Endurance Planet

In this 264th episode of Ask The Coaches, Lucho and Brock answer questions on Nasal Breathing, Sleeping Before a Race, Staying Limber, and much more!

In this episode, coaches Brock and Lucho answer questions on Training for a Hilly 10k, When to Ignore Cardiac Drift, Interpreting VO2 Max Tests, Glycogen Replenishing, and more!

Coaches, Lucho and Brock, answer your questions about Counting Calories on the Bike, Recovering During a Race, Pacing Your Long Runs, Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, and more!

In this episode of Ask the Coaches, Lucho and Brock answer the questions: Is Fat the New Tire Size, Does Racing Hurt MAF, Can MAF Make You Scrawny, How to Train as a Blue Collar Baller, and more!

[sponsor image="http://www.enduranceplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/UCAN-logo-rev-nutrition.jpg"]This episode is brought to you by Generation UCAN Superstarch, the incredible fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts looking for burn more fat for fuel, optimize sports performance and keep blood sugar in check. EP fans get 15% of UCAN, shop now. You can also use the code "enduranceplanet" if you're shopping at generationucan.com for that 15% discount. Join the revolution. You can burn more fat for fuel. Oh, and be sure to check out the UCAN bars with peach and also another flavor with coffee beans for an added kick![/sponsor] In this episode of Ask the Coaches, guest host Brock Armstrong joins Lucho to answer these questions.

Hey gentlemen, after listening to ATC #259 I started to think about myself and how I coach myself. I've been coaching for 15+ years and have read almost every book on training philosophy by every coach possible. Because my athletes seem to do so well, I trained myself too. In the past I seemed to do pretty well too, but recently it appears that I am not performing as well as I like or should. After really looking deep into it, I think I am now "quitting" on myself far too frequently during workouts than in the past. So my question is when should a coach get a coach? There are good and bad sides to being self-coached and I am curious as to your takes. On one side I know my body better than anyone so if I know my body isn't feeling great I shouldn't do that day's hard work out and move it. However, that same knowledge can be a detriment as maybe I am not giving my body a chance that day after an extra warm up. Also, Lucho I've heard you discuss you "reverse taper" in the past and would like to try it for my next marathon. Say mine is the 1st weekend in November, how would it look? Thanks again for all you do for us regular athletes. The coaches say: - Can you actually find a coach that you trust enough? - Being too easy or too hard on yourself is a sign you need assistance. - You still need to make a plan and write it out. Don't just wing it from day to day. - Overreaching is uncomfortable and supercompensation requires that you don't always feel fresh and ready. - Reverse Tape: after rest block performance can be poor. Do your taper start 4-5 weeks out, take 5-7 day rest block (reduce 80% of load), 2-4 weeks out bring training load up to 80% and then start to reduce.

Dear Brock and Lucho: First please pass along my best wishes to Tawnee. I'm a long time listener and my heart goes out to her and John. My goal is to break 3 hours in the marathon. I come from a rugby and hockey background (living in Canada) and so even though I've been participating in endurance sports for 8 years I still carry a lot of muscle. I'm 5'5" and weigh 152 lbs with about 8% body fat. I've done pretty well in my endurance racing, here are some relevant results: 2011 Boston marathon 3:01 2012 Mont Tremblant Ironman 11:07 2015 Mont Tremblant 70.3 4:53 2016 Boston marathon 3:02 I've run a 1:26 open half marathon and a 18:26 5k. I followed the Hanson Advanced Marathon program to run 3:02 in 2016 and loosely followed the Jack Daniels Blue plan for the 3:01 in Boston in 2011. I'm currently 44 years old. I have a busy life running a law firm, working about 50-60 hours a week and have two young kids. I have about 8-10 hours a week to train maximum. My MAF pace is 7:12 per mile. I have a low max heart rate. I have had a few field tests and never got above 165 max heart rate. I find running at my MAF pace to be moderately difficult. My run all day pace is at 8 min/mile with a heart rate of 125 bpm. With this background what would you recommend to get ready for my attempt to break 3 hours at the Scotiabank Toronto Marathon on October 21st? I'm doing a 70.3 in Muskoka on July 8th but don't have any other races planned before the marathon in October. Should I follow Hanson's model, Jack Daniels or another plan? Thanks for your time and keep up the great work. Love the show. Shout out to Brock from Canada. Keep well eh. The coaches say: - That race is flat and cool (often rainy with some breeze from the lake) which bodes well. Lot's or Canadian records get set there. - Muskoka 70.3 is a gorgeous race but the last part of the bike is a beast. Be ready for that. - The muscle doesn't seem to be holding you back but the key to getting those last couple minutes of your race time might be easier if you dropped some small muscle weight.

