For: Athletes Looking to Improve & Perform Optimally

I've been running for a long time now and I'm happy to say I'm still learning. Most recently I've been biohacking a lot and am testing a very new controversial method of training. Trust me, I'm not rock solid on anything when it comes to training. I'm willing to test and try about any new technique for running that sounds like a good experiment. i.e. Barefoot Running=awesome. 
 I think it's important to never think you know everything, no matter how long you've been doing something, to be willing to learn new things in anything you do, and most importantly to perform optimally. It keeps us motivated and coming back for more! So...what's this training method you ask?

No more gluten & sugar. Cut back on the running and get faster!

Say what? True. 

Here's what I'm learning....

 So basically, your body naturally produces glycogen. But many of us endurance runners feel the need to constantly carbo-load to fill our glycogen stores for the long runs- even though glycogen pretty much restores naturally. In addition to eating what we feel like, because we're runners. Fact is: that if you barely had any carbs, you'd be alright. (Unless you're tapping those stores daily) In fact you might perform better. This is because many of our bodies have been trained as "sugar burners."

How to Qualify as a sugar burner. You just have to eat (wheat, gluten, sugar, many fruits, pretty much any counter sweets and bars)

What have I been doing to become a fat burner? I eat more fat of course!

I cut bread and all sweets. Other than one cheat day on the weekend.

I feel great. Because instead of burning sugar, I'm burning key tones.(Fat) you're body functions much better when it's burning fat. Also, your stomach has a tough time digesting gluten and sugar as well. So eat more good fat to burn more fat. Usually a ratio of 70% fat to 30% carbs should do it. We're not talking bad fat and bad carbs though... follow me?

When we burn fat, we're not constantly hungry. We can actually function in a compressed eating window, with no issues. (example: 16 hours fasting, 8 hours eating) Because... our brain isn't telling the gut it "need more sugar!" (Equivalent to what morphine addicts go through) ahhh.,.the beauty of being ketogenic.

For those looking to burn weight. This may be a good idea....When you're body is looking for food energy in Ketogenisis, it says. "Hey, maybe I'll burn this excess fat." For those who aren't looking to burn fat, it's about functioning completely;optimally. Mark Sissons of Primal Blueprint says "when elite athletes start experimenting with ketogenisis, I have no doubt we'll start to see some record breaking performances"

What's good fat? 

Avocados, olive oil, grassfed butter, grassfed meat, cocunut oil/milk,Almonds, Pumpkin Seeds, Greek Yogurt.etc.
 
What's good Carbs?
 Sweet Potatoes, rice, vegetables, Some fruit:cranberries,raspberries, etc.

There's been way too many examples in this past 6 month experiment to ever turn back. 

Example 1: Dr. Terry Wahls. Author of the "The Wahls Protocol" and a victim of progressive multiple sclerosis used to be electric wheelchair bound. With a high fat, low carb', vegetable heavy diet, she's now biking 18 miles. Wtf? Is society eating backwards? I'm convinced.(YouTube:"minding your mitochondria")

Look, I'm not the intense version of this eating regimen. I'm the heavy healthy, sometimes eat un-healthy version. I love food, and wine. There are times when you gotta eat, and you gotta drink. But 90% of the time, I want to perform optimally.

When it comes to less training is more method of thinking. There's a theory that 80% of high endurance runners train too much. Leading to chronic cardio and bad internal health. Everyone says knees and joints. I read more about heart and Achilles. When we're constantly training these long long distances, much of the time we're over stressing everything we can't see. (Can Running Shorten Your Life) We train all of this long long distance, but we're just re-enforcing what our bodies are already good at. If we stuck to more speed (twice/week) and some race pace, with a few big runs that are really ez heading into an event. We may just perform better. (See: Chapter 1&2: Ben Greenfield: Mastering Endurance)

Yeah, I didn't believe this bit either. I love training and "Sunday Rundays." Huge proponent of the long run for success.

I used to stress over long runs, and lose it to not get them done. Mind you, after a 16-20 week marathon training program I'm toasted. Usually many of us come into our races with hot spots, or arising issues somewhere.

I ran Boston 2014. I injured my Achilles. What an injury! I was signed up for the Ottawa marathon 5 weeks later, I couldn't train though, because I couldn't run. I managed 4 painful runs in. Though I stayed eating low carb, high fat. I just wanted to feel 60-70% coming into the race.
End Result: I did a lot less training and managed to pull out a 2:56 marathon. My 3rd best time out of 12 marathons. What a statement. Not saying it was easy. But have i bought in? Yup!

