5:41:09! What a great day and great course! My only trouble was a blister on the end of my middle toe (started to feel it around 19). Going down stairs is tough today, but to be expected. More info to come!
Click here for more details on my race time.
Showing posts with label marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marathon. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Running the Columbus Marathon this Sunday!
Only four days away from the Columbus Marathon! My dad will be running the marathon this year; and most definitely finishing at least an 1.5 hours faster than me at half my age! And my mom will be running the half; her first half going solo!I'm using an application called Tweet My Time that will post my time during 5 spots on the course to my twitter account at www.twitter.com/michellelukezic. I'm hoping to finish under 6hrs!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Accelerade Accel Gel Review / 20 Miler.
"Nothing new on race day." This is the golden rule most runners stand firmly by, that you hear over and over again. Stick with what works and what you've been training with.
Two weeks ago I stumbled acrosscompelling research pointing to the importance of protein with exertion of over 3 hours. Most of the information was found at www.accelerade.com. Somewhere on the site it stated something like "Do you want your body to cannibalize it's own muscle tissue when you run our of fuel, or would you rather take Accelerade?" Wow. Of course I don't want to my muscles eating themselves away for fuel; no brainier right?
Let's give Accel Gel a test run. During a 20 mile training run last weekend my first two gels were to be the tried and true CarbBoom and PowerBar brands, and my third and fourth would be Accelerade's Accel Gel. And so the story goes...
Gel One - yummy chocolate cherry CarbBoom, sweet and tasty!
Gel Two - a wake up call with PowerBar Gel Double Latte; just enough caffeine to help me pick it up, mmm, coffee.
And then – when I'm starting to get fatigued and ready for a glorious and wonderfully delicious gel to lift my spirits – Gel Three. Did the product descriptor on the nicely organized package really read "Citrus Orange"? Really? Apologies for my being so blunt, but a more suitable flavor descriptor would be "Upchucked Creamsicle." All I can say is guh-ross! I guess the protein has to come from somewhere; on the nutritional panel in the list of ingredients it lists milk. But I wasn't expecting it. Not a pleasant treat for mile 14, but ok, carrying on, I'll give the next Accel Gel flavor a try at mile 18.
17.95 miles means time to unzip the fuel belt, get the water bottle ready and tear open the next gel - Gel Four. I had lowered my expectation due to my previous experience, but was keeping a fair open mind. Key Lime. Sounds good, and the creaminess from the milk might actually make sense with this particular flavor. Hesitantly - but with an "I know I need this fuel" intensity - I thumbed up the goo into my mouth. Quick! Drink some water! Could this flavor top "Citrus Orange" in regards to God awful terrible flavor? I think so! Trust me, at mile 18, I don't need any help luring the possibility of puking, but the nasty taste really could have put me over the edge. I shared what was left of the Gel with my Dad (who was running the last 6 mile with me), and then he passed it back to my mom (who rode the bike, acting as my "aid station" for the whole 20. "Dar, you gotta try this," he shouted and passed it back. I guess that was my evil way of sharing the pain!
2.05 miles later, with a good sprint to finish it off, it was still top of mind - "Man, I'm never taking that stuff again."
From a fuel/performance perspective, the gels seemed to work just fine. But they were no different from the other gels that I had used in the past that were much more palatable. I guess I'm not "hardcore" enough of an athlete to justify the protein benefits over the disgusting taste. It's just not for me.
And so I choose to amend the golden rule of "Nothing new on race day." to "Nothing new on race day (or during your last 20 mile training run before a marathon)." I had to try it. I'm just glad I did during a training run and not the real deal.
Two weeks ago I stumbled acrosscompelling research pointing to the importance of protein with exertion of over 3 hours. Most of the information was found at www.accelerade.com. Somewhere on the site it stated something like "Do you want your body to cannibalize it's own muscle tissue when you run our of fuel, or would you rather take Accelerade?" Wow. Of course I don't want to my muscles eating themselves away for fuel; no brainier right?Let's give Accel Gel a test run. During a 20 mile training run last weekend my first two gels were to be the tried and true CarbBoom and PowerBar brands, and my third and fourth would be Accelerade's Accel Gel. And so the story goes...
