Running to Think

Thursday, 23 April 2015

The best workout for runners at the gym

The number of injuries I got in the past, thought me that preparing an ultra trail does not only mean running the long distance on the road or hilly&muddy tracks.

Fortunately, it also means creating diversity in the training, strengthening joints, knees, quads, arms. In three words, HITTING-THE-GYM.

This might sound hard but I'm finding it extremely useful and fun.

So here is a summary of what I have been doing for a while.

In order to spend some hours at the gym I had to decrease the mileage per week. My highest priority has been about improving the core muscles that usually kick in after the 40th km.
No strength in the muscles after 4 hours of running usually means that it's pretty much over. You heard that, my friends. Over. Finito. Go home.

And you don't want that, do you?

I am not talking about glycogen and lack of carbs. These things remain the same for every ultra marathon and the strategies to replenish the overused resources are those that almost every ultra runner already knows.

What I am talking here about is the lack of power in muscles that have been put under stress for so long and are demanded to climb those last 1000 meters of elevation.

Here is a program that has been provided by www.iamsofit.com, a team of experts in fitness and nutrition. I clearly advise it for the purpose of getting stronger, faster and more resistant, especially on the very long distance.

Day 1

Deadlifts: 3 series of 12 repetitions at 75% maximal weight

Squats: 3 series of 15 repetitions at 70% maximal weight

Leg-extension: 3 series of 8 repetitions at 90% max

Lunges with barbell on the back of the shoulders (3x10 each leg)

Abs: crunches on the bench with 20 kg weight 4 series of 25 repetitions

plank with side step 3 series of 60 seconds each

Day 2

Pull-ups 3 times until exhaustion

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3x12 with 75% max

Bent Barbell Row 3x12 75% max weight

Barbell Push Press 3x8 with 90% max

Abs: Plank with legs on ball (bringing knees to chest) 3 series of 20 repetitions

Russian twist 3 series of 20 repetitions (with ball or weight)

Day 3

(Biceps) Concentration curl with dumbbells 3x8 with 90% max weight

Chest-press 3x8 at max weight

Hammer curl 3 series of 12 repetitions per arm 75% max weight

Cable Crossover 3 series of 12 repetitions at 75% max weight

Abs: crunches on the bench with 20 kg weight 4 series of 25 repetitions

Toe-to-head 3 series of 15 repetitions

The results above are of about one month of workouts.

I am not only seeing my body changing and becoming really dense and strong, but also running hills and intervals in conditions in which I am already tired, is becoming... easier, if you allow me the term.

That's it for today.

See you on the road!

Wednesday, 15 April 2015

Training harder. Doing what it needs to be done

Unknown 12:00:00 nutrition , plan 0 Comments

A small update from the running department.

As some of you know, I set my next race to May 17, Trail de la Lesse. A 50 km trail run nearby Liege in Belgium. One more time to "feel the hill", pumping lactate around the blood stream. One more time to feel alive.

The training of the last four weeks has changed to become harder and harder. A steep increase of mileage characterised it, as you can see from the screenshot below. I also added interval training sessions to the mix and after four weeks I can feel the improvement of my cardio condition.

I am being followed by iamsofit.com and added strengthening exercises at the gym (will publish some schedules in a later post). Caroline of iamsofit.com is also providing a nutrition plan.

Running towards best shape of the season.

Keep it up!

Tuesday, 24 March 2015

Alone in the dark

Unknown 13:03:00 back , gipsy 0 Comments

When I don't run, I don't think.

And when I don't think, I don't live.

The burdens of life in the last weeks,

maybe months,

have been so big and unexpected

that sucked out the time I was used

to dedicate to running.

Away from the forest, away from the road,

away from sweat and aching legs,

away from beeps of the watch

that keeps counting miles and seconds

in an unstoppable way.

This has been my life for a while.

With very little running, a bit of gym

to strengthen the knees and build core abs,

for the rest

one of the darkest moments I could experience.

Caroline has been around,

trying to figure out the reasons of the unexplained lack of miles

and running clothes to wash.

I haven't found out either.

I just have been missing the simplicity

of putting one step in front of the other,

of feeling the silence of the road and

the noise of the lungs,

pumping air in and out,

of the music playing only in my head,

of those quotes echoing in my ears

telling that one thing I wanted to hear

which was energy transforming into pain

and speed

and knees absorbing the shocks of the stones

in that trail that goes up and down like a roller cost

and the hearth that wants to get rid of that fuckin' chest

and pump blood until it has nothing left

because there is no more blood left,

only lactate,

white as milk,

heavy as pain, thick as oil.

The nightmare is over.

I see light at the end of the tunnel.

I am back.

The Gipsy is back.

Monday, 9 March 2015

Sport bars by PRIMAL Nutrition: our review

Unknown 09:34:00 CrossFit , diet 0 Comments

Dear food lovers,

Today I am writing about a sport bar that might be of interest to many of you: PRIMAL Nutrition.

Who are they?

When two belgian sport fanatics, get a break from their daily crossfit session, something good happens. Here is their vision: without proper nutrition you cannot even get close to your maximal performance. Eating healthy should be a way of living and the way to respect your body. Hence their attempt to engineer sport bars, such that it would be easy to carry and provide the correct amount of carbs, proteins and fat for your workout. Being healthy should be that easy!

What is PRIMAL Nutrition?

The bars that I am talking about are capable of satisfying your body with the primal nutrition needs that are required before and after workout, or just for your own reasons to stay healthy.

They are made 100% of natural ingredients such as the honey, grass-fed whey, dry prunes and dark chocolate. There is science in each of those, namely the Paleo and Zone diet, famous within the world of Crossfit.

The Paleo Diet consists in eating just like we used to, back in the past... way back in the past. If a caveman could not eat it, why should you?

With this, I mean anything that could be hunted or found in the nature. Sorry, pasta, cereal, and candy are not included.

The Zone diet is basically about learning how to put together perfectly balanced meals that promote maximum health, wellness, and performance. As a CrossFitter you should look at Zone as how much you eat. When following the zone diet every meal you eat is 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat. You also eat a certain number of “blocks” based on how much lean body mass (muscle) you have.

Back to the bars, there are two sizes and one flavor. One as a energy bar (± 150 kcal) the other one as a full power bar or meal (±300 kcal).

The verdict

I chose the medium bars as a snack between breakfast and lunch. This kept me away from snacking around and gave me the energy I needed. I chose the larger bars as my lunch, even thought I have to admit that I needed some time to get used to it in substitution of my regular pasta or salad.

No worries, though. Getting used to it, is easier than you think.

The taste is really good, for those who have a sweet tooth. I could feel the difference with industrial bars which are usually smaller and contain less nutritional values.

The packaging, is simple, as healthy food should be. The fact that you can always see the bar from the package is reassuring. For those following the Zone diet, it is possible to read how many blocks of each nutrient (carbs, protein, fat) are there in the bar.

Overall it is a sport bar that can be used by everyone.

The large bar costs 5 euro while the medium one costs 3 euro.

Want to get some? Order PRIMAL Nutrition at their website

I wish those gentlemen lots of success, believing that passion for healthy food leads to great and tasty things.

Love,

Caroline