Hey everyone. After 4 months off due to sacral fracture, I have been base building with slow, easy miles all on dirt and grass for 1.5 months. I want to get my Mona Lisa-esque stride back (Its a stride that's a work of art but the beauty is in the eye of the runner, not for everyone). Should I use grass strides or short dirt hills strides (both roughly 200m) once a week to start getting my stride back? Is there a benefit to one over the other like less impact going up a hill but requires greater push off? And how long post-recovery should I test my MAF to see where it's at so I can get back into training? 2 months of recovery running before MAF test? 3 months? Thanks for every piece of information and more importantly, the comic relief you provide and the... The coaches say: - If they haven't checked bone density already, get that checked. Scarum is the first place we often see osteopenia show up. - Running barefoot on grass is a great exercise to get your stride back. - Hill running is your go to. Maybe some water jog as well. You could look into Physiclo pants...??? - Track running is soft and smooth. Less chance of wiping out than running on a trail. - No need to wait to test MAF. Get a baseline ASAP.

HI there! I'm struggling with a training dilemma. I simultaneously want to increase my speed while doubling my distance. Specifically, I want to train for & race a marathon. The longest distance I've gone is the half-marathon. My time was 2:21. I'd like to complete a sub-4 marathon. Is this crazy talk? Most info I've come across says to focus on one or the other in order to avoid injury. Thanks for your guidance! The coaches say: - Being ambitious is good but you still have to allow your body to progress as fast as it is able to. - Focussing on both in a training season is ok but periodize when you concentrate on each one. - You get faster from distance training too, not just from "Speed Work." Especially true when you are a beginner. - Listening to your body is key.

Coaches, Lucho and Brock, answer the questions: Why Do I keep Getting Injured, How Long is a Long Run, Cramping Off the Bike, Training for a Mountain Race, How to Self-Coach, and more!

This episode is brought to you by Generation UCAN Superstarch, the incredible fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts looking for burn more fat for fuel, optimize sports performance and keep blood sugar in check. EP fans get 15% of UCAN, shop now. You can also use the code "enduranceplanet" if you're shopping at generationucan.com for that 15% discount. Join the revolution. You can burn more fat for fuel. Oh, and be sure to check out the UCAN bars with peach and also another flavor with coffee beans for an added kick!

On this episode of Ask The Coaches, with guest coach/host Brock Armstrong:

I am 34 years old and only got into endurance sports over the last 3 years. I've always been overweight, even as a D1 athlete in college (soccer). I've done several 13.1's, a few 70.3's and am running my first 26.2 in a few weeks, followed by IMLP next summer. So here's my question – Does MAF discriminate when it comes to weight? I have respectable times, despite being 240lbs at 6'0" tall. I'm a sub 2 hour 13.1 and sub 6 hour 70.3. The problem is that I generally am running at much higher HRs than anyone else I know or train with. I can run at 170-175bpm relatively easily for extended periods of time. No, my HRM is not broken – this is over several iterations. To the contrary, when I try to run my MAF pace of 147, I am stuck walking the majority of the time. I can't in good conscience train for races by mostly walking. At the same time, I would like to be a much better fat burner. I do think that my fat burning must be better than my MAF efforts entail, as I have little problem completing a 15-18 mi run on very minimal calories. My 18 mi run this past week for example at an average HR of 159 only required around 150 calories during the run. So – should I use a different measurement to determine "easy" pace, or should I legitimately be walking? Obviously losing weight should be a focus, and it is, I am mostly LCHF and spend a good amount of time in the gym lifting, doing Lucho's favorite, Olympic lifts, in an effort to improve my body comp. It's so hard to find good endurance information for those of us who do not fit the standard athletic body type. So many principals are built on an assumption of body composition. Please help!

The coaches say: - Everyone walks when they first start MAF. Well... nearly everyone. - Brock's article called "Can Losing Weight Make You Run Faster?" and "Is BMI an Accurate Way to Measure Body Fat?" - A study called "Kinematic, Cardiopulmonary, and Metabolic Responses of Overweight Runners While Running at Self-Selected and Standardized Speeds" - Maybe your slow pace is close enough? 156hr would be very acceptable.