Gel One - yummy chocolate cherry CarbBoom, sweet and tasty!
Gel Two - a wake up call with PowerBar Gel Double Latte; just enough caffeine to help me pick it up, mmm, coffee.
And then – when I'm starting to get fatigued and ready for a glorious and wonderfully delicious gel to lift my spirits – Gel Three. Did the product descriptor on the nicely organized package really read "Citrus Orange"? Really? Apologies for my being so blunt, but a more suitable flavor descriptor would be "Upchucked Creamsicle." All I can say is guh-ross! I guess the protein has to come from somewhere; on the nutritional panel in the list of ingredients it lists milk. But I wasn't expecting it. Not a pleasant treat for mile 14, but ok, carrying on, I'll give the next Accel Gel flavor a try at mile 18.
17.95 miles means time to unzip the fuel belt, get the water bottle ready and tear open the next gel - Gel Four. I had lowered my expectation due to my previous experience, but was keeping a fair open mind. Key Lime. Sounds good, and the creaminess from the milk might actually make sense with this particular flavor. Hesitantly - but with an "I know I need this fuel" intensity - I thumbed up the goo into my mouth. Quick! Drink some water! Could this flavor top "Citrus Orange" in regards to God awful terrible flavor? I think so! Trust me, at mile 18, I don't need any help luring the possibility of puking, but the nasty taste really could have put me over the edge. I shared what was left of the Gel with my Dad (who was running the last 6 mile with me), and then he passed it back to my mom (who rode the bike, acting as my "aid station" for the whole 20. "Dar, you gotta try this," he shouted and passed it back. I guess that was my evil way of sharing the pain!
2.05 miles later, with a good sprint to finish it off, it was still top of mind - "Man, I'm never taking that stuff again."
From a fuel/performance perspective, the gels seemed to work just fine. But they were no different from the other gels that I had used in the past that were much more palatable. I guess I'm not "hardcore" enough of an athlete to justify the protein benefits over the disgusting taste. It's just not for me.
And so I choose to amend the golden rule of "Nothing new on race day." to "Nothing new on race day (or during your last 20 mile training run before a marathon)." I had to try it. I'm just glad I did during a training run and not the real deal.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Muscle Cramps During a Marathon.
I always get cramping in my calves when I run over 15 miles. Cramping can certainly be a symptom of "hitting the wall." I decided to search the web for some information; my findings below.
Possible Muscle Cramp Causes
• Dehydration
• Electrolyte depletion (sodium, potassium, magnesium & calcium)
• Low blood sugar
• Poor conditioning
• Muscle fatigue
• Doing a new activity
• Exercising in extreme heat
Possible Ways to Relieve Muscle Cramps
• Stretch the muscle until the cramp stops
• Apply deep pressure to the affected muscle for 10-15 seconds at a time
Possible Ways to Prevent Muscle Cramps
• Stretch regularly after exercise
• Warm up before exercise
• Improve fitness
• Start a sports massage regime
• Make sure you are getting adequate amounts of Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus & Calcium in your diet; consider taking a supplement
• Consume an electrolyte drink during extended periods of exercise
Additional Findings
• It takes 2 to 2.5 hours of exercise to deplete fully stored muscles takes.
• Sports drinks should be diluted to a ratio of two parts to one part water to prevent high concentrations of ingredients in the system. Large meals and fatty or high protein foods should be avoided before an event or training, favoring instead smaller, more frequent snacks.
• It's widely believed that potassium, magnesium and calcium can assist in the prevention of running cramps. Supplements can be taken.
