Listen to Episode # 3.

In this episode we have a really good listener question and answer session.  We look at what makes a good recovery drink.  The best food to eat after a hard workout or race.  Are two 3 hour rides better than three 2 hour rides.  In the EXTREME FITNESS Section of the show we look at the tempo run being better than interval workouts… what one is better at improving VO2 Max and fitness???  We finish with the Big TIP of the week!!!

Listen to the Podcast… Click here.

In iTunes search for EXTREME FITNESS

For more on EXTREME FITNESS COACHING and my BLOG visit www.EricHerdman.com and  visit us on Twitter at Extreme Workouts

My coaching site (ericherdman.com) is up and running.

As far as the coaching… I have been working with some select clients on and off for the past three years (it was my full time job for 10 years starting back in the early 90′s). Mostly ultra runners and triathletes on their bike and run workouts.  I also worked with them on their nutrition and hydration.  I have been through a lot of racing and training and I am ready to share what I know… ready to give up some secrets.

My iTunes Podcast has just been published and starting September 1st I will go live with weekly Podcast on the following (but not limited to): endurance events – running, cycling, triathlon. Strength training, base training, general fitness, looking good naked (that was a goal of a client-not a racer, never a long run or 4 hour training sessions… just make me look good naked). And much more on nutrition, diet, cooking, recovery, gear and equipment. So much stuff to cover. I will get to it all. Stay tuned!

Please feel free to refer any potential clients, at any level, serious or just beginning, scared to do their first Tri, ultra or doing their 50th.  I would love to sit down and talk to them and find out if I can help. I will not work with everyone that calls or meets with me.  I want to make sure that they qualify and/or can pass my standard tests for me accepting them as a client. I do this to make sure us working together is a good fit but to limit my commitments so I can deliver the best service, coaching, training and advise to the people who are FULLY COMMITTED to the program.

My new coaching site www.EricHerdman.com

New All Things Running Podcast for this week.

The perfect tools for road and trail intervals where you don’t know the exact distance i.e. 400 meters.  The Suunto t6c, with heart rate and foot pod are on the job.  Now all of the Mac people of the world (if you are PC you could already do this) can view their run data at Movescount.com

More on Movescount here: Movescount/Suunto Press release info.

The perfect set-up for road/trail intervals.

Many of you have asked for my race report from the LOL Lovell Canyon 50 miler-April 10th, 2010 at 7AM.

May contain adult language and lyrics.

Here it is…

Build up to a ton of weekly miles for weeks and weeks.  Then, put yourself in a huge world of hurt running 140+ miles a weeks for 4 weeks.  Run the well dry 4-5 times over a few weeks.  Pee blood at least once.  Freeze your sack off in so many ice baths you lost count, taper some but not a lot and show up race day on time to do a two mile warm-up while listening to Peaches and wait for the gun.

Meet Henry Rollins - He sings too

Race day eat 25 gels, take 13 Endurolytes and water.

Run your own race- Listening to more Peaches and Rollins run comfortable for 27 miles, put yourself on the rivet for 14 miles and turn yourself inside out for 9 miles.  Finish first!

Have a Ultragen recovery shake and put Zoot recovery compression socks on right away.  Eat your weight in pancakes.  Wear Zoot compression tights to bed and sleep well.

The End!

The clock said 6:47 I had just ran 44 hilly, windy miles and had to crank out another 6.24777 miles and it was all going to go away… NOT forgotten just going to go away.  Go away like a bad memory goes away with time.  Well… Its had time to go away (2 years of fixing myself) and this next 6 miles was the time to fucking bury this shit and more on!  So, 3 miles out and 3 back and the past two years of fractures, bad luck, stupidity and a body that just didn’t want to cooperate was done!  I promised myself that WHEN not IF this day arrived I would mentally (physically was already under control or I could not have gotten to the start line) let the bad mental shit go.  As I approached the finish line I could see my wife.

This is a good woman... My wife!

My wife who for the past 2 years, 1 day, 4hours and 33 minutes has put up with a husband who was broken, beaten up and down more then he was up.  She was used to putting up with me running 5,6 and 7 hour long runs and putting in 155 mile training weeks running – that… she was ALMOST okay with.  However, the crutches, MRI, bone scans, lab work, Doctors visits, my cane, my special (bad back) recliner, my bone stimulator, my rehab area that became a full blown gym in out living room, pain pills, the constipation from the pain pills and my constant bitching are another thing!  She is a G O O D woman.  I’ll say it again she is a good woman!  No amount of good shit I’ll do for her and to her will ever make up for the shit that girl went through with me for those two years.

As I got closer to the line she took a picture of me and all I could think about is see took a picture of me two years ago walking with a walker, bent over like I was 80 and looking like the pain was tearing the ass out of me – and it was… I had my first set of fractures then… three Sacral fractures.