I am a long course athlete. I love just being out there in a race and enjoying the experience no matter how long it takes me. I train primarily in Zone 1-2 (swimming 2 days per week, walks/hikes 2-3 days per week (3-4 miles), a longish run (7-9 miles), a longish bike (15-20 miles), a long bike (25-30 miles) and a long run (12-15 miles). I love the pre-dawn hours and watching the world wake up during a run/bike. My daughters, on the other hand, are into obstacle races (I was the one who ran to a family obstacle race last fall – and yes I completed it). On our way to their first Spartan Kids event, I quickly agreed to do a full event once my oldest meets the minimum age requirement. Then we arrived and the gravity of my quick decision hit me. I do not want to hold my daughter back on the obstacles…..she has a hardcore game face during the Spartan Kids events and finishes well!!!! I have no measurable upper body strength!!! This is no joke……I have spent years disregarding your advice to do offseason weight training. It is not a love of mine so it is easy to choose a different workout. I will definitely need a lot to avoid the dreaded burpee zone if I cannot complete an obstacle. The upside is I have 1.5 years to fix this issue. So where to start? And still be able to complete my races next year? Also, due to my kids, my husband has built Monkey Bars, a mini Salmon Ladder, and a rope climb in the backyard. Next 1.5 years race plan: March 2018 Local Half Marathon (registered) May 2018 IM 70.3 Chattanooga (registered - A race – going with my tri club) Nov 2018 Local Marathon I do every year Spring 2019 IM 140.6….One of those I am turning 40 things

The coaches say: - Study on high reps/ low weight or low reps / high weight were best. - Start conservatively and build to the point where muscle failure happens at 12-15 Reps. That is your starting weight for each exercise. - Two days a week on non-swimming days. Bike days would be good. - Al Kavadlo bodyweight exercises

I am a long time listener of the podcast and appreciate all of the ATC episodes that you and Lucho do, as you both provide unique and great perspectives. I am a 40-year-old male, 6', 170 lbs. I started endurance racing 12 years ago, and have since completed 70+ endurance events. PR's: OLY – 2:09 HIM – 4:54 ½ Marathon – 1:38 Marathon – 3:33 2x qualifier for Duathlon Worlds I took a few years off with low training volume (~2 hours wk) due to work, family, and other obligations. In late 2014 I decided to get back into the swing of things, and subsequently posted my Marathon PR in the fall of 2015, but came out injured w/ severe plantar fasciitis. After months of rehab, multiple cortisone shots, and other attempts at curing it, I opted for surgery in May of 2016. Under the direction of my doctor, I started biking a few weeks after surgery, and on the 3rd ride I was hit by a car. Luckily enough, there were no broken bones, but there was a lot of body trauma and a severe concussion that eliminated any resemblance of working out for 3+ months. Once I was able to return to working out, I noticed that my surgically repaired foot still did not feel "fixed", so in talking with my Dr, we opted for a 2nd surgery in November of 2016. I am happy to say that I have been on a solid road to getting back to decent training volume. While on a group ride in August I was buzzed pretty close by a vehicle, and realized that I wasn't fully recovered mentally from my car/bike accident, and sold the road bike that I had built from scratch. So, I did the only thing any self-respecting (read: crazy) endurance athlete would do, I spent too much money on a mountain bike, and have dedicated my training/racing to off-road triathlons and mountain biking J Because after all self-inflicted injuries > car inflicted injuries J I will be racing my first off-road triathlon in July at the XTERRA Mountain Championships at Beaver Creek, and while I am not expecting to qualify for XTERRA worlds, I would be lying if I said it wasn't at least in the back of my mind. The predicament that I am in is that I live at 900 ft and will be racing at 7500 ft, with the bike course having 3000 ft of climbing (with almost 2000 in the first 5 miles) and the run course having 1300 ft of elevation gain. I will be flying in the day before the race, but have a couple of work-related trips that will afford me at least a little bit of elevation training a few weeks before the race – - 4 wks out - 3 days of riding/running between 5,000 and 6,000 ft - 2 wks out – 2-3 days of riding/running between 6,500 and 7,500 ft Outside of what I am already planning on, what recommendations do you have to help bridge the 7,000 vertical foot gap/lack of oxygen that I am faced with so that I can perform to my full potential in July? Looking forward to hearing back from you.

The coaches say: - Beet Root and Echinacea to improve oxygen transport capacity. - A supplement like BioTropics Chlorella - HIIT to help develop oxygen carrying capacity. - Practice that first ascent but don't forget about speedy descent as well. - Breathing exercises that strengthen the diaphragm. - Those practice sessions will only be good mentally, they're not going to help physically. - Nutrition is key at altitude. Especially hydration.

