portion control. I’ve always eaten more because I thought I needed the fuel. But my almost 50-year old metabolism doesn’t burn it like it used to. And I’m not running every day like I used to, or the mileage that I used to. And I can have a sweet tooth, which I have to learn to not indulge whenever I feel like it. The weight increase was very gradual, but now I see and feel it. I think I need to build good habits and hopefully that will help with injuries and stamina.

Thanks. The intervals have been a great intro and I’ve improved on them every week since starting. They’ve definitely helped my fast finishes and comfort at higher paces.

Thanks again. The key to coming back from achilles and hamstring tendinopathy has been rehab, rehab, rehab!! It’s super slow progress but that proved to be the definitive answer, doing all the exercises nearly every day for months on end. Now that I’ve improved so much on the injury front I will keep doing those exercises for good when I’m 100% (not far off that now) so that I never have to go through it again.

If you feel good on less calories go for it. I’m not eating any more while running nearly 100 miles a week. No wonder I put on weight fast when
I’ve been injured. 😂

I’m getting into my late 40s now. I had thought some of my deteriorations in performance were down to ageing, but recent distances/times have put that theory to bed. Ageing obviously has an effect but a few years here and there can’t compare to the positive impact of top quality sleep, diet and training.

Definitely build as many good habits now that you can. They will help so much as we age further. Remember, when I did one of my fastest ever park runs (my PB at that particular course) there was a woman nearly 70 who was ahead of me until the finish line - shows what you can do if you take care of yourself!

I have a mega sweet tooth, pretty much uncontrollable if I have that kind of stuff in the house - so I have to at least force myself to make a trip to get it each time to limit it. To be fair since I’ve been running so much more than before, my body pushes me to prioritise sleep and to get sugars from healthier sources like fruits.

 

[Iceman]

That’s interesting. I often run after dinner. But I feel drained when I run after a fast. Whenever I’m doing a half marathon, my favorite people are the volunteers handing out nutrition. Oranges and bananas on the run make me feel like Popeye eating spinach!

I think you need good fuel when you are going for PBs, but otherwise some training in a fasted state helps with fat burning and is very sustainable for me. I can pull out long runs in the morning like they’re nothing, while the 4.6 mile run back from work often causes more problems depending what I’ve eaten throughout the day in the office.

 

[Iceman]

I meant to mention I also did 3 walks between Sat - Mon of between 2.5-3.5 miles.

 

[Iceman]

16 miles on the way in to work.

Sep runs: 222.5 miles / 358.1 km

If I don’t get ill or something, could get to 600km this month! Will be a personal record and prob over 500km regardless. Also naturally trending faster (less slow) for the same effort and for a larger proportion of the run. Wasn’t expecting to see significant progress for a couple of months so very happy with that.

 

[Iceman]

Another 5 miles on the way back from work. Again pace felt easier while semi-coasting and not pushing, same pace a month ago would have been tough.

Sep runs: 227.5 miles / 366.1 km

 

[theastsunnn]

Have given up preworkout, but have switch to 2-3 cups of coffee. No other caffeine thru out the day. How bad do you think that is

 

[Lily Adler]

 

[gohei_]

I’m the opposite! The vast majority of my runs are on an empty stomach (fasted) for convenience. I also don’t feel good running with food in my stomach. That’s why the short runs home after work often seem harder than the fasted long runs first thing. I much more often have to stop during those evening runs than any of the morning runs.

I'm the same as you; I need to wait at least 2-3 hours after a meal before I go for a run.
I'm curious though, during your longer runs, do you feel that your pace gets slower and slower the longer you go on? Or are you well below your first threshold from the start so you can keep the same pace throughout?

I have actually started trying out nutrition during my long runs, in the form of sports drinks. I don't need it to keep running but I figure if I ever find myself racing a longer distance I need to train my stomach to handle the incoming carbs while running.

 

[gohei_]

Have given up preworkout, but have switch to 2-3 cups of coffee. No other caffeine thru out the day. How bad do you think that is

2-3 cups before your workout? I figure the amount of caffeine will be pretty similar to a pwo so I think you'll be fine.

 

[theastsunnn]

2-3 cups before your workout? I figure the amount of caffeine will be pretty similar to a pwo so I think you'll be fine.

Yes about 2 cups before my workout. I was hoping it would be less dangerous than preworkout.

 

[Iceman]

15.2 miles on the way in to work.

Sep now 242.7 miles / 390.6 km

 

[Iceman]

Have given up preworkout, but have switch to 2-3 cups of coffee. No other caffeine thru out the day. How bad do you think that is

Fine, most office workers have a lot more than that.

 

[Iceman]

I'm the same as you; I need to wait at least 2-3 hours after a meal before I go for a run.
I'm curious though, during your longer runs, do you feel that your pace gets slower and slower the longer you go on? Or are you well below your first threshold from the start so you can keep the same pace throughout?

I have actually started trying out nutrition during my long runs, in the form of sports drinks. I don't need it to keep running but I figure if I ever find myself racing a longer distance I need to train my stomach to handle the incoming carbs while running.

I think the ideal is to have eaten before, to take nutrition/hydration on during and to do both again straight after finishing the run as far as possible. I’ll have to start training myself on it and I have a running vest which I could load up with sports drinks that I will start using more often. Also the park I run through has 4 water fountains within the loop I run which is great. As you say you need be used to this ahead of time if you want to be able to use it for races (and it’s certainly the optimal strategy).