• Luke Hoffman, author of the HowStuffWorks article How Aspirin Works, offers the following thoughts on muscle cramping:
"There is a reflex arc – made up of the muscle, the nerves carrying signals to the central nervous system (CNS) and the nerves carrying signals from the CNS back to the muscle -- that keeps carrying contraction signals from and to the muscle. This appears to lead to a sustained contraction in the muscle, also known as a cramp."
• Poor posture or inefficient biomechanics can be a cause of muscle cramping. Poor movement patterns may cause a disturbance in the activity of the Golgi tendon organs. These are "strain gauges" built into the tendon to prevent muscle tears. When activated, these organs cause the threatened muscle to relax while stimulating the antagonistic muscle-the one that moves the joint in the opposite way-to fire. There may be some quirk of body mechanics that upsets a Golgi device and sets off the cramping pattern.
If this is the cause, prevention may involve improving biomechanics, and regular stretching and strengthening of muscles that seem to cramp along with their antagonistic muscles.
• Another theory is that cramping is a result of burning protein for fuel in the absence of readily available carbohydrate. In this research, muscle cramps occurred in subjects who reached the highest levels of ammonia release during exercise. High ammonia levels indicate that protein is being used to fuel the muscles during exercise. This may indicate a need for greater carbohydrate stores before, and replacement of those stores during intense and long-lasting exercise.
• Some say pinching your upper lip can release a cramp. Who knows!
Possible Muscle Cramp Causes
• Dehydration
• Electrolyte depletion (sodium, potassium, magnesium & calcium)
• Low blood sugar
• Poor conditioning
• Muscle fatigue
• Doing a new activity
• Exercising in extreme heat
Possible Ways to Relieve Muscle Cramps
• Stretch the muscle until the cramp stops
• Apply deep pressure to the affected muscle for 10-15 seconds at a time
Possible Ways to Prevent Muscle Cramps
• Stretch regularly after exercise
• Warm up before exercise
• Improve fitness
• Start a sports massage regime
• Make sure you are getting adequate amounts of Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus & Calcium in your diet; consider taking a supplement
• Consume an electrolyte drink during extended periods of exercise
Additional Findings
• It takes 2 to 2.5 hours of exercise to deplete fully stored muscles takes.
• Sports drinks should be diluted to a ratio of two parts to one part water to prevent high concentrations of ingredients in the system. Large meals and fatty or high protein foods should be avoided before an event or training, favoring instead smaller, more frequent snacks.
• It's widely believed that potassium, magnesium and calcium can assist in the prevention of running cramps. Supplements can be taken.
• Luke Hoffman, author of the HowStuffWorks article How Aspirin Works, offers the following thoughts on muscle cramping:
"There is a reflex arc – made up of the muscle, the nerves carrying signals to the central nervous system (CNS) and the nerves carrying signals from the CNS back to the muscle -- that keeps carrying contraction signals from and to the muscle. This appears to lead to a sustained contraction in the muscle, also known as a cramp."
• Poor posture or inefficient biomechanics can be a cause of muscle cramping. Poor movement patterns may cause a disturbance in the activity of the Golgi tendon organs. These are "strain gauges" built into the tendon to prevent muscle tears. When activated, these organs cause the threatened muscle to relax while stimulating the antagonistic muscle-the one that moves the joint in the opposite way-to fire. There may be some quirk of body mechanics that upsets a Golgi device and sets off the cramping pattern.
If this is the cause, prevention may involve improving biomechanics, and regular stretching and strengthening of muscles that seem to cramp along with their antagonistic muscles.
• Another theory is that cramping is a result of burning protein for fuel in the absence of readily available carbohydrate. In this research, muscle cramps occurred in subjects who reached the highest levels of ammonia release during exercise. High ammonia levels indicate that protein is being used to fuel the muscles during exercise. This may indicate a need for greater carbohydrate stores before, and replacement of those stores during intense and long-lasting exercise.
• Some say pinching your upper lip can release a cramp. Who knows!
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