Been listening to your podcast for a few months and really enjoy it. Lots of useful advice! I am wondering how to incorporate strength training into my training program. Some background: I am just getting into trail running and have never run regularly in my life. I am 23 and have a background in swimming and water polo competitively and hiking/backpacking or skiing recreationally. I am running a race in mid-August (6.8 miles 2,200ft of vertical) and may run a trail half marathon 3,400ft of vert) in early September depending on how my training goes over the next several months. I live in Denver so I can get to the mountains on the weekend but generally not during the week. Through my research and listening to your podcast I have settled on doing 3 months of only MAF HR training building up volume and consistency over the three months. Then the next 3.5 months leading to the races will be mostly MAF training incorporating strides and trying to pack in as much vert as safely as possible (to avoid injury) on the weekends. During the second part of this training cycle, I am considering adding some strength training a couple days a week after easy runs. I imagine doing strength exercise using Dumbbells or body weight nothing extreme. My goal with the strength training is to build durability to avoid injury and strength to tackle hills as I can't always run on hills during the week. Also, I always take one rest day per week. My long-term goals involve moving up to longer distance over the next several years and would like to enjoy this sport for a long time. How should integrate strength training into my training? Should I focus on running volume now and incorporate strength training in the winter? Thanks for all the great advice and for putting on this podcast. Keep up the great work!

The coaches say: - Areas that all runners need to strengthen: Core (form and efficiency), Upper body (fatigue resistance), Legs (extra power), and Stabilizers in the ankles, knees, and hips. - Single leg work. - Plyometrics - Barefoot work to running efficiency, agility, and strengthen your feet and lower legs.

This episode is brought to you byGeneration UCAN Superstarch, the incredible fuel of choice for endurance athletes and health enthusiasts looking for burn more fat for fuel, optimize sports performance and keep blood sugar in check. EP fans get 15% of UCAN, shop now. You can also use the code "enduranceplanet" if you're shopping at generationucan.com for that 15% discount. Join the revolution. You can burn more fat for fuel. Oh, and be sure to check out the UCAN bars with peach and also another flavor with coffee beans for an added kick!

Join the Endurance Planet crew for a race experience of a lifetime! This year we're hosting three Ragnar teams: an ultra team and regular-distance team at Ragnar SoCal on April 6-7 (THIS WEEKEND), and a regular team at Ragnar Cape Cod on May 11-12. Lucho, Tawnee and some awesome athletes will all be together for an unforgettable weekend. To get the details and join the team email [email protected]. Need more convincing? Listen to some of our Ragnar podcasts here and watch a video of the experience here.

On this episode of Ask The Coaches (with the special guest coach, Brock Armstrong):