For races you want carbs to perform at your best while the fasted runs are good to train your body to use fat as fuel, and getting used to that means you’ll be able to maintain slow steady runs for hours.

Usually on my long runs there comes a point where I’m no longer thriving and the paces will drop for good after that. There’s still been value for me in gettting through those less comfortable miles as with time that point when I see the decline is coming later and later in the run. Also with interval training I’m able to do fast sprints and fast sections after the half marathon mark which I never would have thought possible before.

 

[Babillygunn]

I'm the same as you; I need to wait at least 2-3 hours after a meal before I go for a run.
I'm curious though, during your longer runs, do you feel that your pace gets slower and slower the longer you go on? Or are you well below your first threshold from the start so you can keep the same pace throughout?

I have actually started trying out nutrition during my long runs, in the form of sports drinks. I don't need it to keep running but I figure if I ever find myself racing a longer distance I need to train my stomach to handle the incoming carbs while running.

I like to take nutrition and to get electrolytes (I like Propel) during long runs. I have mentioned this before on this thread, but about 10-12 years ago I ran a marathon when I had been training with only water. I was worried that taking nutrition would’ve somehow adversely affected me. So I only took water at about half of the stations. I also was trying to go at a fast pace. When I finished, I had a scary moment where I was looking for my wife and kids at the finish line but then I couldn’t see. I sat down and got my bearings, but I was severely dehydrated. I ended up drinking a bottle of Gatorade, threw it up and drank another one.

After that, I’ve always made sure that I take care to have nutrition and electrolytes during long runs. The last few half marathons, I’ve run with my son. He thinks it is hilarious that dad grabs three cups at every Powerade station.

 

[Lily Adler]

Have given up preworkout, but have switch to 2-3 cups of coffee. No other caffeine thru out the day. How bad do you think that is

Could be a Bubba full of bourbon and Smartwater.

 

[Lily Adler]

Tom Brady outpacing her already.

 

[Babillygunn]

Had an ok run on Wednesday. Kept it short at just under 2 and a half miles. I had planned a longer run last night but after dinner I laid down for a second and ended up falling asleep. I got up for about an hour but then went back to bed. In all, I slept about 9 and a half hours. I realize that I was completely exhausted. Too many nights of 4 hours of sleep. I had some serious sleep debt to repay.

 

[Iceman]

On Weds also ran back after work, 4.6 miles.

Thurs took a day off.

15.6 miles on the way in to work today, low heart rate and kept a very easy pace throughout.

Total runs for Sep: 262.9 miles / 423.1 km

 

[Iceman]

Had an ok run on Wednesday. Kept it short at just under 2 and a half miles. I had planned a longer run last night but after dinner I laid down for a second and ended up falling asleep. I got up for about an hour but then went back to bed. In all, I slept about 9 and a half hours. I realize that I was completely exhausted. Too many nights of 4 hours of sleep. I had some serious sleep debt to repay.

Sleep needs to be a huge priority, especially for us older guys. I bought a second duvet to act like a weighted blanket between the 2 of them and at least it's a lot more comfortable at night and makes me look forward to sleep! Not sure it's effective for everyone.

 

[Iceman]

I like to take nutrition and to get electrolytes (I like Propel) during long runs. I have mentioned this before on this thread, but about 10-12 years ago I ran a marathon when I had been training with only water. I was worried that taking nutrition would’ve somehow adversely affected me. So I only took water at about half of the stations. I also was trying to go at a fast pace. When I finished, I had a scary moment where I was looking for my wife and kids at the finish line but then I couldn’t see. I sat down and got my bearings, but I was severely dehydrated. I ended up drinking a bottle of Gatorade, threw it up and drank another one.

After that, I’ve always made sure that I take care to have nutrition and electrolytes during long runs. The last few half marathons, I’ve run with my son. He thinks it is hilarious that dad grabs three cups at every Powerade station.

I've just ordered some proper electrolyte stuff and will start using them with my running vest for my morning long runs. It does feel like the best way to go, and I'm already well adjusted for fat-burning. I think it will help with recovery and fatigue throughout the day.

 

[Iceman]

Rare Friday runs, usually work from home. Only come into office for 4 Fridays a year. As it was lively I did a run around the financial centre with tons of people out and about to pick up the vibe before rejoining my usual route home.

5.5 miles.

Sep runs: 268.4 miles / 431.9 km

 

[theastsunnn]

went to jiu jitsui at 5-6:30, then kickboxing for an hour followed by 20 minutes of spar. Can barely walk after. Feels good though.

 

[Iceman]

Prevention is better than cure so I'm taking a couple of extra days off (would be Thurs, Sat & Sun off at least) as my middle toe feels bruised and painful to the touch. Def want to avoid the possibility of a hairline stress fracture. Lets see how it goes. At parents this weekend anyway and will do the rehab again tomorrow. Happy to give up on the 600km dream for this month as it will come eventually. If its overly cautious that doesn't matter as I'm looking super-long term, if its anything more then it will be a shame but that's all part of the risks of ramping up mileage. I'm impressed the rest of my body has held up so well, and I'm confident I'll be able to do this kind of mileage long term when I manage to put together a clean streak of no niggles.