The back that was once so broken I could not walk right.  Photo by Jayne Furman

I ran the last 6 miles with my shirt off… no problem!  I needed the vitamin D.  I found out I was deficient for vitamin D about a year into this whole mess.  Vitamin D deficiency causes bone density loss.  So more sun for me.  Not crazy nudist camp sun but I try and get a good dose of Vit D whenever I get the chance.  I crossed the line and took one second to take in what I had done.  What I had done was… Not win a 50 mile race.  Not run it in a decent time.  Not having beaten my competition.  But for one second I realized that I got myself back to right.  Back to the good of things.  Back to a “normal” spot – for me anyway.  As she came over to me to give me a hug I remembered the times she hugged me and it hurt because of my 2 pelvic stress fractures.  But not this hug this was damn good!  That was an awesome hug!  I’m so happy for her hug and It certainly did not hurt.  At this point I looked back down the road onto the race course and there was no one in sight.

I wore this thing for 6.75 weeks.

Just like the morning I broke my second metatarsal on the bridge in Washington DC.  No one was around.  I thought no one to help and I am not able to walk.  What the hell am I going to do now?  I hopped along until I got to the main road and then got a taxi to the hotel.  Not today, I thought, today I can walk normal, feel good and move like I was okay and I was.

At The Finish Line-Done!

Two years later, countless bike miles, hundreds of rehab hours, and pain… gone!  Replaced with a new body, a new athlete, new mindset and lots of smart and careful running.  I now refer to all of the “extra” work I do as PREHAB.  Work I do to prevent screwing myself up again.  More on that later, that is a separate blog post.

As we get ready to leave the race site.  I take one more look around to absorb what I have done and think… Next!!!

I went to the well on Saturday and Sunday… my plan was to run it dry on both days.

It started Saturday with a 30 mile run that contained the following workout component/goals.  Run 5K downhill at 6:55 pace/mile.  Negative split the second 15 miles.  Run 5K up the Horizon hill at a faster pace than 3 weeks ago.  Then run a 5K race at my boys school.  DONE!  DID IT! THE WELL IS EMPTY!

I then went to the well again on Sunday for a 20 mile progressive finish run or last half tempo run.  The main purpose here was to go deep in the shit for a few hours with the chance I might not come out quite right.  I started the run a bit flat and slow but quickly got my shit together and got moving enough to get a good thing going.  Brent B (who put me in the shit on the GV hill on the lat lap, that was awesome – thanks!) and I ended up running the last 10miles at a very fast sub 7:30 per mile pace.  Once again the well was dry.  I had not much left.  Okay, enough to make some dark chocolate, hemp, chia, walnut pancakes topped with agave and almond butter.

Dark chocolate, hemp, chia seed, pancakes!

So once again, a big deposit into the training bank-that I will withdraw on race day.  Now is the time to absorb this hard-ass training and get ready to hit it again on Tuesday for some turnover work or this may happen on Wednesday if I am not recovered by Tuesday.  Run on…

Trying to get some SUPER-COMPENSATION

The past three days have been rough (plus-9hours of running last weekend)… Tuesday 25 miles, Wednesday 22miles, Thursday 21 this AM, 5 more miles in the PM.  My race is just a few weeks away and this big deposits into the training bank will come flying back out as withdraws on race day. 

In the store, I am always asked about my training…  “How do you train for those ultras? Do you just go out and run a bunch of miles?”  Yes A N D No! I do workouts with a purpose just like all runners do (or should).  Tempo, speed, turnover, hills, fartlek, etc…  Real suffer fest stuff.  I put myself in the pain cave for hours, just like you.  

So just run a bunch of miles – No, not really.  A bunch of miles with a purpose and meaning – always.  Oh don’t forget the easy and recovery days… a blog on that in the next few days.  Right now I think I will cram in a quick 30miles on the bike before my afternoon run and more work on the computer.   I do have a 24 hour Duathlon in May planned!

I want to ride my bicycle...

More on the last few weeks of race build-up later – Eric

Zoot Recovery Tights

You just put out a massive effort or put in massive distance or both.

At the store (Red Rock Running Company) we are often asked this question… How do you recover?  Is In and Out Burger a good recovery method?  No!!!   However, a giant Recoverite or Ultragen recovery shake (available at Red Rock Running Company), a freezing cold ice bath are recommended!  Then you slip (more like cram) into a pair of Zoot Recovery Tights and a recovery top.  Then, for the next 4 + hours (minimum) you relax and recover.  I also recommend to all of the athletes I work with and write programs for that they sleep in these tights.  Sleeping in these compression tights give you a chance to keep them on longer and thus prolong the enhanced recovery process.

Compression Recovery Tights

These tights also serve another key recovery point.