1. John C Besides long runs, what type of training builds muscle and connective tissue durability and toughness? What training will help muscles and connective tissue develop resistance to the pain and stiffness from tissue damage that occurs during the later stages of a marathon? With just 3 Training sessions spaced out over a week consisting of Hill Repeats, VO2 Max Intervals, and a 25 Minute Tempo Run (totaling 2 to 3 hours of running a week), I can maintain a very high level of fitness. With this minimal training, I can perform to my abilities up to Half Marathon Distance (1:30 duration). In races beyond a half marathon, stiffness, pain and general lack of spring sets in and slows me down. I am savvy with regards hydration, fueling, minerals, amino acids, managing overheating, preventing neurotransmitter depletion and warding off fatigue. I would like to build durability without having to slog it out doing long multi-hour training runs. From experience, I know first-hand longs runs help build durability but have the negative side effect of taking up a lot of time and causing stiffness and tissue damage. To counteract these negatives requires adding additional training measures such as flexibility, massage, and plyometric training. I want to keep things simple and not have to devote more than a few hours a week to running, but still want to run a quality marathon up to my potential. Is it possible?
   • Look after your joints: Inflammation Factor website and book, fish oil, collagen.
   • Pre-fatigue exercises before running.
   • Active lifestyle outside of workouts (standing desks and Dean Karnazes).
   • Prioritize Recovery.
   • Weights, box jumps, deadlifts, and so on for strength.
2. Allison Just listened to ATC 250 - specifically the segment about the 30-year-old female whose MAF heart rate puts her at an exertion beyond what she can hold-the opposite of what usually happens for new MAF-ers. I'm so glad you addressed this question and hope you address it further. I have the exact same issue. I am a 34-year-old female-my MAF is 146 and I have a really hard time going this fast. Dr. Phil Maffetone did begin to address this in ATC November 29, 2017, but did not go into details. He says something like - "people get too fast, but there are ways to handle this...." but that's it. I would love to hear more on this.
   • Previous question from ATC 250: "MAF HR for 30-year-old female is very close to her apparent max HR of 165 (feels like she will collapse and pass out); used to running "aerobic" runs at 115-125 bpm."
   • Run a 5k all out and use that to build zones from.
   • Switch to a pace based plan. Dr. Daniels.
   • Modifying MAF to still get aerobic gains.
3. Glenn I'm a long distance runner and have a constant upper hamstring niggle that I'm aware of but it doesn't impact performance. It's flared up after some back to back days of beach sports. I can lightly run on it but mentally don't want to fully extended/push myself so I'm not training efficiently. I've got about 10 more weeks of base building before marathon training ramps up so looking to eliminate the problem. Could you please ask Lucho what his program for his situation looks like and forward if willing, please. Any advice would be welcomed.
   • High Hamstring Tendinopathy? These are the signs: - Pain deep in the buttocks, upper thighs, or back of the hips that starts gradually. - Pain or discomfort when sitting down, especially if it gets worse after sitting for a long time. - Pain that is triggered or worsened by an activity that involves repetitive leg motion, particularly running or biking. The pain may even begin at the same point in the workout. - Pain when bending fully at the waist, for example, to pick something up off the ground. - Pain that gets worse when accelerating or sprinting.
   • Anti-inflammatory cream, massage, ART, PRP
   • Ham issues can often be traced to foot inflexibility and/or glute mobility and strength. Look at those.
   • Strength training to prevent this.
   • Eccentric hamstring contraction.
   • If you sign a waver - you might be able to ignore this.
   • Nordic Hamstrong curls! Hip thruster, glute bridge, RDLs.
   • Katy Bowman book Whole Body Barefoot
4. Jessica Love the show and all of the great advice and crazy things y'all talk about. I had a question about marathon and 50k fueling. I working on becoming more fat adapted. The last marathon I ran, I took UCAN at the start and then one gel at 14 miles and another at 18. I did pretty well with that, no bonking or anything. The problem, though, is that I have finally narrowed down that UCAN is making me sick for nearly 3 days after I use it. Every time I use it I get severe stomach cramps, heartburn and I am nauseous.This lasts for 2-3 days. I've figured this out through some pretty detailed food journaling and workout log records. I'm 90% sure I have nailed it down to the UCAN. So what kind of fueling strategy would you recommend for someone running marathons (in about 3:30) and 50ks in about 5-6 hours?
   • Gut health? Microbiota could be off. Or lacking. Try some probiotics.
   • It's ok to have some carb based fuel, just not every day.
   • Nike 2:00 fuel is www.maurten.com
5. Jay In a recent ATC episode, you mentioned using a Stryd foot pod to measure ground contact time. So, of course, I went out and bought one of these devices. At my 8:20 MAF pace my GCT is 255 milliseconds at a 173 cadence. I really have no idea if this is good, bad, or ugly. But, I have started jumping rope anyway. What sort of ground contact time should I be aiming for? Am I correct to assume it will vary with pace and cadence? I guess I should add that I am a 47-year-old male, 4-5 runs/week, 20-40 miles a week, recently ran the Lake Tahoe Marathon in 3:56, planning on running a couple of trail 50Ks next year. Also, if you want to talk about it, what is your opinion of using power meters for running? Fad or future? My wattage seems to be about 200 for what it is worth. I'm going to contact Stryd to get their response to this question.
   • Normal is between 160 — 300 milliseconds.
   • Elite runners are under 200-milliseconds (Kenyans have the shortest - a factor in their speed?)
   • GCT is linked directly to cadence. Increase cadence and you will lower GCT.
   • Glute med strengthening - hip hikes, fire hydrants, glute bridge.
   • Box drops, hill bounding.
   • Get-Fit Guy jump rope.
   • Foot plant is key. Move to the mid-front of your foot.

Your host Tawnee and her husband John give you a brief update on Endurance Planet and the news of their baby girl Whitney, who passed away at birth.

You can read more on Tawnee's new blog: Life After Whitney.

Tawnee will be taking some time off as she heals, and in the meantime, Lucho and guest host Brock will be recording new episodes of Ask the Coaches.

Waking Up Hungry At Night, Cortisol Rhythms, Ways To Know You're Eating Enough, Athletic 'Sabbaticals,' and Why We Don't Like Running Streaks