Now I'm parroting a lot of what I hear. But I'm also practicing what I preach. It's working. I've spent a lot of time looking into this stuff, and still have a lot to learn. But I'm a changed athlete and now truly truly believe that diet really is the most important part of fitness, with a lot less training.

Here's to you and performing optimally!

D

My teachers: (by order of significance)

Mark Sissons: The Primal Blueprint+podcast

Neil Rosenthal: Solefit Ottawa: Dude is a Beast. 
Ben Greenfield: Ben Greenfield Fitness Poscast+ Beyond Training Book

Dr.Terry Wahls: The Wahl's Protocol+podcast guest+http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KLjgBLwH3Wc

Joe Rogan: podcast (joe rogan experience)

Dave Asprey: bulletproofexec.com (bulletproof coffee)

Robb Wolf: Podcast

JJ Virgin: the virgin diet

Boston Revenge

When you get beat up and knocked down, a great philosophy is that old famous one... to get back up. When you really really get beat up, it takes a little more time to get over it. But to take that challenge and get back up, that sounds glorious. After my Boston Marathon of 2012, I've been training just for that.

About this time last year I was preparing for Boston, feeling great and in 3:00 marathon shape. It would be a series of unfortunate decisions that would lead to a complete collapse and cause me to spiral into a 4:16 marathon and a terrifying experience. One of my greatest faults last year was drinking a lot of Gatorade the day before the event, I mean about 3 litres a lot! Why...why would I on my 7th marathon do something that I had never done in any of my other marathons? The only thing I can come up with is nerves. To err is human, and with the news broadcasts' predicting a record heat day, and my 1st Boston about to go down. I err'd, I err'd that $*#T up big time. During the run I suffered from something I had never heard of until it happened: overhydration (http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/overhydration) Along with my sugar and salt probably hitting the critical meter. Needless to say I blew up early and my race was over before I started. To read more on that (http://dstyb.blogspot.ca/2012/04/my-monday-april-16th-2012-in-boston-262.html)

I remember sitting on the ground after the race with my family and friends surrounding me. I wasn't cognizant of the situation, and for the first time racing I was scared for my health. I had pushed it to the edge. An hour later after being wheeled to the med tent, I managed to come back to earth and get some fluids in, just short from going on an IV. This one really really beat me up.

A week after the Boston debacle, I got back on the road and the thought of another marathon seemed daunting. At the time I was signed up for Ottawa Race Weekend for the 27th of May and I was really nervous that I would have the same experience I had in Boston. Even thinking about Boston at this point wasn't an option. It took me a few weeks to regain my form, and I showed up to ORW with a nervous curiosity about me. It was as if I was running my first marathon. At the starting line I took some deep breaths and promised myself to relax into a comfortable pace right away. I was off and the plan came together flawlessly to finish in 3:01. This race brought my confidence back, I needed that. To let me know what I already shouldve known, that Boston 2012 was a one time thing.

 Now that I`m a week out from the race, I contemplate, review the past, and visualize this years starting line. A month ago it was fearful, after running Around the Bay, (not a great race for me) that Boston fear started growing again. My last long run, and my last hill workout fixed that completely. I went out for my last 3 hour run and destroyed it, I added a couple big hills the last 40 minutes of the run and felt like a gem. I then came out smiling from my last hill workout-My favourite in Ottawa. (https://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=217705717122258425059.0004d9a1397c97f97e437)

I`m very excited for Beantown this year. I`m excited to laugh, I`m excited to smile. Particularly over some of those hills that had me cringing last year. I will enjoy this year, and I think that`s what I can take from last year. Just settle in and enjoy the great experiences, because there may be a time when they don`t come around so often.

Here`s to you and Boston Monday!!

D

How I knocked 18 minutes Off of My Best Marathon

From a 3:20 to a 3:33, to a 3:24, to a 4:29,to a 3:22 to a 3:02:47!

I'm an Ottawa runner and I've been at it consistently since 2005. It became a way to be healthy, quit smoking, and tire my dog out. As with many people, running changed me as a person. Now I compete against myself to get faster, and faster. Last year a lot of things changed for me. I stand by these techniques, and how they helped me change from a good runner to an extremely efficient runner and, after 6 years finally qualify for Boston. They are not all my techniques of course, but it's advice that has helped me, and is now part of my daily routine.

1.) Gait Change
I was always injured with a myriad of issues from tight calves, a stress fracture, knee problems, pulled muscles, etc. It seemed as though every year something else came along to hurt me throughout training. I decided to have a video gait analysis (Solefit) where it became evident to me that I was really straight and bouncy, pushing a lot my energy towards the sky, my cadence was off and my shoes were broken down causing me to fall towards the broken down side of the shoe.