Travel!  If you have ever finished a race and then sat in the car and drove a few hours only to find out when you hit a Starbucks half way home that you cannot walk your legs are for shit.  These tights will help with this significantly.  I can do a 3-5 hour run in Santa Monica, CA.  Then cram myself into the Zoot tights and then into a car and I am good to go when I hit Barstow for my afternoon coffee.  I can actually move almost like a normal person.  There is also an element of safety here as well.  Wearing these tights for long drives and air travel help with clots.

Zoot Compression LS Top

Wear the top?  Really?

I recommend that all of the triathletes that I work with that they wear the recovery top in addition to the tights.  For the obvious reason the swim but also for the low back bike wear and tear as well as the time in the aero bars and the tension this position adds to the shoulders and rhomboids.  Get the top and put it on.  You will be glad you did.

Nothing says DEAD SEXY like a pair of knee high socks

Dead Sexy Compression Socks

One final recovery tool.  This one can be deployed when tights and tops are not an option.  Like when you are in a hurry and headed to work and cannot have tights sticking out of your suit or uniform.  Compression socks are the daily recovery tool used by me no matter what.  If I put in a good effort or go over 14 miles in my daily runs (This happens 3-4 times a week) I wear these.  They come in black and white and really help with the damages created from our daily runs.  They are also a must if you will be on your feet long hours after your daily run.  One note:  Socks compared to compression calf sleeves.  Many that use compression and research is showing this also.  The socks are better for recovery than the sleeves.  Reason why… the sleeves act like a rubber band wrapped around your finger.  This is fine when exercising because the movement keeps the blood from getting “cut off” and circulating.

Leg compression sleeves=during activity.  Compression socks=recovery time but wearing them during is okay as well.

There you go.  One more way to feel better, get back out there faster and hit it hard again!

Laced Up And Ready To Go Run

We test all of the shoes that come into the store so we know how they “work.”  We test them on the treadmill with our HD video system, measure degrees of pronation, over/under pronation and run them through 5-6 other secret tests to determine what we really have on our shelves.  More important to you is the knowledge about the shoe so we can get/put you in the right shoe for you.

So when the Pearl Izumi (PI) Fuel showed up I was stoked.  I was excited about the shoe when I did the buying some 9 months ago and was waiting its arrival.  I grabbed a pair and headed to my shoe lab.

The facts…

• 10.2 ounces men’s size 10 (my test pair was a 11)
• Runs a tad small.  However , not everyone will notice this!
• Soft enough for a neutral runner
• Stable for slight to a bit more overpronation.  We can test this so you can be 100% sure at RRRC (stability provided by a medial side slice of Syncro Frame)
• Plenty of mid-sole under foot with SKYDEX in the strike zone and forefoot.  Mid-sole thicker than most shoes in this category.
• Mid foot wrap is the best I have felt in years from them
• Drop 25/12mm
• Arch height okay for medium to high arch foot
• Seamless (PI is the best at this) upper

The Treadmill Test

I normally overpronate 10-20 degrees.  This shoe held me to a comfortable and “normal” 7-10 degrees.  My slightly forward of normal initial impact zone was soft and quiet on the TRUE treadmill.  My mid-transition plant was made with the whole sole making contact with the surface and I left the ground over the first and second metatarsals (as normal).  Upon replay I measured the degrees of pronation and noted any (there was none) shoe upper sag of bagging.  This is a well fitting shoe.

The Road Test

I took the Fuels out for a quick 4 miler around Henderson and along the wash.  The first thing I noticed is that the shoe weighs only 10.2 ounces the second thing I noticed was that the shoe felt like a plush full on training shoe (Good thing, some lighter weight shoes can beat the crap out of you).  I placed orange duct tape on the bottom to see the exact wear pattern and as expected it was normal for me.  This is important because some shoes can be to controlling and some can let the foot flip and slide all over the place during the initial strike to toe off.  Other things to note but not exact or scientific.  This shoe felt fast and yet protective.  Downhills were comfortable.  Traction was solid and sure.

Final thoughts

This is a go to shoe for someone wanting a trainer that is flexible in the mid-foot forward.  Protective  from back to front.  Wants or need a lighter weight shoe.  Yes, this shoe is perfect for an everyday trainer for the right body type, efficiency style and training mode.  Please stop in  the store and we will help you take a look at the shoe and go over these considerations.  Finally, you can go long and fast in this shoe!  Pearl Izumi has another winner on the shelves AGAIN!

Light weight blown rubber, carbon and a very grippy out-sole

Medial side:  SYNCRO FRAME = Stability

Way flashy red laces, great mid-foot fit and vented toe box.

Visit Red Rock Running Company at 7350 W. Cheyenne. Las Vegas, Nevada 89129 for a shoe fitting and treadmill video test