Result: 
Fixed my cadence to ideal: 45 steps every 15 seconds.
Fixed my stance to fall: Essentially running is falling, not bouncing, and falling on your  forefoot with the majority of your weight while kissing the ground with your heel.

Fixed my shoes: Minimalist running has allowed me to feel the ground better, and control my gait. It's not for everyone, but I truly believe that the arch is the best device for running. It is the foots natural spring for impact and to cover it with a big cushion is crazy.

2.) Sports Massage

I wasn't really aware how tight my muscles were, until I booked my first massage. There were quite a few spots that I really wasn't aware hurt, until they were massaged. I had a massage the week before my marathon in May where I qualified, it made me feel brand new.

Result: 
Fresher muscles: Your muscles don't feel as tired, you feel ready to go.

Heat: The masseuse uses heat, and promotes it on any tight muscles. A muscle can't stay tight when blood is running through it, heat induces that. It works, and allowed me to come home and self massage after applying heat to make sure I was loose.

3.) Stretching

It's over rated, but it's crucial to keeping healthy. From stretching often, I've noticed after those Sunday long runs, I don't feel pain the next day, maybe fatigue, but no more muscle tightness. I'll usually stretch in the shower, where it's nice and hot; warm muscles are easier to stretch. I also do some light dynamic stretches before a run, and sometimes 2km in when I'm warm, it helps me stay loose.

Result: 
Loose: Better recovery, after hard workouts and long workouts

4.) Nutrition

I started eating a lot healthier, you don't need as much meat, and dairy to be a runner, so I resorted to other things like fruit and veggies! I wasn't getting enough, you need quite a bit. I got a supplement. (Veggie Greens) They say it's your fuel. Carbohydrates of course is your endurance, I was pretty good on this. I also found that eating more nutritious, freshly made meals (like: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/delicious-black-bean-burritos/) allowed me to get more out of the workout, you're body start to tell you how your diet is, by providing more or less energy. I'm also stringent on making sure I get some kind of protein within 15 minutes of coming home from a run. Mostly protein shakes, sometimes dinner, or another good protein snack.

Result:
Stronger: You feel better, recover better, you feel faster, and can go longer distances.
Awake: I don't crash after hard workouts as much, energy food is a big reason.

5.) Warm up, Cool Down

Consider it adding 3-4 km to your workout. It's something I never used to do, but I can't say it hasn't allowed me to start a workout and end a workout a lot better. I can now make sure I'm pounding on warmer, longer muscles to start, and I know cooling down is good for you healthwise. For me, it's nice to shut my workout down for 1-2km and reflect.
  
Result: 
Better beginning: I'm not going to say cooling down has been a drastic change, but warming up has. I'm more prepped to take a beating, and feel better about it when I'll warmed up! 

6.) Speed work

This one should be near the top, it's become so important. It's helped me get faster more consistently. I really don't like speed workouts, they're very taxing on the body, and can make you quite miserable. SO... I use music, I use a Tuesday running group, I run a route: a routine route for self time trials, I disperse speed in some mid week longer runs to mock race pace. I also try and beat myself, all the time. I never think that a 3:50 is the fastest I can go-so I don't create a base of 3:50. I'm always pushing, and pushing, while listening to my body. I was running a fast 20km on Wednesdays, whether it was right or not, I'm not sure, but I felt healthy doing it, it broke up the week, and certainly got me faster. I'd prefer that run, than two 10k's in 2 days, I'd much rather use a rest day to recover.

Result: 
Speed: My opinion now is that, if you want to run a fast marathon, this is your 2nd most important workout.
Strength: Enough speed has taught me that you can always push the limits harder. It allows your body to be competitive, then all you have to worry about is the mental side of it. 

7) More Fuel

I never used to bring much on a marathon, maybe a bottle of Gatorade, and two gels.
This year: I trained with a Camel-back and Gatorade, huge difference! You can feel the energy balance when you drink just water, or Gatorade. More is better, I fill the camel-back and usually need the whole thing. I took a gel every 30 minutes during the race, and I also brought along e-discs to replace my salt loss, and took one every 30 minutes. These together allowed me to race on a steady pace throughout, until the last 3-4 km where I really had to grit my teeth.

Result: 
Full Tank: A glass is better full, than half empty. Once the training was there, this helped sustain me through the main event. 

These are the things that made my race happen, and changed my success! There are a few more important than others: gait change, speedwork, and more fuel. But I know they all played part in my success. Now I'm going to Boston, April 16th, 2012. It will be my trophy run!

Enjoy the outdoors! (I'm on the left blue shirt, white hat)

D